Looking back: Darryl Anthony

Going over some records recently, I saw where we were approaching the date of the last professional bout for Darryl Anthony, an underrated and vastly talented fighter who never competed for a world title, but at closer inspection was undoubtedly a very good boxer.

Anthony had as much natural skills and boxing ability as anyone coming out of St. Louis, Missouri in the 1970’s and early 80’s, and that is saying something as the amateur scene in St. Louis saw you competing in an incredibly deep talent pool during that era.

After an outstanding amateur run, Anthony would turn pro in the summer of 1982, going 8-1-1 in his first year as a pro. He would then head across the line into Canada for 4 bouts in 1983, going 3-0-1, only drawing with undefeated Toronto welterweight Leroy Pink in his hometown.

Over the next 9 months, Anthony would go 6-1, including a win over world title challenger Bobby Joe Young, who would go on to defeat welterweight legend Aaron Pryor 2 fights before his world title shot.

Three straight wins in 1985, and holding a win over him in the amateurs, earned him a shot at then fast-rising welterweight star, and future world champion Mark Breland. (Breland’s loss to Anthony was his only loss in the Olympic gold medalists 101 amateur bouts) Anthony, who ran into a red-hot Breland, on a fast track to the title, was stopped in 3 rounds. (Breland would win a world title less than a year later).

Over the next 5 years, Anthony would go a workman-like 6-9 but the list of fighters he faced was impressive to say the least.

Among his opponents were rugged, former world champion Texan Gene Hatcher, undefeated Philadelphia prospect Hugh Kearney, undefeated New Jersey banger Anthony Pearson, Canadian welterweight legend Sean O’Sullivan (in his home province), former (and future) world champion, Italy’s Gianfranco Rosi (in Italy), former world champion Lloyd Honeyghan (in his hometown of Kensington, England) before closing out his career in 1991 against future world champion Otis Grant in his hometown of Montreal, Canada.

While numbers clearly don’t tell the whole story, Anthony was a very talented fighter who went a lot of rounds, both as a pro and an amateur, with some of the very best of his era.

In an interview a couple years ago, Anthony, long retired and working in mortgage and financing for the last 25 years, recalled his time as a fighter.

“I do think I had some talent; I didn’t have to box. I came from a good home”, he said. “My mom always worked, and I had a step-dad in my life”, he continued. “Looking back, I would start to box a little later, maybe 15 or 16, in my teens, not so early. By the time I turned pro I think I was already a little burned out. But, I have fond memories of my boxing career”.

As you should Darryl - well done.

(Anthony still resides in St. Louis with his wife of 30+ years and their 3 grown children).