Jonte Willis
Encyclopedia
Jonte Willis, was born in Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....

 and is an American heavyweight boxer
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...

 best known for winning the US championships at super heavyweight
National Amateur Super Heavyweight Champions
Below is a list of National Amateur Boxing Super Heavyweight Champions, also known as United States Amateur Champions, along with the state or region which they represented...

 in 2006.

Background

Adopted at the age of four months by Weldon and Dorothy Willis of Bruceton,Tennessee. he is the youngest of five brothers and five sisters. He is cousin of 49er and NFL pro-bowler Patrick Willis
Patrick Willis
Patrick L. Willis is an American football player who plays inside linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. He was selected by the San Francisco 49ers 11th overall in the 2007 NFL Draft...

.

Amateur career

He started boxing in 2004 and was the Super Heavyweight runner-up at the 2006 Tacoma Golden Gloves and runner-up at the 2006 Oregon Golden Gloves.

He won the US national championship in 2006, initially he was the runner-up losing in the final to Mike Wilson
Mike Wilson (boxer)
Mike Wilson is a US-American pro boxer. He is a former two-time amateur super heavyweight champion...

 23-12. However, Wilson failed a drug test, and Willis was awarded the championship.http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=217197

He also had a 2nd place showing at the 2006 Police Athletic League
Police Athletic League
The Police Athletic League is an organization in many American police departments in which members of the police force coach young people, both boys and girls, in sports, and help with homework and other school-related activities. The purpose is to build character, help strengthen police-community...

 National Championships where he lost against Michael Hunter
Michael Hunter (American boxer)
Michael Hunter Jr. is an American heavyweight boxer best known to win the National Super Heavyweight championships in 2007 and 2009. He is the son of Mike "the Bounty" Hunter...

, 8-10.

Internationally, Willis fought Cuban's Odlanier Solis Fonte the 2004 Olympic gold medalist and others,in the World Cup tournament in October 2006 Baku
Baku
Baku , sometimes spelled as Baki or Bakou, is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. It is located on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, which projects into the Caspian Sea. The city consists of two principal...

. (Willis went into the fights with a previously fractured nose).

He placed 2nd in the 2007 Pam Am Qualifier where he beat Hunter in a close fight 16-16(24-27) but could not compete against his old foe Mike Wilson due to illness.

He won the 2007 Tacoma Golden Gloves where he beat Canada's #2 ranked superheavy weight Brandon Lowrie and continued on to the 2007 Nevada Golden Gloves where he won again against Michael Hunter.

He advanced to the National Golden Gloves where he lost in the semi-finals to Tyler Turner
Tyler Turner
Tyler Turner, born in Northfield, Minnesota, was an American amateur boxer who took second at the 2007 National Golden Gloves.-Career:Tyler was a three time junior champion winning the 98' and 00' Silver Gloves and 99' Junior Olympics....

.

At the 2007 US Championships he lost a close bout against Kimdo Bethel
Kimdo Bethel
Kimdo Bethel is a US American Professional boxer in the heavyweight division best known for defeating several stars such as Mike Wilson and...

 13-13 (25-27).

Other National results:
2005 Ringside "Semi Finalist"
2006 US.National " National Champion"
2006 Pals "Finalist"
2006 Mayor's Cup Canada "Silver"
2006 World Cup "Placed 4 in the World"
2007 Pan Am Box Off's "finalist" Do to illness could not compete for the Championship.
2007 Golden Gloves "Simi Finalist"
2007 US.Nationals for the Olympic Trials lost on points 13-13(25-27)

He trains at the Tacoma Boxing Club in Tacoma, Washington. Willis is coached by 2000 United States Olympic coach Tom Mustin.

Pro career

He turned pro in 2007 weighing 214 lbs.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
x
OK