Virgil Hill Explained

Virgil Hill
Realname:Virgil Eugene Hill
Nickname:Quicksilver
Weight:
Height:6 ft 0+1/2 in
Reach:77 in
Birth Date:18 January 1964
Birth Place:Clinton, Missouri, U.S.
Style:Orthodox
Total:58
Wins:51
Ko:24
Losses:7

Virgil Eugene Hill (born January 18, 1964) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1984 to 2007, and in 2015. He is a two-weight world champion, having held the WBA light heavyweight title twice, from 1987 to 1997; the IBF and lineal light heavyweight titles from 1996 to 1997; and the WBA cruiserweight title twice, from 2000 to 2002 and 2006 to 2007. As an amateur, Hill won a silver medal in the middleweight division at the 1984 Summer Olympics. In 2013, he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

Amateur career

At the 1984 Summer Olympics Hill represented the United States as a Middleweight then age 20, and won a silver medal in a close decision loss in the 165-lb final. His results were:

Hill was the 1984 National Golden Gloves champion at Middleweight. Hill ended his amateur career with a record of 288–11.

Professional career

Light-heavyweight

See main article: Virgil Hill vs. Thomas Hearns. In September 1987, after going eighteen straight fights without a loss to start his pro career, Hill aka 'Quicksilver' (his nickname) was a challenger to Leslie Stewart of Trinidad for the latter's World Boxing Association light-heavyweight title in Atlantic City. After an even match in the early going, Hill floored the defending title holder twice in the fourth round – first with a left hook and the second time with an uppercut – to take the title on a Knockout win.

A series of ten successful defenses followed, eight of which took place in Bismarck, North Dakota. Hill received offers to fight in Las Vegas and other cities, but chose the place of his 'roots' and 'hometown fans' to be the place of the majority of his defenses. Opponents in his first run as champion included Bobby Czyz and James Kinchen. Superstar Thomas Hearns would meet – and defeat – Hill in Las Vegas by decision in June 1991 to end Hill's first reign as champion.

In September 1992, it was Hill pitted against 1984 Olympic teammate Frank Tate for the vacant WBA 175-lb. title. It was a 'grudge match' between the two, and Hill won the title on his home turf of Bismarck. Another string of ten defenses would follow, including a rematch with Tate, a close decision over Lou Del Valle who almost upset Hill.

Unification matches

In November 1996 at the Olympiahalle, Munich, Hill won over the undefeated IBF champion Henry Maske to unify the WBA/IBF belts and win the vacant Lineal championship. In June 1997, WBO champion Dariusz Michalczewski scored a unanimous decision over Hill to unify the WBA, IBF, WBO and Lineal light-heavyweight titles at Arena Oberhausen, Oberhausen, Germany.

Hill boxed against Roy Jones Jr. the following year, and was stopped in round four with a body shot.[2]

Cruiserweight

The aging Hill won the WBA cruiserweight title at age 36 by knocking down Fabrice Tiozzo three times in Villeurbanne, France, by TKO in the first. He made his first defense, also in France, against Jean-Marc Mormeck, but would lose both match and title on cuts after nine rounds. In July 2003 he decisioned Donny Lalonde in a North Dakota-Manitoba 'border fight'. He lost a disputed decision to Mormeck in a title rematch in South Africa in May 2004.[3]

On January 27, 2006, Virgil Hill won over previously undefeated Russian cruiserweight Valery Brudov by unanimous decision to win the 'regular' WBA cruiserweight title, as the WBA had now created a WBA "Super" title beside the standard WBA title. Despite being cut on the face in the sixth round, Hill was able to out hustle and out work his much younger opponent to capture his fifth world title at the age of 42.[4]

He had his next to last fight in Germany on March 31, 2007, facing Henry Maske, whom he had beaten in 1996. Maske had announced his retirement prior to that fight and was frustrated to end his career with a split-decision loss, the only loss in his professional career. When he heard about Hill capturing the world title again at the age of 42, he decided to challenge him for a rematch. Hill lost the Maske rematch by decision in a non-title bout, then lost to Firat Arslan by decision to lose his WBA cruiserweight title.[5]

He retired with a record of 50 wins (23 KOs) and 7 losses.

