Dick Tiger

Template:Short description Template:Infobox boxer

Richard Ihetu (August 14, 1929 – December 14, 1971), professionally known as Dick Tiger was a Nigerian professional boxer who held the undisputed middleweight and light-heavyweight championships.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Tiger emigrated to Liverpool, England to pursue his boxing career and later to the United States. Tiger was Igbo and served as a Lieutenant in the Biafran army during the Nigerian Civil War, primarily training soldiers in hand-to-hand combat.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Tiger was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1991. The Ring magazine named him Fighter of the Year in 1962 and 1965, while the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA) named him Fighter of the Year in 1962 and 1966. In 1996, Tiger was voted as one of the best boxers of the 1960s, The later in 1998, Tiger was put in the book of "Best boxers of the 20th Century". In 2002, Tiger was voted by The Ring magazine as the 31st greatest fighter of the last 80 years.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> His first world title win in 1962 was ranked the 15th most memorable moment in Nigerian sports history since 1960 by Premium Times in 2020, the highest ranked combat sports-related moment.<ref name=nigerian-greatest-sports-moments>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Professional careerEdit

Tiger became a two-time undisputed world middleweight champion and helped keep boxing alive during the 1950s boxing industry recession. Tiger won the WBA middleweight title when he beat Gene Fullmer on October 23, 1962, and the light heavyweight title in 1966 when he dethroned José Torres of Puerto Rico.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Prior to these accomplishments, however, Tiger seemed condemned to poor management and a resulting lack of exposure. In 1957, using Liverpool as his fighting base, Tiger was fighting on undercards for small purses, when by fortune, facing off against popular favorite Terry Downes at Shoreditch Town Hall, he walked away with a TKO after six heats.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> New management saw to it certain "errors in his style" were corrected, and in another year, Tiger had taken 17 of 19 fights and won the British Middleweight title. In 1959, handled by the independent Jersey Jones, Tiger came to America, to face adversity in a whole, new way. Jersey Jones, resisting the influences of Madison Square Garden, brokered deals for Tiger by himself, which in the short run, cost them both. In an independent promotion at Edmonton, Alberta, Tiger's Empire belt was lost in a more-than questionable 15 round nod to local challenger Wilf Greaves. The decision as rendered, had first been called a draw; appalled, Jones demanded a recount of the cards, which boomeranged, showing the fight, dominated by Tiger, as a win for Greaves. Tiger, sincere and honorable in his dealings, often found this virtuous approach not reciprocated, particularly in North America.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

A. J. Liebling, impressed in witnessing Tiger's 1962<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> performance versus Henry Hank of Detroit, described the fighter's appearance thus, "... a chest like an old-fashioned black office safe, dropping away to a slender waist, big thighs, and slender legs; he boxed classically, his arms tight against his sides at the beginning of a punch, his savagely methodical blows moving in short arcs and straight lines."

Such a description was similarly evoked, albeit in simpler terms, by Tiger's contemporaries. Gene Fullmer: "Tiger was a rough guy....I went to Nigeria to fight him, and, of course, I don't know what happened over there....He beat me. He beat me bad. My mother and father could have been judge and referee, and I couldn't have won a round..."<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Joey Giardello: "I thank Dick Tiger because Dick Tiger was a man and Dick Tiger gave (a title shot) to me. He didn't have to give it to me. He could have give it to somebody else."<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> An additional comment from Giardello, in the form of a sarcastic bon mot, showed contemporary respect for Tiger as a fellow battler. The pair fought four times in all, the last two of these in swapping the middleweight title. Every fight went the distance, meaning that in terms of time, Dick Tiger and Joey Giardello contended face to face for two and a half hours. Prior to one of these latter encounters, when asked by the press if Giardello, a classic boxer, planned to trade punches with Tiger, Giardello squelched this with, "I wouldn't trade stamps with him."<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Numerous accounts of Tiger as both man and fighting man, describe a solid, decent, un-nuanced person. Unsurprisingly, a very Western gimmick, the literal "power of the press", or perhaps of Madison Avenue, appears lost on him. Contender Joey Archer, a scientific middleweight of uncommon speed, launched a small space ad campaign directed at Tiger. The ads, using copy such as "I'm a middleweight, and I've licked every man I ever fought, including you", were employed to create a sensation and perhaps a groundswell toward securing Archer a title fight. Tiger had already signed to fight Emile Griffith, and an Archer ad admonished, "The Middleweight Champion should meet the best middleweight (not a welterweight)." Archer carried his cause to talk shows, even to the New York Daily News, was photographed taunting an angry, caged tiger at the Bronx Zoo. Whether this bombast registered in any negative way, or even impacted Dick Tiger's pride, history never discovered after Emile Griffith won Tiger's middleweight belt from him, making Tiger a non-player in the drama. Joey Archer shifted his attentions and, from 1966, Tiger campaigned as a full light heavyweight.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

