Emile Griffith

Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox boxer Emile Alphonse Griffith (February 3, 1938 – July 23, 2013) was an American professional boxer who won world titles in three weight divisions. He held the world light middleweight,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> undisputed welterweight,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and middleweight titles.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> His best-known contest was a 1962 title match with Benny Paret. Griffith won the bout by knockout; Paret never recovered consciousness and died in the hospital 10 days later.<ref>"The night boxer Emile Griffith answered gay taunts with a deadly cortege of punches", theguardian.com; accessed January 30, 2016.</ref>

In 1963 and 1964, Griffith was voted Fighter of the Year by The Ring magazine and the Boxing Writers Association of America. In 2002, he was listed #33 on Ring Magazine's list of 80 greatest fighters of the past 80 years.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Griffith currently ranks #127 in BoxRec's ranking of the greatest pound for pound boxers of all time.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in the inaugural class of 1990.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Career

Amateur

Griffith was born on February 3, 1938.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> As a teen he was working at a hat factory on a steamy day when his boss, the factory owner, agreed to Griffith's request to work shirtless. When the owner, a former amateur boxer, noticed his frame, he took Griffith to trainer Gil Clancy's gym.<ref name=ShadowBoxer/>

Griffith won the 1958 New York Golden Gloves 147 lb Open Championship, defeating Osvaldo Marcano of the Police Athletic Leagues Lynch Center in the final. In 1957 Griffith advanced to the finals of the 147-lb Sub-Novice division and was defeated by Charles Wormley of the Salem Crescent Athletic Club. Griffith trained at the West 28th Street Parks Department Gym in New York City.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Professional

Griffith turned professional in 1958 and fought frequently in New York City. He captured the Welterweight title from Cuban Benny "The Kid" Paret by knocking him out in the 13th round on April 1, 1961. Six months later, Griffith lost the title to Paret in a narrow split decision. Griffith regained the title from Paret on March 24, 1962, in the controversial bout after which Paret died (see below).

Griffith waged a classic four-fight series with Luis Rodríguez, losing their second fight and winning the other three. He defeated middleweight contender Holley Mims but was knocked out in one round by Rubin "Hurricane" Carter. Three years later, on April 25, 1966, he faced middleweight champion Dick Tiger and won a 15-round unanimous decision and the middleweight title. He also lost, regained and then lost the middleweight crown in three classic fights with Nino Benvenuti.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

But many boxing fans<ref name="NYT_Klores" /> believed he was never quite the same fighter after Paret's death. From the Paret bout to his retirement in 1977, Griffith fought 80 bouts but only scored twelve knockouts. He later admitted to being gentler with his opponents and relying on his superior boxing skills because he was terrified of killing someone else in the ring. Many thought that Griffith fought past his prime,<ref name="NYT_Klores" /> only winning nine of his last twenty three fights. Other boxers whom he fought in his career included world champions American Denny Moyer, Cuban Luis Rodríguez, Argentine Carlos Monzón, Cuban José Nápoles, and in his last title try, German Eckhard Dagge. After 18 years as a professional boxer, Griffith retired with a record of 85 wins (25 by knockout), 24 losses and 2 draws.

Benny Paret

Template:Main Griffith and Paret's third fight, which was nationally televised by ABC, occurred on March 24, 1962, at Madison Square Garden. Griffith had been incensed by an anti-gay slur directed at him by Paret during the weigh-in. Paret touched Griffith's buttocks and whispered into his opponent's ear "maricón, maricón", Spanish slang for "faggot".<ref name=ShadowBoxer>Smith, Gary "The Shadow Boxer", Sports Illustrated, April 18, 2005.</ref><ref name="NYT_Klores" /> Griffith had to be restrained from attacking Paret on the spot. The media at the time either ignored the slur or used euphemisms such as "anti-man". Griffith's girlfriend asked him about the incident, saying, "I didn't know about you being that way."

