William "Caveman" Lee facts for kids

William Lee (born September 27, 1956, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is a former professional boxer. He was a middleweight fighter who trained at the famous Kronk Gym in Detroit.

William Lee is well-known for his exciting win against John LoCicero. He also fought against the world middleweight champion Marvin Hagler in 1982, though he did not win that match.

Boxing Career Highlights

The Exciting LoCicero Fight

One of William Lee's most memorable fights was against John LoCicero in July 1981. This match was shown on ESPN and became very famous because it was so intense and exciting. The fight took place in Detroit in a very hot room with no air conditioning.

Boxing commentator Al Bernstein described it as an amazing battle. He said that in the fifth round, both fighters showed incredible skill and toughness. LoCicero was knocked down but got back up and landed many punches on Lee. However, Lee eventually knocked LoCicero out in that same round. Bernstein called it one of the most exciting rounds he had ever seen in boxing.

Challenging Marvin Hagler

Another important part of Lee's boxing story was his fight against Marvin Hagler. Lee's training partner, Mickey Goodwin, was supposed to fight Hagler for the Middleweight Championship. But Goodwin got hurt during training, so William Lee stepped in to take his place.

This fight was a big challenge for Lee. He did not have the same success against Hagler as he did against LoCicero. The match ended very quickly, in just over a minute.

The Hagler-Lee Championship Bout

On March 7, 1982, William Lee faced the undisputed world middleweight champion Marvin Hagler. This championship fight took place in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and was shown on national television by ABC.

Lee started the fight well, landing a good punch on Hagler's face in the first 20 seconds. However, Hagler quickly responded. He hit Lee with a strong right hand and then a quick combination of punches that knocked Lee down.

Lee managed to get back up, but he was unsteady. The referee, Larry Hazzard, allowed the fight to continue. Hagler then attacked Lee without stopping, pushing him against the ropes. The referee stopped the fight as Lee was falling into the ropes. It was clear that Lee was unable to continue, and the fight lasted only 67 seconds.

Life After Boxing

After his boxing career, William Lee found a job at an auto parts yard. He was working there as of 2008.

More About William Lee

William Lee's nickname was "Caveman." He got this nickname because of the long sideburns he wore in the late 1970s.