After decisioning Jose Torres to win title honors, Tiger then defended his crown against Torres and Montanan Roger Rouse, before coming up short against Bob Foster of Albuquerque, New Mexico, sometimes described as a veteran, although he was only 26 with 33 fights. Tiger was the veteran, at nearly 40 and his 4th last fight.. The left hook Foster used to dethrone Tiger in an instant, was rated among "The 10 Deadliest Punches of the Last 25 Years" in 1975.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> The power in the one-punch K.O. made such an impact upon Garden promoters, it was felt that a rematch would do poor business. This attitude forced Tiger to contend for the right to regain his crown, and saw him matched against up-and-comer Frankie DePaula, who was coming off five consecutive knockouts. The fight to qualify against Foster was, for its first four rounds, a war which saw both men go down twice, and was selected by Ring magazine as "Fight of the Year". Though Dick Tiger took the decision, having proved his mettle, ill treatment on the American side seemed to cling, as Frankie DePaula, the man he had defeated, was inexplicably given the chance at Bob Foster.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Retirement and deathEdit

Tiger travelled from his home of Nigeria to Liverpool, Western England and eventually the United States in the latter parts of his career, making a big contribution to boxing.

After retiring from boxing, Tiger worked as a guard at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. One day, he felt a strong pain in his back. Tested by doctors, he was diagnosed with liver cancer.

He had been banned by the Nigerian government in his country because of his involvement in the Biafran movement; however, the ban was lifted immediately after news about his condition arrived in Nigeria. He died of liver cancer on 14 December 1971 in Aba, Nigeria, at the age of 42.<ref>Dick Tiger dies of liver cancer, google.com; accessed November 6, 2016.</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Professional boxing recordEdit

