# James Kinchen

James Kinchen (born March 1, 1958) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1980 to 1992. Nicknamed "The Heat", Kinchen is best known for his bout against Thomas Hearns for the inaugural WBO super middleweight title. He also challenged twice for world titles at light heavyweight.

## Amateur career

Kinchen started his career out of McKinney, Texas as a three-time Golden Gloves champion, as well as three-time Southwestern AAU champion. He ended his amateur career with a record of 127-12.

## Professional career

Kinchen made his professional debut on August 8, 1980, defeating O'Daniel Marks via first-round knockout (KO) at the Dallas Convention Center. He won his first title on November 24, 1984, stopping Alex Ramos via ninth-round KO for the USBA middleweight title. He later captured the vacant NABF super middleweight title on October 13, 1988 with a unanimous decision victory over Marvin Mack. Less than a month later he challenged Thomas Hearns for the newly-created WBO super middleweight title, replacing an injured Fulgencio Obelmejias. Kinchen knocked Hearns down in the fourth round of the fight, but ultimately lost a close majority decision. Kinchen also challenged for the WBA and IBF light-heavyweight world titles.

## Professional boxing record

49 Wins (34 KOs), 9 Losses (4 KOs), 2 Draws :
| Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round | Date | Location | Notes |
| Loss | 12-0 | Ernesto Magdaleno | TKO | 8 | 23/04/1992 | Marriott Hotel, Irvine, California, U.S. | |
| Win | 1-5 | Guillermo Chávez | KO | 4 | 29/08/1991 | Lakeside, California, U.S. | |
| Loss | 30-4-2 | Charles Williams | TKO | 2 | 20/04/1991 | Caesars Atlantic City, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. | For IBF light-heavyweight title |
| Win | 16-13-1 | Tim Williams | PTS | 10 | 07/06/1990 | Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S. | |
| Win | 7-10-1 | Jorge Amparo | PTS | 10 | 01/03/1990 | Palm Springs, California, U.S. | |
| Loss | 25-0 | Virgil Hill | TKO | 1 | 24/10/1989 | Bismarck Civic Center, Bismarck, North Dakota, U.S. | For WBA light-heavyweight title |
| Win | 15-17-3 | Stacy McSwain | TKO | 5 | 08/06/1989 | Trump Castle, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. | |
| Loss | 22-0 | Christophe Tiozzo | PTS | 10 | 31/03/1989 | Issy-les-Moulineaux, Hauts-de-Seine, France | |
| Loss | 45-3 | Thomas Hearns | MD | 12 | 04/11/1988 | Las Vegas Hilton, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. | For inaugural WBO super-middleweight title Lost NABF super-middleweight title |
| Win | 17-7-1 | Marvin Mack | UD | 12 | 13/10/1988 | Stateline, Nevada, U.S. | Won NABF super-middleweight title |
| Win | 3-4 | Juan Hernández | UD | 10 | 19/05/1988 | El Cortez Hotel, San Diego, California, U.S. | |
| Win | 0-1 | James Williams | KO | 4 | 02/05/1988 | Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico | |
| Win | 7-18-2 | Ricky Locke | KO | 3 | 17/03/1988 | San Diego, California, U.S. | |
| Win | 9-15 | Antonio Adame | KO | 2 | 26/02/1988 | Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico | |
| Win | 14-3-1 | Tim Williams | PTS | 12 | 27/01/1988 | San Diego, California, U.S. | Won California light-heavyweight title |
| Win | 11-3-3 | Milford Kemp | UD | 10 | 19/11/1987 | El Cortez Hotel, San Diego, California, U.S. | |
| Loss | 8-7-3 | Larry Musgrove | TD | 3 | 25/08/1987 | Reseda Country Club, Reseda, California, U.S. | |
| Win | 18-9 | Randy Smith | UD | 10 | 18/06/1987 | El Cortez Hotel, San Diego, California, U.S. | |
| Loss | 63-3-2 | Juan Roldán | TKO | 9 | 06/04/1987 | Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. | |
| Loss | 19-3 | Iran Barkley | SD | 10 | 17/10/1986 | Cobo Arena, Detroit, Michigan, U.S. | |
| Win | 14-4 | Frank Minton | KO | 7 | 11/07/1986 | Sahara Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. | |
| Win | 12-2 | Frank Minton | TKO | 9 | 30/07/1985 | Tropicana Hotel & Casino, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. | |
| Win | 23-8-1 | Buster Drayton | PTS | 10 | 14/04/1985 | York Hall, London, England |
| Loss | 20-0 | James Shuler | SD | 12 | 16/02/1985 | The Sands, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. | For NABF middleweight title |
| Win | 21-2-2 | Alex Ramos | KO | 9 | 24/11/1984 | Caesars Tahoe, Stateline, Nevada, U.S. | Won USBA middleweight title |
