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A champion at 23 and retired at 28: The boxing career of Mike Rossman

With power and skill, Mike Rossman was once a world champion. 

But the dream was better than the reality.

 

By John J. Raspanti

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Mike Rossman former world champion
Mike Rossman former world champion

Mike Rossman’s rollercoaster pugilistic career was filled with thrilling highs and depressing lows. Rossman competed in a division with such names as: Matthew Saad Muhammad, Dwight Muhammad Quai, John Conteh, Eddie Mustafa Muhmmad, Victor Galindez, Marvin Johnson, Yaqui Lopez, and many more.

 

Yet, he captured a world title. Rossman, who went by the moniker, “The Jewish Bomber, “could fight.

 

Born Michael Albert DiPiano in Philadelphia, the city of Brotherly Love, he used his mother’s maiden name, Rossman, to box. His father, Jimmy, told Sports Illustrated in 1978, “Mike Rossman. It’s got a nice ring to it.”

 

Co-existing with his father, who also managed him, was never easy. One wonders if going by the last name of Rossman bothered Jimmy. Italian pride. Rossman was a month past his 18th birthday when he turned professional. He knocked out Stanley Dawson in two.

 

Rossman, at this point, fighting in the middleweight division, won 22 consecutive fights before being edged by Mike Nixon. A rematch went down in Las Vegas less than three months later. This one wouldn’t be decided by the judges. Rossman ended things suddenly with a pulverizing overhand right. Nixon didn’t hear a thing as he was counted out.

 

"I don’t even know what happened,” said Nixon after the match.

 

The following month Rossman threw hands with Mike Quarry. Only 24, Quarry had engaged in 61 fights. Scar tissue lived above his left eye. Some felt that it bled before the first bell rang. Quarry could box but preferred to bang. Problem was he couldn’t punch, scoring only 12 knockouts. Against Rossman, he piled up points on the inside, winning the fight by unanimous decision.

 

Rossman tried to learn from the defeat. He won three in a row, before dropping a majority decision to ranking contender, Tony Licata. He faced Quarry again in 1976. Underdog Rossman rallied late by outworking Quarry. The result was a split-decision victory. Revenge was sweet. Rossman fought Quarry again six months later. Again, it was close, but a pulpy left eye and slice over the right lobe ended the night for Quarry after six bloody rounds.

 

A step up in competition was next. The winner would get a shot at light heavyweight champion, Victor Galindez. Yaqui “Thrill a Minute” Lopez was the opponent. Lopez had come up short in two earlier bids for world championship honors. Rossman got off to a fast start, opening cuts over both eyes. Lopez ignored the crimson and rallied, using Rossman’s head as a battering ram in round six. Rossman wobbled to his corner where father Jimmy told the referee the fight was over.

 

Barely two months after being stopped for the first time in his career, Rossman was back in the ring, stopping a reeling Lonnie Bennett at the Spectrum in Philadelphia. After another knockout victory. Rossman was offered a chance to fight for the light heavyweight championship. He quickly accepted.

 

Victor Galindez would be making the 11th defense of his belt. His most impressive victories were over Richie Kates, Lopez twice, and the talented Mustafa Muhammad. Rossman was expected to be another victim. But this night would be different.

 

Using his sharp jab to open a cut, and right cross effectively, Rossman beat the champion at his own game, outlasting Galindez to win the fight and belt by stoppage in round 13.

 

His life as a champion was later described as a “dream.” But dreams can evaporate quickly. Rossman’s prickly relationship with his father blew up. Money, or the lack there of, was the issue. Internal strife reportedly caused him to lose his love of the sport.

 

Rossman defended his title once and faced a motivated Galindez in a rematch. Rossman jabbed his way to a lead, but in round three, Galindez found a way to get around the jab. He also got dirty, hitting Rossman after the bell. Galindez brought the pressure. Rossman broke his right hand in round five. At this point, Galindez took over, rocking Rossman with shots. The soon-to-be former champion fired one more right in round nine. The blow landed, but the pain shook Rossman. His corner stopped the fight.

 

Galindez went ballistic in his corner, taunting Rossman and calling him names. Seven months later, Marvin Johnson would knock him out.

 

Rossman won four fights in a row before facing rising Dwight Braxton—soon to be Dwight Muhammad Quai in 1981.

 

Just 25, Rossman admitted he wasn’t the same fighter. His once razor-sharp reflexes had dulled. Avoiding right hands had become a chronic problem.

 

“It’s like my left hand wasn’t even there,’’ he told Michael Katz of The New York Times before the Braxton fight. “If I had the answer, maybe I could solve the problem. I wonder about a lot of things. In the gym I try hard to correct a lot of things.”

 

Try as he did, nothing worked. Braxton punished him for six rounds. Rossman was finished as contender. He came back two years later, won four fights against lessor competition, and retired.

 

He had turned 28 six months before-just a baby in life, but not in boxing.

 

His career record shows 44 wins, 27 by knockout, and seven losses.

 

From all reports, his life after boxing has been successful, though he doesn’t trust the media. Makes sense. Rossman was widely criticized after his loss to Galindez.

 

Though lasing only 10 years, Rossman had a very good boxing career.

 

He once was a world champion, something that not everyone can say.

 

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