Virgil Eugene HILL

Virgil Hill won the 1984 US Golden Gloves title and then won a silver medal as a middleweight at the 1984 Olympics. Hill turned professional after the Los Angeles Olympics and quickly became a force, winning his first 18 bouts. In September 1987 he fought Leslie Stewart for the WBA light-heavyweight title and defeated Stewart by TKO in the fourth to win the title. Hill actually won his first 30 professional fights before losing the WBA light-heavy crown in a bout against Thomas Hearns in 1991. In 1992 Hill defeated Lottie Mwale of Zambia for the WBC international light-heavyweight title. He regained the WBA light-heavyweight crown in September 1992 by defeating his former Olympic teammate Frank Tate. In 1996 Hill added the IBF light-heavyweight title by beating former Olympian Henry Maske. He would later twice win the WBA cruiserweight championships, in 2000 against Fabrice Tiozzo and in 2004 against Jean-Marc Mormeck. Hill fought through 2007, seemingly ending his career with a record of 50 wins (23 by KO) and 7 losses, but in 2015 came out of retirement, at 51-years-old, and defeated Jimmy Campbell by a TKO in the second round. In 2012 Hill was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.