Antwun Echols

Antwun Echols (December 4, 1970 – July 2, 2023) was an American boxer who was a world middleweight contender throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s. His hometown was Davenport, Iowa.

Career

Echols turned professional in 1993. In 1999, he challenged IBF middleweight title holder Bernard Hopkins but lost via decision. The following year he lost a rematch with Hopkins, this time losing via technical knock-out in the 10th round. In 2001, he fought Charles Brewer. Echols went down three times in round two, but recovered in round three to score a technical knock-out win to capture the vacant NABA super middleweight title. In 2003, Echols had another opportunity for a title shot after the WBA Super Middleweight Title was vacated when Sven Ottke was upgraded to 'Super' champion status. He battled Anthony Mundine for the vacant title, but lost a close decision. In 2005, Echols lost an IBF Middleweight Eliminator to Kingsley Ikeke when he was stopped in the 10th round. Since 2005, Echols is 1-16-3, his run as a championship caliber fighter long ended. In October 2015, Echols was defeated by Derrick Findley in three rounds; this was the seventh consecutive bout in which he lost in the third round.

Personal life and death

On July 30, 2007, in Davenport, Iowa, Echols was shot in the leg while trying to break up a fight.[1][2] In 2013, when asked how many children he has, he replied "Twenty-three, I think," admitting it could be more. At the time, he was living with his fiancé and four children in Dade City, Florida.[3] Echols died on July 2, 2023, at the age of 52.[4]

References
  1. "Echols shot in leg outside Iowa store, later arrested on drug charges". ESPN. July 30, 2007. Retrieved April 8, 2017.
  2. https://web.archive.org/web/20080614215134/http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/07/30/sports/s084448D76.DTL
  3. Littal, Robert (February 25, 2013). "Boxer Antwun Echols "Thinks" He Has 23 Kids". Black Sports Online. Retrieved April 8, 2017.
  4. Geyer, Thomas (4 July 2023). "Davenport boxer Antwun Echols dies". Quad-City Times. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
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