Was Earl Hargrove the Real Philly Knockout King? - By Ken Hissner, Doghouse Boxing News
Was Earl Hargrove the Real Philly Knockout King?
By Ken Hissner, Doghouse Boxing (April 10, 2013) Doghouse Boxing (Photo provided by John DiSanto, PhillyBoxingHistory.com)
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Earl Hargrove
There’s nothing quite like a knockout in boxing. The fan’s crave for it and go wild when it happens. Back from 1943 to 1947 Billy “Blackjack” Fox started his career with 43 knockouts (per Phillyboxinghistory.com ) before being stopped himself in a championship fight by Gus Lesnevich for the latter’s light heavyweight title. It was later revealed that Jake LaMotta claimed his loss to Fox was a “fixed” fight” in order to get a title shot at a lower class. How many others ended that way we don’t know but Fox was a power puncher and former amateur champ.

In 1979 straight out of prison with a 7-1-1 (6) record light middleweight Earl Hargrove wanted to turn professional. His only loss in prison was to Artie “Moose” McCloud who was the uncle of Bernard “The Executioner” Hopkins. Both McCloud and Hopkins held Camp Hill Prison titles. Hargrove landed at the Mike Rossman gym in South Philadelphia at 9th & Percy. “Bill Savage was the first trainer to work with me. I got spanked one day by Buster Drayton (IBF light middle champ) in sparring,” said Hargrove. The two are best of friends today.

“Earl and I grew up in the same neighborhood. He was a quiet guy. When he came out of prison he thought he was something. I invited him to spar and show him a thing or two. Once he went to North Philly from South we didn’t hang out,” said Drayton.

Over the years since Hargrove started attending church he and Drayton have once again been close as ever. “Earl started after me but got the title shot first. When I started fighting in Europe I wanted Earl to come along but his manager didn’t want him to leave the country. I beat Carlos Santos in 1986 for the title. He had defeated Mark Medal who beat Earl. When I came back with the title to the neighborhood Earl’s dad treated me royally. Tim Witherspoon would be another from the neighborhood (who won titles in 1984 and 1986),” said Drayton.

Hargrove was told if he wanted to advance he should go to Joe Frazier’s gym in North Philadelphia and speak to George Benton about training him. Gary Hegyi was one of the boxing managers at the gym who worked with Benton. Hargrove was signed by Hegyi and trained by Benton and on his way.

“Earl was very crude when he came to us (Benton) and got better with George gaining more confidence. He could always hit but had to work on his accuracy,” said Hegyi. Having plenty of boxers at Frazier’s gym like “Bad” Bennie Briscoe, Hargrove improved quickly. “I did all I could to get him to the title. George and I discussed opponents and it worked well,” said Hegyi. They still keep in touch on a regular basis said both Hegyi and Hargrove.

Hargrove turned professional on November 29th of 1979 at the age of 23 and stopped John Saxon in 2 rounds in VA Beach. Hegyi like most smart managers wanted to keep his fighter out of Philadelphia as long as he could until he got enough experience before he faced some of the better Philly boxers.

Hargrove won five straight 1st round knockouts in such places as the CYC in Trenton, NJ, Wonderland Ballroom, in Revere, Mass., and Hynes Auditorium, in Boston, Mass. By the end of 1980 he was 9-0 with only one fight going past two rounds and ready for his first fight at Caesar’s Hotel & Casino, in Atlantic City, NJ, against Philly’s Robert Hart. Hart had a pair of draws with Willie Capuano, 4-1, and Lou Raftis, 8-0. Hart was out of there in 2:10 of the 1st round!

A pair of 1st round knockouts followed for Hargrove before being put in with veteran Papo Villa, 12-19-3 of NY who had back to back wins over Irish Pat Murphy then 25-1. The fight was being held in Trenton (his fifth) and what would be his last fight there. Villa was stopped in the 5th of a scheduled 8.

The stage was set for Hargrove to make his Philadelphia debut in September of 1981 at the MLK Arena. Henry Hightower, 4-0, was brought in from TN, and was stopped in the 2nd round. This brought his record to 14-0. Several fights later he fought at the University Field House, at Villanova U. His opponent was Mike Hyman, 4-3, from SC. “He hurt me in the 8th round and I knew I had to take him out,” said Hargrove. This he did in the 10th and last round.

It was back to Atlantic City at Resorts International against the former NABF champion Greg Stephens, 15-10, who defeated Bruce Curry for that title. Curry would rebound and go onto win the WBC light welterweight title. Hargrove would put Stephens into retirement in 2 rounds ending his career.