In the sixth round Paret came close to stopping Griffith with a multi-punch combination, but Griffith was saved by the bell.<ref name=Rivilries>The Great Rivalries Template:Webarchive, CBSSports.com; accessed January 30, 2016.</ref> After the sixth round Griffith's trainer, Gil Clancy, later said he told him, "When you go inside I want you to keep punching until Paret holds you or the referee breaks you! But you keep punching until he does that!".<ref name=ShadowBoxer/>

Griffith told a television interviewer: "I'm very proud to be the welterweight champion again. I hope Paret is feeling very good." When the seriousness of the situation become known, Griffith went to the hospital where Paret was being treated and unsuccessfully attempted for several hours to gain entry to Paret's room. Following that, he ran through the streets while being insulted by passersby. He would later receive hate mail from Paret supporters who were convinced Griffith intentionally killed Paret.<ref name=ShadowBoxer/>

New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller created a seven-man commission to investigate the incident and the sport.<ref name=ShadowBoxer/> Griffith reportedly felt guilt over Paret's death and suffered nightmares about Paret for 40 years.<ref name=ShadowBoxer/>

The fight, and the widespread publicity and criticism of boxing which accompanied it, became the basis of the 2005 documentary Ring of Fire: The Emile Griffith Story.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Trainer

Griffith trained other boxers, including Wilfred Benítez and Juan Laporte of Puerto Rico. Both won world championships. Griffith is a member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame. In 1979–80, he was in Denmark serving as the coach of the Danish Olympic boxing team.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Personal life

File:Luis Rodrigo Griffith.jpg

Luis Rodrigo Griffith, Emile's adopted son and caretaker, at the after party of the world premiere of Terence Blanchard's opera Champion on June 15, 2013.

In 1971, two months after they met, Griffith married another Virgin Islander, Mercedes "Sadie" Donastorg, who was then a member of the dance troupe "Prince Rupert and the Slave Girls".<ref>Griffith with wife Mercedes & best man Joe Frazier JET, May 27, 1971 pg 39</ref> Griffith adopted Donastorg's daughter, but the marriage only lasted a few months.<ref name="NYT_Klores" /> After retiring from boxing, Griffith worked as a corrections officer at the Secaucus, New Jersey Juvenile Detention Facility.<ref name=ShadowBoxer/>

In 1992, Griffith was viciously beaten and almost killed on a New York City street after leaving a gay bar near the Port Authority Bus Terminal. He was in the hospital for four months after the assault. It was not clear if the violence was motivated by homophobia.<ref name="NYT_Klores">Template:Cite news</ref>

Griffith was bisexual. He was quoted in Sports Illustrated as saying "I like men and women both. But I don't like that word: homosexual, gay or faggot. I don't know what I am. I love men and women the same, but if you ask me which is better ... I like women."<ref name=ShadowBoxer/>

Death

A long-time resident of Weehawken, New Jersey,<ref>"The passing of a champion; Boxing Great Griffith, Who Called Hudson County Home For Years, Dies At 75", The Hudson Reporter, July 28, 2013. Accessed September 18, 2020. "During his boxing heyday, when he won both the world welterweight and middleweight championships, Emile Griffith was proud to call Hudson County home. For almost 30 years, Griffith lived on Boulevard East in Weehawken."</ref> Griffith died July 23, 2013, at a care facility in Hempstead, New York. In his final years, he suffered from dementia pugilistica and required full-time care. His lover, whom he had adopted as a son,<ref name="NYT_Klores" /> Luis Rodrigo Griffith, was his primary caregiver.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He was buried in St. Michael's Cemetery, Queens, New York City.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Media representations

• In January 2005, filmmakers Dan Klores and Ron Berger premiered their documentary Ring of Fire: The Emile Griffith Story at the Sundance Film Festival in Utah. It was broadcast on television on USA Network.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Griffith's December 20, 1963 bout with Rubin Carter (which Griffith lost) is depicted in the opening scene of the 1999 motion picture The Hurricane. Griffith is portrayed by former boxer Terry Claybon, while actor Denzel Washington stars as Carter.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
• In May 2012 it was announced that trumpeter Terence Blanchard and playwright Michael Cristofer were working on the opera Champion, based on Griffith's story. It premiered at Opera Theatre of St. Louis on June 15, 2013.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• Irish director Lenny Abrahamson is working on a biopic focusing on Griffith's rivalry with Paret, originally intended to be released in 2019 but subsequently delayed.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="IrishmanAbroad">Template:Cite podcast</ref>
• A stage play based on Griffith's story, titled Brown Girl in the Ring, premiered on September 26, 2016, in Chicago. It was commissioned and produced by the Court Theatre.Template:CN
• A stage play based on Griffith's story, titled Man in the Ring, premiered on November 16, 2018, at the Huntington Theater in Boston.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Professional boxing record

