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Tunney Morgan Hunsaker (September 1, 1930 – April 27, 2005) was an American professional boxer who is best remembered as the first professional opponent of boxing great Cassius Clay, later known as Muhammad Ali. Outside of his boxing career, Hunsaker served many years as the Police Chief of Fayetteville, West Virginia.

Early life

He was born in the Western Kentucky town of Princeton, in Caldwell County. In his youth he served in the United States Air Force, stationed at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas.

Boxing career

In 1960, Hunsaker was Cassius Clay's (later Muhammad Ali) first opponent in a professional boxing bout. After the fight Hunsaker said, "Clay was as fast as lightning ... I tried every trick I knew to throw at him off balance but he was just too good". In a thumbnail profile of the fight the following January, young Cassius was reported as having remarked that Hunsaker's style was far different from what Clay had been exposed to as an amateur and Olympian; the young fighter admitted to nervousness going in, and that Hunsaker's aforementioned pro style, had given him trouble. This respect appears genuine, as it was lasting—in his autobiography, Ali said Hunsaker dealt him one of the hardest body blows he ever took in his career. Ali and Hunsaker became good friends and stayed in touch over the years. Hunsaker said he did not agree with Ali's decision to refuse military service, but praised him as a great humanitarian and athlete. Leaning of Hunsaker's passing, Ali commented to WV Public Radio, "I have fought better fighters but none with a bigger heart."

In the fight game, Hunsaker was a small heavyweight, perhaps better suited for light-heavy classification (175 lbs. limit); today, he would most likely compete as a cruiserweight (190 lbs. limit). He fought as a boxer-puncher, by his own telling. Hunsaker once appeared on the undercard at Madison Square Garden. Hunsaker ended up with a record of 17 wins with 15 defeats with 8 wins by knockout. His career ended after a boxing-related head injury suffered on April 6, 1962, in Beckley, West Virginia. Rushed to a Beckley hospital, Hunsaker was in a coma for 9 days during which he underwent two brain operations.

Law enforcement career

Hunsaker became the youngest police chief in the history of West Virginia, going on to serve as Fayetteville police chief for 38 years,. He was later inducted into the Law Enforcement Hall Of Fame.

Personal life

Hunsaker was active in the Oak Hill Church of the Nazarene for many years, teaching a Sunday School class for fifth and sixth grade boys. He was three times named Sunday School Teacher of the Year. At the time of his death in 2005 he had been married to wife Patricia for over thirty years.

In the US state of West Virginia, the Fayette Station Bridge carrying County Route 82 over the New River at the bottom of New River Gorge was named after him.

Death

Hunsaker suffered the physical effects of his last match for the rest of his life. He was 74 when he died on 27 April 2005, having been afflicted with Alzheimer's disease in his last years. His body was buried in Huse Memorial Park cemetery, Fayetteville, West Virginia.

