Elisha Obed

Elisha Obed (born Everette Ferguson) emerged as one of the Bahamas' most accomplished boxers, rising from Nassau's local gyms to world championship glory. Standing 5'11" with a 72-inch reach, Obed's journey began watching local heroes Yama Bahama and Gomeo Brennan train, eventually sparring with them by age 13.

His amateur career proved exceptional, compiling a 46-0 record (16 KOs) before turning professional at just 14. Though initially reported undefeated through his early career in Nassau, records later revealed an undisclosed knockout loss to Kid Carew during this period.

Under the guidance of trainer Moe Fleischer and manager Mike Dundee, Obed's career transformed. His explosive power caught attention as he systematically knocked out Florida's top middleweights, including state champion Dennis Riggs and former titleholder Jimmy Williams. Notable victims included prospects Tom Von Hatten (17-3) and Marcel Clay (18-7), while his knockout of former title challenger Bunny Grant secured a top-ten ranking.

Obed's pinnacle came in 1975 when he captured the WBC Light Middleweight title from Miguel de Oliveira. He was impressed with two successful defences, notably a second-round demolition of Tony Gardner, known for his streak of 24 consecutive knockouts. However, his reign ended dramatically in 1976 against Eckhard Dagge when he quit citing vision problems, later revealed to be a detached retina that left him legally blind in one eye.

The Dagge loss marked a steep decline. Moving to middleweight, Obed suffered a seventh-round knockout in a title bid against Rocky Mattioli. By 27, he was back fighting on Nassau club shows, losing to journeymen like Homer Jackson and Willie Ray Taylor before retiring in 1988 with a record of 91-22-0 (60 KOs).

Obed died on June 28, 2018, at age 66, leaving a legacy as a devastating puncher whose career peaked with world championship glory but was ultimately curtailed by injury.