Template:BoxingRecordSummary

Template:Abbr	Result	Record	Opponent	Type	Round, time	Date	Location	Notes
82	Template:No2Loss	60–19–3	Emile Griffith	UD	10	Jul 15, 1970	Template:Small
81	Template:Yes2Win	60–18–3	Andy Kendall	UD	10	Nov 14, 1969	Template:Small
80	Template:Yes2Win	59–18–3	Nino Benvenuti	UD	10	May 26, 1969	Template:Small
79	Template:Yes2Win	58–18–3	Frank DePaula	UD	10	Oct 25, 1968	Template:Small
78	Template:No2Loss	57–18–3	Bob Foster	KO	4 (15), Template:Small	May 24, 1968	Template:Small	Template:Small
77	Template:Yes2Win	57–17–3	Roger Rouse	TKO	12 (15), Template:Small	Nov 17, 1967	Template:Small	Template:Small
76	Template:Yes2Win	56–17–3	José Torres	SD	15	May 16, 1967	Template:Small	Template:Small
75	Template:Yes2Win	55–17–3	Abraham Tomica	TKO	5 (10)	Feb 5, 1967	Template:Small
74	Template:Yes2Win	54–17–3	José Torres	UD	15	Dec 16, 1966	Template:Small	Template:Small
73	Template:No2Loss	53–17–3	Emile Griffith	UD	15	Apr 25, 1966	Template:Small	Template:Small
72	Template:Yes2Win	53–16–3	Peter Mueller	KO	3 (10), Template:Small	Feb 18, 1966	Template:Small
71	Template:Yes2Win	52–16–3	Joey Giardello	UD	15	Oct 21, 1965	Template:Small	Template:Small
70	Template:Yes2Win	51–16–3	Rubin Carter	UD	10	May 20, 1965	Template:Small
69	Template:Yes2Win	50–16–3	Juan Carlos Rivero	TKO	6 (10)	Mar 12, 1965	Template:Small
68	Template:No2Loss	49–16–3	Joey Archer	SD	10	Oct 16, 1964	Template:Small
67	Template:Yes2Win	49–15–3	Don Fullmer	UD	10	Sep 11, 1964	Template:Small
66	Template:Yes2Win	48–15–3	Jose Monon Gonzalez	TKO	6 (10)	Jul 31, 1964	Template:Small
65	Template:No2Loss	47–15–3	Joey Giardello	PTS	15	Dec 7, 1963	Template:Small	Template:Small
64	Template:Yes2Win	47–14–3	Gene Fullmer	RTD	7 (15), Template:Small	Aug 10, 1963	Template:Small	Template:Small
63	Template:DrawDraw	46–14–3	Gene Fullmer	SD	15	Feb 23, 1963	Template:Small	Template:Small
62	Template:Yes2Win	46–14–2	Gene Fullmer	UD	15	Oct 23, 1962	Template:Small	Template:Small
61	Template:Yes2Win	45–14–2	Henry Hank	UD	10	Mar 31, 1962	Template:Small
60	Template:Yes2Win	44–14–2	Florentino Fernández	TKO	6 (10)	Jan 20, 1962	Template:Small
59	Template:Yes2Win	43–14–2	William Pickett	UD	10	Dec 16, 1961	Template:Small
58	Template:Yes2Win	42–14–2	Hank Casey	SD	10	May 15, 1961	Template:Small
57	Template:Yes2Win	41–14–2	Ellsworth Webb	KO	6 (10), Template:Small	Apr 15, 1961	Template:Small
56	Template:Yes2Win	40–14–2	Gene Armstrong	TKO	9 (10), Template:Small	Feb 18, 1961	Template:Small
55	Template:Yes2Win	39–14–2	Wilf Greaves	TKO	9 (15), Template:Small	Nov 30, 1960	Template:Small	Template:Small
54	Template:No2Loss	38–14–2	Wilf Greaves	SD	15	Jun 22, 1960	Template:Small	Template:Small
53	Template:Yes2Win	38–13–2	Víctor Zalazar	MD	10	Apr 1, 1960	Template:Small
52	Template:Yes2Win	37–13–2	Gene Armstrong	UD	10	Feb 24, 1960	Template:Small
51	Template:Yes2Win	36–13–2	Holly Mims	MD	10	Dec 30, 1959	Template:Small
50	Template:No2Loss	35–13–2	Joey Giardello	UD	10	Nov 4, 1959	Template:Small
49	Template:Yes2Win	35–12–2	Joey Giardello	UD	10	Sep 30, 1959	Template:Small
48	Template:Yes2Win	34–12–2	Gene Armstrong	PTS	10	Sep 2, 1959	Template:Small
47	Template:No2Loss	33–12–2	Rory Calhoun	SD	10	Jul 17, 1959	Template:Small
46	Template:DrawDraw	33–11–2	Rory Calhoun	PTS	10	Jun 5, 1959	Template:Small
45	Template:Yes2Win	33–11–1	Randy Sandy	PTS	10	May 12, 1959	Template:Small
44	Template:No2Loss	32–11–1	Randy Sandy	PTS	10	March 19, 1959	Template:Small
43	Template:Yes2Win	32–10–1	Yolande Pompey	PTS	10	Oct 14, 1958	Template:Small
42	Template:No2Loss	31–10–1	Ellsworth Webb	PTS	10	Jun 24, 1958	Template:Small