In Hargrove’s next fight J Russell Peltz of Peltz Boxing promoted Hargrove in his first televised fight in May of 1983 where he would meet Donald King, 15-2 who had a win over Jimmy Heair, 97-27-1. “George told me not to go for the knockout but to pace myself,” said Hargrove. But Hargrove was upset over something King said at the weigh-in. “You fought a bunch of kids,” said King. “Yes, and I gave them respect. Now I’m going to knock you out,” said Hargrove. Benton had to calm his fighter down since he was so mad. He took Hargrove into the 9th round at the Sands Casino before he was stopped. It was the first of five straight fights in Atlantic City. “After the fight he apologized,” said Hargrove.

Afterwards Ferdie Pacheco came up to Hargrove and said he could fight for NBC-TV anytime. “They loved it. I wasn’t even trying to prove anything to them or to my fans. I was just trying to prove something to King,” said Hargrove.

Three months later Hargrove stopped a veteran of over 50 fights in Darryl Penn in 2 rounds. At the end of 1983 he would run his knockout streak to 24 by stopping Muhammad Shabazz, in 2 rounds. This set the stage for a world championship fight for the vacant IBF title against Mark Medal, 22-1, of Jersey City, NJ.

It was March of 1984 when the two met. “If you don’t follow instructions you will beat yourself,” said Benton. He had been telling Hargrove this for some time. “I was partying and doing things I should have not been doing. George was like a prophet,” said Hargrove.

The fight in itself was a war with both fighters forgetting boxing and slugging it out. “I was cut and got caught with a good right,” said Hargrove. He was stopped in the 5th round.

“My ego got in my way and I went AWOL taking off 7 months. I went to Francis Walker (PA Commission) and said I wanted out,” said Hargrove. Walker advised him his contract had expired. He went and talked to Benton and Hegyi and changed trainers (Jimmy Arthur).

Hargrove would win two fights before the year was out stopping Miguel Sepulveda, 6-5, in 3 rounds in Atlantic City and going to Tampa winning over 10 rounds against Roberto Hernandez, 7-6-2. Hernandez had a pair of draws with Darryl Anthony, 8-0 and Michael Bradley, 18-0.

This set up a fight with murderous puncher from Uganda John “The Beast” Mugabi, 23-0, all by knockouts. He had knocked out Philly fighters Curtis Parker and Frank “The Animal” Fletcher. “I thought I could knock him out,” said Hargrove. He was knocked down twice in the first round and stopped in 1:33. “He was very strong,” said Hargrove. At this point his career was over.

Hargrove returned to the ring 19 months later, stopping Lamont Haithcoach, 5-2-3, with body shots, at 3:08 of the 1st round. It was the first time Haithcoach was stopped and he retired after this fight. It would be almost 2 years before he fought again. “I burnt myself our after one round and got knocked down twice and was exhausted,” said Hargrove. He was stopped by Gary Thomas, 2-23-1, in Lexington, KY. He would come back 2 months later trying to show he wasn’t as bad as he looked in that fight and stopped Marris Virgil, 3-3, at the Convention Hall, in Philadelphia, in the 1st round. Then he lost to Ralph Ward, 11-2 in Atlantic City over 8 rounds.

“Gary (Hegyi) got me a job through Eddie Woods (boxing manager and union boss) driving tractor trailers making good money. Then I started training a couple of fighters (both got killed outside the ring) after that and one day got into the ring with one of them and thought I could still fight,” said Hargrove.

Hargrove came back over 5 years since his last fight and won 3 straight all by decision in Philadelphia. “I started to box more rather than go in for the knockout,” said Hargrove. He scored a stoppage and came back to Atlantic City only to be stopped by Glenn Odem, 11-10, in 2 rounds. “I came in heavy and didn’t want to give up money so I went into the steam room to make weight and I felt by fight time,” said Hargrove.

In December of 1995 his career came to an end when he was stopped by Darren Maciunski, 11-1, in the first round. I was hit with a right hand but not knocked down. I knew I was finished,” said Hargrove. He was 39.

Former world middleweight contender from Philadelphia Bobby “Boogaloo” Watts had this to say about Hargrove. “I used to spar with Earl. He was a good understanding guy until you got in the ring with him. He was a good puncher and always gave the people their monies worth,” said Watts.

“Gary (Hegyi) was the best manager and George (Benton) the best trainer. He said I could be a household name but warned me I could beat myself and did,” said Hargrove. Eventually his life was turned around like so many when they are down on their luck. “I was delivered by Jesus Christ and now attend a Baptist church at 8th and York in Philly,” said Hargrove.

E-mail questions, comments to Ken Hissner

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