| Draw | 3-3 | Jorge Amparo | PTS | 10 | 26/09/1984 | Harrah's Marina, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. | |
| Win | 18-3-1 | Erwin Williams | TKO | 9 | 25/05/1984 | San Jose, California, U.S. | |
| Win | 2-2 | Al Rankin | TKO | 3 | 26/02/1984 | Beaumont Civic Center, Beaumont, Texas, U.S. | |
| Win | 40-10-1 | Murray Sutherland | UD | 10 | 19/11/1983 | St. Joseph Civic Arena, Saint Joseph, Missouri, U.S. | |
| Win | 0-1 | Juan Diaz | TKO | 2 | 13/08/1983 | The Dunes, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. | |
| Win | 3-10-2 | José Mireles | KO | 1 | 16/07/1983 | State Fair Coliseum, Dallas, Texas, U.S. | |
| Win | 13-15-6 | Felton Marshall | TKO | 9 | 28/05/1983 | Showboat Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. | |
| Win | 7-20-1 | Fred Reed | KO | 1 | 19/05/1983 | North Park Palisade Gardens, San Diego, California, U.S. | |
| Win | 1-4 | Ernesto Caballero | TKO | 8 | 07/04/1983 | North Park Palisade Gardens, San Diego, California, U.S. | |
| Win | 15-8 | Mike Clark | PTS | 10 | 20/01/1983 | North Park Palisade Gardens, San Diego, California, U.S. | |
| Win | 19-6 | Ralph Moncrief | PTS | 10 | 31/10/1982 | Great Gorge Resort, McAfee, New Jersey, U.S. | |
| Win | 28-20-4 | Tommy Howard | KO | 10 | 30/09/1982 | North Park Palisade Gardens, San Diego, California, U.S. | |
| Win | 10-0-1 | Odell Hadley | UD | 10 | 05/09/1982 | St. Joseph Civic Arena, Saint Joseph, Missouri, U.S. | |
| Win | 10-20-1 | Joe Gonsalves | KO | 5 | 27/08/1982 | San Jose, California, U.S. | |
| Win | 13-7-1 | Alejo Rodriguez | KO | 4 | 23/05/1982 | Showboat Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. | |
| Win | 15-4 | Leroy Green, Jr. | TKO | 9 | 27/03/1982 | Playboy Hotel and Casino, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. | |
| Win | 40-20-1 | Rudy Robles | UD | 10 | 17/02/1982 | Silver Slipper, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. | |
| Win | 4-8-2 | Marvin Sanders | KO | 10 | 13/01/1982 | Silver Slipper, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. | |
| Win | 2-8 | Jesse Avila | TKO | 6 | 28/11/1981 | Silver Slipper, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. | |
| Win | 14-6 | Ronnie Brown | KO | 6 | 04/11/1981 | Silver Slipper, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. | |
| Win | 2-0-2 | Everett Conklin | KO | 6 | 30/09/1981 | Silver Slipper, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. | |
| Draw | 2-0 | Everett Conklin | PTS | 8 | 21/08/1981 | Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. | |
| Win | 1-23-3 | Adolfo Rivas | KO | 2 | 29/07/1981 | Silver Slipper, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. | |
| Win | -- | Darryl Womack | KO | 2 | 08/07/1981 | Silver Slipper, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. | |
| Win | 0-11 | Ruben Rascon | KO | 1 | 17/06/1981 | Silver Slipper, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. | |
| Win | 14-10-1 | James Williams | KO | 2 | 12/06/1981 | San Diego Sports Arena, San Diego, California, U.S. | |
| Win | -- | Eddie Casper | KO | 2 | 03/06/1981 | Silver Slipper, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. | |
| Win | 5-5 | Mike Hutchinson | KO | 3 | 01/05/1981 | Sea World Pavilion, San Diego, California, U.S. | |
| Win | 2-15 | Larry Meyers | KO | 2 | 15/04/1981 | Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. | |
| Win | 12-14-1 | Jimmy Owens | PTS | 6 | 25/03/1981 | Silver Slipper, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. | |
| Win | 2-2 | Danny Kirk | KO | 1 | 18/02/1981 | Silver Slipper, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. | |
| Win | -- | Fred Garcia | KO | 2 | 28/01/1981 | Sea World Pavilion, San Diego, California, U.S. | |
| Win | 0-1 | Henry Drummond | PTS | 4 | 21/01/1981 | Silver Slipper, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. | |
| Win | 8-8-1 | Larry Rayford | TKO | 2 | 23/09/1980 | Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. | |
| Win | -- | O'Daniel Marks | KO | 1 | 08/08/1980 | Dallas Convention Center, Dallas, Texas, U.S. | |

## Pro Boxing Titles

* USBA middleweight champion
* NABF middleweight champion

## Personal life

Kinchen now resides in San Diego, California. Also a convert to the Church of God in Christ, longtime member now Pastor of Helping Hand COGIC.