Emile Griffith

Emile Alphonse Griffith (February 3, 1938 – July 23, 2013) was an American boxer. He was the first person from the U.S. Virgin Islands ever to become a world champion in boxing.

Griffith later won the world middleweight title and claimed an early version of the junior middleweight world championship, a claim that has not been universally recognized although some consider Griffith a three-division champion fighter.

Early life
Griffith was born on February 3, 1938 in Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands.The Shadow Boxer  Sports Illustrated April 18, 2005 He was raised in New York City.

Personal life
In 1971, two months after they met, Griffith married Mercedes (Sadie) Donastrog, who was then a member of the dance troupe "Prince Rupert and the Slave Girls." Griffith adopted Donastorg's daughter. Griffith said he was attracted to men and women. 

Attack
In 1992, he was beaten and almost killed on a New York City street, after leaving a gay bar near the Port Authority Bus Terminal. He was in the hospital for four months after the assault.  It was not clear if the violence was motivated by homophobia.Emile Griffith Benny Paret and the Fatal Fight at New York Times.com

Death
Griffith died on July 23, 2013 from complications of dementia in a hospital in Hempstead, New York, aged 75.

References

Other websites

Ring Memorabilia 
'Ring of Fire' Connects With True Story of A Fatal Blow Washington Post article April 20, 2005

Category:1938 births
Category:2013 deaths
Category:American boxers
Category:American crime victims
Category:Bisexual people
Category:Deaths from dementia
Category:Disease-related deaths in New York (state)
Category:LGBT African-Americans
Category:LGBT people from New York City
Category:LGBT sportspeople
Category:Sportspeople from New York City