Featured Opponents
Cleveland Williams (Big Cat) was an American professional boxer. He was born in Griffin, Georgia on June 30, 1933. Williams made his professional boxing debut at the age of 18, on December 11, 1951. Williams died on September 10, 1999 at the age of 66 years.
In a professional boxing career spanning 20 years and 10 months, Cleveland Williams fought 92 times with 78 wins, 13 losses, and 1 draw. By his last professional fight on October 28, 1972, Williams' record stood at 78-13-1 (58 KO wins, 8 KO losses).
Following is a tabular list of Williams' fights. For a list with more details — like opponent record, opponent stats, including videos — refer to "All of Cleveland Williams' fights".
Total Fights | 92 |
---|---|
Wins | 78 |
Losses | 13 |
Draws | 1 |
No-Contests | 0 |
KO Wins | 58 |
---|---|
Total Title Wins | 0 |
Title Defenses | 0 |
Title-Fight KO Wins | 0 |
Losses via KO | 8 |
# | Date | Age | Opponent | Res | Via |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
92 | Oct 28, 1972 | 39 | Roberto Davila | Win | UD |
91 | Jul 10, 1972 | 39 | Bob Mashburn | Win | KO9 |
90 | May 11, 1972 | 38 | Terry Daniels | Win | UD |
89 | Nov 17, 1971 | 38 | George Chuvalo | Loss | UD |
88 | Sep 21, 1971 | 38 | Jack O'Halloran | Loss | SD |
87 | Apr 28, 1971 | 37 | Ted Gullick | Win | MD |
86 | Oct 21, 1970 | 37 | Al Lewis | Loss | TKO4 |
85 | May 26, 1970 | 36 | Roberto Davila | Win | UD |
84 | Apr 14, 1970 | 36 | Eddie Brooks | Win | KO1 |
83 | Dec 9, 1969 | 36 | Leroy Caldwell | Win | TKO10 |
82 | Nov 18, 1969 | 36 | Mac Foster | Loss | KO3 |
81 | Sep 13, 1969 | 36 | Mac Foster | Loss | TKO5 |
80 | May 20, 1969 | 35 | Al Jones | Loss | TKO8 |
79 | Mar 18, 1969 | 35 | Charley Polite | Win | UD |
78 | Nov 21, 1968 | 35 | Bob Cleroux | Loss | UD |
77 | Oct 7, 1968 | 35 | Moses Harrell | Win | TKO7 |
76 | Aug 6, 1968 | 35 | Jean-Claude Roy | Win | UD |
75 | Jun 25, 1968 | 34 | Leslie Borden | Win | KO1 |
74 | Jun 11, 1968 | 34 | Mike Bruce | Win | KO1 |
73 | May 21, 1968 | 34 | Roy Crear | Win | KO1 |
72 | Nov 14, 1966 | 33 | Muhammad Ali | Loss * | TKO3 |
71 | Jun 28, 1966 | 32 | Tod Herring | Win | TKO3 |
70 | Apr 19, 1966 | 32 | Sonny Moore | Win | PTS |
69 | Mar 22, 1966 | 32 | M.J. Turnbow | Win | UD |
68 | Feb 8, 1966 | 32 | Ben Black | Win | KO1 |
67 | Sep 30, 1964 | 31 | Billy Daniels | Win | PTS |
66 | Jul 21, 1964 | 31 | Sonny Banks | Win | KO6 |
65 | Apr 7, 1964 | 30 | Tommy Fields | Win | PTS |
64 | Oct 8, 1963 | 30 | Roger Rischer | Win | KO3 |
63 | Aug 13, 1963 | 30 | Kirk Barrow | Win | KO3 |
62 | Apr 13, 1963 | 29 | Ernie Terrell | Loss | SD |
61 | Apr 2, 1963 | 29 | Young Jack Johnson | Win | TKO10 |
60 | Mar 9, 1963 | 29 | Billy Daniels | Win | UD |
59 | Oct 23, 1962 | 29 | David E. Bailey | Win | KO5 |
58 | Jul 10, 1962 | 29 | Eddie Machen | Draw | MD |
57 | May 15, 1962 | 28 | Alonzo Johnson | Win | KO1 |
56 | Apr 3, 1962 | 28 | Ernie Terrell | Win | TKO7 |
55 | Dec 19, 1961 | 28 | Jim Wyley | Win | KO1 |
54 | May 16, 1961 | 27 | Alex Miteff | Win | TKO5 |
53 | Feb 7, 1961 | 27 | Wayne Bethea | Win | PTS |
52 | Dec 7, 1960 | 27 | Johnny Hayden | Win | KO2 |
51 | Nov 1, 1960 | 27 | George Moore | Win | KO4 |
50 | Oct 24, 1960 | 27 | Ben Marshall | Win | KO2 |
49 | Mar 21, 1960 | 26 | Sonny Liston | Loss | TKO2 |
48 | Oct 14, 1959 | 26 | Curley Lee | Win | KO10 |
47 | May 26, 1959 | 25 | Ernie Cab | Win | KO3 |
46 | Apr 15, 1959 | 25 | Sonny Liston | Loss | TKO3 |
45 | Jan 13, 1959 | 25 | Ollie Wilson | Win | KO3 |
44 | Dec 9, 1958 | 25 | Howie Turner | Win | PTS |
43 | Jun 3, 1958 | 24 | Frankie Daniels | Win | UD |
42 | Mar 25, 1958 | 24 | Dick Richardson | Win | DQ |
41 | Feb 4, 1958 | 24 | Gene White | Win | TKO1 |
40 | Dec 3, 1957 | 24 | Frankie Daniels | Win | UD |
39 | Oct 15, 1957 | 24 | John Holman | Win | KO7 |
