Editing Kim Duk-koo

{{Short description|South Korean boxer (1955–1982)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2023}}
{{Family name hatnote|[[Kim (Korean name)|Kim]]||lang=Korean}}
{{Infobox boxer
| name = Kim Duk-koo<!-- (mo)-->
| nationality = <!-- use only when necessary per [[WP:INFONAT]] -->
| image = Kim Duk-Koo.jpg
| nickname = 
| weight = [[Lightweight]]
| birth_name = Lee Deok-gu
| birth_date = {{birth date|1955|07|29|mf=y}}<ref name=nyt>{{citation |last=Kriegel |first=Mark |title=A Step Back | newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=September 16, 2012 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/17/sports/families-continue-to-heal-30-years-after-title-bout-between-ray-mancini-and-duk-koo-kim.html?pagewanted=all}}</ref>
| birth_place = Banam-ri, [[Goseong County, Gangwon]], South Korea
| death_date = {{nowrap|{{Death date and age|1982|11|18|1955|7|29}}}}
| death_place = [[Paradise, Nevada]], US<ref name=nyt />
| style = [[Southpaw stance|Southpaw]]
| total = 20
| wins = 17
| KO = 8
| losses = 2
| draws = 1
| no contests = 0
| module = 
{{Infobox Korean name|child=yes
| hangul=김득구
| hanja=金得九
| rr=Gim Deuk-gu
| mr=Kim Tŭkku
}}}}
'''Kim Duk-koo''' ({{Korean|hangul=김득구}}; born '''Lee Deok-gu''', {{Korean|hangul=이덕구|labels=no}}; July 29, 1955{{spaced ndash}}November 18, 1982) was a South Korean [[boxing|boxer]] who died after fighting in a world championship boxing match against [[Ray Mancini]]. His death sparked reforms aimed at better protecting the health of boxers, including reducing the number of rounds in championship bouts from 15 to 12.

==Early life and education==
Kim was born in [[Gangwon Province, South Korea|Gangwon Province]], South Korea, 100 miles east of [[Seoul]], the youngest of five children. His father died when he was two and his mother married three more times. Kim grew up poor.<ref name=SI1987>{{cite magazine | url  = https://www.si.com/vault/1987/04/27/115263/remembering-duk-koo-kim-a-young-boxer-achieved-in-death-the-fame-he-wanted-in-life | title = Remembering Duk Koo Kim |first= Michael | last= Shapiro | magazine = [[Sports Illustrated]]  | date = April 27, 1987 | access-date=November 14, 2019}}</ref> He worked odd jobs, such as a shoe shiner and a tour guide, before getting into boxing in 1976.

==Professional career==
[[File:Duk Koo Kim vs Ray Mancini ticket.png|thumb|Ticket stub for Kim's final fight]]
After compiling a 29–4 amateur record, he turned professional in 1978.  In February 1982, he won the Orient and Pacific Boxing Federation lightweight title and became the [[World Boxing Association]]'s number 1 contender.<ref name=nyt/>  Kim carried a 17–1–1 professional record into the Mancini fight<ref name=SI1982>[https://vault.si.com/vault/1982/11/22/then-all-the-joy-turned-to-sorrow/ "Then All The Joy Turned To Sorrow"], [[Ralph Wiley]], ''Sports Illustrated'', November 22, 1982</ref> and had won 8 bouts by KO before flying to [[Las Vegas Valley|Las Vegas]] as the world's ([[World Boxing Association|WBA]]) number 1 challenger to world lightweight champion Mancini.  However, he had fought outside of South Korea only once before, in the Philippines. It was his first time ever fighting in North America.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eastsideboxing.com/news.php?p=2667&more=1 |title=Donaire vs. Nishioka Photos: Nonioto Donaire LA arrival – Boxing News |website=Eastsideboxing.com |date=October 9, 2012 |access-date=September 24, 2016}}</ref>

===Mancini match===
Kim was lightly regarded by the US boxing establishment,<ref name=Yahoo>{{cite web|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/box/news?slug%3Dki-mancinikim111207 |title=Mancini and Kim forever linked – Boxing – Yahoo Sports |access-date=December 21, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150105154240/https://sports.yahoo.com/box/news?slug=ki-mancinikim111207 |archive-date=January 5, 2015 }}</ref> but not by Ray Mancini, who believed the fight would be a "war".<ref name=nyt/> Kim struggled to lose weight in the days prior to the bout so that he could weigh in under the lightweight's 135-pound limit. Before the fight, Kim was quoted as saying "Either he dies, or I die."<ref name=nyt/>  He wrote the message "live or die" on his Las Vegas hotel lampshade only days before the bout (a mistaken translation led to "kill or be killed" being reported in the media).<ref name=nyt/>

