Gerald McClellan


Gerald Allen McClellan is an American retired professional boxer who competed from 1988 to 1995. He is a two-time middleweight world champion, having held the WBO title from 1991 to 1992, and the WBC title from 1993 to 1995. McClellan was forced to retire from boxing after a severe brain injury suffered during his final fight in 1995, a loss to WBC super middleweight champion Nigel Benn.
Known for his formidable punching power and one of the highest 1st-round-knockouts ratio in the history of boxing, McClellan was dubbed ‘a miniature Mike Tyson’ by his promoter Don King The Ring magazine rated McClellan #27 on their list of "100 Greatest Punchers Of All Time". In 2007, McClellan was inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame in California, not to be confused with the more widely recognized International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota.

Amateur career

As an amateur, McClellan was a four-time Wisconsin Golden Gloves champion, 1984-1987, competing mostly in the junior middleweight division.

Highlights

, Little Rock, Arkansas, March 1985:
U.S. Olympic Festival, Houston, Texas, July 1986:
U.S. National Championships, Buffalo, New York, March–April 1987:
U.S. Olympic Festival, Raleigh, North Carolina, July 1987:
Pan Am Box-offs, International Center of the Broadmoor, Colorado Springs, Colorado, July 1987:
U.S. National Championships, Olympic Sports Center, Colorado Springs, Colorado, March 1988:
National Golden Gloves, Omaha, Nebraska, May 1988:
He trained with Kronk Gym being trained by Emanuel Steward. After turning pro, he also fought out of a Palmer Park gym run by Sugar Ray Leonard.

Professional career

McClellan turned professional in 1988. Trained by hall of fame trainer Emanuel Steward, his early career was notable for a propensity for quick victories by knockout: only two of his first 29 fights went beyond the third round, although he lost both of those on the scorecard However, these proved only a momentary check on his career, as he captured the vacant WBO middleweight title by knocking out John Mugabi in one round in 1991, and the WBC middleweight title by knocking out Julian Jackson in five rounds in May 1993, after McClellan had survived some brutally hard punches from Jackson in the second and third rounds. McClellan defended the WBC title three times, all first round stoppages, including a rematch with Jackson. In the fall of 1994, McClellan separated from his long-term trainer Emanuel Steward.

Benn vs McClellan

McClellan moved up in weight to challenge WBC super middleweight champion Nigel Benn in London on February 25, 1995. The fight was watched by an estimated 17 million people on television and 10,300 paying spectators.
In a savage bout, McClellan knocked Benn out of the ring in round one and scored another knockdown in round eight, but each time Benn was able to work his way back into the fight and kept landing hard power punches to the challenger. Referee Alfred Azaro was also roundly criticized for his officiating mistakes, which included impeding the challenger's progress when McClellan was trying to finish off Benn in round 1. McClellan was noticeably blinking repeatedly early in round ten, during which, after receiving a single hard blow from Benn, he voluntarily went down, taking a knee again. McClellan took the mandatory eight count and the fight was resumed, but he did not throw another punch, and moments later he dropped to his knee for a second time and allowed Azaro to count him out. After the fight was over, McClellan immediately stood up and walked to his corner under his own power. He then sat down on the canvas and leaned against the ring apron, but while being attended to by ring physicians he slumped onto his back and lost consciousness. McClellan was subsequently strapped to a stretcher and rushed to the hospital.

Aftermath

McClellan had emergency surgery to remove a blood clot from his brain. He spent eleven days in a coma and was found to have suffered extensive brain damage. He lost his eyesight, the ability to walk unassisted, and was reported as being 80 percent deaf. Sports Illustrated ran an article about the fight and its outcome one week after the fight. McClellan's family flew to London to be by his side, and he was later flown back to his home country. He has recently recovered some ability to walk with the assistance of a cane, but he has not recovered his eyesight. In addition to being blind, his short-term memory was also profoundly affected. His three sisters, particularly Lisa McClellan, are responsible for his care. In a 2011 documentary broadcast by ITV, Lisa stated that Gerald is in fact not deaf, but that he has trouble with comprehension when spoken to.
Tarick Salmaci, a Kronk Gym fighter, claimed later in an interview that he had sparred with McClellan over a year before the Benn fight, and that after McClellan was hit by a jab thrown by Salmaci, McClellan started to blink hard and the session had to be stopped. McClellan initially claimed that he was thumbed, but later admitted to Salmaci in the locker room that he was in fact seriously hurt. Salmaci said that he found it strange that a fighter with McClellan's chin wearing headgear was being hurt by a jab, and that when he noticed McClellan blinking during the Benn fight in the same way, Salmaci was immediately aware that McClellan was in serious trouble. Also notable in hindsight was McClellan complaining of getting regular headaches after his first fight with Julian Jackson in May 1993. In the fight, McClellan's chin resisted Jackson's formidable punching power before McClellan won the fight in Round 5, but Jackson's punches may have done some damage to McClellan's brain, such as concussions, that weren't noticed at the time.

