Virgil Akins


Virgil Akins was an American boxer who won the Welterweight Championship of the World in 1958. Nicknamed ‘Honeybear’, Akins was the first World Champion boxer from St. Louis.

Career

Akins was born and died in St. Louis, Missouri.
Akins was considered lanky, but proved nevertheless to be a powerful hitter with either hand. He began his career as a Lightweight in 1948, continuing to fight in that division for 6 years before finally growing into the Welterweight class. He was long considered to be an effective operator and boasted wins over future World Champions Joe Brown and Wallace ‘Bud’ Smith, as well as ending the incredible forty-seven fight winning streak of Ronnie Delaney, by way of knock-out in 1955.
Akins had powered his way up the rankings in both divisions and finally got his chance of a World title once Carmen Basilio relinquished the Welterweight Championship to concentrate on defending his new Middleweight crown. An elimination tournament including six of the World’s top-rated Welterweights was swiftly established in an effort to find Basilio’s successor. Akins emerged the victor and new World Champion on June 6, 1958 by pounding favourite Vince Martinez to a fourth round destruction. All told, Martinez went down nine times, having never seriously recovered from a shattering right delivered early in the First.
Akins's reign would not last long however. Six months later, he lost his title to Don Jordan by way of unanimous decision and in only his first defense. Akins disputed the result but fared no better in the return, held the following Spring. From that moment on, it was downhill all the way for the former champion, who would win just ten of his last twenty-three fights before hanging up his gloves in 1962.
Akins's contract was "owned" under the table by the notorious Frank "Blinky" Palermo, a member of the Philadelphia crime family. Palermo was imprisoned in 1961 for conspiracy and extortion for the covert ownership of prizefighters.
Akins died at the age of 82 on January 22, 2011.