On July 16, 2011, Hill worked with his wife, Carla Hill, for their first ever boxing card and promotion at Resorts Casino Hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey,[6]

Hall of Fame

On November 12, 2012, he was officially inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame, Class of 2013.[7] [8]

Professional boxing record

ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes
58Win51–7Jimmy CampbellTKO2 (8), Feb 28, 2015
57Loss50–7Firat ArslanUD12Nov 24, 2007
56Loss50–6Henry MaskeUD12Mar 31, 2007
55Win50–5Valery BrudovUD12Jan 27, 2006
54Loss49–5Jean-Marc MormeckUD12May 22, 2004
53Win49–4Donny LalondeUD10Jul 5, 2003
52Win48–4Joey DeGrandisUD12Nov 17, 2002
51Win47–4Carlos BatesTKO1 (12), Aug 23, 2002
50Loss46–4Jean-Marc Mormeck8 (12), Feb 23, 2002
49Win46–3Fabrice TiozzoTKO1 (12), Dec 9, 2000
48Win45–3Glenn ThomasUD10May 9, 1999
47Win44–3James HayesKO2 (12), Nov 7, 1998
46Loss43–3Roy Jones Jr.KO4 (12), Apr 25, 1998
45Loss43–2Dariusz MichalczewskiUD12Jun 13, 1997
44Win43–1Henry MaskeSD12Nov 23, 1996
43Win42–1Lou Del ValleUD12Apr 20, 1996
42Win41–1Drake ThadziUD12Sep 2, 1995
41Win40–1Crawford AshleyUD12Apr 1, 1995
40Win39–1Frank TateUD12Jul 23, 1994
39Win38–1Guy WatersUD12Dec 17, 1993
38Win37–1Saúl MontanaTKO10 (12), Nov 9, 1993
37Win36–1Sergio Daniel MeraniUD12Aug 28, 1993
36Win35–1Fabrice Tiozzo12Apr 3, 1993
35Win34–1Adolpho Washington11 (12)Feb 20, 1993
34Win33–1Frank TateUD12Sep 29, 1992
33Win32–1Lottie MwaleKO4 (12), Apr 11, 1992
32Win31–1Aundrey NelsonUD10Mar 1, 1992
31Loss30–1Thomas HearnsUD12Jun 3, 1991
30Win30–0Mike PeakUD12Jan 6, 1991
29Win29–0Frank MintonTKO9 (10)Oct 27, 1990
28Win28–0Tyrone FrazierUD12Jul 7, 1990
27Win27–0David VedderUD12Feb 25, 1990
26Win26–0James KinchenTKO1 (12), Oct 24, 1989
25Win25–0Joe LasisiTKO7 (12), May 27, 1989
24Win24–0Bobby CzyzUD12Mar 4, 1989
23Win23–0Willie FeatherstoneTKO10 (12), Nov 11, 1988
22Win22–0Ramzi HassanUD12Jun 6, 1988
21Win21–0Jean-Marie EmebeTKO11 (12), Apr 3, 1988
20Win20–0Rufino AnguloUD12Nov 21, 1987
19Win19–0Leslie StewartTKO4 (12), Sep 5, 1987
18Win18–0Junior EdmondsUD10Jul 19, 1987
17Win17–0Marcos GeraldoKO2 (10)Jun 13, 1987
16Win16–0Marvin CamelKO1, May 1, 1987
15Win15–0James WilliamsKO4Mar 6, 1987
14Win14–0Clarence OsbyUD12Dec 11, 1986
13Win13–0Eric WinbushUD10Oct 17, 1986
12Win12–0Wayne CapletteKO1Oct 4, 1986
11Win11–0Marcus DorseyKO2Aug 14, 1986
10Win10–0Willie MayberryTKO1Aug 2, 1986
9Win9–0Mike SedilloUD10Jul 10, 1986
8Win8–0Santiago Valdez1, Jun 30, 1986
7Win7–0Abdul HakimTKO4 (8), Apr 30, 1986
6Win6–0James WilliamsonTKO6, Mar 2, 1986
5Win5–0Fred JordanTKO4 (6), Jan 22, 1986
4Win4–0Dawud ShawUD6Jul 13, 1985
3Win3–0David Vedder6Feb 16, 1985
2Win2–0John TyrellTKO1 (6), Jan 5, 1985
1Win1–0Arthur Wright2, Nov 15, 1984

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Grand Forks native Virgil Hill remembers 1984 Olympics, plans comeback. grandforksherald.
  2. Web site: KO of the Day: Roy Jones Jr vs Virgil Hill. 3 December 2014 . Bad Left Hook.
  3. News: Mormeck stops Hill to take title. 23 February 2002 . BBC.
  4. Web site: Virgil Hill Upsets Brudov For Title - Boxing News. 28 January 2006 . Boxing Scene.
  5. Web site: After 10 1/2 years, Maske beats Hill in rematch. April 2007 . badlefthook.
  6. Web site: INTRODUCING CARLA HILL AND CARLA HILL PROMOTIONS - Boxing News. 12 July 2011. 13 September 2016.
  7. Web site: Virgil Hill - International Boxing Hall Of Fame. IBHOF.
  8. Web site: Arturo Gatti, Mills Lane, Virgil Hill Inducted into International Boxing Hall Of Fame. 10 December 2012 . Boxing Insider.

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