Marlon “Magic Man” Starling is a retired American world champion professional boxer….who held the WBA, WBC, and Lineal Welterweight World Championship belts…..as he got his start in boxing with help from coach, Johnny Duke, who helped him train for the national Junior Olympics championship. He turned professional in 1979…..and after 25 straight wins to start his professional career….he lost his first fight….which was a 12-round split-decision to Donald Curry in 1982….after which Magic Man had a rematch with Curry in 1984….while challenging for the WBA and IBF welterweight titles…..but lost by a 15-round decision.
Starling’s second world title fight came in 1987…..when he knocked out Mark Breland in the 11th round to win the WBA welterweight title. In his third title defense, Starling lost the title in controversial fashion to Tomas Molinares….as Molinares hit Starling with a punch that was thrown around the same time as the bell sounded to end round six…..when Starling went down for the only time in his career….and the referee counted him out. Molinares was declared the new champion by knock out. However, the decision was later changed to a no contest but the Colombian kept the title.
In 1989, Starling knocked out Lloyd Honeyghan to win the WBC welterweight titles. The following year, Starling challenged Michael Nunn for the IBF middleweight title, but lost by decision. In his next fight, Starling lost his welterweight titles on a close decision to Maurice Blocker. That was Starling’s last fight. He retired with a record of 45-6-1-1 (27 KOs).
Kevin Howard was a pretty darn good club fighter out of Philadelphia….who was known as The Spoiler….as he ended a career that spanned from 1978 to 1986….in which he amassed a career consisting of 21 wins (12 KO’s) 8 losses and 1 draw. In this video herewith, CBS Tim Ryan profiles Howard’s career leading up to his NABF welterweight title fight with Marlon Starling.