Mancini and Kim met in an arena outside [[Caesars Palace]] on November 13, 1982 (the night after [[Aaron Pryor]] defeated [[Alexis Argüello]]). They went toe to toe for a good portion of the bout, to the point that Mancini briefly considered quitting.<ref name="Yahoo"/> Kim tore open Mancini's left ear and puffed up his left eye, and Mancini's left hand swelled to twice its normal size.<ref name="SI1982"/> After the fight Mancini's left eye would be completely closed.<ref name=nyt/>  However, by the later rounds, Mancini began to dominate, landing many more punches than Kim.  In the 11th he buckled Kim's knees.<ref name=nyt/> In the beginning of the 13th round Mancini charged Kim with a flurry of 39 punches but had little effect. [[Sugar Ray Leonard]] (working as one of the [[Sports commentator|commentators]] of the fight) said Kim came right back very strong. Leonard later declared the round to be closely contested.<ref>{{YouTube|ThQFPJpVtK8}}</ref> When the fighters came out for the 14th round, Mancini charged forward and hit Kim with a right.  Kim reeled back, Mancini missed with a left, and then Mancini hit Kim with another hard right hand.  Kim went flying into the ropes, his head hitting the canvas.  Kim managed to rise unsteadily to his feet, but referee [[Richard Green (referee)|Richard Green]] stopped the fight and Mancini was declared the winner by [[Technical knockout|TKO]] nineteen seconds into the 14th round.<ref name="SI1982"/>  [[Ralph Wiley]] of ''Sports Illustrated'', covering the fight, would later recall Kim pulling himself up the ropes as he was dying as "one of the greatest physical feats I had ever witnessed".<ref name=nyt/>

Minutes after the fight was over, Kim collapsed into a [[coma]] and was removed from the Caesars Palace arena on a stretcher and taken to the Desert Springs Hospital. At the hospital, he was found to have a [[subdural hematoma]] consisting of {{convert|100|cc|ml}} of blood in his skull.<ref name=nyt/> Emergency [[brain surgery]] was performed at the hospital to try to save him, but Kim died five days after the bout, on November 18 (he was declared legally dead by a [[Clark County, Nevada]] judge at 6 p.m. [[Pacific Time Zone|Pacific Standard Time]] on November 17). The neurosurgeon said it was caused by one punch.<ref name="SI1982"/> The week after, ''[[Sports Illustrated]]'' published a photo of the fight on its cover, under the heading ''Tragedy in the Ring''.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/cover/featured/8825/index.htm |title = Duk Koo Kim, Boxing, – 11.22.82 – SI Vault |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120716194023/http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/cover/featured/8825/index.htm |archive-date=July 16, 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The profile of the incident was heightened by the fight having been televised live by [[CBS]] in the United States.

Kim had never fought a 15-round bout before. In contrast, Mancini was much more experienced at the time. He had fought 15-round bouts three times and gone on to round 14 once before. Kim compiled a record of 17 wins with two losses and one draw. Eight of Kim's wins were [[knockout]]s.{{citation needed|date=November 2022}}

===Aftermath of Kim's death===
Mancini went through a period of reflection, as he blamed himself for Kim's death. After friends helped him by telling him that it was just an accident, Mancini went on with his career, though still haunted by Kim's death.  His promoter, [[Bob Arum]], said Mancini "was never the same" after Kim's death.  Two years later, Mancini lost his title to [[Livingstone Bramble]].<ref name=ESPN>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/sports/boxing/news/story?id=3107079 |title=Twenty-five years is a long time to carry a memory |website=ESPN |date=November 13, 2007 |access-date=September 24, 2016}}</ref>

Four weeks after the fatal fight, the [[Mike Weaver (boxer)|Mike Weaver]] vs. [[Michael Dokes]] fight at the same Caesars Palace venue ended with a technical knockout declared 63 seconds into the fight.  Referee [[Joey Curtis]] admitted to stopping the fight early under orders of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, which required referees to be aware of a fighter's health, in light of the Mancini{{endash}}Kim fight, and a rematch was ordered.{{citation needed|date=November 2019}}

