# Marvin Camel

Marvin Camel (born December 24, 1951) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1974 to 1990. He was the first cruiserweight world champion, having held the WBC title in 1980 and the IBF title from 1983 to 1984.

## Professional boxing career

Marvin Camel fought Bill Sharkey in the first cruiserweight title fight ever when the North American Boxing Federation (NABF) sanctioned a bout for its continental title on June 5, 1979. Camel won the match, which led to the World Boxing Council (WBC) sanctioning a cruiserweight title fight between Marvin Camel and Mate Parlov on December 8, 1979. Camel fought Parlov in Yugoslavia to a draw in the first ever cruiserweight world title bout. In the rematch, in Las Vegas, Camel beat Parlov for the vacant WBC world Cruiserweight title in 1980, losing the title in his first defense, to Carlos De León who replaced David Pearce. After losing in a rematch to De Leon, he became, in 1983, the IBF's first world champion, by beating Roddy McDonald who also replaced David Pearce after the BBBoC would not sanction the Cruiserweight division in the UK and thus becoming world Cruiserweight champion for the second time when he claimed that organization's title. He later lost the title to Lee Roy Murphy.
He lost his final bout in June 1990 against Eddie “Young Joe Louis” Taylor in Minneapolis. The 10-round decision left his lifetime mark at 45-13-5.
Camel's pro career took him from Ronan to 13 states and seven foreign nations on three continents.
“I’ve had a good life, as far as boxing is concerned, winning two world titles, losing world titles, seeing the world,” Camel said in 2015. “Some things people only dream about having, I did it. I’ve been there. I’ve been to the top of the mountain. But I feel there’s still something out there that I’ve got to have, and I don’t know what it is.”
He is the subject of a biography released in December 2014, titled 'Warrior in the Ring' by Brian D'Ambrosio. The book was nominated for the High Plains Book Award and several other awards.
In December 2014, D'Ambrosio and Camel attended the 52nd Annual World Boxing Convention.

## Honors

In 2006 at the World Boxing Council's 44th annual convention WBC President José Sulaimán awarded Camel honorary champion status.

