# Cornelius Boza-Edwards

Cornelius Boza-Edwards (born Cornelius Bbosa; 27 May 1956) is a former professional boxer who is the former WBC Super Featherweight champion of the world. Born in Kampala, Uganda, he fought in both the super-featherweight and lightweight divisions. He emigrated from Uganda to England, where he lived for a long period. He now lives in the United States, where he trains other boxers.

## Amateur career

Boza-Edwards started boxing at the age of nine in Uganda alongside other notable fighters such as Ayub Kalule and John Mugabi. He moved to England with his mentor Jack Edwards and continued to box firstly with the New Enterprise club in Tottenham and then the Fitzroy Lodge club in South London. He boxed for England but was overlooked for selection for the Olympic team after being beaten on points by Pat Cowdell in the 1976 ABA championships.
Boza-Edwards was given another opportunity when he was scheduled to compete as a featherweight boxer for Uganda in the 1976 Montreal Olympics. However, Uganda boycotted the Montreal Olympics, as did many other African countries. The boycott deprived him of the chance of competing in the Olympics.

## Professional career

In 1976, Boza-Edwards turned professional with Mickey Duff as his manager and George Francis as his trainer. He changed his surname to Boza on the recommendation of Mickey Duff. As it was an easier name for the fans to remember and added Edwards out of respect for Jack Edwards his mentor.
Boza-Edwards won his first nine fights before suffering a loss to Des Gwilliam when he suffered a cut eye. He then went on an 18-fight winning streak and was offered a fight as a substitute against Alexis Arguello. He put up a spirited performance before being retired by his corner at the end of the eighth round. Arguello praised Boza-Edwards and said that he thought that he would become the champion after he had moved up in weight to the lightweight division. Boza-Edwards was actually boxing in the lightweight division at the time but moved down to the super-featherweight division.

## WBC Super-Featherweight Champion

In 1981, Boza-Edwards won the WBC World Super-Featherweight Title from Rafael "Bazooka" Limón with a fifteen-round decision at Stockton, California. Limón, a Mexican, had made his infamous "You know what happens to British boxers when they face Mexicans" comment. In reference to the fight between Lupe Pintor and Johnny Owen, after which Owen had died.
He defeated Bobby Chacon after he retired at the end of the thirteenth round in his first and only successful defence. He lost the title three months later in an upset to Rolando Navarrete, by knockout in round five. Navarrete had come in as a late substitute for Limón and shocked Boza-Edwards by knocking him down three times, the final time he was counted out.

## Later career

In 1982, Boza-Edwards won the European Super-featherweight title by defeating Carlos Hernandez of Spain after he retired in the fourth round. He then based himself in the United States and became a favourite on the television networks with his aggressive style of fighting.
He was meant to fight Bobby Chacon for the WBC World Super-Featherweight Title in 1983 but boxing politics meant that the WBC withdrew recognition of the fight, which went ahead anyway. Chacon won on points in a fight where both fighters were knocked down but needed 40 stitches afterwards. The fight was voted The Ring magazine Fight of the Year 1983. Following his loss to Chacon he fought Rocky Lockridge the former WBA super-featherweight champion and lost on points over ten rounds.
Boza-Edwards moved up to the lightweight division and earned a title shot against Héctor Camacho in 1986 for the WBC World Lightweight Title which he lost by decision over twelve rounds. His final shot at the title was in 1987 against José Luis Ramírez in Paris and he was knocked out in the fifth round of a fight for the WBC World Lightweight Title. Following this defeat he retired from boxing and became a trainer.

## Personal life

Boza-Edwards first wife Jackie died from kidney failure six months after giving birth to their daughter Michelle in the UK. He was nearly lost to the sport of boxing as a result of his grief but decided to continue. He remarried after relocating to the US and he and his wife Rumiko have two daughters, Dominique and Jenna.

