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Looking back: Dave Gorman's Super Pro Gym - Ft. Worth, Texas

Looking back, it was clear that Fort Worth boxing legend Gorman, produced some great fights and great fighters. 

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It’s hard to believe it has been 18 years since the passing of Texas boxing manager and promoter Dave Gorman, who ran his Super Pro’s Gym out of Fort Worth, Texas.

 

In a recent interview, with one of his fighters, former featherweight world champion Troy Dorsey, the name of Gorman naturally came up. After the interview I looked back on Gorman’s career, and it really is amazing what that gym produced in its glory days.

 

Gorman, successful enough in construction in Texas to put some money into amateur and professional boxing, eventually had one of boxing’s strongest professional stables. Through the mid-80’s, starting with legendary, Hall of Fame welterweight Donald Curry, Gorman had a red-hot gym that produced 4 world champions, and 1 challenger, all with a combined 27 world title fights; impressive numbers to say the least.

 

Looking back, it was clear that Fort Worth boxing legend Gorman, produced some great fights and great fighters. Let’s take a quick look at 5 of his most prominent boxers. During its prime, to say fighters out of his gym were in some big fights would be a massive understatement.

 

Donald “The Lone Star Cobra” Curry (34 - 6, 25 KO’s) - The most prominent of all his fighters. Curry, a recent inductee into the Boxing Hall of Fame, was considered a pound-for-pound great during his best years. He won the WBA welterweight title in 1983, then added the WBC and IBF titles to his trophy case in a run that saw him make 6 title defences. Later, he added the WBC super welterweight title. Curry faced numerous world champions and challengers. World title fights - 14. Opponents of note - Terry Norris, Michael Nunn, Mike McCallum, Lloyd Honeyghan, Milton McCrory, Marlon Starling.

 

Troy Dorsey (15 -11- 4, 11 KO’s) - Tough and tenacious, Dorsey was training as a kickboxer at Gorman’s gym when he decided to turn pro in boxing. He didn’t waste any time and simply went after the best fighters he could face in pursuit of a world title. He realized his dream in 1991 when he beat rugged Alfred Rangel to capture the IBF world featherweight title. By the time he retired he had faced an incredible 12 world champions and 2 more world title challengers in one of boxing’s most impressive opponent runs. World title fights - 4. Opponents of note - Gabe Rueles, Jesus Chavez, Oscar De La Hoya, Jesse James Leija, Manuel Medina, Kevin Kelley, Jorge Paez.

 

Gene “Mad Dog” Hatcher (32 - 7, 23 KO’s) - Hatcher would turn pro in 1981 and stop Johnny “Bump City” Bumphus in 1984 to capture the WBA world welterweight title. He would make one successful defence against Ubaldo Sacco before losing it to him in a rematch. He would later get a shot at Lloyd Honeyghan’s WBC and IBF welterweight titles. By the time he retired in 1995 he would have faced 8 world champions and leave the game with a reputation as one of boxing’s truly rough and rugged welterweights. World title fights - 4. Opponents of note - Aaron Davis, Frankie Warren, Lloyd Honeyghan, Ubaldo Sacco, Alfredo Escalara, Tyrone Crawley.

 

Steve “Super Kid” Cruz (37 - 8, 19 KO’s) After turning pro in 1981, while considered talented and skilled, nobody expected Cruz to go to Vegas and spoil the U.S. coming out party of Irish legend Barry McGuigan in June of 1986. But, that is exactly what he did in dropping the heavily favoured McGuigan 2 times in the last round to win the WBA world featherweight title. While he did lose the belt in his first title defence, he did face 5 more world champions before he retired and did, again, compete for a world title, battling Ireland’s Paul Hodkinson in 1992. World title fights - 4. Opponents of note - Rafael Ruelas, Manuel Medina, Jorge Paez, Tracy Harris Patterson, Barry McGuigan.

 

“Rockin” Robin Blake (33 - 8, 21 KO’s) Hailing from Lubbock, Texas, popular Robin Blake would go an impressive 22-0 after turning pro in 1981. He was upset by slickster Tyron Crawley in 1983, suffering his first loss. Then, 6 months later, he suffered his 2nd loss at the hands of Harry Arroyo who would win the world title in his next fight. However, Blake put together 5 wins after the Arroyo fight to earn a shot at lightweight champion Jimmy Paul. In his only world title shot he was stopped in the 14th round. Over the next 4 years he would go 6-5 before retiring in 1990. World title fights - 1. Opponents of note - Tony Baltazar, Tyrone Crawley, Harry Arroyo, Jimmy Paul, Meldrick Taylor, Harold Brazier.

 

Gorman, who was often seen working the corner with legendary Texas trainer Paul Reyes, died in 2004, at the all-too-young age of 61. Gorman, who worked side-by-side with wife Loretta, had suffered several health difficulties in his life, but cancer finally took him just days after the diagnosis. Gorman, along with wife Loretta, were a prominent couple in Texas boxing in a state renowned for the sport.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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