## Professional boxing record

| 62 fights | 45 wins | 13 losses |
| By knockout | 21 | 8 |
| By decision | 24 | 5 |
| Draws | 4 | 4 |
| No. | Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round, time | Date | Location | Notes |
| 62 | Loss | 45–13–4 | Eddie Taylor | MD | 10 | 11 Jun 1990 | Hyatt Regency Hotel, Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. | |
| 61 | Loss | 45–12–4 | Joe Hipp | TKO | 6 (10) | 2 Dec 1989 | Saint Martin's Pavilion, Lacey, Washington, U.S. | |
| 60 | Win | 45–11–4 | Jerome Hill | UD | 8 | 6 Nov 1989 | Civic Center, Butte, Montana, U.S. | |
| 59 | Win | 44–11–4 | J.J. Cottrell | UD | 10 | 25 Sep 1989 | Civic Center, Billings, Montana, U.S. | |
| 58 | Draw | 43–11–4 | Trent Surratt | TD | 1 (?), 1:13 | 10 Aug 1989 | Four Seasons Arena, Great Falls, Montana, U.S. | |
| 57 | Loss | 43–11–3 | James Salerno | TKO | 6 | 31 May 1988 | Milan, Italy | |
| 56 | Loss | 43–10–3 | Ralf Rocchigiani | PTS | 10 | 26 Apr 1988 | Cologne, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany | |
| 55 | Loss | 43–9–3 | Taoufik Belbouli | TKO | 4 | 10 Oct 1987 | Zenith Palais, Paris, France | |
| 54 | Loss | 43–8–3 | Virgil Hill | KO | 1 (10), 2:52 | 1 May 1987 | City Arena, Grand Forks, North Dakota, U.S. | |
| 53 | Loss | 43–7–3 | José María Flores Burlón | UD | 10 | 8 Aug 1986 | Pergamino, Buenos Aires, Argentina | |
| 52 | Draw | 43–6–3 | Jimmy Bills | PTS | 10 | 22 May 1986 | Boise, Idaho, U.S. | |
| 51 | Loss | 43–6–2 | Lee Roy Murphy | RTD | 14 (15), 3:00 | 6 Oct 1984 | MetraPark, Billings, Montana, U.S. | Lost IBF cruiserweight title |
| 50 | Win | 43–5–2 | Roddy MacDonald | TKO | 5 (15), 2:49 | 13 Dec 1983 | Halifax Metro Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada | Won inaugural IBF cruiserweight title |
| 49 | Win | 42–5–2 | Rocky Sekorski | RTD | 8 (12) | 21 May 1983 | MetraPark,Billings, Montana, U.S. | Retained USBA cruiserweight title |
| 48 | Loss | 41–5–2 | John Odhiambho | TKO | 2 (8) | 11 Feb 1983 | K.B. Hallen, Copenhagen, Denmark | |
| 47 | Win | 41–4–2 | Leonardo Rodgers | RTD | 4 (12) | 30 Jun 1982 | City Auditorium, Omaha, Nebraska, U.S. | Retained USBA cruiserweight title |
| 46 | Loss | 40–4–2 | Carlos de León | TKO | 8 (15) | 24 Feb 1982 | Playboy Hotel and Casino, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. | For WBC cruiserweight title |
| 45 | Win | 40–3–2 | Bash Ali | UD | 12 | 2 Oct 1981 | Cow Palace, Daly City, California, U.S. | Won USBA cruiserweight title |
| 44 | Win | 39–3–2 | Willie Shannon | TKO | 3 (12), 0:27 | 11 Aug 1981 | Showboat Casino and Hotel, Sport Pavilion, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. | Retained Nevada cruiserweight title |
| 43 | Win | 38–3–2 | Rahim Muhammad | UD | 12 | 5 May 1981 | Showboat Hotel and Casino, Sports Pavilion, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. | Won vacant Nevada cruiserweight title |
| 42 | Win | 37–3–2 | Ron Draper | TKO | 6 (10), 1:42 | 24 Apr 1981 | MetraPark, Billings, Montana, U.S. | |
| 41 | Loss | 36–3–2 | Carlos de León | MD | 15 | 25 Nov 1980 | Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. | Lost WBC cruiserweight title |
| 40 | Win | 36–2–2 | Mate Parlov | UD | 15 | 31 Mar 1980 | Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. | Won inaugural WBC cruiserweight title |
| 39 | Draw | 35–2–2 | Mate Parlov | MD | 15 | 8 Dec 1979 | Sportski Centar Gripe, Split, Yugoslavia | For inaugural WBC cruiserweight title |
| 38 | Win | 35–2–1 | David Cabrera | KO | 3 (10), 1:24 | 30 Aug 1979 | McAllen, Texas, U.S. | |
| 37 | Win | 34–2–1 | Macka Foley | TKO | 2 (10), 1:52 | 1 Aug 1979 | Silver Slipper, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. | |
| 36 | Win | 33–2–1 | Bill Sharkey | UD | 12 | 5 Jun 1979 | Adams Field House, Missoula, Montana, U.S. | Won vacant NABF cruiserweight title |
| 35 | Win | 32–2–1 | David Smith | TKO | 9 (10) | 24 Apr 1979 | University of Montana Fieldhouse, Missoula, Montana, U.S. | |
| 34 | Win | 31–2–1 | Jim Ingram | UD | 10 | 28 Feb 1979 | Silver Slipper, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. | |