## Mayweather Boxing Club

Boza-Edwards now runs the Mayweather Boxing Club in Las Vegas, NV. He was inducted into the Nevada Boxing Hall of fame in 2014

## Professional boxing record

| 53 fights | 45 wins | 7 losses |
| By knockout | 34 | 4 |
| By decision | 10 | 3 |
| By disqualification | 1 | 0 |
| Draws | 1 | 1 |
| Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round, time | Date | Location | Notes |
| Loss | 45–7-1 | José Luis Ramírez | KO | 5 (12) | 1987-10-10 | Zenith Palais, Paris | For WBC World Lightweight Title. |
| Win | 45–6-1 | Ali Kareem Muhammad | UD | 10 (10) | 1987-07-09 | Felt Forum, New York | |
| Loss | 44–6-1 | Héctor Camacho | UD | 12 (12) | 1986-09-26 | Abel Holtz Stadium, Miami Beach | For WBC World Lightweight Title. |
| Draw | 44–5-1 | Terrence Alli | PTS | 10 (10) | 1986-03-30 | Showboat Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas | |
| Win | 44–5 | John Montes | UD | 10 (10) | 1985-07-14 | Egypt Shrine Temple, Tampa | |
| Win | 43–5 | Melvin Paul | KO | 2 (10) | 1985-04-14 | York Hall, Bethnal Green | |
| Win | 42–5 | Gary Gamble | RTD | 4 (10) | 1985-03-17 | Egypt Shrine Temple, Tampa | |
| Win | 41–5 | Charlie Brown | TKO | 3 (10) | 1984-10-13 | Kings Hall, Belfast | |
| Win | 40–5 | Guy Villegas | TKO | 7 (10) | 1984-06-17 | Hyatt Regency, Tampa | |
| Win | 39–5 | Trevor Evelyn | RTD | 2 (10) | 1984-02-19 | Hyatt Regency, Tampa | |
| Loss | 38–5 | Rocky Lockridge | UD | 10 (10) | 1983-09-09 | Caesars Palace, Outdoor Arena, Las Vegas | |
| Loss | 38–4 | Bobby Chacon | UD | 12 (12) | 1983-05-15 | Caesars Palace, Sports Pavilion, Las Vegas | The Ring magazine's "Fight of the Year" |
| Win | 38–3 | Pedro Laza | TKO | 9 (10) | 1983-02-27 | Showboat Hotel & Casino, Sports Pavilion, Las Vegas | |
| Win | 37–3 | Blaine Dickson | UD | 10 (10) | 1983-02-27 | Showboat Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas | |
| Win | 36–3 | Roberto Elizondo | UD | 10 (10) | 1982-06-26 | Showboat Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas | |
| Win | 35–3 | John Verderosa | TKO | 3 (10) | 1982-04-24 | Playboy Hotel & Casino, Atlantic City | |
| Win | 34–3 | Carlos Hernandez | RTD | 4 (12) | 1982-03-17 | Royal Albert Hall, Kensington | Won EBU Super Featherweight Title. |
| Win | 33–3 | Arturo Leon | RTD | 4 (10) | 1982-02-09 | Royal Albert Hall, Kensington | |
| Win | 32–3 | Juan Carlos Álvarez | TKO | 3 (10) | 1981-11-24 | Wembley Arena, Wembley | |
| Loss | 31–3 | Rolando Navarrete | KO | 5 (15) | 1981-08-29 | Stadio de Pini, Viareggio | Lost WBC Super Featherweight Title. |
| Win | 31–2 | Bobby Chacon | RTD | 13 (15) | 1981-05-30 | Showboat Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas | Retained WBC Super Featherweight Title. |
| Win | 30–2 | Rafael Limón | UD | 15 (15) | 1981-03-08 | Civic Auditorium, Stockton | Won WBC Super Featherweight Title. |
