Terry Norris

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Terry Norris : biography

17 June 1967 –

Terry Wayne Norris is a retired American boxer and a three-time world champion in the light middleweight division. Originally from Lubbock, Texas, he fought out of San Diego.

Professional boxing career

After turning pro Norris compiled a record of twenty one wins and two losses before challenging Julian Jackson in Norris’s first title fight. He beat future champion Steve Little for the NABF light-middleweight title in December, 1988, and defended once against Buster Drayton. His two losses were by unanimous decision to Derrick Kelley and a disqualification loss to Joe Walker in the first round after Norris hit Walker when Walker was down.

Norris challenged Julian Jackson for the WBA light-middleweight belt in July 1989. Norris seemed to win the first round, but a big second-round right cross from the champion knocked Norris out. Norris made it to his feet before the count but was deemed unfit to continue by referee Joe Cortez.

First championship reign

After winning three comeback fights, including a victory over former welterweight champion Jorge Vaca, Norris traveled to Tampa, Florida, in March 1990 to challenge John Mugabi for the WBC light-middleweight title. Norris wasted no time in stopping the champion, flooring him twice in the first round – the second time for the full count – and thus starting what would be the first of three reigns as champion.

After defending his belt against Rene Jacquot, Norris faced the legendary Sugar Ray Leonard in Madison Square Garden in February 1991. Norris scored two knockdowns and easily beat the faded Sugar Ray via a 12-round unanimous verdict. His next defense, a June victory over another former undisputed welterweight champion – Donald Curry – further cemented Norris’ place in the history of the 154-lb division as Norris wore down his foe and knocked him out in the eighth.

Other prominent foes in that first reign included the tough future middleweight titlist Jorge Castro, and two reigning welterweight champions; WBA title-holder Meldrick Taylor, and IBF title-holder Maurice Blocker.

Losing and regaining titles

In a shocking upset in December, 1993, Simon Brown, former WBC and IBF welterweight titlist, knocked out Norris in four rounds to win the title and halt Norris’ defense streak at ten. Ring magazine named this fight as their "Upset of the Year" for 1993. In their rematch, Norris then regained the title by unanimous verdict over Brown in May 1994.

His second reign proved short when he lost the title by disqualification to Luis Santana in November, 1994. The decision to disqualify Norris was controversial. Norris hit Santana in the back of the head and Santana went down, claiming he was unable to continue. Some at ringside, however, felt that Santana refused to get up in order to gain the disqualification win. Because of the controversial nature of the match, a rematch was ordered. Norris also lost the April, 1995, rematch by disqualification, this time for hitting Santana after the bell had sounded to end the round. Norris was given yet another shot at regaining the title, and in their third fight in August of that year, Norris knocked out Santana in two rounds.

Norris then won a 12-round unanimous decision over hated San Diego rival Paul Vaden in December 1995 to add Vaden’s IBF title to his WBC version, and made defenses against former IBF champion Vincent Pettway, Nick Rupa, and Alex Rios, before being stripped of the IBF title in 1997.

Keith Mullings ended Norris’s championship career by way of ninth-round stoppage in December 1997.

Post-championship career

Norris fought twice more after losing his title. Dana Rosenblatt defeated him by twelve-round decision in a middleweight bout and then WBA junior middleweight champion Laurent Boudouani ended his boxing career with a ninth round knockout.

Norris was elected to the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2005.

Background

A star baseball player during his high school years, Norris bypassed a career on the diamond for one in the ring, amassing a stellar 291-4 amateur record. Displaying a stunning combination of hand and foot speed as well as the ability to throw dizzying combos, Norris’ athletic ability was an uncanny attribute in the ring.