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Herol Graham
Born	(1959-09-13) 13 September 1959 (age 65) Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England
Nationality	British
Other names	Bomber
Statistics
Weight(s)	Light-middleweight Middleweight Super-middleweight
Height	5 ft 11+1⁄2 in (182 cm)
Reach	77 in (196 cm)
Stance	Southpaw
Boxing record
Total fights	54
Wins	48
Wins by KO	28
Losses	6
Medal record Men's amateur boxing Representing  England English National Championships 1978 London Middleweight

Herol Graham (born 13 September 1959) is a British former professional boxer who competed from 1978 to 1998. A three-time world title challenger, he is generally acknowledged as one of the best British boxers of the post-war era to have never won a world championship. He beat Champions Lindell Holmes, Ayub Kalule and Vinny Pazienza.

Amateur career

Highlights

1976 Junior World Welterweight Champion (beat John Mugabi in final)

1977 Senior ABA Light-Middleweight finalist (lost to Steve Hopkin)

1978 Senior ABA Middleweight Champion

Professional career

In 1978, after winning the ABA middleweight title, Graham turned professional, fighting out of Brendan Ingle's gym in the Wincobank area of Sheffield.

Graham went undefeated in his first 38 fights, winning the British, Commonwealth and European light-middleweight titles, as well as the British and European middleweight titles. He eventually lost his unbeaten record defending his European middleweight title against future world champion Sumbu Kalambay in 1987. Graham would go on to fight for world titles twice at middleweight and once at super middleweight. In his first attempt, challenging for the vacant WBA middleweight title, he took Mike McCallum to a close split decision; points deducted for a punch to the back of McCallum's head ended up costing Graham the verdict. A year later, in another world title challenge, he lost to Julian Jackson for the vacant WBC middleweight title. After outclassing Jackson for nearly 4 rounds, Graham was knocked out cold before he hit the canvas by the now-famous devastating right cross known as the 'Punch of the Century'.

Four years of inactivity were followed by an unexpected comeback in which Graham put together a series of victories to gain a last shot at a world title in March 1998. Challenging Charles Brewer for his IBF super middleweight title, Graham was stopped in the tenth round. Following this he retired from the ring and now lives in London, working as a personal trainer and specialising in boxing-based exercises.

In February 2009, Graham's son was injured in what police described as a "targeted shooting" at Westfield, Sheffield.

Graham released his autobiography entitled Bomber: Behind the Laughter in 2011.

Graham has ongoing mental health issues from boxing injuries.

Personal life

Graham's parents are Jamaican.

Professional boxing record

References

1. ^ "A tale of sorcery and sadness: The tragic story of Herol Bomber Graham". Independent.co.uk. 29 January 2018.
2. ^ "Herol Graham: I'm fine being British boxing's nearly man | the Voice Online".
3. "Bomber Graham's son shot in feud". www.thestar.co.uk. Retrieved 16 June 2016.
4. Johnny Nelson (24 July 2020). "Johnny Nelson reveals how trainer Brendan Ingle sought to combat racism through education". Retrieved 17 March 2021.

External links

• Official website
• Boxing record for Herol Graham from BoxRec (registration required)

• 1959 births
• Living people
• Boxers from Nottingham
• British Boxing Board of Control champions
• Commonwealth Boxing Council champions
• England Boxing champions
• English male boxers
• English people of Jamaican descent
• Sportspeople of Jamaican descent
• European Boxing Union champions
• Light-middleweight boxers
• Middleweight boxers
• Super-middleweight boxers