DID YOU KNOW THIS FORMER CHAMPION?
July 29th, 2009 By RingTalk
Camden, NJ- I don’t think I need to belabor the fact that former champ Rocky Lockridge is in bad shape. Living on the streets of this New Jersey city, this was not the future Rocky had in mind when he retired from boxing in the 90s. They say a picture says a lot. If that is the case, this picture speaks volumes. Photo courtesy The Star Ledger.
Sobering…
Didn’t he fight Tony Lopez in sacramento before?
Wow, that’s really shocking!
I remember watching him going up in weight to fight the champion in Roger Mayweather who was 17-0 at that time. He KO’d Roger in the first round! No wonder Roger today talks funny, he owes it to Rocky Lockridge. Could it be Rocky abused his gains by using drugs? Teddy At Last should see this picture of Rocky so he could gather some help to lift this guy up. I doubt if Roger Mayweather will. I hope Rocky gets help tho.
Alberto: Yeah, Lopez decisioned Lockridge twice in Sacto, I think, including Ring’s 1988 FOTY.
The shocking thing about Lockridge is that, unlike a lot of fighters, he’d formed an “after boxing” plan. He’d taken college courses in communications (I think), and he was an articulate individual who seemed to have a good head on his shoulders. I guess this shows that even boxers with post-ring plans don’t always come out ahead, unfortunately. At least he fought the best during his career. Lockridge also was the victim of IMHO the worst decision of the 1980′s v. Wilfredo Gomez.
As a fan of him in his hey day, it saddens me see what has happened to Rocky but neither Teddy Atlas or Roger Mayweather owe him a living. Drugs and bad judgement put him where he is – not bad luck or bad management!
This kind of thing happens all to often in boxing, but ex pro’s should not be given hand outs because they are “ex pros”?
Being from the UK, I am not sure how all your social systems work but if Rocky paid his taxes back then, the state should look after him now.
Every sport has those sad endings to a wonderful start. I watched Rocky fight many, many, times and was very saddened by the this story. No matter where you throw the blame, it is what it is (sad, sad, sad). Boxing is not the lone wolf here but it does seem (at times) that there are more sad endings to this tough sport, than others (or maybe I just read boxing more) but whatever it is, it still hurts to know the facts and situation. Hang tight champ, you pulled yourself from the trenches to a championship, now pull yourself up just one more time. Once a champ, always a champ……………….
He’s been there ten years and somebody finally notices? Good guy in my interactions with him. Was ROBBED in the worst way vs. Wilfredo Gomez.
I was seven years old when I went to see Lockridge V Lopez I. The old Arco was rocking. It’s sad to see what’s happened to him.
Rocky needs to get into a rehab program and clean himself up. He’s 50 but the drugs and stroke have aged him to the point that he looks like he’s 70. If he don’t do something now, his body will shut down.
I heard that Alex Ramos, who is one of the true good guys in Boxing, is looking to help Rocky. And this is where the family of former Boxing champs needs to pull together and try and help their brothers.
If any sport ever needed a union it’s Boxing and MMA.
I thought Lockridge showed “dog” in his fight with Wilfredo Gomez. In that fight, Lockridge had all the physical advantages, however could not, or would not, muster the eggs to finish a bloated Gomez. Sorry if I sound cruel, but if you compare that fight with where Lockridge is now ( not having the will to “hang” down the stretch), then seeing Rocky in the predicament he’s in should not be that hard to swallow.
I think that was an issue of stamina. Pedroza also came on late against Rocky, but Rocky’s inability to finish Gomez doesn’t change what was IMHO an injustice in that decision; Rocky clearly won that fight.
Man I feel for him but he needs to help himself too so he can then receive it