Kim's mother flew from South Korea to Las Vegas to be with her son before the life support equipment was turned off. Three months later, she [[Suicide in South Korea|committed suicide]] by drinking a bottle of pesticide.<ref name="SI1987"/> The bout's referee, [[Richard Green (referee)|Richard Green]], committed [[suicide]] via self-inflicted gunshot wound on July 1, 1983.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lvrj.com/sports/11232441.html |title='It was a brutal fight' &#124; Las Vegas Review-Journal |website=Lvrj.com |date=November 13, 2007 |access-date=September 24, 2016}}</ref>

Kim left behind a fiancée, Lee Young-mee, despite rules against South Korean boxers having girlfriends.<ref name=nyt/>  At the time of Kim's death, Lee was pregnant with their son, Kim Chi-wan, who was born in July 1983. Kim Chi-Wan became a dentist.<ref name="SI1987"/>  In 2011, Kim Chi-wan and his mother had a meeting with Ray Mancini as part of a documentary on the life of Mancini called ''The Good Son''.<ref name=nyt/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/n_feature/2012/08/16/99/4901000000AEN20120816002300315F.HTML |title=(Yonhap Feature) New documentary about Kim Duk-koo set for release 30 years after his death |publisher=[[Yonhap News Agency]] |date=August 17, 2012 |access-date=September 24, 2016}}</ref>

===Boxing rule changes===
The Nevada State Athletic Commission proposed a series of rule changes as a result, announcing it before a December 10 match between Michael Dokes and Mike Weaver that would in itself be disputed because of instructions match officials were given before the fight that was directly related to the Mancini-Kim match.  Officials were told to be even more aware of a boxer's health in stopping a match.  The break between rounds was initially proposed to go from 60 to 90 seconds (but it was later rescinded).  The standing eight count (which allows a knockdown to be called even if the boxer is not down, but on the verge of being knocked down) was imposed, and new rules regarding suspension of licence were imposed, initially 45 days after a knockout loss..<ref name="NYT">{{cite news |last1=Katz |first1=Michael |title=Referee Defends His Decision |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1982/12/12/sports/referee-defends-his-decision.html |access-date=May 7, 2019 |work=The New York Times |agency=NYT |issue=1982–12–12 |date=December 12, 1982}}</ref>

The [[World Boxing Council]] (WBC), whose [[Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation|regional championship]] Kim held prior to relinquishing it for a WBA championship opportunity, announced during its annual convention of 1982 that many rules concerning fighters' medical care before fights needed to be changed. One of the most significant was the WBC's reduction of title fights from 15 rounds to 12. The [[World Boxing Association]] (WBA), which sanctioned the fatal match, and the [[International Boxing Federation]] (IBF) followed the WBC in 1987. When the [[World Boxing Organization]] (WBO) was formed in 1988, it immediately began operating with 12-round world championship bouts.<ref name="ESPN"/>

In the years after Kim's death, new medical procedures were introduced to fighters' pre-fight checkups, such as  [[electrocardiogram]]s, brain tests, and lung tests. As one boxing leader put it, "A fighter's check-ups before fights used to consist of blood pressure and heartbeat checks before 1982. Not anymore."<ref>[http://www.economicexpert.com/a/Duk:Koo:Kim.htm]  {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905214333/http://www.economicexpert.com/a/Duk%3AKoo%3AKim.htm|date=September 5, 2015}}</ref> 

In Nevada, further regulations on a boxer's health were implemented following the 2005 deaths of [[Martín Sánchez (boxer)|Martín Sánchez]] and [[Leavander Johnson]] in separate matches.  These regulations include regulations on weight cutting, concussions, and hydration that trainers must pass, including legalising sealed packets of sports beverages (instead of being water only), mandatory weights for gloves, and three ringside physicians on site that examine boxers at weigh-ins, before the contest, and immediately after the contest.  In 2016, brain health testing became mandatory.  Since these rules took effect, no boxer has been killed in Nevada matches.<ref>{{cite web |title=Nevada Athletic Commission passes rules changes |url=https://www.espn.com/sports/boxing/news/story?id=2517522 |website=ESPN | date=12 July 2006 |publisher=Disney Interactive Media |access-date=2024-04-18}}</ref>

