Don Jordan


Don Jordan was an American boxer born in Los Angeles, California and was the Undisputed Welterweight Champion of the World from 1958 to 1960. His nickname was ‘Geronimo’. He was of Mexican and African American descent.

Career

Born 22 June 1934 in Los Angeles, Jordan’s brief spell as an amateur shows that he began boxing as a Middleweight and – unusually – worked his way down to Welterweight as a professional. His amateur career spanned just fifteen contests, of which he lost only one.
Jordan fought professionally for the first time in April, 1953. Standing 5 feet 9 inches and typically weighing around 147 lbs, Jordan was well-proportioned and quickly showed himself to be an effective performer, winning nine in a row before dropping a decision in March 1954, to a fighter he had out-pointed just two months previously. He beat Art Ramponi to pick up the California State Welterweight title in October of that year and opened his 1955 campaign with a victory over former World Lightweight Champion Lauro Salas. From that point on, Jordan would be mixing it with the best.
Jordan’s progress over the next three years – including two notable victories over Gaspar Ortega – were rewarded when he challenged Virgil Akins for the World Welterweight Championship on 5 December 1958, winning by unanimous decision. Akins – who disputed the decision – would suffer an identical reverse when he met Jordan in a championship return five months later. That was the first of Jordan’s two successful title defences, before losing the title to Benny Paret, eighteen months after being crowned.
Once he lost his title, Jordan also seemed to lose his way. The last years of his career saw him record more defeats than victories and he was effectively – if ignominiously – ‘retired’ by the man refereeing his October 1962 contest with Battling Torres. When Jordan refused to get up after a knockdown in the first, referee Jimmy Wilson ruled that Torres had not actually hit Jordan hard enough to put him down and the fight was declared a ‘no contest’. Subsequently, the California State Athletic Commission suspended Jordan indefinitely. In 1961 Lucchese crime family mobster Frankie Carbo, known as "the Czar of Boxing" was charged with extortion and conspiracy regarding Jordan, convicted and given a 25-year federal sentence. Others convicted were Louis Tom Dragna, Truman Gibson, Joe Sica, and Frank "Blinky" Palermo.

Death

After being robbed and seriously assaulted in a Los Angeles parking lot in September 1996, Don Jordan went into a coma, and died in a nursing home in San Pedro, California, on 13 February 1997.

