Tyrone Crawley is a former professional boxer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania…..who during his professional boxing career he was known for his hand and foot speed….along with the ability to switch effortlessly from the orthodox stance to the southpaw stance…..which confused many opponents with this style….for some boxing experts contend that Crawley might have been the best “switch hitter” of his time along with middleweight champion Marvelous Marvin Hagler.
Ras-I Alujah Bramble (born Livingstone Bramble on September 3, 1960 in Saint Kitts and Nevis) was a boxer. Bramble was raised on Saint Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. He became the first world champion from Saint Kitts and Nevis. Although his last recorded fight occurred on June 26, 2003, he has never officially announced his retirement, and constantly hints that he wishes to fight on. His current record stands at 40–26–3 (25 KOs).
Tyrone Crawley turned pro in October of 1980….and won the ESPN lightweight title in only his ninth pro fight with a twelve-round decision over knockout puncher Al “Earthquake” Carter in September of 1982. In his next fight, Crawley scored an impressive ten-round decision over future jr. welterweight champion Gene Hatcher on national television in October 1982….then he defended his ESPN lightweight in December 1982 with a tenth round stoppage of Anthony Murray….but then lost his ESPN title in a close 12-round decision to Melvin Paul in his next fight in February 1983. It is noteworthy that Crawley entered the Paul fight with a broken knuckle and broken finger.
Crawley rebounded in 1983 and scored a huge upset win over #1 lightweight contender Robin Blake in Blake’s hometown of Levelland, Texas…..who had knocked out Melvin Paul in his previous fight….as many expected him to dispose of Crawley easily…..as Blake was zeroing in on a title shot with Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini….but Blake had trouble solving Crawley’s style and was soundly beaten in a lopsided ten-round decision.
In 1984, Livingstone Bramble dethroned Ray Mancini to take the WBA lightweight title…..and Crawley was the #1 contender….when he accepted $150,000 to step aside and allow Bramble and Mancini to engage in a rematch….to which Bramble defeated Mancini on February 16, 1985….while Crawley won the USBA lightweight title in June 1985 with a twelve-round decision over crosstown rival and future IBF lightweight champion Charlie “Choo Choo” Brown. Crawley was supposed to challenge Bramble for the WBA lightweight crown on a few occasions in 1985….but the bout was postponed due to injuries to both fighters. Bramble and Crawley finally met for Bramble’s title in February 1986 in Reno, Nevada….when Crawley suffered the first knockdown of his career in the second round of that bout….but rallied over the next several rounds to draw even on the scorecards after eight rounds….and that’s when Crawley eventually tired and was knocked out in the 13th round.
This was a very good fight between two really good lightweights during the 1980’s….as both knew there way around a ring….which makes this video well worth watching to any and all boxing fans.
