[Rocco Del Sesto]

Billy Stephan Rating 2 USA
HW1960-66
19 wins / 12 losses / 1 draw / 14 KO

Alias: Stephens
Hometown: St. Louis, MO

Rating by: Rocco Del Sesto

Stephan won his first 9 fights, 6 by knockout then on January 31st, 1961 he matched up against undefeated(21-0-0 at the time), Tony Alongi. Stephan went the 10 round distance with Alongi but lost the decision. From August 1961 thru Feb 1962 he did manage to go 6-1-1,6KO including a 9th round TKO victory over Kirk Barrow in Feb 1962. Stephan fought Barrow in a rematch 3 months later and that time Barrow took the victory in a 10 round decision. From that point on Stephan matched up against some better competition more along the lines of guys like Alongi and Barrow and his record showed as he managed only a 4-8-0,3KO mark. The wins came against Freeman Hardin(8-12-1,4), Wilhelm von Homburg, Ski Goldstein and Richie Peters.

Stephan took a brief tour overseas in Late 1962 and early 1963 when he lost a 10 round decision to Johnny Prescott in London, and 12 round decisions to Bobby Stininato and middleweight Earl Nikora in New Zealand. Back in the states by April of 1963 he lost fights to Jefferson Davis and Bill McMurray before winning a 10 round decision over von Homburg in September of that year. After a 10 round decision loss to Norman Letcher(14-7-0,5) in December 1963, Stephan was out of the ring for close to a year until he knocked out Ski Goldstein in November 1964. That big win though was followed a month later by a 6th round TKO loss to Oscar Bonavena. It was another year layoff bfore he fought Joey Orbillo loosing by 10 round decision to Orbillo. After his win over Peters in April 1966, Stephan finished his career when he was stopped by LHW Eddie JOnes in the 8th round in June 1966.


Sam Pride Rating 1 USA
HW 1962-65
5 wins / 9 losses / 2 draws / 3 KO

Hometown: Phoenix, AZ

Rating by: Rocco Del Sesto

Fought Archie Ray in April, May and June 1962 starting out his career. Ray had fought one time previous to thier first bout having won his first fight. Pride won the 6 round decision in thier first go around with Ray taking the next two decisions in 6 and 8 rounds. After a couple of 3 round knockout wins over Luther Murphy(7-3-1,2), and a Middleweight Junius Washington((32-8-3,14) who was at the end of his career, Pride lost a 12 round decision in June 1963 to Al Gonzalez for the Arizona State HW Title. Three months after that he fought an 8 round draw with a Tony Flores(13-4-2,5). That ended being Flores last career bout.

After a KO win over another MW, Jimmy Ahmed in October 1963, the rest of Pride's career was down the drain to say the least. He lost five straight fights to Ski Goldstein, Buddy Turman, Al Gonzalez(loosing the Arizona title), Manuel Ramos and Joey Orbillo. Ramos and Orbillo were a combined 7-0-1 in their early careers. In January 1965 Pride managed a 10 round draw with Bowie Adams who was undefeated at 14-0-0. After a 6 round decision win over Clifford Gray(who couldn't beat Gray!), Pride came backin August 1965 to face his old opponent from the beginning days, Archie Ray. Ray much more experienced at this time, KO'd Pride in the 3rd round. Pride hung them up after that.


Freeman Hardin Rating 1 USA
HW 1959-66
8 wins / 12 losses / 1 draw / 4 KO

Hometown: Los Angeles, CA

Rating by: Rocco Del Sesto

Started his career loosing a 4 rounder to Bill McMurray. Went 5-1-0,2KO in his next fights against MW, LHW and a couple HW's of no mention. In Sept 1961 he lost a 10 round decision to a Ted Hutchinson(9-4-2,3) and then in May 1962 was KO's in the 8th by Billy Stephan. Then 3 months late he was stopped in the 7th round by Andres Muela(8-1-0,2). Hardin turned things around for one fight with a 3rd round KO over Wilhelm von Homburg in October 1962 then lost a decision to Al Carter in January 63. He fought 5 more times in 1963, first a draw against Eddie Foster(2-3-1,0) then managed a 6 round decision win over Duke Sabedong. After that three straight losses to Al Gonzalez, Johnny Gordon(13-3-3,7) and Ski Goldstein by 2nd round KO.

It was almost 3 years out of the ring till Hardin shows up again in April 1966 when he fights LHW Jimmy Rossette twice that month. Rossette beats Hardin both times in decisions. Later in June that year Hardin manages to stop Sonny King(5-0-0 at the time) in the 6th round but a month later Don Koontz brings Hardin's career to an end for good beating him by majority decision in 10 rounds.


Al Owens Rating 1 USA
HW1961-66,68
9 wins / 6 losses / 1 draw / 7 KO

Hometown: Miami, FL

Rating by: Rocco Del Sesto

Owens' entire career was fought in Miami/Miami Beach area. His pro debut on March 8th, 1961 happended to be the pro debut of a heavyweight from the Bahamas, Wendell Newton. Newton won the 4 round decision. Owens in fact lost his first 3 fights, the second being a 4 round decision to Tommy Stru(7-2-1,5) and the third was an 8 round decision dropped to Argentinian LHW Guillermo Dutschmann(30-14-4,7). Owens finally broke through with a win against Levi Forte in June 1961, a 6 round decision. It was Forte's 2nd pro fight. Owen's strung together 4 more wins after that. The first 3 were knockouts over a LHW Jimmy Robinson(5-23-0,1), and HW's Billy Stephan and Levi Forte. In January 1962 he won a 6 round decision over Prentice Snipes who was 9-0-0 at the time.

After an 8 round decision loss to Otha Brown in February 1962 he later in 62 stopped Jim Tillman and Aaron Beasley. After the Beasley fight though there's no recorded bouts for Owens for close to 4 years until he April 1966 when he comes back and stops a Fred Green(0-4-0,0) in 4 rounds. In May and June then the draws 6 rounds with Aaron Beasley and then stops Beasley in the 2nd round of a rematch. In November that year Owen's is then knocked out in the 4th round by Wiley(Willie) Johnson. That's it again for owens until he shows up again for one last fight in February 1968 when he's knocked out in the 6th round by a David King(3-1-0,1).