Kelvin Seabrooks
Kelvin Seabrooks (born March 10, 1963 in Charlotte, North Carolina) was an American boxer who won the International Boxing Federation bantamweight title and defended it four times.
Boxing Career
Seabrooks turned professional in 1981. He obtained the vacant world title of the bantamweight IBF the 15/5/1987 when beating to the other aspirant, Miguel Maturana by KO in the 5º assault in a combat agreed to 15 assaults. Defended the belt three times before losing it via TKO in the 15th round to Orlando Canizales in 1988. Seabrooks was down in 1st and 15th in the bout. Seabrooks was defeated by Canizales the following year by 11th round TKO. Seabrooks retired in 1995 after six consecutive losses.
Charlotteobserver.com August 09, 2013 Allison Osman wrote an article titled: FORMER BOXER FROM CHARLOTTE NOW WANTS TO GUIDE YOUTH
Kelvin Seabrooks, 50, was growing up in North Charlotte, he never dreamed he would be a boxer. Seabrooks, one of seven children, moved from place to place and even slept in an abandoned apartment building at times, but he found his escape in boxing. Sea brooks started boxing with the local Police Athletic League at age 11. "It kept me busy, off the streets and out of trouble," Seabrooks said. Although he did not want to box at first, he soon discovered he was good at it. "I won my first fight," he said.
Seabrooks went to win four N.C. Golden Gloves championships. A highlight of his boxing career was winning a bronze medal at the 1980 Olympic trials; however, he didn't get to go to the Olympics. President Jimmy Carter boycotted the Summer Olympics in Moscow that year to protest the December 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.
Seabrooks turned professional in 1981. In 1987, Seabrooks won the United States Boxing Association bantamweight championship, but gave up his title to compete in the world championship. He became the International Boxing Federation world bantamweight champion that year with a fifth-round knockout of Miguel Maturana in Cartagena, Colombia.
Seabrooks retired from boxing in 1995 and was inducted into the Carolinas Boxing Hall of Fame in 2003. He now works as a security guard at Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools and trains boxers. He also gives motivational speeches to students. Seabrooks is also in the process of establishing a nonprofit organization called Kelvin Seabrooks Sports & Education Center, Inc., to provide mentorship, tutoring and recreational programs to help kids succeed. The center's mission will be to provide a safe haven in the community for youth to enhance their abilities and skills, leading them on the right track toward the future, said Seabrooks. Seabrooks lives with his wife in east Charlotte.
<ref>Charlotteobserver.com August 09, 2013 Allison Osman wrote an article titled: FORMER BOXER FROM CHARLOTTE NOW WANTS TO GUIDE YOUTH/ref>
External links
| Achievements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Jeff Fenech Vacated |
IBF Bantamweight Champion 15 May 1987– 9 Jul 1988 |
Succeeded by Orlando Canizales |