Willie Limond


Willie Limond was a Scottish professional boxer. He held the European super-featherweight title in 2004, the Commonwealth lightweight title from 2006 to 2007, the Commonwealth super-lightweight title from 2013 to 2014 and the British super-lightweight title in 2014.

Professional career

Debut and British super-featherweight title fight

Limond started out as a footballer, making five league appearances for Albion Rovers in the 1998–99 season.
His professional boxing career began in 1999 with a win over Lenny Hodgkins. He won his first 18 fights, including a notable success over future World Boxing Union featherweight champion Choi Tseveenpurev.
This led to a showdown with fellow undefeated Scotsman Alex Arthur for the British super-featherweight title on 12 December 2003 at Braehead Arena in Glasgow. Limond was defeated by technical knockout in the eighth round.

European super-featherweight title

Limond went on to pick up a few more wins before earning himself a shot at the vacant European super-featherweight title. He fought the French champion Youssouf Djibaba on 19 June 2004, at the Braehead Arena and won via unanimous decision.
After a successful defense against Alberto López, Limond went on to win the Celtic super-featherweight title against Kevin O'Hara on 17 June 2005.

Commonwealth lightweight title

Limond stepped up in weight divisions to lightweight and took on Ghana's Joshua Allotey for the vacant Commonwealth title on 4 November 2006 at the Kelvin Hall in Glasgow, winning via unanimous decision.
He lost the title in his first defence, to future world champion, Amir Khan, on 14 July 2007. He knocked Khan down in the sixth round but ultimately failed to defeat the 2004 Olympic silver medallist and was retired by his own corner at the end of the eighth round. The loss was not without controversy, as some spectators thought that Khan had been given a long count after Limond had sent him to the canvas.

IBO Inter-Continental and WBU lightweight titles

With the loss of his Commonwealth title, he defeated Martin Watson for the vacant IBO Inter-Continental title on 29 March 2008, at the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre in Glasgow on a unanimous points decision. In Paisley on 27 February 2009, Limond defeated Harry Ramogoadi on points victory in a non-title bout.
Limond and fought Ryan Barrett for the WBU lightweight title on 29 May 2009 at the Thistle Hotel, Glasgow, winning by unanimous decision.

Bout with Erik Morales

On 11 September 2010, Limond took on former champion Erik Morales for the WBC Silver light-welterweight title. In the sixth round Limond was knocked down three times causing the referee to call the fight off, awarding Morales a stoppage victory.

New promoter and Anthony Crolla fight

After signing with promoter Tommy Gilmour, Limond fought Anthony Crolla for the British lightweight title in Motherwell on 25 November 2011, but lost by unanimous decision.

Commonwealth and British super-lightweight champion

Limond returned from the Crolla setback with a routine six round win over William Warburton in Dundee on 1 September 2012, after moving up to super-lightweight. He fought unbeaten Eddie Doyle, for the vacant Commonwealth super-lightweight title in Glasgow on 21 January 2013. Limond drooped his opponent twice, winning by technical knockout in the first round.
He successfully defended his title with a unanimous decision win over Mitch Prince in Glasgow on 7 June 2013, before adding the British super-lightweight belt to his collection by defeating Curtis Woodhouse via majority decision, again in Glasgow, on 27 June 2014. Having vacated both titles, he challenged British super-lightweight champion Tyrone Nurse in Glasgow on 28 May 2016, losing by stoppage in the ninth round.

Final fights

Limond fought only three more times after 2016. He defeated William Warburton on points over six rounds in Glasgow on 6 June 2019. Almost three years later, on 13 May 2022, Limond best CJ Wood in Renfrew with his son, Jake, fighting on the undercard.
His last fight was against Ricky Burns at Braehead Arena in Glasgow on 1 September 2023. Limond lost by stoppage in the eighth round.

Death

In April 2024, Limond suffered a seizure. After 10 days at Monklands Hospital in Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, Limond died on 15 April 2024, at the age of 45.

