Frank Tate’s 6th and 7th professional middleweight bouts verses Calvin Prejean and David Barrows as seen in this video…..are early bouts in the career of another great boxer during the golden age of boxing (1964 – 1995)….who gets overlooked as a result of the plethora of super great and legendary boxers during this era.
Tate was the 1983 National Golden Gloves light middleweight champion….winning the light middleweight gold medal at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics….even though he had standing eight-counts administered to him twice in the second round of the gold medal bout against Canadian fighter Shawn O’Sullivan. When Tate received his gold medal, he was booed by the American audience due to the controversial decision.
Tate began his professional career in December 1984….then after posting a 20 – 0 professional record at the start of his professional career….Tate won the vacant IBF middleweight title by beating Michael Olajide over fifteen rounds at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas in October 1987. Tate successfully defended his title against Tony Sibson with a tenth round stoppage in Staffordshire, England….then he lost his belt to undefeated phenom Michael Nunn in nine rounds at Caesars Palace in July 1988.
In January 1990 at Municipal Auditorium, New Orleans, Louisiana….Tate boxed Lindell Holmes for the vacant IBF super-middleweight title….losing a close majority decision. Following the defeat, Tate moved up to light-heavyweight and defeated Uriah Grant and Andrew Maynard on a six fight win streak to set up a fight for the vacant WBA title against Virgil Hill in 1992….in which Tate lost a unanimous decision. After four more wins, Tate was granted a rematch with Hill in 1994 but again lost a convincing decision. This was Tate’s last major fight….and after several victories over limited competition….he was stopped in four rounds against David Telesco in his final pro bout….ending his pro career with 41 wins and 5 losses.
