Leotis Martin was an American boxer, the first ever NABF heavyweight champion.
11 Facts About Leotis Martin
1.
2.
Leotis Martin's career was marked by inconsistency and bad luck.
3.
Leotis Martin was the 1960 Chicago and Intercity Golden Gloves 160-pound champion and the 1961 160-pound Intercity Golden Gloves Champion.
4.
Leotis Martin was the United States National AAU 165-pound champion in 1960 and 1961.
5.
From February 1964, when Leotis Martin fought on the Liston-Clay world heavyweight championship fight undercard, to June 1967, Leotis Martin fought 15 times without suffering a defeat.
6.
Leotis Martin had campaigned for a contest with fellow Philadelphian Joe Frazier, but it never happened, mainly due to Leotis Martin's loss to Bonavena, who got the Frazier match instead.
7.
Leotis Martin rebounded from the Ellis defeat by traveling to Germany to knock out German and European heavyweight champion Karl Mildenberger in seven rounds.
8.
Leotis Martin appeared to be back in contention for a title shot when he dropped a decision to California heavyweight Henry Clark.
9.
Leotis Martin then came back from that defeat to upset and knock out Thad Spencer in nine rounds.
10.
Rather than attempting to slug with the bigger and heavier Liston, Leotis Martin stayed away from him, boxing and waiting for the older man to tire.
11.
Finally, in the ninth round, Leotis Martin hit Liston with a powerful combination that knocked the former champion out.