38 | Sep 17, 1957 | 24 | Bob Albright | Win | KO7 |
37 | Jul 23, 1957 | 24 | Clifford Gray | Win | KO1 |
36 | Jul 15, 1957 | 24 | J.D. Marshall | Win | KO2 |
35 | Jun 11, 1957 | 23 | Johnny Mason | Win | KO1 |
34 | Aug 6, 1956 | 23 | Johnny Hollins | Win | KO3 |
33 | Jun 22, 1954 | 20 | Bob Satterfield | Loss | KO3 |
32 | Jun 8, 1954 | 20 | Sylvester Jones | Win | KO7 |
31 | Mar 9, 1954 | 20 | Jimmy Walls | Win | TKO1 |
30 | Oct 21, 1953 | 20 | Claude Rolfe | Win | KO3 |
29 | Oct 20, 1953 | 20 | Bo Willis | Win | KO2 |
28 | Sep 24, 1953 | 20 | Sylvester Jones | Loss | PTS |
27 | Sep 2, 1953 | 20 | Keene Simmons | Win | PTS |
26 | May 12, 1953 | 19 | Omelio Agramonte | Win | PTS |
25 | Mar 24, 1953 | 19 | Ponce DeLeon Taylor | Win | KO2 |
24 | Mar 12, 1953 | 19 | Terry O'Connor | Win | KO3 |
23 | Mar 4, 1953 | 19 | Ponce DeLeon Taylor | Win | PTS |
22 | Jan 13, 1953 | 19 | Abie Gibson | Win | KO1 |
21 | Dec 8, 1952 | 19 | Graveyard Walters | Win | KO2 |
20 | Nov 25, 1952 | 19 | Claude Rolfe | Win | KO9 |
19 | Oct 3, 1952 | 19 | Johnny Hollins | Win | KO1 |
18 | Sep 23, 1952 | 19 | J.J. McFadden | Win | KO6 |
17 | Sep 16, 1952 | 19 | Art Henri | Win | TKO8 |
16 | Sep 12, 1952 | 19 | Roosevelt Holmes | Win | KO1 |
15 | Sep 2, 1952 | 19 | Baby Booze | Win | KO1 |
14 | Aug 12, 1952 | 19 | Candy McDaniels | Win | KO2 |
13 | Jul 25, 1952 | 19 | Sam Harold | Win | KO4 |
12 | Jul 22, 1952 | 19 | Lee Raymond | Win | TKO5 |
11 | Jul 8, 1952 | 19 | Jimmy Felton | Win | KO3 |
10 | Jun 24, 1952 | 18 | Eddie Lee Williams | Win | KO1 |
9 | Jun 17, 1952 | 18 | Harry Turner | Win | KO1 |
8 | Jun 10, 1952 | 18 | Paul Favrot | Win | KO4 |
7 | May 28, 1952 | 18 | Ray Brown | Win | KO3 |
6 | Apr 15, 1952 | 18 | Johnny Fowler | Win | KO5 |
5 | Mar 28, 1952 | 18 | Ray Banks | Win | KO1 |
4 | Feb 29, 1952 | 18 | Roosevelt Holmes | Win | UD |
3 | Feb 26, 1952 | 18 | Rudolph Wood | Win | KO2 |
2 | Feb 15, 1952 | 18 | Ray Banks | Win | TKO1 |
1 | Dec 11, 1951 | 18 | Lee Hunt | Win | KO3 |
* World-title fight
Cleveland Williams was 188 cm tall (6' 2.02") with a reach of 203 cm (6' 7.92"). He used to fight out of the orthodox stance and presented an ape-index of 15 cm (5.91").
Williams had a 63% KO rate. Of his total 58 KO wins, 41 were in the early rounds, 12 in the mid rounds, and five in the later rounds. He had 19 first-round KO wins.
Cleveland Williams' professional boxing career spanned more than 20 years — from 1951 to 1972.
Williams made his professional boxing debut against Lee Hunt at the age of 18 on December 11, 1951, defeating Hunt via 3rd round KO. He went on to win 26 more consecutive fights after the debut, which included 22 wins via stoppage.
Williams had his first world title fight at the age of 33 on November 14, 1966 after 71 professional fights, against Muhammad Ali for the WBC and The Ring titles. He lost to Ali via 3rd round TKO.
Some of Williams' best fights and notable victories include wins over Johnny Mason, Jim Wyley, Jimmy Walls, Ollie Wilson, Johnny Hayden, Ben Marshall, and Ernie Cab.
Williams had a total of 13 losses in his professional boxing career.
His last professional fight was a non-title rematch against Roberto Davila at 39 years of age, on October 28, 1972. Williams won the fight via 10 round unanimous decision.
Although Williams had a total of 92 fights, this fight against Muhammad Ali is the sole highlight of his career.
November 14, 1966: In his first world-title fight, Cleveland Williams loses to Muhammad Ali via 3rd round TKO. He was fighting for the WBC and The Ring heavyweight titles.
Williams knocked out 58 of his 92 opponents. By his last fight, his KO ratio was at 63%. Of his total 78 wins, 58 of them were via KO (74.4%).
If you are interested in Williams' boxing career, you should definitely check out the following fights.