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Template:Abbr	Result	Record	Opponent	Type	Round, time	Date	Location	Notes
112	Template:No2Loss	85–24–2 Template:Small	Alan Minter	PTS	10	Jul 30, 1977	Template:Small
111	Template:No2Loss	85–23–2 Template:Small	Mayfield Pennington	SD	10	Jul 16, 1977	Template:Small
110	Template:No2Loss	85–22–2 Template:Small	Joel Bonnetaz	PTS	10	Apr 15, 1977	Template:Small
109	Template:Yes2Win	85–21–2 Template:Small	Christy Elliott	MD	10	Feb 2, 1977	Template:Small
108	Template:Yes2Win	84–21–2 Template:Small	Frank Reiche	TKO	10 (10)	Dec 4, 1976	Template:Small
107	Template:Yes2Win	83–21–2 Template:Small	Dino Del Cid	TKO	4 (10)	Oct 24, 1976	Template:Small
106	Template:No2Loss	82–21–2 Template:Small	Eckhard Dagge	MD	15	Sep 18, 1976	Template:Small	Template:Small
105	Template:DrawDraw	82–20–2 Template:Small	Bennie Briscoe	PTS	10	Jun 26, 1976	Template:Small
104	Template:No2Loss	82–20–1 Template:Small	Loucif Hamani	UD	10	Feb 9, 1976	Template:Small
103	Template:Yes2Win	82–19–1 Template:Small	Jose Roberto Chirino	UD	10	Nov 7, 1975	Template:Small
102	Template:No2Loss	81–19–1 Template:Small	Elijah Makathini	PTS	10	Aug 9, 1975	Template:Small
101	Template:Yes2Win	81–18–1 Template:Small	Leo Saenz	UD	10	Jul 23, 1975	Template:Small
100	Template:No2Loss	80–18–1 Template:Small	Jose Luis Duran	UD	10	May 31, 1974	Template:Small
99	Template:Yes2Win	80–17–1 Template:Small	Donato Paduano	UD	10	Dec 10, 1974	Template:Small
98	Template:No2Loss	79–17–1 Template:Small	Vito Antuofermo	UD	10	Nov 22, 1974	Template:Small
97	Template:Yes2Win	79–16–1 Template:Small	Bennie Briscoe	MD	10	Oct 9, 1974	Template:Small
96	Template:Yes2Win	78–16–1 Template:Small	Renato Garcia	PTS	10	May 25, 1974	Template:Small
95	Template:No2Loss	77–16–1 Template:Small	Tony Licata	UD	12	Feb 5, 1974	Template:Small	Template:Small
94	Template:No2Loss	77–15–1 Template:Small	Tony Mundine	UD	12	Nov 19, 1973	Template:Small
93	Template:Yes2Win	77–14–1 Template:Small	Manuel González	MD	10	Nov 1, 1973	Template:Small
92	Template:No2Loss	76–14–1 Template:Small	Carlos Monzón	UD	15	Jun 2, 1973	Template:Small	Template:Small
91	Template:DrawDraw	76–13–1 Template:Small	Nessim Max Cohen	PTS	10	Mar 12, 1973	Template:Small
90	Template:No2Loss	76–13 Template:Small	Jean-Claude Bouttier	DQ	7 (10)	Dec 18, 1972	Template:Small	Template:Small
89	Template:Yes2Win	76–12 Template:Small	Joe DeNucci	SD	12	Oct 11, 1972	Template:Small
88	Template:Yes2Win	75–12 Template:Small	Joe DeNucci	SD	10	Sep 16, 1972	Template:Small
87	Template:Yes2Win	74–12 Template:Small	Ernie Lopez	UD	10	Mar 30, 1972	Template:Small
86	Template:Yes2Win	73–12 Template:Small	Jacques Kechichian	PTS	10	Feb 21, 1972	Template:Small
85	Template:Yes2Win	72–12 Template:Small	Armando Muñíz	UD	10	Jan 31, 1972	Template:Small
84	Template:Yes2Win	71–12 Template:Small	Danny McAloon	UD	10	Dec 10, 1971	Template:Small
83	Template:No2Loss	70–12 Template:Small	Carlos Monzón	TKO	14 (15), 2:32	Sep 25, 1971	Template:Small	Template:Small
82	Template:Yes2Win	70–11 Template:Small	Nessim Max Cohen	UD	10	Jul 26, 1971	Template:Small