Fundraising

McClellan has been the honoree at numerous banquets and award ceremonies, and fellow boxing world champion Roy Jones Jr., often pointed out as a rival middleweight champion during 1993–94, set up a foundation to help McClellan.
Nigel Benn himself has also helped to raise funds for McClellan's treatment, and the two men would meet again for the first time since their bout at a fundraiser held in London on February 24, 2007. Several items were auctioned off at the event and a total of £200,000 was raised.
In May 2012, the World Boxing Council publicly appealed for donations to a trust fund set up in McClellan's name in order to help his sister Lisa maintain his 24-hour care. In July 2017, McClellan took a turn for the worse, and underwent surgery to repair a malfunctioning colon. McClellan now uses a colostomy bag, and incurs colostomy supply expenses of about 500 dollars a month. Former world light middleweight champion Terry Norris, whose Final Fight Foundation acts to protect boxers, made an appeal for the Gerald McClellan Trust, noting, "McClellan's organs are starting to shut down because of his brain injury." Ring 10, a nonprofit organization that helps impoverished former fighters, provides McClellan with monthly food credit and raises funds to assist with payment of other necessities.

Dog fighting controversy

According to an article in The Observer, McClellan participated in dog fighting.
McClellan's trainer and family admitted that McClellan was involved with fighting pitbulls, and on one occasion had used tape to bind the jaws of a Labrador shut before allowing his pet pitbull "Deuce" to kill it.

Professional boxing record

No.ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes
34Loss31–3 Nigel BennKO10, 1:46Feb 25, 1995 London Arena, London, EnglandFor WBC super middleweight title
33Win31–2 Julian JacksonKO1, 1:23May 7, 1994 MGM Grand Garden Arena, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.Retained WBC middleweight title
32Win30–2 Gilbert BaptistTKO1, 1:37Mar 4, 1994 MGM Grand Garden Arena, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.Retained WBC middleweight title
31Win29–2 Jay BellKO1, 0:20Aug 6, 1993 Coliseo Rubén Rodríguez, Bayamón, Puerto RicoRetained WBC middleweight title
30Win28–2 Julian JacksonTKO5, 2:09May 8, 1993 Thomas & Mack Center, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.Won WBC middleweight title
29Win27–2 Tyrone MooreTKO2 Feb 20, 1993 Estadio Azteca, Mexico City, Mexico
28Win26–2 Steve HarveyTKO1, 1:51Nov 7, 1992 Caesars Tahoe, Stateline, Nevada, U.S.
27Win25–2 Carl SullivanTKO1, 0:45May 15, 1992 Etess Arena, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
26Win24–2 Lester YarbroughTKO1, 2:02Feb 24, 1992 The Palace, Auburn Hills, Michigan, U.S.
25Win23–2 John MugabiTKO1, 2:51Nov 20, 1991 Royal Albert Hall, London, EnglandWon vacant WBO middleweight title
24Win22–2 Sammy BrooksTKO1, 2:07Aug 13, 1991 The Palace, Auburn Hills, Michigan, U.S.
23Win21–2 Ivory TeagueTKO3 Jul 27, 1991 Scope, Norfolk, Virginia, U.S.
22Win20–2 Ken HulseyKO1 Mar 1, 1991 Pioneer Hall, Duluth, Minnesota, U.S.
21Win19–2 Danny MitchellKO1, 2:37Dec 15, 1990 Civic Arena, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
20Win18–2 José Carlos da SilvaTKO3 Nov 14, 1990 Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.
19Win17–2 Charles HollisPTS8Sep 14, 1990 Beloit, Wisconsin, U.S.
18Win16–2 Sanderline WilliamsUD8Aug 21, 1990 The Palace, Auburn Hills, Michigan, U.S.
17Win15–2 James FernandezTKO2 Jun 12, 1990 Metairie, Louisiana, U.S.
16Win14–2 Brinatty MaquilonTKO3, 1:42Apr 26, 1990 Resorts International Casino, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
15Win13–2 Ron MartinTKO1 Mar 10, 1990 Bristol, Tennessee, U.S.
14Win12–2 James WilliamsonKO1, 1:55Jan 20, 1990 The Palace, Auburn Hills, Michigan, U.S.
13Win11–2 Rick CaldwellKO1 Dec 14, 1989 Civic Center, Saginaw, Michigan, U.S.
12Loss10–2 Ralph Ward8Sep 21, 1989 Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
11Loss10–1 Dennis Milton6Jun 24, 1989 Convention Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
10Win10–0 Terrence WrightTKO1, 2:00Apr 14, 1989 Auditorium, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
9Win9–0 Tyrone McKnightTKO2 Feb 19, 1989 High School Gym, Monessen, Pennsylvania, U.S.
8Win8–0 Anthony JacksonKO1, 1:30Feb 10, 1989 Cedar Creek Ice & Expo Center, Wausau, Wisconsin, U.S.
7Win7–0 Joe GoodmanKO2 Feb 4, 1989 Biloxi, Mississippi, U.S.
6Win6–0 Jerome KellyTKO1, 1:52Dec 3, 1988 Brook Park, Ohio, U.S.
5Win5–0 John GordonTKO2, 1:45Nov 25, 1988 The Palace, Auburn Hills, Michigan, U.S.
4Win4–0 Roberto AbondoTKO1, 0:36Nov 22, 1988 Bally's Las Vegas, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.
3Win3–0 Danny LowryTKO1, 2:00Nov 3, 1988 Showboat Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
2Win2–0 Bill Davis1 Sep 15, 1988 La Fontaine Bleue, Glen Burnie, Maryland, U.S.
1Win1–0 Roy Hundley1 Aug 12, 1988 The Eagles Club, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.Professional debut