Don Jordan

Don Jordan (June 22, 1934 – February 13, 1997) was a boxer born in Los Angeles, California and was the Welterweight Champion of the World from 1958 to 1960. His nickname was ‘Geronimo’.[1] He was of Mexican and African American descent.[2]

Don Jordan
Statistics
Nickname(s)Geronimo
Born(1934-06-22)June 22, 1934
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
DiedFebruary 13, 1997(1997-02-13) (aged 62)
San Pedro, California, U.S.
Boxing record
Total fights76
Wins51
Wins by KO17
Losses23
Draws1
No contests1

Career

Born 22 June 1934 in Los Angeles, Jordan’s brief spell as an amateur shows that he began boxing as a Middleweight and – unusually – worked his way down to Welterweight as a professional. His amateur career spanned just fifteen contests, of which he lost only one.

Jordan fought professionally for the first time in April, 1953. Standing 5 feet 9 inches and typically weighing around 147 lbs, Jordan was well-proportioned and quickly showed himself to be an effective performer, winning nine in a row before dropping a decision in March 1954, to a fighter he had out-pointed just two months previously. He beat Art Ramponi to pick up the California State Welterweight title in October of that year and opened his 1955 campaign with a victory over former World Lightweight Champion Lauro Salas. From that point on, Jordan would be mixing it with the best.

Jordan’s progress over the next three years – including two notable victories over Gaspar Ortega – were rewarded when he challenged Virgil Akins for the World Welterweight Championship on 5 December 1958, winning by unanimous decision. Akins – who disputed the decision – would suffer an identical reverse when he met Jordan in a championship return five months later. That was the first of Jordan’s two successful title defences (the second was against Denny Moyer on 10 July 1959), before losing the title to Benny Paret, eighteen months after being crowned.

Once he lost his title, Jordan also seemed to lose his way. The last years of his career saw him record more defeats than victories and he was effectively – if ignominiously – ‘retired’ by the man refereeing his October 1962 contest with Battling Torres. When Jordan refused to get up after a knockdown in the Seventh, referee Jimmy Wilson ruled that Torres had not actually hit Jordan hard enough to put him down and the fight was declared a ‘no contest’. Subsequently, the California State Athletic Commission suspended Jordan indefinitely. In 1961 Lucchese crime family mobster Frankie Carbo, known as "the Czar of Boxing" was charged with extortion and conspiracy regarding Jordan, convicted and given a 25-year federal sentence.[3] Others convicted were Louis Tom Dragna (conviction overturned), Truman Gibson, Joe Sica, and Frank "Blinky" Palermo.

Death

After being robbed and seriously assaulted in a Los Angeles parking lot in September 1996, Don Jordan went into a coma, and died in a nursing home in San Pedro, California, on 13 February 1997.

