Rudell Stitch was a professional boxer from Louisville, Kentucky.
38 Facts About Rudell Stitch
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Rudell Stitch was ranked second in the world as a welterweight and fought numerous contenders, including Isaac Logart, Yama Bahama, Chico Vejar, Gasper Ortega, Luis Manuel Rodriguez, Ralph Dupas, Holly Mims and Stan Harrington.
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Boxing as a lightweight and welterweight, Rudell Stitch won 45 of 57 amateur bouts.
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Rudell Stitch won Kentucky state titles in 1951,1952,1953,1955, and 1956.
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Rudell Stitch reached the semi-finals of the Chicago Golden Gloves and the finals of the National AAU Tournament in 1956.
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Rudell Stitch won his first three professional fights, then lost a four-round split decision to Art Glass.
7.
Rudell Stitch followed his first pro loss with two knockout victories, then lost a six-round decision in a rematch with Art Glass.
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Rudell Stitch had a wife, a daughter and five sons to support.
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Rudell Stitch, who was unranked, defeated Logart by a ten-round unanimous decision.
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Rudell Stitch entered the fight ranked tenth in the world at welterweight.
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On November 26,1958, Rudell Stitch faced Yama Bahama, a veteran with fifty-two professional victories, at the Exposition Center in Louisville.
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Rudell Stitch, who was the betting underdog, defeated Bahama by a ten-round unanimous decision.
13.
On December 28,1958, Rudell Stitch defeated middleweight Chico Vejar by a ten-round unanimous decision at the Jefferson County Armory in Louisville.
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Rudell Stitch's first fight with Gasper Ortega, which took place at Madison Square Garden in New York City on February 6,1959, illustrated his character.
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Rudell Stitch backed away and let Ortega's head clear: he didn't believe in taking advantage of an opponent in such a situation.
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Ortega went on to win by a ten-round split decision, but Rudell Stitch's sportsmanship earned him much respect.
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On May 8,1959, they had a rematch in Syracuse, New York, and Rudell Stitch won by a ten-round unanimous decision.
18.
Rudell Stitch, who was fishing below a dam, waded into the water and took hold of Schifcar.
19.
Rudell Stitch supported him at the surface as they drifted sixty-eight feet in water as much as six feet deep over submerged rocks.
20.
Rudell Stitch knocked out Rudy Sawyer in the first round on July 1,1959, in Louisville.
21.
The knockout loss to Rudell Stitch was the only time Sawyer was stopped in his entire career.
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Rudell Stitch was ranked second in the world at welterweight, while Rodriguez was ranked seventh.
23.
Rudell Stitch was scheduled to fight Carl Hubbard in Chicago, Illinois on January 6,1960, but the Illinois State Athletic Commission discovered that he had a cataract on his left eye and barred him from fighting.
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Rudell Stitch returned home and was examined by two Louisville eye specialists who determined that the cataract wasn't serious enough to halt his career.
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Rudell Stitch returned to the ring on February 17,1960, and stopped Charley "Tombstone" Smith in four rounds.
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Rudell Stitch, ranked second in the world, had a rematch with Ralph Dupas at Sydney Stadium in Sydney on May 2,1960.
27.
On May 24,1960, Rudell Stitch fought Stan Harrington in Honolulu, Hawaii.
28.
Rudell Stitch used to spar with a Louisville amateur named Cassius Clay, later known as Muhammad Ali.
29.
Rudell Stitch never did get to where he could handle Rudell.
30.
On June 5,1960, Rudell Stitch went fishing with Bud Bruner, Bruner's son and Charles Oliver, a friend.
31.
Rudell Stitch grabbed Stitch, and they both went into the Ohio River.
32.
Rudell Stitch died the day before he was to sign for a rematch with Luis Manuel Rodriguez.
33.
Rudell Stitch was the victim of what was believed to be a murder-suicide incident.
34.
Donald Rudell Stitch played football and earned a scholarship to Jackson State University.
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Rudell Stitch was hospitalized and had two operations to remove blood clots from his brain.
36.
On June 5,2013, the 53rd anniversary of his death, Rudell Stitch was honored with a giant Hometown Hero mural in Louisville.
37.
Rudell Stitch was the 22nd Louisvillian to be honored with a Hometown Hero mural under a program created by the Greater Louisville Pride Foundation in 2002.
38.
Rudell Stitch was inducted into the Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame in 2014.