Professional boxing record

No.ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes
93Loss60–31–2 Rip RandallUD10Mar 20, 1962 Houston
92Loss60–30–2 Ralph DupasUD10Dec 27, 1961 Bayfront Park Auditorium, Miami
91Win60–29–2 Vince BonomoTKO4 Dec 13, 1961 Auditorium, Miami Beach
90Draw59–29–2 Stefan RedlTKO10 Nov 17, 1961 Gladiators' Arena, Totowa
89Win59–29–1 Jose Antonio BurgosTKO10 Oct 16, 1961 Caracas
88Loss58–29–1 Kenny LaneUD10Sep 22, 1961 Navy-Marine Corps Mem. Stadium, Annapolis
87Loss58–28–1 Henry WhiteMD10Sep 05, 1961 Vogue Arena, Chicago
86Win58–27–1 Cecil ShortsTKO8 Jul 10, 1961 Vogue Arena, Chicago
85Win57–27–1 Billy CollinsUD10May 15, 1961 Marigold Gardens, Chicago
84Win56–27–1 Gerald GrayMD10Mar 04, 1961 Sabina Park, Kingston
83Win55–27–1 TJ JonesTKO9 Jan 16, 1961 Marigold Gardens, Chicago
82Loss54–27–1 Candy McFarlandSD10Dec 06, 1960 Convention Hall, Philadelphia
81Win54–26–1 Carl HubbardKO5 Nov 21, 1960 Marigold Gardens, Chicago
80Loss53–26–1 Luis Manuel RodriguezUD10Jul 06, 1960 Freedom Hall, Louisville
79Win53–25–1 Charley ScottUD10May 20, 1960 Chase Hotel, Saint Louis
78Win52–25–1 Fernando BarretoPTS10Apr 01, 1960 Ginásio Estadual do Ibirapuera, Sao Paulo
77Loss51–25–1 Wally SwiftPTS10Mar 08, 1960 Empire Pool, Wembley
76Loss51–24–1 Don FullmerUD10Jan 28, 1960 Kiel Auditorium, Saint Louis
75Loss51–23–1 Denny MoyerSD10Dec 10, 1959 Auditorium, Portland
74Loss51–22–1 Kenny LaneMD10Oct 28, 1959 Capitol Arena, Washington
73Win51–21–1 Stan HarringtonMD10Aug 14, 1959 Civic Auditorium, Honolulu
72Loss50–21–1 Luis Manuel RodriguezUD10Jun 17, 1959 Exhibition Hall, Miami Beach
71Loss50–20–1 Don JordanUD15Apr 24, 1959 Kiel Auditorium, Saint Louis For The Ring and lineal welterweight titles
70Loss50–19–1 Don JordanUD15Dec 05, 1958 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles Lost The Ring and lineal welterweight titles
69Loss50–18–1 Del FlanaganUD10Sep 18, 1958 Auditorium, Saint Paul
68Win50–17–1 Charley Tombstone SmithTKO10 Aug 20, 1958 Chicago Stadium, Chicago
67Win49–17–1 Vince MartinezTKO4 Jun 06, 1958 Arena, Saint Louis Won vacant The Ring and lineal welterweight titles
66Win48–17–1 Issac LogartTKO6 Mar 21, 1958 Madison Square Garden, New York
65Win47–17–1 Tony DeMarcoTKO12 Jan 21, 1958 Boston Garden, Boston
64Win46–17–1 Tony DeMarcoKO14 Oct 29, 1957 Boston Garden, Boston
63Loss45–17–1 Gil TurnerPTS10Sep 18, 1957 Convention Hall, Atlantic City
62Win45–16–1 Garnet HartTKO8 Aug 09, 1957 Public Hall, Cleveland
61Loss44–16–1 Franz SzuzinaUD10Jul 08, 1957 Kiel Auditorium, Saint Louis
60Win44–15–1 Walter ByarsUD10Jun 12, 1957 Arena, Norfolk
59Win43–15–1 Jimmy BeechamTKO3 May 24, 1957 Capitol Arena, Washington
58Win42–15–1 Franz SzuzinaUD10Mar 04, 1957 Kiel Auditorium, Saint Louis
57Win41–15–1 Al AndrewsTKO6 Jan 31, 1957 Kiel Auditorium, Saint Louis
56Win40–15–1 Sammy WalkerUD10Jan 08, 1957 Memorial Auditorium, Buffalo
55Win39–15–1 Pat LowryKO2 Oct 22, 1956 Biscayne Arena, Miami
54Loss38–15–1 Charlie SawyerUD10Sep 15, 1956 Legion Stadium, Hollywood
53Win38–14–1 Don JoseTKO4 Jun 21, 1956 Kallio's Arena, Monroe
52Win37–14–1 Hector ConstanceUD10Mar 21, 1956 Arena, Saint Louis
51Win36–14–1 Andy WatkinsTKO2 Mar 08, 1956 Alnad Temple, East Saint Louis
50Win35–14–1 Mel BarkerTKO8 Jan 26, 1956 Alnad Temple, East Saint Louis