Professional boxing record
Professional record summary
76 fights 51 wins 23 losses
By knockout 17 3
By decision 34 20
Draws 1
No contests 1
No. Result Record Opponent Type Round, time Date Location Notes
76 NC 51–23–1 (1) Battling Torres PTS 10 Oct 05, 1962 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles
75 Loss 51–22–1 Giancarlo Garbelli PTS 10 Apr 27, 1962 Palazzetto dello Sport, Roma
74 Loss 51–21–1 Tony DeMarco KO 2 (10) Dec 19, 1961 Memorial Auditorium, Sacramento
73 Loss 51–20–1 Rodolfo Diaz UD 10 Nov 14, 1961 Memorial Auditorium, Sacramento
72 Loss 51–19–1 Hilario Morales TKO 7 (10) Aug 15, 1961 Ciudad Juarez
71 Loss 51–18–1 Benny Medina UD 10 Aug 01, 1961 Kearney Bowl, Fresno
70 Loss 51–17–1 Carmen Basilio UD 10 Mar 11, 1961 War Memorial Auditorium, Syracuse
69 Loss 51–16–1 Ludwig Lightburn PTS 10 Nov 26, 1960 Mexicali
68 Draw 51–15–1 Julian Valdez PTS 10 Oct 16, 1960 Mexicali
67 Win 51–15 Julian Valdez MD 10 Aug 16, 1960 Hi Corbett Field, Tucson
66 Win 51–15 Jesse Bogart KO 1 (10) Aug 06, 1960 Nogales
65 Loss 50–15 Phil Moyer UD 10 Jul 15, 1960 Auditorium, Portland
64 Loss 50–14 Benny Kid Paret UD 15 May 27, 1960 Convention Center, Las Vegas Lost The Ring and lineal welterweight titles
63 Loss 50–13 Candy McFarland UD 10 May 16, 1960 Memorial Stadium, Baltimore
62 Loss 50–12 Luis Federico Thompson KO 4 (10) Dec 12, 1959 Estadio Luna Park, Buenos Aires
61 Win 50–11 Fernando Barreto PTS 10 Dec 05, 1959 Ginásio Estadual do Ibirapuera, Sao Paulo
60 Win 49–11 Denny Moyer UD 15 Jul 10, 1959 Meadows Race Track, Portland Retained The Ring and lineal welterweight titles
59 Win 48–11 Virgil Akins UD 15 Apr 24, 1959 Kiel Auditorium, Saint Louis Retained The Ring and lineal welterweight titles
58 Win 47–11 Alvaro Gutierrez TKO 3 (10) Jan 02, 1959 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles
57 Win 46–11 Virgil Akins UD 15 Dec 05, 1958 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles Won The Ring and lineal welterweight titles
56 Win 45–11 Gaspar Ortega SD 12 Oct 22, 1958 Lafayette Hotel, Long Beach
55 Win 44–11 Gaspar Ortega SD 10 Sep 17, 1958 Madison Square Garden, New York
54 Win 43–11 Lahouari Godih UD 10 Aug 29, 1958 Madison Square Garden, New York
53 Win 42–11 Issac Logart SD 10 Jul 02, 1958 Legion Stadium, Hollywood
52 Win 41–11 Alfredo Cota PTS 10 May 18, 1958 Mexicali
51 Win 40–11 Kid Centella KO 2 (10) May 05, 1958 Plaza de Toros, Tijuana
50 Win 39–11 Francisco Echevarria TKO 3 (10) Apr 15, 1958 Mexicali
49 Win 38–11 Karl Heinz Guder SD 10 Feb 15, 1958 Legion Stadium, Hollywood
48 Loss 37–11 Dave Charnley PTS 10 Jan 28, 1958 Harringay Arena, Harringay
47 Win 37–10 Willie Morton MD 10 Jan 04, 1958 Legion Stadium, Hollywood
46 Win 36–10 Ray Portilla TKO 6 (10) Nov 29, 1957 Coliseum, San Diego
45 Win 35–10 Orlando Zulueta UD 10 Oct 12, 1957 Legion Stadium, Hollywood
44 Win 34–10 Juan Padilla UD 10 Aug 12, 1957 Tijuana
43 Win 33–10 Alfredo Cota KO 1 (10) Jul 23, 1957 Tijuana
42 Win 32–10 Arnoldo Gil KO 2 (10) Jul 15, 1957 Plaza de Toros, Tijuana
41 Win 31–10 Arnoldo Gil KO 2 (10) Jul 15, 1957 Plaza de Toros, Tijuana
40 Loss 30–10 LC Morgan UD 10 Jun 15, 1957 Legion Stadium, Hollywood
39 Win 30–9 Jesse Bogart KO 1 (10) May 11, 1957 Legion Stadium, Hollywood
38 Win 29–9 Ezequiel Uribe PTS 10 Mar 19, 1957 Mexico City
37 Loss 28–9 Charley Tombstone Smith UD 12 Jan 24, 1957 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles
36 Loss 28–8 Al Nevarez PTS 10 Jan 01, 1957 Mexicali
35 Win 28–7 Archie Whitewater UD 10 Dec 27, 1956 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles
34 Win 27–7 Enrique Esqueda KO 1 (10) Nov 18, 1956 Mexicali
33 Loss 26–7 Orlando Zulueta MD 10 Oct 16, 1956 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles
32 Win 26–6 Frankie Skidmore TKO 7 (10) Jun 28, 1956 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles
