(By comparison, Ali had a 78-inch reach, Joe Louis’s was 76, Rocky Marciano’s was 68 and Mike Tyson’s was 71.) A solid puncher, he had an 82-inch reach that gave him an especially effective jab. She said he had dementia.Īt 6 feet 6 inches, Terrell was unusually tall for the era in which he fought and was lanky, generally fighting at less than 220 pounds. His sister Lovie Mickens confirmed the death. In October of 2004, he was inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame.Ernie Terrell, who briefly shared the heavyweight championship with the fighter then widely known as Cassius Clay and who later, after refusing to acknowledge that Clay had taken the Muslim name Muhammad Ali, was battered by him in a 15-round grudge match, died on Tuesday in Chicago. Terrell also had a brief stint in politics when he lost the 1987 election for alderman of Chicago's 34th ward. Terrell boxed in his last fight on September 23 of that year.Īfter retiring permanently from boxing, Terrell became a music producer in Chicago. However, Chuck Wepner defeated him in 12 rounds in an extremely controversial decision. Terrell continued to win his matches, and on June 23, 1973, he earned another shot at becoming a heavyweight champion. However, he returned to the ring two years later, beating Sonny Moore on December 15 in 10 rounds. Terrell lost his two remaining fights that year and announced his retirement in December. Ali, who had changed his name from Cassius Clay after converting to Islam, took offense to Terrell using his 'slave name' and repeatedly shouted, 'What's my name?' throughout the match. That day, he fought in his most famous match against Muhammad Ali (2) in Houston, Texas and lost after 15 grueling rounds. He defeated Eddie Machen for the vacant title and retained it until February 6, 1967. Terrell also continued to perform with his musical group, Ernie Terrell and the Heavyweights.Īfter the World Boxing Association stripped Muhammad Ali of his title as heavyweight champion in 1965, Terrell finally got a chance for the label. He continued to excel, winning fight after fight over the next several years.

During his first year of boxing, he won all five of his fights, knocking out three of his opponents. Terrell began boxing professionally in 1957 and simultaneously launched a popular singing group in Chicago with his sister, Jean Terrell, who later replaced Diana Ross with the Supremes. Ernei Terrell (Ap– December 16, 2014) in Belzoni, Mississippi, was a 20th century American professional boxer who competed from 1957 to 1973.

Ernie terrell