49Win34–14–1 Clarence CookKO4 Jan 19, 1956 Sportatorium, Dallas
48Win33–14–1 Rudolph BentTKO5 Jan 03, 1956 Valley Arena, Holyoke
47Loss32–14–1 Issac LogartUD10Dec 02, 1955 Madison Square Garden, New York
46Win32–13–1 Harold JonesUD10Sep 13, 1955 Victory Field, Indianapolis
45Win31–13–1 Issac LogartSD10Aug 08, 1955 St. Nicholas Arena, New York
44Win30–13–1 Bill SudduthTKO8 Jun 21, 1955 Marigold Gardens, Chicago
43Win29–13–1 Joe MiceliTKO1 May 23, 1955 St. Nicholas Arena, New York
42Win28–13–1 Ronnie DelaneyKO8 May 02, 1955 St. Nicholas Arena, New York
41Draw27–13–1 Johnny BrownPTS8Apr 08, 1955 Arena, Saint Louis
40Win27–13 Tommy MaddoxTKO4 Mar 15, 1955 Marigold Gardens, Chicago
39Win26–13 Johnny BrownTKO10 Mar 02, 1955 Miami Stadium, Miami
38Win25–13 Henry HankUD8Oct 26, 1954 Motor City Arena, Detroit
37Loss24–13 Andrew BrownSD10Oct 16, 1954 Coliseum Arena, New Orleans
36Win24–12 Joey GreenwoodTKO8 Jun 02, 1954 Arena, Saint Louis
35Loss23–12 Philip KimTKO10 Aug 29, 1953 Rainbo Arena, Chicago
34Loss23–11 Johnny GonsalvesMD10Apr 04, 1953 Rainbo Arena, Chicago
33Loss23–10 Joe MiceliUD10Sep 30, 1952 Arena, Milwaukee
32Loss23–9 Johnny SaxtonUD10Jul 30, 1952 Chicago Stadium, Chicago
31Win23–8 Jay WatkinsTKO2 May 08, 1952 Chicago Stadium, Chicago
30Win22–8 Henry DavisTKO9 Feb 29, 1952 Legion Stadium, Hollywood
29Win21–8 Joe GilmerTKO9 Feb 19, 1952 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles
28Win20–8 Baby LeRoyTKO4 Feb 08, 1952 Legion Stadium, Hollywood
27Loss19–8 Luther RawlingsPTS8Dec 24, 1951 Madison Square Garden, New York
26Win19–7 Joe BrownUD10Dec 06, 1951 Kiel Auditorium, Saint Louis
25Win18–7 Luther RawlingsSD10Oct 17, 1951 Arena, Saint Louis
24Win17–7 Freddie DawsonSD10Sep 26, 1951 Arena, Saint Louis
23Loss16–7 Joe BrownPTS10Jul 06, 1951 Coliseum Arena, New Orleans
22Win16–6 Tommy CampbellPTS10Jun 08, 1951 Coliseum Arena, New Orleans
21Loss15–6 Joe BrownPTS10May 25, 1951 Coliseum Arena, New Orleans
20Win15–5 Wallace Bud SmithPTS10Apr 17, 1951 Kiel Auditorium, Saint Louis
19Win14–5 Wallace Bud SmithPTS10Apr 04, 1951 Madison Square Garden, New York
18Win13–5 Gene ParkerTKO6 Mar 09, 1951 Madison Square Garden, New York
17Loss12–5 Gene ParkerUD6Jan 18, 1951 Auditorium, Minneapolis
16Win12–4 Joe SgroUD10Dec 06, 1950 Arena, Saint Louis
15Win11–4 Rudy ZadellTKO3 Nov 01, 1950 Arena, Saint Louis
14Win10–4 Nelson LeveringKO2 Oct 24, 1950 Kiel Auditorium, Saint Louis
13Win9–4 Art EdmundsonPTS8Oct 05, 1950 Arena, Saint Louis
12Loss8–4 Joe FisherPTS8Jul 15, 1950 Denver
11Loss8–3 Nelson LeveringPTS6Jul 06, 1950 Warren Bowl, Cheyenne
10Loss8–2 Arthur PersleyPTS6Sep 29, 1949 Sunnyside Garden, Sunnyside, Queens
9Win8–1 Clem CusterPTS8Mar 30, 1949 Kiel Auditorium, Saint Louis
8Win7–1 Willie CheatumPTS8Mar 08, 1949 Kiel Auditorium, Saint Louis
7Win6–1 Russ MooreKO2 Feb 15, 1949 Forum, Wichita
6Win5–1 Joe HendersonKO3 Jan 17, 1949 Kiel Auditorium, Saint Louis
5Win4–1 Danny RobinsonPTS6Nov 23, 1948 Kiel Auditorium, Saint Louis
4Win3–1 Ollie CobbinsPTS6Jul 12, 1948 Kiel Auditorium, Saint Louis
3Win2–1 Charlie BaxterPTS6Apr 21, 1948 Kiel Auditorium, Saint Louis
2Loss1–1 Charlie BaxterTKO3 Apr 05, 1948 Kiel Auditorium, Saint Louis
1Win1–0 Albert AdamsPTS6Mar 10, 1948 Kiel Auditorium, Saint Louis

Honors