31 Win 25–6 Timmie Jefferson UD 10 Jun 07, 1956 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles
30 Loss 24–6 Joey Lopes SD 12 May 05, 1956 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles
29 Loss 24–5 Jimmy Carter UD 10 Mar 29, 1956 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles
28 Win 24–4 Paddy DeMarco TKO 5 (10) Feb 02, 1956 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles
27 Loss 23–4 Art Aragon UD 10 Dec 15, 1955 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles
26 Win 23–3 Woody Winslow UD 10 Oct 20, 1955 Winterland Arena, San Francisco
25 Win 22–3 Woody Winslow UD 10 Sep 03, 1955 Legion Stadium, Hollywood
24 Win 21–3 Joe Miceli UD 10 Aug 18, 1955 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles
23 Loss 20–3 Art Aragon UD 10 Jun 02, 1955 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles
22 Win 20–2 Lauro Salas SD 12 Mar 31, 1955 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles
21 Win 19–2 Frankie Cockrell UD 10 Mar 03, 1955 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles
20 Win 18–2 Gaby Macias UD 10 Feb 15, 1955 Memorial Auditorium, Sacramento
19 Win 17–2 Lauro Salas UD 12 Jan 13, 1955 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles
18 Win 16–2 Manny Renteria KO 7 (12) Nov 29, 1954 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles
17 Win 15–2 Art Ramponi UD 12 Oct 04, 1954 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles
16 Win 14–2 Billy Hartman TKO 4 (10) Sep 20, 1954 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles
15 Win 13–2 Art Ramponi UD 10 Aug 30, 1954 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles
14 Win 12–2 Freddie Herman SD 10 Jun 28, 1954 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles
13 Loss 11–2 Dickie Wong UD 10 May 31, 1954 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles
12 Win 11–1 Manuel Montes TKO 2 (10) Apr 17, 1954 Legion Stadium, Hollywood
11 Loss 10–1 Andy Escobar UD 10 Mar 20, 1954 Legion Stadium, Hollywood
10 Win 10–0 Raul Esqueda PTS 10 Feb 01, 1954 Mexicali
9 Win 9–0 Andy Escobar UD 10 Jan 16, 1954 Legion Stadium, Hollywood
8 Win 8–0 David Cervantes UD 6 Dec 16, 1953 Legion Stadium, Hollywood
7 Win 7–0 Marvin Smith TKO 5 (6) Nov 07, 1953 Legion Stadium, Hollywood
6 Win 6–0 Marvin Smith TKO 5 (6) Oct 17, 1953 Legion Stadium, Hollywood
5 Win 5–0 Gaby Macias TKO 5 (6) Sep 26, 1953 Legion Stadium, Hollywood
4 Win 4–0 Chi Chi Martinez PTS 4 Aug 08, 1953 Legion Stadium, Hollywood
3 Win 3–0 Chi Chi Martinez UD 6 Jul 04, 1953 Legion Stadium, Hollywood
2 Win 2–0 Al Barbero PTS 4 May 18, 1953 Arena, South Gate
1 Win 1–0 Ray Serna PTS 4 Apr 27, 1953 Arena, South Gate

See also
  • List of welterweight boxing champions
Sporting positions
Preceded by
Virgil Akins		 World Welterweight Champion
5 Dec 1958 – 27 May 1960		 Succeeded by
Benny (Kid) Paret

References
  1. "The Lineal Welterweight Champs". Cyber Boxing Zone.
  2. http://laeastside.com/2009/04/some-la-eastside-legends-whos-the-greatest/
  3. "Frankie Carbo, Underworld Figure Once Known as the 'Czar' of Boxing". nytimes.com. November 11, 1976.

Sources

1. Biographical information: (i) The Ring Record Book & Boxing Encyclopedia 1959 (Nat Fleischer, The Ring Book Shop Inc., 1959). See p. 8 for a very brief cameo. (ii) WBA Online , offers confirmation of the date and manner of Jordan’s death.

2. Ring Record: (i) The Cyber Boxing Zone . This source misses Jordan’s first defence of the Welterweight Championship, taking place 24 April 1959. (ii) The Boxing Records Archive . This source also provides information about the manner of the end of Jordan's career. (iii) The Ring Record Book & Boxing Encyclopedia 1959 (Nat Fleischer, The Ring Book Shop Inc., 1959), P.276.

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