81	Template:Yes2Win	69–11 Template:Small	Ernie Lopez	MD	10	May 3, 1971	Template:Small
80	Template:Yes2Win	68–11 Template:Small	Rafael Gutierrez	UD	10	Mar 23, 1971	Template:Small
79	Template:Yes2Win	67–11 Template:Small	Juan Ramos	TKO	7 (10)	Mar 5, 1971	Template:Small
78	Template:Yes2Win	66–11 Template:Small	Nate Collins	UD	10	Nov 10, 1970	Template:Small
77	Template:Yes2Win	65–11 Template:Small	Danny Perez	UD	12	Oct 17, 1970	Template:Small
76	Template:Yes2Win	64–11 Template:Small	Dick Tiger	UD	10	Jul 15, 1970	Template:Small
75	Template:Yes2Win	63–11 Template:Small	Tom Bogs	PTS	10	Jun 4, 1970	Template:Small
74	Template:Yes2Win	62–11 Template:Small	Carlos Marks	UD	12	Mar 11, 1970	Template:Small
73	Template:Yes2Win	61–11 Template:Small	Doyle Baird	UD	10	Jan 28, 1970	Template:Small
72	Template:No2Loss	60–11 Template:Small	José Nápoles	UD	15	Oct 17, 1969	Template:Small	Template:Small
71	Template:Yes2Win	60–10 Template:Small	Art Hernandez	SD	10	Aug 15, 1969	Template:Small
70	Template:Yes2Win	59–10 Template:Small	Dick DiVeronica	TKO	7 (10), 1:28	Jul 11, 1969	Template:Small
69	Template:Yes2Win	58–10 Template:Small	Stanley Hayward	UD	12	May 12, 1969	Template:Small
68	Template:Yes2Win	57–10 Template:Small	Andy Heilman	UD	10	Feb 3, 1969	Template:Small
67	Template:No2Loss	56–10 Template:Small	Stanley Hayward	SD	10	Oct 29, 1968	Template:Small
66	Template:Yes2Win	56–9 Template:Small	Gypsy Joe Harris	UD	12	Aug 6, 1968	Template:Small
65	Template:Yes2Win	55–9 Template:Small	Andy Heilman	MD	12	Jun 11, 1968	Template:Small
64	Template:No2Loss	54–9 Template:Small	Nino Benvenuti	UD	15	Mar 4, 1968	Template:Small	Template:Small
63	Template:Yes2Win	54–8 Template:Small	Remo Golfarini	TKO	6 (10)	Dec 15, 1967	Template:Small
62	Template:Yes2Win	53–8 Template:Small	Nino Benvenuti	MD	15	Sep 29, 1967	Template:Small	Template:Small
61	Template:No2Loss	52–8 Template:Small	Nino Benvenuti	UD	15	Apr 17, 1967	Template:Small	Template:Small
60	Template:Yes2Win	52–7 Template:Small	Joey Archer	UD	15	Jan 23, 1967	Template:Small	Template:Small
59	Template:Yes2Win	51–7 Template:Small	Joey Archer	MD	15	Jul 13, 1966	Template:Small	Template:Small
58	Template:Yes2Win	50–7 Template:Small	Dick Tiger	UD	15	Apr 25, 1966	Template:Small	Template:Small
57	Template:Yes2Win	49–7 Template:Small	Johnny Brooks	UD	10	Feb 3, 1966	Template:Small
56	Template:Yes2Win	48–7 Template:Small	Manuel González	UD	15	Dec 10, 1965	Template:Small	Template:Small
55	Template:Yes2Win	47–7 Template:Small	Harry Scott	RTD	7 (10)	Oct 4, 1965	Template:Small
54	Template:Yes2Win	46–7 Template:Small	Gabe Terronez	TKO	4 (10), 2:45	Sep 14, 1965	Template:Small
53	Template:No2Loss	45–7 Template:Small	Don Fullmer	UD	12	Aug 19, 1965	Template:Small	Template:Small
52	Template:Yes2Win	45–6 Template:Small	Eddie Pace	UD	10	Jun 14, 1965	Template:Small
51	Template:Yes2Win	44–6 Template:Small	Jose Stable	UD	15	Mar 30, 1965	Template:Small	Template:Small
50	Template:No2Loss	43–6 Template:Small	Manuel González	SD	10	Jan 26, 1965	Template:Small
