Jackie Wilson -- 2 Wins 8 Losses Higher and Higher
Jack
Leroy Wilson Jr. was born on June 9, 1934, in Detroit, Michigan. Although Jackie was born in Detroit, his parents had moved up from
Columbus, Mississippi in the 1920s . Like Elvis, Jackie had a very close
relationship with his mother they virtually lived for each other.
Jackie, too, was an only son. His mum, made him get out of boxing because she feared he would get hurt. His
stagecraft in his live shows inspired James Brown, Michael Jackson and
Elvis Presley, as well as a host of other artists that followed. Presley
was so impressed with Jackie that he made it a point to meet him, and
the two instantly became good friends. In a photo of the two posing
together, Presley's caption in the photo reads "You got you a friend
for life." Wilson was sometimes called "The Black Elvis" . Elvis used to say
"I guess that makes me the white Jackie Wilson". Elvis can be heard talking about Jackie Wilson during 'The Million Dollar Quartet' session in 1956. Elvis talks about a group he'd seen in Las Vegas, Billy Ward And The Dominoes." There's a guy out there who's doin' a take-off of me 'Don't Be Cruel'. He tried so hard, till he got much better, boy, much better than that record of mine". Elvis over the years went to see, Jackie's shows many times and the two stayed in contact regularly.Jackie would often visit Graceland and movie sets to see Elvis up until he suffered a heart attack on stage in New jersey, in September 1975. Then for the next eight years he was in a state between life and death, unable to communicate for the entire period. He died in January 1984 and was buried in an unmarked grave outside his home city of Detroit. Elvis was said to have sent cheques to Jackie's mum to help with the medical bills at the time. Don't Be Cruel million dollar quartet
Bossanova Baby with his Jackie Wilson moves.
Roy Hamilton -- 6 Wins 1 Defeat You Can Have Her
Roy Hamilton was born on April 16, 1929 and died July 20, 1969. Roy gave up boxing to take on a singing career in the early 1950's and by combining semi-classical technique with traditional black gospel , Roy gave soul to popular music of the 50's. He is best known for his recordings of "You'll Never Walk Alone", "Unchained Melody" and "Pledging My Love". Hamilton's style and sound directly influenced later artists such as Elvis , Jackie Wilson and The Righteous Brothers, all of whom covered his music. Hamilton recalled his early venture into the music industry. "I really had nothing different to offer. They were seeking blues singers at the time, and I didn’t know any blues at all." So, to support himself while he developed the different sound and singing style he wanted, Hamilton took a job as an electronics technician during the day and became an amateur heavyweight boxer at night. His influence on Elvis cannot be under estimated and if you listen to Elvis recordings of many of Roy's songs you can hear the same bluesy/operatic vocals of which Roy was so famous. Songs like Hurt, Pledging my Love,The Impossible Dream, and You Can Have Her. It was'nt until January 1969 at Memphis Sound Studios that the two met and became friends. A song called Angelica written by Barry Mann was on Elvis's short list for recording but as the story goes he decided it would be a good song for Roy. It would become Roy's final single before his passing in July 1969.
You'll Never Walk Alone only time performed live
Uniondale 1975 .
Lionel Rose -- 42 wins 11 losses Pick Me Up on Your Way DownUniondale 1975 .
Australias Champion boxer who became the first aboriginal recipient of the Australian of the year award in 1968 and it was in this year he would, meet the king at the studio lot where Elvis was filming, Trouble with Girls. Elvis had requested the meeting because he was a big fan of Lionel's . Lionel got the message the day before his title fight in Los Angeles,while he was at the gym, practicing and was a bit stunned at the request. Then the next day a car arrived to take him to the lot. Born and raised at Jacksons Track in Victoria, Australia. Rose grew up in hardship and learned to box from his father. His father, Roy was a skilled fighter at local shows. Lionel followed his father into boxing. He would often fight larger
opponents and was badly injured in his first amateur boxing match against one such opponent. He won the Australian amateur flyweight title at 15. In 1967 saw him win eight bouts including a thirteenth-round knockout win against Rocky Gattellari to defend his Australian championship before fighting, Harada for the world bantamweight title on 26 February 1968 in Tokyo. Rose was the first Aboriginal Australian to be a world champion boxer when he defeated Harada in the 15-round decision. This win made Rose an instant national hero in Australia and an icon among Aboriginal Australians. He also had a dabble in the music industry charting with Pick Me Up on your Way Down and I Thank You. Lionel's words on his own experiences with racial prejudice, condemns Anglo-Australians who are intolerant of diversity. He suggests that this discrimination is also connected with class, as he did not suffer from it when he became a world champion.
Lionels Autographed photo of Elvis and him.
Mohammad Ali -- 56 wins 5 losses The Gangs All Here
Ali was probably the one who had the closest relationship with Elvis which continued on until Elvis's death in 1977. Muhammad Ali was an American professional boxer and activist. He is widely regarded as one of the most significant and celebrated sports figures of the 20th century. Born Cassius Clay in Louisville, Kentucky, in 1942, Muhammad Ali became an Olympic gold medalist in 1960 and the world heavyweight boxing champion in 1964. Following his suspension for refusing military service, Ali reclaimed the heavyweight title two more times during the 1970s, winning famed bouts against Joe Frazier and George Foreman along the way. Diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1984, Ali devoted much of his time to philanthropy, earning the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005. He died on June 3, 2016, in Phoenix, Arizona.Mohammad Ali on Elvis -- "Elvis Presley was the sweetest, most humble and nicest man you'd want to know'. 'Elvis was my close personal friend. He came to my Deer Lake training camp about two years before he died. He told us he didn't want nobody to bother us. He wanted peace and quiet and I gave him a cabin in my camp and nobody even knew it. When the cameras started watching me train, he was up on the hill sleeping in the cabin. Elvis had a robe made for me. I don't admire nobody, but Elvis Presley was the sweetest, most humble and nicest man you'd want to know'. There is conflicting dates as to when Ali first wore the robe. Elvis first presented the robe to Ali before the fight against Joe Bugner but they say he never wore it until the Norton fight which he lost. New footage actually shows Ali wearing it at the Bugner fight.
Mohammad Ali and the Robe
Mushy Callahan November 3 1904 to June 18 1986 was the ring name of Vincent Morris Scheer, a Los Angeles based boxing champion in the World Light Welterweight Division for five years from 1926-30. He took the ring name of Mushy Callahan. He was nicknamed Mushy from his Hebrew name Moishe, or Moses. Callahan retired from professional boxing around 1932 after his last fight he began to referee boxing matches, in fact, over four hundred between December 1932, until November 1960. He stayed close to the Los Angeles area, so he could pursue his career in the movie industry, during this period. In 1937, he would appear in the original movie Kid Galahad, starring Humphrey Bogart and Bette Davis. Also working as the trainer and advisor as he did in the Elvis musical remake of 1962 which was filmed in the location of Idyllwyld. There is more connections to be made here with the director, of the Elvis remake was also the director of the original Kid Galahad movie and possibly Presley's finest movie, King Creole, Mike Curtiz. Elvis plays the part of Walter Gulick and his love interest is Joan Blackman who also appears with Elvis in Blue Hawaii and of course was a love connection that dates back to 1956.
Kid Galahad and Idyllwyld and the old oak tree.
Elvis and Mushy Callahan photos
Trivia
Ruby Rose is Lionel Roses Goddaughter
