Michael Nunn

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Michael Nunn : biography

April 14, 1963 –

|-align=center |Win |10-0 |align=left| Jorge Amparo | | | |align=left| |

|-align=center |Win |9-0 |align=left| Charles Campbell | | | |align=left| |

|-align=center |Win |8-0 |align=left| Marcos Geraldo | | | |align=left| |

|-align=center |Win |7-0 |align=left| James Waire | | | |align=left| |

|-align=center |Win |6-0 |align=left| Larry Davis | | | |align=left| |

|-align=center |Win |5-0 |align=left| JW Johnson | | | |align=left| |

|-align=center |Win |4-0 |align=left| Sergio Campos | | | |align=left| |

|-align=center |Win |3-0 |align=left| Robert Jackson | | | |align=left| |

|-align=center |Win |2-0 |align=left| Ismael Templos | | | |align=left|{} |

|-align=center |Win |1-0 |align=left| John Borman | | | |align=left| | |}

Professional career

Middleweight

Nunn turned professional in 1984. After winning his first thirty fights, he fought IBF middleweight title-holder Frank Tate, who was 23-0. The fight took place on July 28, 1988 at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas. Nunn won the title by a ninth-round knockout.

In his first title defense, he knocked out Juan Roldan in the eighth round. His second defense was a stunning first-round knockout of Sumbu Kalambay to capture the vacant Lineal middleweight championship. Nunn’s next two title defenses were twelve-round majority decision wins over Iran Barkley and Marlon Starling. For his fifth defense, Nunn went to France and knocked out Donald Curry in ten rounds. On May 10, 1991, in his hometown of Davenport, Iowa, Nunn lost his title in a big upset to James Toney. Nunn, well ahead on points after ten rounds, was knocked out after being dropped by a left hook in the eleventh round.

Super-middleweight

After the loss, Nunn moved up a weight division to super-middleweight and won the NABF title with a tenth-round stoppage against Randall Yonker. On September 12, 1992, Nunn won the Lineal/WBA super middleweight titles with a controversial twelve-round split decision over Victor Cordoba. The WBA ordered a rematch, which took place on January 30, 1993. Nunn fought much better in the rematch, winning by a one-sided twelve-round unanimous decision.Lakeland (FL) Ledger February 2, 1993

In his fifth title defense, Nunn lost the title to Steve Little by a twelve-round split decision on February 26, 1994, in another huge upset.Reading (PA) Eagle March 3, 1994 On December 17, 1994, Nunn traveled to Ecuador to fight Frankie Liles in an attempt to regain the Lineal/WBA super-middleweight titles. In a very close fight, Liles, who had defeated Little in his previous fight to win the title, defeated Nunn by a twelve-round unanimous decision.

Light-heavyweight

After nine consecutive wins, Nunn got another title shot. On March 21, 1998, he fought Graciano Rocchigiani for the vacant WBC light heavyweight title in Germany. Nunn lost by a twelve-round split decision, with the judges favouring Rocchigiani’s fewer, more solid punches over Nunn’s much higher volume of lighter shots.

On January 23, 2002, Nunn defeated Vinson Durhan by a ten-round unanimous decision at Caesar’s Indiana in Bridgeport, Indiana. It would be his last fight. He finished with a record of 58-4 with 37 knockouts.

Honors

  • Recipient of The Ring magazine Progress of the Year award in 1988.
  • KO magazine Fighter of the Year in 1988.