49	Template:Yes2Win	43–5 Template:Small	Dave Charnley	TKO	9 (10), 1:56	Dec 1, 1965	Template:Small
48	Template:Yes2Win	42–5 Template:Small	Brian Curvis	UD	15	Sep 22, 1964	Template:Small	Template:Small
47	Template:Yes2Win	41–5 Template:Small	Luis Manuel Rodríguez	SD	15	Jun 12, 1964	Template:Small	Template:Small
46	Template:Yes2Win	40–5 Template:Small	Stan Harrington	KO	4 (10), 1:40	Apr 14, 1964	Template:Small
45	NC	39–5 Template:Small	Juan Carlo Duran	NC	7 (10)	Mar 11, 1964	Template:Small	Template:Small
44	Template:Yes2Win	39–5	Ralph Dupas	KO	3 (12)	Feb 10, 1964	Template:Small
43	Template:No2Loss	38–5	Rubin Carter	TKO	1 (10), 2:13	Dec 20, 1963	Template:Small
42	Template:Yes2Win	38–4	Jose Monon Gonzalez	MD	10	Oct 5, 1963	Template:Small
41	Template:Yes2Win	37–4	Holly Mims	UD	10	Aug 10, 1963	Template:Small
40	Template:Yes2Win	36–4	Luis Manuel Rodríguez	SD	15	Jun 8, 1963	Template:Small	Template:Small
39	Template:No2Loss	35–4	Luis Manuel Rodríguez	UD	15	Mar 21, 1963	Template:Small	Template:Small
38	Template:Yes2Win	35–3	Christian Christensen	TKO	9 (15)	Feb 3, 1963	Template:Small	Template:Small
37	Template:Yes2Win	34–3	Jorge Fernandez	TKO	9 (15)	Dec 8, 1962	Template:Small	Template:Small
36	Template:Yes2Win	33–3	Ted Wright	PTS	15	Oct 17, 1962	Template:Small	Template:Small
35	Template:Yes2Win	32–3	Don Fullmer	UD	10	Oct 6, 1962	Template:Small
34	Template:Yes2Win	31–3	Denny Moyer	SD	10	Aug 18, 1962	Template:Small
33	Template:Yes2Win	30–3	Ralph Dupas	UD	15	Jul 13, 1962	Template:Small	Template:Small
32	Template:Yes2Win	29–3	Benny Paret	TKO	12 (15), 2:09	Mar 24, 1962	Template:Small	Template:Small
31	Template:Yes2Win	28–3	Johnny Torres	UD	10	Feb 3, 1962	Template:Small
30	Template:Yes2Win	27–3	Isaac Logart	MD	10	Dec 23, 1961	Template:Small
29	Template:Yes2Win	26–3	Stanford Bulla	KO	4 (10), 2:35	Nov 4, 1961	Template:Small
28	Template:No2Loss	25–3	Benny Paret	SD	15	Sep 30, 1961	Template:Small	Template:Small
27	Template:Yes2Win	25–2	Yama Bahama	UD	10	Jul 29, 1961	Template:Small
26	Template:Yes2Win	24–2	Gaspar Ortega	TKO	12 (15), 0:48	Jun 3, 1961	Template:Small	Template:Small
25	Template:Yes2Win	23–2	Benny Paret	KO	13 (15), 1:11	Apr 1, 1961	Template:Small	Template:Small
24	Template:Yes2Win	22–2	Luis Manuel Rodríguez	SD	10	Dec 17, 1960	Template:Small
23	Template:Yes2Win	21–2	Willie Toweel	TKO	8 (10), 3:00	Oct 22, 1960	Template:Small
22	Template:Yes2Win	20–2	Florentino Fernández	UD	10	Aug 25, 1960	Template:Small
21	Template:Yes2Win	19–2	Jorge Fernandez	UD	10	Jul 25, 1960	Template:Small
20	Template:Yes2Win	18–2	Jorge Fernandez	SD	10	Jun 3, 1960	Template:Small
19	Template:No2Loss	17–2	Denny Moyer	SD	10	Apr 26, 1960	Template:Small
18	Template:Yes2Win	17–1	Denny Moyer	SD	10	Mar 11, 1960	Template:Small
17	Template:Yes2Win	16–1	Gaspar Ortega	SD	10	Feb 12, 1960	Template:Small
16	Template:Yes2Win	15–1	Roberto Peña	UD	10	Jan 8, 1960	Template:Small
15	Template:Yes2Win	14–1	Ray Lancaster	TKO	7 (10), 1:44	Nov 23, 1959	Template:Small
14	Template:No2Loss	13–1	Randy Sandy	SD	10	Oct 26, 1959	Template:Small
