Cornelius Boza-Edwards

He started boxing at the age of nine in Uganda alongside other notable fighters such as Ayub kalule and John Mugabi. He moved to England with his mentor Jack Edwards and continued to box with the Fitzroy Lodge club. He boxed for England but was overlooked for selection for the Olympic team after being beaten on points by Pat Cowdell in the 1976 ABA championships.

He was given another opportunity when he was scheduled to compete as a featherweight boxer for Uganda in the 1976 Montreal Olympics. However, Uganda boycotted the Montreal Olympics, as did many other African countries. The boycott deprived Boza-Edwards of the chance of competing in the Olympics.[2]

He turned professional in 1976 with Mickey Duff as his manager and George Francis as his trainer. He changed his surname to Boza on the recommendation of Mickey Duff as it was more memorable name for the fans and added Edwards out of respect for Jack Edwards his mentor.[3]

He won his first nine fights before suffering a loss to Des Gwilliam when he suffered a cut eye. He then went on an 18 fight winning streak and was offered a fight as a substitute against Alexis Arguello. He put up a spirited performance before being retired by his corner at the end of the eighth round. Arguello praised Boza-Edwards and said that he thought that he would become the champion after he had moved up in weight to the lightweight division.

Boza-Edwards won the WBC World Super-Featherweight Title from Rafael "Bazooka" Limón with a fifteen-round decision in 1981 at Stockton, California. Limón, a Mexican, had made his infamous "You know what happens to British boxers when they face Mexicans" comment. In reference to the fight between Lupe Pintor and Johnny Owen, after which Owen had died.

Boza-Edwards defeated Bobby Chacon after he retired at the end of the thirteenth round in his first and only defence. He lost the title three months later in an upset to Rolando Navarrete, by knockout in round five. Navarrete had come in as a late substitute for Limón and shocked Boza-Edwards by knocking him down three times, the final time he was counted out.

Boza-Edwards won the European Super-featherweight title in 1982 by defeating Carlos Hernandez of Spain after he retired in the fourth round. He then based himself in the United States and became a favorite on the television networks with his aggressive style of fighting. They voted two of his fights 'best fight of the year'.[4]

He was meant to fight Bobby Chacon for the WBC World Super-Featherweight Title in 1983 but boxing politics meant that the WBC withdrew recognition of the fight, which went ahead anyway. Chacon won on points in a fight where both fighters were knocked down but needed 40 stitches afterwards. The fight was voted the Ring Magazine 'fight of the year' 1983. Following his loss to Chacon he fought Rocky Lockridge and lost on points over ten rounds.

Boza-Edwards moved up to the lightweight division and earned a title shot against Héctor Camacho in 1986 for the WBC World Lightweight Title which he lost by decision over twelve rounds. His final shot at the title was in 1987 against José Luis Ramírez in Paris and he was knocked out in the fifth round of a fight for the WBC World Lightweight Title. Following this defeat he retired from boxing and became a trainer.

Boza-Ewards first wife Jackie died from kidney failure six months after giving birth to their daughter Michelle in the UK. He was nearly lost to the sport of boxing as a result of his grief but decided to continue.[4] He remarried after relocating to the USA and he and his wife Rumiko have two daughters Dominique and Jenna.

Boza-Edwards now runs the Mayweather Boxing Club in Las Vegas, NV.[5] He was inducted into the Nevada Boxing Hall of fame in 2014[6]

• List of super-featherweight boxing champions

• Boxing record for Cornelius Boza-Edwards from BoxRec