Edgar Ross

Edgar Cyrus Ross (born July 29, 1949 in Tuscaloosa; died June 25, 2012 in Dothan, Houston County) was a professional boxer.

Ross was encouraged to pursue boxing by a sheriff's deputy who had seen him fight people in bars and parking lots. He served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War. After his return he competed in amateur boxing matches as a light heavyweight, amassing a 24-4 record and winning the Alabama Golden Gloves tournament. He competed in the 1973 Southern Regional Golden Gloves, defeating Roger Fulton but losing to Risto Beckovich.

Ross began boxing professionally in Mobile in 1972. He relocated to Orlando, Florida later that year where he was managed by Pete Ashlock. He claimed a Southern Junior Middleweight title early on, successfully defending it from challenger Juan Jose Herndandez in a bout at Foster Auditorium in Tuscaloosa on March 26, 1976.

Ross fought twice at Birmingham's Boutwell Auditorium in 1978, defeating A. W. Muhammad by knockout on August 3 aTuscnd Tyrone Phelps by unanimous decision on November 1.

He amassed a record of 57-2-1 with 41 knockouts. He won a North American Boxing Federation middleweight title and was ranked 2nd by the World Boxing Council.

Ross' two defeats came in 1975 when he lost on points during the debut of Charlie Grimmett, and then in 1979 when he was knocked out by Tony Chiaverini in Kansas City, Missouri's Municipal Auditorium. Because of the head trauma he suffered in that bout, and later seeing Chiaverini easily bested by Sugar Ray Leonard, he decided to retire. He turned down a $75,000 offer to fight Wilfred Benitez in Madison Square Garden.

In retirement, Ross struggled with seizures and memory loss. He spent some time homeless before reuniting with his brother, Ronnie Ross in Fairhope. With a small inheritance from his brother and the help of a friend, Ross moved into a trailer in Dothan, where he died in 2012.

References

• Deas, Tommy (July 5, 2012) "Remembering the 'Mad Dog'." The Tuscaloosa News
• "Edgar Ross (boxer)" (February 8, 2022) Wikipedia - accessed September 11, 2022