Puncher from the Past Ronnie Delaney

Name: RONNIE DELANEY

Born: 17 January 1930 Akron Ohio

Died: 5 October 2020 at the age of 90

Record: 69 fights, 63 wins (30 by KO/TKO), lost 3 (2 by KO/TKO), drew 3

Career: 1948-1966

Division: Lightweight/Welterweight

Stance: Southpaw (although right-handed)

Titles: None

Major Contests

Scored wins over: Jimmy Welch(three times), Tommy Bell *,Joe Blackwood (twice),Harold Meredith, Charlie Cotton (twice), Holly Mims, Johnny Saxton **,

Lost to:  Jimmy Welch, Virgil Akins**, Willie Docherty

Drew with: Jimmy Welch (three times),

**Past/ future holder of a version of a world title

* Unsuccessful challenger for a version of a world title

Ronnie Delaney’s story

Delaney was the first born of eight children to Earl and Eva Delaney and took up boxing at the age of 15. He won a silver medal at the Northeast Ohio Golden Gloves in 1948 at the age of 18 and turned professional in February 1948. As a black fighter for most of his career he fought other black fighters. He was a busy fighter with 21 fights in 1948 going 19-1-1. He drew, lost and then beat local rival Jimmy Welch in consecutive fights in 1948 and they would eventually fight each other 7 times with Delaney scoring two wins and there being two more draws making it 3-1-3 for Delaney. After the loss to Welch on 30 August 1948 Delaney was unbeaten until May 1955 a run of 48 fights without a loss with 46 wins and two draws against Welch. After twenty-five six and eight round fights he moved up to ten round class in 1949. He had his first fight in Madison Square Garden in August 1951 when he outpointed Holly Mims but then returned to the Ohio circuit. His big chance came in February 1955 when he faced Johnny Saxton the reigning world welterweight champion in a non-title fight. Saxton had won the title by outpointing Kid Gavilan four month earlier. Delaney won a unanimous decision over Saxton on scores of 100-90, 98-92 and 97-96. At that point Delaney’s record stood at 58-1-3.  It might have been assumed that such a convincing win over the champion might lead to a title chance. Saxton was owned by the mob and “managed” by Frankie Palermo. Delaney was not controlled by the mob so was passed over. Delaney fought at the St Nicolos Arena in New York less then a month later beating Al Wilson on points. Two months later Delaney was given another chance being put in with future welterweight champion Virgil Akins but was knocked out in eight rounds. Although only 25 and after 64 fights in less than seven years Delaney walked away disgusted at the way boxing was being influenced by the mob. He made a brief return in December 1957 losing on a fourth round kayo against Willie Docherty. He returned for a second time seven years later scoring four wins in Ohio before finally putting the gloves away in March 1966.

After retiring Delaney worked for a bank then had his own tree servicing business. He was very religious and worked with the church. He trained young boxers at the local Good Shepherd Boxing Club and although none of his five children boxed son Michael became a successful trainer. Later in life he suffered from dementia but was well cared for by his family.

With only one loss, subsequently avenged, in his first 63 fights it might have been expected that Delaney would have had a much higher profile but southpaws were not popular in his day and he only fought outside Ohio on ten occasions. He showed in the win over Saxton he was world class and if he had taken more risks with his career a title might not have been beyond him.