==Professional boxing record==
{{s-start}}
|-
| colspan=8|{{center|'''17 Wins''' (8 knockouts, 9 decisions), '''2 Losses''' (1 decision 1 KO), '''1 Draw'''<ref>{{boxrec|id=012186}}</ref>}}
|-
| style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|'''Res.'''
| style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|'''Record'''
| style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|'''Opponent'''
| style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|'''Type'''
| style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|'''Rd., Time'''
| style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|'''Date'''
| style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|'''Location'''
| style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|'''Notes'''
|-
|{{no2}}Loss
|17–2–1
|{{flagicon|United States|1960|size=23px}} [[Ray Mancini]]
|KO
|14 {{small|(15) 0:19}}
|November 13, 1982
|[[Caesars Palace]], [[Nevada]], US
|For WBA Lightweight title; Kim died 5 days later.  Kim's [[Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation|WBC OPBF]] title vacated. {{efn|By rule, a boxer must vacate his regional title when participating in a world title match.}}
|-
|{{yes2}}Win
|17–1–1
|{{flagicon|Japan|1870}} Tadao Ishido
|TKO
|4 {{small|(12)}}
|July 18, 1982
|[[Seoul]], [[Fifth Republic of Korea|South Korea]]
|For Kim's WBC OPBF lightweight title
|-
|{{yes2}}Win
|16–1–1
|{{flagicon|Philippines|1936}} Nick Caputol
|UD
|10 {{small|(10)}}
|June 21, 1982
|[[Seoul]], [[Fifth Republic of Korea|South Korea]]
|Non-Championship bout
|-
|{{yes2}}Win
|15–1–1
|[[File:Flag of Thailand (TIS 982 draft standard).svg|border|23px|link=Thailand]] Flash Villamer
|UD
|12 {{small|(12)}}
|May 30, 1982
|[[Seoul]], [[Fifth Republic of Korea|South Korea]]
|For Kim's WBC OPBF lightweight title
|-
|{{yes2}}Win
|14–1–1
|[[File:Flag of Thailand (TIS 982 draft standard).svg|border|23px|link=Thailand]] Suradej Kiongphajorn
|KO
|1 {{small|(12)}}
|April 4, 1982
|[[Seoul]], [[Fifth Republic of Korea|South Korea]]
|For Kim's WBC OPBF lightweight title
|-
|{{yes2}}Win
|13–1–1
|{{flagicon|Fifth Republic of Korea|1981|size=23px}} Kwang-min Kim
|UD
|12 {{small|(12)}}
|February 28, 1982
|[[Seoul]], [[Fifth Republic of Korea|South Korea]]
|For [[Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation|WBC OPBF]] lightweight title
|-
|{{yes2}}Win
|12–1–1
|{{flagicon|Japan|1947|size=23px}} Katsuhiro Okubo
|TKO
|3 {{small|(10)}}
|December 12, 1981
|[[Seoul]], [[Fifth Republic of South Korea|South Korea]]
|
|-
|{{yes2}}Win
|11–1–1
|{{flagicon|Philippines|1936}} Flash Romeo
|KO
|4 {{small|(10)}}
|September 9, 1981
|[[Seoul]], [[Fifth Republic of South Korea|South Korea]]
|
|-
|{{yes2}}Win
|10–1–1
|{{flagicon|Philippines|1936}} Jun Escalera
|PTS
|10 {{small|(10)}}
|August 16, 1981
|[[Seoul]], [[Fifth Republic of South Korea|South Korea]]
|
|-
|{{yes2}}Win
|9–1–1
|{{flagicon|Fifth Republic of Korea|1981|size=23px}} Hong-kyu Lim
|TKO
|4 {{small|(10)}}
|April 22, 1981
|[[Seoul]], [[Fifth Republic of Korea|South Korea]]
|
|-
|{{yes2}}Win
|8–1–1
|{{flagicon|Fourth Republic of Korea}} Pil-gu Lee
|PTS
|10 {{small|(10)}}
|December 6, 1980
|[[Seoul]], [[Fourth Republic of Korea|South Korea]]
|Lightweight title
|-
|{{yes2}}Win
|7–1–1
|{{flagicon|Philippines|1936}} Tony Flores
|TKO
|8 {{small|(10)}}
|July 16, 1980
|[[Metro Manila]], [[History of the Philippines (1965–86)|Philippines]]
|
|-
|{{yes2}}Win
|6–1–1
|{{flagicon|Fourth Republic of Korea|size=23px}} Han-ki Choi
|KO
|8 {{small|(8)}}
|June 21, 1980
|[[Seoul]], [[Fourth Republic of Korea|South Korea]]
|
|-
|style="background:#dae2f1;"|Draw
|5–1–1
|{{flagicon|Fourth Republic of Korea|size=23px}} Chang-pyo Kim
|PTS
|8 {{small|(8)}}
|February 26, 1980
|[[Busan|Pusan]], [[Fourth Republic of South Korea|South Korea]]
|
|-
|{{yes2}}Win
|5–1
|{{flagicon|Fourth Republic of Korea|size=23px}} Young-dae Kim
|PTS
|4 {{small|(4)}}
|October 6, 1979
|[[Seoul]], [[Fourth Republic of Korea|South Korea]]
|
|-
|{{yes2}}Win
|4–1
|{{flagicon|Fourth Republic of Korea|size=23px}} Suk-soo Chang
|PTS
|4 {{small|(4)}}
|September 1, 1979
|[[Seoul]], [[Fourth Republic of Korea|South Korea]]
|
|-
|{{yes2}}Win
|3–1
|{{flagicon|Fourth Republic of Korea|size=23px}} Myung-soo Park
|KO
|1 {{small|(4)}}
|March 25, 1979
|[[Ulsan]], [[Fourth Republic of South Korea|South Korea]]
|
|-
|{{no2}}Loss
|2–1
|{{flagicon|Fourth Republic of Korea|size=23px}} Jong-sil Lee
|PTS
|4 {{small|(4)}}
|December 9, 1978
|[[Seoul]], [[Fourth Republic of Korea|South Korea]]
|
|-
|{{yes2}}Win
|2–0
|{{flagicon|Fourth Republic of Korea|size=23px}} Young-wung Sung
|PTS
|4 {{small|(4)}}
|December 8, 1978
|[[Seoul]], [[Fourth Republic of Korea|South Korea]]
|
|-
|{{yes2}}Win
|1–0
|{{flagicon|Fourth Republic of Korea|size=23px}} Myung-soo Park
|PTS
|4 {{small|(4)}}
|December 7, 1978
|[[Seoul]], [[Fourth Republic of Korea|South Korea]]
|Professional debut
{{s-end}}