13	Template:Yes2Win	13–0	Kid Fichique	UD	10	Aug 7, 1959	Template:Small
12	Template:Yes2Win	12–0	Willie Stevenson	UD	10	May 25, 1959	Template:Small
11	Template:Yes2Win	11–0	Mel Barker	UD	10	Apr 27, 1959	Template:Small
10	Template:Yes2Win	10–0	Bobby Shell	UD	10	Mar 23, 1959	Template:Small
9	Template:Yes2Win	9–0	Barry Allison	TKO	5 (10), 2:44	Feb 23, 1959	Template:Small
8	Template:Yes2Win	8–0	Willie Joe Johnson	TKO	5 (6), 1:52	Feb 9, 1959	Template:Small
7	Template:Yes2Win	7–0	Gaylord Barnes	TKO	5 (6), 1:46	Jan 26, 1959	Template:Small
6	Template:Yes2Win	6–0	Larry Jones	KO	5 (6), 2:17	Dec 15, 1958	Template:Small
5	Template:Yes2Win	5–0	Sergio Rios	KO	3 (6), 1:01	Nov 17, 1958	Template:Small
4	Template:Yes2Win	4–0	Artie Cunningham	PTS	6	Oct 6, 1958	Template:Small
3	Template:Yes2Win	3–0	Tommy Leaks	PTS	4	Jul 21, 1958	Template:Small
2	Template:Yes2Win	2–0	Bruce Gibson	PTS	4	Jun 23, 1958	Template:Small
1	Template:Yes2Win	1–0	Joe Parham	PTS	4	Jun 2, 1958	Template:Small	Titles in boxing Major world titles NYSAC welterweight champion (147 lbs) (3×) NBA (WBA) welterweight champion (147 lbs) (3×)Template:Efn WBC welterweight championTemplate:Efn (147 lbs) (2×) WBA middleweight champion (160 lbs) (2×) WBC middleweight champion (160 lbs) (2×) The Ring magazine titles The Ring welterweight champion (147 lbs) (3×) The Ring middleweight champion (160 lbs) (2×) Undisputed titles Undisputed welterweight champion (3×) Undisputed middleweight champion Honorary titles Austrian Boxing Board of Control World light middleweight champion (154 lbs)Template:Efn Honors Named The Ring Fighter of the Year for 1964. A park has been named in Griffith's honor in his native US Virgin Islands. Recording artist Emile Griffiths had a brief career as a recording artist between 1966 and 1969. He recorded two 45s released on the Columbia Records and 'Going, Going Gone' , a moderately successful record for Ray Charles' Tangerine label.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> See also List of welterweight boxing champions List of light middleweight boxing champions List of middleweight boxing champions List of WBC world champions List of WBA world champions List of undisputed boxing champions List of boxing triple champions Notes and references Notes References Further reading Lance Pugmire, "Emile Griffith dies at 75; champion boxer struggled with his sexuality" "LA Times", July 23, 2013 Ron Ross, ""Nine...Ten...and Out! The Two Worlds of Emile Griffith" 2008 Donald McRae, "The Night Boxer Emile Griffith Answered Gay Taunts with a Deadly Cortege of Punches," The Guardian, September 10, 2015. External links Template:Boxrec Template:IMDb name Template:Find a Grave Ring Memorabilia Template:Webarchive 'Ring of Fire' Connects With True Story of A Fatal Blow Washington Post article April 20, 2005 Emile Griffith – CBZ Profile World Boxing Association History National Boxing Association's Quarterly Ratings: 1961 – BoxRec National Boxing Association's Quarterly Ratings: 1962 – BoxRec NYSAC World Welterweight Title (Boxing)