41	Template:Yes2Win	31–9–1	Billy Ellaway	KO	2 (8)	May 1, 1958	Template:Small
40	Template:Yes2Win	30–9–1	Pat McAteer	KO	9 (15)	Mar 27, 1958	Template:Small	Template:Small
39	Template:Yes2Win	29–9–1	Johnny Read	KO	6 (8)	Feb 25, 1958	Template:Small
38	Template:Yes2Win	28–9–1	Jimmy Lynas	KO	7 (8)	Feb 3, 1958	Template:Small
37	Template:Yes2Win	27–9–1	Jean Ruellet	PTA	8	Jan 13, 1958	Template:Small
36	Template:Yes2Win	26–9–1	Paddy Delargy	KO	6 (10)	Nov 28, 1957	Template:Small
35	Template:DrawDraw	25–9–1	Pat McAteer	PTS	10	Nov 11, 1957	Template:Small
34	Template:Yes2Win	25–9	Jean Claude Poisson	PTS	10	Oct 21, 1957	Template:Small
33	Template:Yes2Win	24–9	Phil Edwards	PTS	10	Sep 9, 1957	Template:Small
32	Template:Yes2Win	23–9	Alan Dean	PTS	8	Jun 25, 1957	Template:Small
31	Template:No2Loss	22–9	Willie Armstrong	PTS	8	Jul 15, 1957	Template:Small
30	Template:Yes2Win	22–8	Marius Dori	TKO	7 (8)	Jun 4, 1957	Template:Small
29	Template:Yes2Win	21–8	Terry Downes	TKO	5 (8)	May 14, 1957	Template:Small
28	Template:Yes2Win	20–8	Johnny Read	TKO	2 (8)	Apr 29, 1957	Template:Small
27	Template:Yes2Win	19–8	Alan Dean	PTS	8	Nov 9, 1956	Template:Small
26	Template:No2Loss	18–8	Alan Dean	PTS	6	Oct 18, 1956	Template:Small
25	Template:Yes2Win	18–7	Jimmy Lynas	PTS	8	Jul 2, 1956	Template:Small
24	Template:Yes2Win	17–7	Wally Scott	TKO	4 (8)	May 28, 1956	Template:Small
23	Template:Yes2Win	16–7	Alan Dean	PTS	8	May 10, 1956	Template:Small
22	Template:Yes2Win	15–7	Dennis Rowley	KO	1 (8)	May 3, 1956	Template:Small
21	Template:No2Loss	14–7	George Roe	PTS	8	Mar 22, 1956	Template:Small
20	Template:No2Loss	14–6	Jimmy Lynas	PTS	8	Mar 1, 1956	Template:Small
19	Template:No2Loss	14–5	Gerry McNally	PTS	8	Jan 27, 1956	Template:Small
18	Template:No2Loss	14–4	Alan Dean	PTS	6	Dec 08, 1955	Template:Small
17	Template:Yes2Win	14–3	Bolaji Johnson	PTS	8	Aug 31, 1955	Template:Small
16	Template:Yes2Win	13–3	John Ama	KO	2	May 1, 1955	Template:Small
15	Template:Yes2Win	12–3	Raheem Fagbemi	PTS	8	Jan 31, 1955	Template:Small
14	Template:Yes2Win	11–3	Koko Kid	KO	6	Jan 1, 1955	Template:Small
13	Template:Yes2Win	10–3	Peter Okptra	KO	8	Nov 1, 1954	Template:Small
12	Template:Yes2Win	9–3	Super Human Power	PTS	8	Jul 18, 1954	Template:Small
11	Template:Yes2Win	8–3	Mighty Joe	PTS	6	Jun 12, 1954	Template:Small
10	Template:Yes2Win	7–3	Robert Nwanne	KO	2	Feb 1, 1954	Template:Small
9	Template:No2Loss	6–3	Tommy West	PTS	6	Jan 29, 1954	Template:Small
8	Template:No2Loss	6–2	Tommy West	RTD	7	May 20, 1953	Template:Small
7	Template:Yes2Win	6–1	Simon Eme	PTS	8	Feb 1, 1953	Template:Small
6	Template:Yes2Win	5–1	Blackie Power	PTS	6	Jan 30, 1953	Template:Small
5	Template:Yes2Win	4–1	Lion Ring	TKO	6	Jan 1, 1953	Template:Small
4	Template:No2Loss	3–1	Tommy West	PTS	10	Dec 13, 1952	Template:Small
3	Template:Yes2Win	3–0	Easy Dynamite	KO	1	Oct 1, 1952	Template:Small
2	Template:Yes2Win	2–0	Koko Kid	PTS	8	Sep 1, 1952	Template:Small
1	Template:Yes2Win	1–0	Simon Eme	KO	2	Jan 1, 1952	Template:Small

Titles in boxingEdit

Undisputed titlesEdit

PortrayalsEdit

FictionEdit

A fictional August 29, 1963 Madison Square Garden bout in which a heavily favored Dick Tiger loses to Tom "The Hammer" Case of Dallas, Texas comes near the end of Stephen King's time-travel novel, 11/22/63.

TelevisionEdit

He appeared as the first guest on the June 16, 1963 installment of the American television series What's My Line? He signed in with his actual name, and his occupation was correctly guessed by second panelist Tony Randall.<ref>What's My Line?, Sunday, June 16, 1963 – YouTube (via What's My Line?). Retrieved March 13, 2025.</ref>Template:Citation needed