== In popular culture ==
''[[Champion (2002 film)|Champion]]'' is a 2002 South Korean film about the life and career of Kim, played by [[Yu Oh-seong]].<ref>{{Citation|last=Kwak|first=Kyung-taek|title=Chaempieon|date=June 28, 2002|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0325165/|type=Drama|others=Oh-seong Yu, Min-seo Chae, Seung-won Yun, Doo-hong Jung|publisher=C2, Cowell, EnterOne|access-date=September 1, 2020}}</ref>

The [[Warren Zevon]] song "Boom Boom Mancini" references the fatal fight with Kim.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmPcVsAmrxo | title=Boom Boom Mancini | website=[[YouTube]] | date=July 29, 2018 }}</ref>

The San Francisco-based band [[Sun Kil Moon]]'s first album, ''[[Ghosts of the Great Highway]]'', includes a fifteen-minute track titled "Duk Koo Kim" which references the Mancini fight. The song was included in a 2011 article titled "''[[Sports Illustrated]]''{{'}}s Ultimate Playlist".<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Sports Illustrated's Ultimate Playlist|date=June 28, 2011|magazine=Sports Illustrated|url=https://www.si.com/more-sports/2011/06/28/ultimate-playlist|access-date=November 14, 2019}}</ref>

== See also ==
{{Portal|Biography|South Korea}}
*[[Tan Teng Kee (boxer)|Tan Teng Kee]] (died 1935), reported as one of the early boxing fatalities outside of Singapore
*[[Benny Paret]] (1937–1962), Cuban boxer who died after a match against [[Emile Griffith]]  
*[[Davey Moore (boxer, born 1933)|Davey Moore]] (1933–1963), another boxer who famously died from an injury sustained in the ring
*[[Choi Yo-sam]] (1972–2008), former world champion who died after winning his final fight
*[[Johnny Owen]] (1956–1980), Welsh boxer never regained consciousness after being knocked out in the twelfth round of a WBC World Bantamweight title fight against [[Lupe Pintor]]
*[[Kiko Bejines]]  (1962-1983), the first boxer to die in a world title fight after Kim
*[[List of deaths due to injuries sustained in boxing]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*{{Boxrec|id=012186}}
*{{YouTube|ThQFPJpVtK8|Footage of the Mancini-Kim Bout}}

{{notelist-la}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kim, Duk-Koo}}
[[Category:1959 births]]
[[Category:1982 deaths]]
[[Category:Deaths due to injuries sustained in boxing]]
[[Category:Filmed deaths in sports]]
[[Category:Sports deaths in Nevada]]
[[Category:South Korean male boxers]]
[[Category:Lightweight boxers]]
[[Category:Martial artists from Gangwon Province, South Korea]]
[[Category:20th-century South Korean sportsmen]]