| Win | 29–2 | Ramon Contreras | ud | 10 (10) | 1980-11-28 | Sports Arena, San Diego | |
| Win | 28–2 | Roberto Torres | TKO | 2 (10) | 1980-10-14 | Royal Albert Hall, Kensington | |
| Loss | 27–2 | Alexis Argüello | TKO | 8 (10) | 1980-08-09 | Superstar Theater - Resorts Atlantic City | |
| Win | 27–1 | Jose Manuel Velazquez | TKO | 3 (10) | 1980-07-12 | Conference Centre, Wembley | |
| Win | 26–1 | Ronnie Green | TKO | 6 (10) | 1980-06-28 | Empire Pool, Wembley | |
| Win | 25–1 | Jerome Artis | TKO | 3 (8) | 1980-06-07 | Ibrox Park, Glasgow | |
| Win | 24–1 | Benny Marquez | TKO | 4 (8) | 1980-04-22 | Royal Albert Hall, Kensington | |
| Win | 23–1 | James Washington | TKO | 2 (8) | 1980-04-01 | Conference Centre, Wembley | |
| Win | 22–1 | Fili Ramirez | TKO | 7 (10) | 1980-03-16 | Caesars Palace, Las Vegas | |
| Win | 21–1 | Jose Luis Gonzalez | KO | 3 (8) | 1979-11-03 | Kelvin Hall, Glasgow | |
| Win | 20–1 | Fernando Jimenez | RTD | 6 (8) | 1979-06-24 | Chapiteau de l'Espace Fontvieille, Fontvieille | |
| Win | 19–1 | Godfrey Mwamba | TKO | 2 (8) | 1979-03-31 | Independence Stadium, Lusaka | |
| Win | 18–1 | Pedro Jimenez | PTS | 6 (6) | 1979-03-04 | Teatro Ariston, San Remo | |
| Win | 17–1 | Frankie Moultrie | SD | 8 (8) | 1979-01-13 | Convention Center, Miami Beach | |
| Win | 16–1 | Georges Cotin | TKO | 1 (8) | 1978-12-18 | Hilton Hotel, Mayfair | |
| Win | 15–1 | Godfrey Mwamba | TKO | 3 (8) | 1978-11-04 | Lusaka | |
| Win | 14–1 | George Feeney | PTS | 8 (8) | 1978-09-26 | Empire Pool, Wembley | |
| Win | 13–1 | Ethem Oezakalin | TKO | 3 (8) | 1978-07-19 | Municipal Stadium, Bellaria | |
| Win | 12–1 | Carlos Foldes | DQ | 5 (8) | 1978-02-21 | Royal Albert Hall, Kensington | |
| Win | 11–1 | Dil Collins | KO | 5 (8) | 1977-12-06 | Royal Albert Hall, Kensington | |
| Win | 10–1 | Bingo Crooks | PTS | 8 (8) | 1977-11-08 | Empire Pool, Wembley | |
| Loss | 9–1 | Des Gwilliam | TKO | 6 (8) | 1977-09-27 | Empire Pool, Wembley | |
| Win | 9–0 | Mario Oliveira | TKO | 2 (8) | 1977-06-14 | Empire Pool, Wembley | |
| Win | 8–0 | Tommy Glencross | TKO | 2 (8) | 1977-05-31 | Royal Albert Hall, Kensington | |
| Win | 7–0 | Billy Vivian | KO | 1 (6) | 1977-04-18 | Hilton Hotel, Mayfair | |
| Win | 6–0 | Godfrey Butler | KO | 2 (8) | 1977-03-16 | Midland Sporting Club, Civic Hall, Solihull | |
| Win | 5–0 | George McGurk | TKO | 1 (6) | 1977-02-14 | Hilton Hotel, Mayfair | |
| Win | 4–0 | Danny Connolly | TKO | 2 (6) | 1977-02-01 | Royal Albert Hall, Kensington | |
| Win | 3–0 | Tommy Wright | TKO | 1 (6) | 1977-01-25 | York Hall, Bethnal Green | |
| Win | 2–0 | Paul Clemit | TKO | 3 (6) | 1976-12-20 | Manor Place Baths, Walworth | |
| Win | 1–0 | Barry Price | KO | 6 (6) | 1976-12-13 | Hilton Hotel, Mayfair | Professional debut |