Professional boxing record

17 Wins (8 knockouts, 9 decisions), 15 Losses (7 knockouts, 8 decisions), 1 Draw
Result	Record	Opponent	Type	Round	Date	Location	Notes
Loss	17–15–1	Joe Shelton	KO	10	April 6, 1962	Beckley-Raleigh County Convention Center, Beckley, West Virginia	Hunsaker knocked out at 2:43 of the tenth round. Hunsaker was in a coma for nine days following the fight.
Win	17–14–1	Thomas Dejarnette	KO	1	February 24, 1962	West Virginia State Penitentiary, Beckley, West Virginia
Loss	16–14–1	Sonny Banks	KO	2	October 16, 1961	Detroit, Michigan
Loss	16–13–1	Thomas Dejarnette	TKO	8	September 28, 1961	West Virginia State Penitentiary, Beckley, West Virginia	Referee stopped the bout at 2:10 of the eighth round.
Win	16–12–1	Herman Wilson	TKO	6	August 22, 1961	Fairgrounds Stadium, Louisville, Kentucky
Loss	15–12–1	Tod Herring	UD	10	April 25, 1961	City Auditorium, Houston, Texas
Loss	15–11–1	Alejandro Lavorante	KO	5	March 21, 1961	Freeman Coliseum, San Antonio, Texas	Hunsaker knocked out at 2:31 of the fifth round.
Loss	15–10–1	Cassius Clay	UD	6	October 29, 1960	Freedom Hall, Louisville, Kentucky	Ali's first pro fight.
Loss	15–9–1	Tom McNeeley	TKO	9	April 12, 1960	Boston Arena, Boston, Massachusetts	Referee stopped the bout at 1:30 of the ninth round.
Loss	15–8–1	Johnny Jenkins	SD	6	February 5, 1960	Madison Square Garden, New York City
Loss	15–7–1	Jim O'Connell	PTS	10	January 16, 1960	Kenova, West Virginia
Loss	15–6–1	Hosea Chapman	UD	12	November 14, 1959	Memorial Auditorium, Fayetteville, West Virginia	West Virginia Heavyweight Title.
Loss	15–5–1	Bert Whitehurst	TKO	10	September 30, 1959	Charlotte, North Carolina
Loss	15–4–1	Ernie Terrell	PTS	8	July 24, 1959	Freedom Hall, Louisville, Kentucky
Win	15–3–1	Bennie Thomas	PTS	8	July 1, 1959	Louisville, Kentucky
Draw	14–3–1	Hosea Chapman	SD	12	June 20, 1959	Ravenswood, West Virginia	West Virginia Heavyweight Title.
Win	14–3	Billy Walters	KO	1	May 2, 1959	Fayetteville, West Virginia
Win	13–3	Terrell Pruitt	UD	6	March 28, 1959	Freedom Hall, Louisville, Kentucky
Win	12–3	Tiny Gibson	KO	3	September 30, 1958	Fayetteville, West Virginia
Win	11–3	Herbert Hair	KO	2	August 16, 1958	Memorial Auditorium, Fayetteville, West Virginia
Loss	10–3	Emil Brtko	KO	2	June 23, 1958	High School Stadium, Charleroi, Pennsylvania	Hunsaker knocked out at 1:58 of the second round.
Win	10–2	Jim Saddler	SD	6	June 9, 1953	Municipal Auditorium, San Antonio, Texas
Win	9–2	O'Neal Crocker	TKO	4	June 2, 1953	Ringside Club, Houston, Texas
Win	8–2	Carl Griffin	KO	1	April 20, 1953	Dallas Sportatorium, Dallas, Texas	Griffin knocked out at 1:11 of the first round.
Win	7–2	Joe Arthur	SD	10	March 10, 1953	Municipal Auditorium, San Antonio, Texas
Win	6–2	Ranchero Alonzo	PTS	8	February 10, 1953	Municipal Auditorium, San Antonio, Texas
Loss	5–2	Ranchero Alonzo	PTS	6	December 30, 1952	Municipal Auditorium, San Antonio, Texas
Loss	5–1	Whitey Berlier	PTS	10	November 5, 1952	Houston, Texas
Win	5–0	Pat Viola	UD	6	October 20, 1952	Municipal Auditorium, San Antonio, Texas
Win	4–0	Jesus Vargas	KO	3	October 7, 1952	Municipal Auditorium, San Antonio, Texas
Win	3–0	Ranchero Alonzo	PTS	6	September 23, 1952	Municipal Auditorium, San Antonio, Texas
Win	2–0	Pat Viola	PTS	6	July 31, 1952	Austin, Texas
Win	1–0	Pat Viola	UD	4	July 22, 1952	Municipal Auditorium, San Antonio, Texas

References

1. ^ "The first fight of the Greatest". ESPN.com. October 29, 2015. Retrieved August 10, 2021.
2. "Muhammad Ali's first pro opponent was Tunney Hunsaker, who never did forget 'The Greatest'". syracuse. October 24, 2013. Retrieved August 10, 2021.
3. uncredited (January 1961). "Glove Action". The Ring. XXXIX (12): 66.
4. Brunt, Stephen (2002). Facing Ali. Guilford, CT: The Lyons Press. p. 301. ISBN 1-58574-829-3.
5. ^ "Tunney Hunsaker". BoxRec.
6. "CONDITION OF BOXER SHOWS IMPROVEMENT (April 12, 1962)". Retrieved July 27, 2017.
7. ^ "Tunney Hunsaker - BoxRec". boxrec.com. Retrieved August 10, 2021.
8. "Fayette Station and Tunney Hunsaker Bridge". Clio. Retrieved August 10, 2021.

Further reading

• Facing Ali (book) by Stephen Brunt (2002). Guilford, Connecticut: The Lyons Press.
• Muhammad Ali: His Life and Times by Thomas Hauser (1991). New York: Simon & Schuster.

External links

Tunney Hunsaker at Find a Grave

• 1930 births
• 2005 deaths
• American municipal police chiefs
• Boxers from West Virginia
• People from Fayetteville, West Virginia
• American members of the Church of the Nazarene
• American male boxers
• 20th-century Methodists
• Sportspeople from Fayette County, West Virginia
• 20th-century American sportsmen