Lloyd Honeyghan

Biography

Lloyd Honeyghan, the "Ragamuffin Man," was a force to be reckoned with in the welterweight division during the 1980s and early 1990s. Born on April 22, 1960, in Saint Elizabeth, Jamaica, Honeyghan moved to Bermondsey, London at the age of nine. He began his boxing journey at the Fisher Amateur Boxing Club at 11, where he honed his skills and represented England, though he never clinched an ABA title.

Honeyghan's professional career kicked off on December 8, 1980, at the Royal Albert Hall, where he outpointed Mike Sullivan over six rounds. His rise through the ranks was meteoric, culminating in a British welterweight title victory against Cliff Gilpin in April 1983. Despite being floored in the second round, Honeyghan's resilience shone through as he secured a 119-117 win. He continued to impress, adding the European title to his collection with a third-round knockout of future two-time world champion Gianfranco Rosi in Italy. However, it was on September 27, 1986, that Honeyghan truly shocked the boxing world. At Caesars Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City, he dismantled the undefeated and highly regarded Donald Curry to claim the WBC and IBF world welterweight titles, a victory that would define his career.

Honeyghan's reign as world champion was marked by successful defenses against top contenders like Johnny Bumphus, Maurice Blocker, and Gene Hatcher. However, his career wasn't without setbacks. He lost his titles to Jorge Vaca in a controversial technical decision in 1987, only to reclaim the WBC belt in a rematch with a third-round knockout. A significant turning point came on February 4, 1989, when Honeyghan faced Marlon Starling at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. In this highly anticipated grudge match, Starling's clever counter-punching style proved too much for Honeyghan. The fight was stopped in the ninth round, with Starling winning by TKO and claiming Honeyghan's WBC welterweight title. This loss marked the end of Honeyghan's reign as a world champion. His final world title fight came against Mark Breland for the WBA belt at Wembley in 1990, resulting in another third-round TKO loss. 

Honeyghan's professional journey concluded on February 25, 1995, at the London Arena, where he fell to Adrian Dodson via a third-round TKO. Honeyghan retired with an impressive record of 43 wins (30 by knockout), 5 losses, and 0 draws, leaving an indelible mark on British and world boxing.