Professional boxing record

No.ResultRecordOpponentTypeRoundDateLocationNotes
76NCBattling TorresNC1 Oct 5, 1962Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles, California, U.S. Jordan refused to get up and fight following a knockdown which the referee felt came from a punch that wasn't hard enough to knock him down
75Loss51–23–1Joey LimasUD10Jul 26, 1962Civic Auditorium, Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.
74Loss51–22–1Giancarlo GarbelliPTS10Apr 27, 1962Palazzetto dello Sport, Roma, Lazio, Italy
73Loss51–21–1Tony DeMarcoKO2 Dec 19, 1961Memorial Auditorium, Sacramento, California, U.S.
72Loss51–20–1Rodolfo DiazUD10Nov 14, 1961Memorial Auditorium, Sacramento, California, U.S.
71Loss51–19–1Hilario MoralesTKO7 Aug 15, 1961Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico
70Loss51–18–1Benny MedinaUD10Aug 1, 1961Kearney Bowl, Fresno, California, U.S.
69Loss51–17–1Carmen BasilioUD10Mar 11, 1961War Memorial Auditorium, Syracuse, New York, U.S.
68Loss51–16–1Ludwig LightburnPTS10Nov 26, 1960Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico
67Draw51–15–1Alfredo CotaPTS10Oct 16, 1960Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico
66Win51–15Julian ValdezMD10Aug 16, 1960Hi Corbett Field, Tucson, Arizona, U.S.
65Win50–15Jesse BogartKO1 Aug 6, 1960Nogales, Sonora, Mexico
64Loss49–15Phil MoyerUD10Jul 15, 1960Auditorium, Portland, Oregon, U.S.
63Loss49–14Benny 'Kid' ParetUD15May 27, 1960Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. Lost NYSAC, NBA, and The Ring welterweight titles
62Loss49–13Marvin 'Candy' McFarlandUD10May 16, 1960Memorial Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
61Loss49–12Luis Federico ThompsonKO4 Dec 12, 1959Estadio Luna Park, Buenos Aires, Distrito Federal, Argentina
60Win49–11Fernando BarretoPTS10Dec 5, 1959Ginásio Estadual do Ibirapuera, Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
59Win48–11Denny MoyerUD15Jul 10, 1959Meadows Race Track, Portland, Oregon, U.S. Retained NYSAC, NBA, and The Ring welterweight titles
58Win47–11Virgil AkinsUD15Apr 24, 1959Kiel Auditorium, Saint Louis, Missouri, U.S. Retained NYSAC, NBA, and The Ring welterweight titles
57Win46–11Alvaro GutierrezTKO3 Jan 22, 1959Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
56Win45–11Virgil AkinsUD15Dec 5, 1958Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles, California, U.S. Won NYSAC, NBA, and The Ring welterweight titles
55Win44–11Gaspar OrtegaSD12Oct 22, 1958Lafayette Hotel, Long Beach, California, U.S.
54Win43–11Gaspar OrtegaSD10Sep 17, 1958Madison Square Garden, Manhattan, New York City, New York, U.S.
53Win42–11Lahouari GodihUD10Aug 29, 1958Madison Square Garden, Manhattan, New York City, New York, U.S.
52Win41–11Issac LogartSD10Jul 2, 1958Legion Stadium, Hollywood, California, U.S.
51Win40–11Alfredo CotaPTS10May 18, 1958Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico
50Win39–11Kid CentellaKO2 May 5, 1958Plaza de Toros, Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico
49Win38–11Francisco EchevarriaTKO3 Apr 15, 1958Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico
48Win37–11Karl Heinz GuderSD10Feb 15, 1958Legion Stadium, Hollywood, California, U.S.
47Loss36–11Dave CharnleyPTS10Jan 28, 1958Harringay Arena, Harringay, London, England, U.K.
46Win36–10Willie MortonMD10Jan 4, 1958Legion Stadium, Hollywood, California, U.S.
45Win35–10Ray PortillaTKO6 Nov 29, 1957Coliseum, San Diego, California, U.S.
44Win34–10Orlando ZuluetaUD10Oct 12, 1957Legion Stadium, Hollywood, California, U.S.
43Win33–10Juan PadillaUD10Aug 12, 1957 Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico
42Win32–10Alfredo CotaKO1 Jul 23, 1957Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico
41Win31–10Arnoldo GilKO2 Jul 15, 1957Plaza de Toros, Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico
40Loss30–10LC MorganUD10Jun 15, 1957Legion Stadium, Hollywood, California, U.S.
39Win30–9Jesse BogartKO1 May 11, 1957Legion Stadium, Hollywood, California, U.S.
38Win29–9Ezequiel UribePTS10Mar 19, 1957Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico
37Loss28–9Charley Tombstone SmithUD12Jan 24, 1957Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
36Loss28–8Al NevarezPTS10Jan 1, 1957Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico
35Win28–7Archie WhitewaterUD10Dec 27, 1956Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
34Win27–7Enrique EsquedaKO1 Nov 18, 1956Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico
33Loss26–7Orlando ZuluetaMD10Oct 16, 1956Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
32Win26–6Frankie SkidmoreTKO7 Jun 28, 1956Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
31Win25–6Timmie JeffersonUD10Jun 7, 1956Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
30Loss24–6Joey LopesSD12May 5, 1956Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
29Loss24–5Jimmy CarterUD10Mar 29, 1956Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
28Win24–4Paddy DeMarcoTKO5 Feb 2, 1956Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
27Loss23–4Art AragonUD10Dec 15, 1955Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
26Win23–3Woody WinslowUD10Oct 20, 1955Winterland Arena, San Francisco, California, U.S.
25Win22–3Woody WinslowUD10Sep 3, 1955Legion Stadium, Hollywood, California, U.S.
24Win21–3Joe MiceliUD10Aug 18, 1955Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
23Loss20–3Art AragonUD10Jun 2, 1955Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
22Win20–2Lauro SalasSD12Mar 31, 1955Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
21Win19–2Frankie CockrellUD10Mar 3, 1955Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
20Win18–2Gaby MaciasUD10Feb 15, 1955Memorial Auditorium, Sacramento, California, U.S.
19Win17–2Lauro SalasUD12Jan 13, 1955Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
18Win16–2Manny RenteriaKO7 Nov 29, 1954Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
17Win15–2Art RamponiUD12Oct 4, 1954Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
16Win14–2Billy HartmanTKO4 Sep 20, 1954Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
15Win13–2Art RamponiUD10Aug 30, 1954Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
14Win12–2Freddie HermanSD10Jun 28, 1954Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
13Loss11–2Dickie WongUD10May 31, 1954Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
12Win11–1Manuel MontesTKO2 Apr 17, 1954Legion Stadium, Hollywood, California, U.S.
11Loss10–1Andy EscobarUD10Mar 20, 1954Legion Stadium, Hollywood, California, U.S.
10Win10–0Raul EsquedaPTS10Feb 1, 1954Mexicali, Baja California, MexicoDate uncertain
9Win9–0Andy EscobarUD10Jan 16, 1954Legion Stadium, Hollywood, California, U.S.
8Win8–0David CervantesUD6Dec 16, 1953Legion Stadium, Hollywood, California, U.S.
7Win7–0Marvin SmithTKO5 Nov 7, 1953Legion Stadium, Hollywood, California, U.S.
6Win6–0Marvin SmithTKO5 Oct 17, 1953Legion Stadium, Hollywood, California, U.S.
5Win5–0Gaby MaciasTKO5 Sep 26, 1953Legion Stadium, Hollywood, California, U.S.
4Win4–0Chi Chi MartinezPTS4Aug 8, 1953Legion Stadium, Hollywood, California, U.S.
3Win3–0Chi Chi MartinezUD6Jul 4, 1953Legion Stadium, Hollywood, California, U.S.
2Win2–0Al BarberoPTS4May 18, 1953Arena, South Gate, California, U.S.
1Win1–0Ray SernaPTS4Apr 27, 1953Arena, South Gate, California, U.S.