| 33 | Win | 30–2–1 | Bob Heflin | KO | 2 (10), 2:01 | 3 Jan 1979 | Silver Slipper, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. | |
| 32 | Win | 29–2–1 | Tom Bethea | KO | 2 (12), 2:30 | 11 Nov 1978 | Missoula, Montana, U.S. | |
| 31 | Win | 28–2–1 | Dale Grant | UD | 12 | 13 Sep 1978 | Civic Center, Butte, Montana, U.S. | |
| 30 | Win | 27–2–1 | Ibar Arrington | UD | 10 | 22 Aug 1978 | North Idaho JC Gym, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, U.S. | |
| 29 | Win | 26–2–1 | Chuck Warfield | KO | 5 (10) | 27 May 1978 | Saint Ignatius Highschool Gym, Missoula, Montana, U.S. | |
| 28 | Win | 25–2–1 | Pete McIntyre | UD | 10 | 7 Apr 1978 | Civic Center, Butte, Montana, U.S. | |
| 27 | Win | 24–2–1 | Bobby Lloyd | UD | 10 | 9 Mar 1978 | Century II Convention Center, Wichita, Kansas, U.S. | |
| 26 | Win | 23–2–1 | David Smith | UD | 10 | 8 Feb 1978 | Sahara Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. | |
| 25 | Win | 22–2–1 | Karl Zurheide | RTD | 7 (10), 3:00 | 8 Dec 1977 | Silver Slipper, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. | |
| 24 | Win | 21–2–1 | Ron Wilson | UD | 10 | 29 Aug 1977 | Pony Palace Arena, Pablo, Montana, U.S. | |
| 23 | Loss | 20–2–1 | Danny Brewer | TKO | 6 (10) | 28 Jun 1977 | Seattle Center Arena, Seattle, Washington, U.S. | |
| 22 | Win | 20–1–1 | Gary Summerhays | UD | 12 | 6 May 1977 | Adams Field House, Missoula, Montana, U.S. | |
| 21 | Draw | 19–1–1 | Dale Grant | PTS | 10 | 15 Feb 1977 | Seattle Center Arena, Seattle, Washington, U.S. | |
| 20 | Win | 19–1 | Lionel Ford | UD | 10 | 26 Jan 1977 | Silver Slipper, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. | |
| 19 | Win | 18–1 | Larry Castaneda | UD | 10 | 20 Nov 1976 | Seattle Center Arena, Seattle, Washington, U.S. | |
| 18 | Win | 17–1 | Matthew Saad Muhammad | MD | 10 | 23 Oct 1976 | Adams Field House, Missoula, Montana, U.S. | |
| 17 | Win | 16–1 | Johnny Townsend | UD | 10 | 25 Sep 1976 | Coliseum, Spokane, Washington, U.S. | |
| 16 | Win | 15–1 | Johnny Townsend | UD | 10 | 28 Aug 1976 | Eagles Aerie, Missoula, Montana, U.S. | |
| 15 | Loss | 14–1 | Matthew Saad Muhammad | SD | 10 | 17 Jul 1976 | Stockton, California, U.S. | |
| 14 | Win | 14–0 | Angel Oquendo | UD | 10 | 8 May 1976 | Adams Field House, Missoula, Montana, U.S. | |
| 13 | Win | 13–0 | Rafael Gutierrez | UD | 10 | 7 Apr 1976 | Silver Slipper, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. | |
| 12 | Win | 12–0 | Don Meloncon | TKO | 3 (10), 2:24 | 18 Feb 1976 | Silver Slipper, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. | |
| 11 | Win | 11–0 | Pedro Vega | KO | 1 (10), 3:10 | 14 Jan 1976 | Silver Slipper, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. | |
| 10 | Win | 10–0 | Danny Brewer | UD | 10 | 19 Nov 1975 | Silver Slipper, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. | |
| 9 | Win | 9–0 | Terry Lee | TKO | 8 (10), 2:46 | 24 Sep 1975 | Silver Slipper, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. | |
| 8 | Win | 8–0 | Ron Wilson | UD | 10 | 20 Aug 1975 | Silver Slipper, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. | |
| 7 | Win | 7–0 | Fernando Lee Jones | RTD | 6 (10) | 28 May 1975 | Silver Slipper, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. | |
| 6 | Win | 6–0 | Amado Vasquez | KO | 3 (10), 1:14 | 30 Apr 1975 | Silver Slipper, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. | |
| 5 | Win | 5–0 | Jack Johnson | UD | 8 | 2 Apr 1975 | Silver Slipper, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. | |
| 4 | Win | 4–0 | Chico Valdez | KO | 2 (6), 1:56 | 19 Feb 1975 | Silver Slipper, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. | |
| 3 | Win | 3–0 | George Clark | TKO | 4 (6), 1:31 | 22 Jan 1975 | Silver Slipper, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. | |
| 2 | Win | 2–0 | James T. Jackson | TKO | 4 (6), 2:29 | 25 Feb 1974 | Fairgrounds Arena, Boise, Idaho, U.S. | |
| 1 | Win | 1–0 | Joe Williamson | TKO | 1 (4), 2:14 | 25 Jun 1973 | Civic Center, Butte, Montana, U.S. | |