Professional boxing record

No.ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, TimeDateLocationNotes
48Loss42–6Ricky BurnsTKO8, 3:001 Sep 2023Braehead Arena, Glasgow, Scotland
47Win42–5CJ WoodTKO3, 2:2013 May 2022Normandy Hotel, Renfrew, Scotland
46Win41–5William WarburtonPTS66 Jun 2019Radisson Blu Hotel, Glasgow, Scotland
45Win40–5Michal VosykaTKO2, 2:0118 Dec 2016Thistle Hotel, Glasgow, Scotland
44Loss39–5Tyrone NurseTKO9, 1:5428 May 2016The SSE Hydro, Glasgow, ScotlandFor British light-welterweight title
43Win39–4Zaurs SadihovsTKO1, 2:0430 Jan 2016Marriott Hotel, Glasgow, Scotland
42Win38–4Curtis WoodhouseMD1227 Jun 2014Braehead Arena, Glasgow, ScotlandRetained Commonwealth light-welterweight title;
Won British light-welterweight title
41Win37–4Mitch PrinceUD127 Jun 2013Bellahouston Leisure Centre, Glasgow, ScotlandRetained Commonwealth light-welterweight title
40Win36–4Eddie DoyleTKO1, 1:5621 Jan 2013Radisson Blu Hotel, Glasgow, ScotlandWon vacant Commonwealth light-welterweight title
39Win35–4William WarburtonPTS61 Sep 2012Ice Arena, Dundee, Scotland
38Loss34–4Anthony CrollaUD1225 Nov 2011Ravenscraigs Sports Centre, Motherwell, ScotlandFor British lightweight title
37Win34–3Arek MalekPTS63 Jun 2011Kelvin Hall, Glasgow, Scotland
36Loss33–3Erik MoralesKO6, 2:4611 Sep 2010Monumental Plaza de Toros México, Mexico City, MexicoFor vacant WBC Silver light-welterweight title
35Win33–2Duncan CottierPTS815 Nov 2009Pavilion Theatre Ballroom, Glasgow, Scotland
34Win32–2Ryan BarrettUD1229 May 2009Thistle Hotel, Glasgow, ScotlandWon vacant WBU lightweight title
33Win31–2Harry RamogoadiPTS827 Feb 2009Lagoon Leisure Centre, Paisley, Scotland
32Win30–2Matt ScrivenPTS818 Oct 2008Lagoon Leisure Centre, Paisley, Scotland
31Win29–2Martin WatsonUD1229 Mar 2008Scottish Exhibition Centre, Glasgow, ScotlandWon vacant IBO Inter-Continental lightweight title
30Loss28–2Amir KhanRTD8, 3:0014 Jul 2007O2 Arena, Greenwich, EnglandLost Commonwealth lightweight title
29Win28–1Joshua AlloteyUD124 Nov 2006Kelvin Hall, Glasgow, ScotlandWon vacant Commonwealth lightweight title
28Win27–1Jus WalliePTS65 Nov 2005Braehead Arena, Glasgow, Scotland
27Win26–1Kevin O'HaraPTS1017 Jun 2005Kelvin Hall, Glasgow, ScotlandWon Celtic super-featherweight title
26Win25–1John MackayTKO5, 2:1320 May 2005Marriott Hotel, Glasgow, Scotland
25Win24–1Alberto LópezUD103 Dec 2004Meadowbank Sports Centre, Edinburgh, ScotlandRetained European Union super-featherweight title
24Win23–1Frederic BonifaiPTS829 Oct 2004Braehead Arena, Glasgow, Scotland
23Win22–1Youssouf DjibabaUD1019 Jun 2004Braehead Arena, Glasgow, ScotlandWon vacant European Union super-featherweight title
22Win21–1Dafydd CarlinTKO1, 1:296 Mar 2004Braehead Arena, Glasgow, Scotland
21Win20–1Anthony HannaPTS429 Nov 2003Braehead Arena, Glasgow, Scotland
20Win19–1Dariusz SnarskiTKO1, 2:181 Nov 2003Bellahouston Leisure Centre, Glasgow, Scotland
19Loss18–1Alex ArthurTKO8, 1:5112 Mar 2003Braehead Arena, Glasgow, ScotlandFor British super-featherweight title
18Win18–0Jimmy BeechKO4, 1:3922 Mar 2003Braehead Arena, Glasgow, Scotland
17Win17–0Asen VasilevTKO3, 2:126 Sep 2002Thistle Hotel, Glasgow, Scotland
16Win16–0Dave HindsPTS611 Mar 2002Kelvin Hall, Glasgow, Scotland
15Win15–0Keith JonesPTS417 Nov 2001Bellahouston Leisure Centre, Glasgow, Scotland
14Win14–0Rakhim MingaleyevPTS63 Nov 2001Bellahouston Leisure Centre, Glasgow, Scotland
13Win13–0Gary ReidPTS87 Sep 2001Thistle Hotel, Glasgow, Scotland
12Win12–0Choi TseveenpurevPTS627 Apr 2001Thistle Hotel, Glasgow, Scotland
11Win11–0Trevor SmithPTS43 Apr 2001York Hall, Bethnal Green, England
10Win10–0Marcus PortmanPTS615 Feb 2001Thistle Hotel, Glasgow, Scotland
9Win9–0Billy SmithPTS617 Dec 2000Thistle Hotel, Glasgow, Scotland
8Win8–0Danny ConnellyPTS610 Nov 2000Thistle Hotel, Glasgow, Scotland
7Win7–0Haroon DinPTS424 Jun 2000Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland
6Win6–0Billy SmithPTS426 May 2000Thistle Hotel, Glasgow, Scotland
5Win5–0Jimmy BeechTKO2, 0:307 Apr 2000Thistle Hotel, Glasgow, Scotland
4Win4–0Phil LashleyTKO1 18 Mar 2000Kelvin Hall, Glasgow, Scotland
3Win3–0Nigel SeniorTKO6 24 Feb 2000Thistle Hotel, Glasgow, Scotland
2Win2–0Steve HanleyPTS613 Dec 1999Thistle Hotel, Glasgow, Scotland
1Win1–0Lenny HodgkinzRTD1, 2:0012 Nov 1999Thistle Hotel, Glasgow, Scotland