 Paul
Wright
1992 Greater Flint
Afro-American Hall of Fame Inductee
Category: BOXING
Parents: George and Sally Wright
Wife: Carolyn Wright
Daughter: Hellena Joyce
Son: Kenneth Eugene
Paul Wright was born in Flint, and attended Flint schools. Boxing
seemed to be what Paul liked best as a youngster. He began boxing at
the age of 14, training under the late great Flint boxer, Dee Cavette
(also an inductee in the GFAAFH). In 1951 and 1952, Paul won the Golden
Gloves Middleweight Championship. He also captured the State Middleweight
Championship in Grand Rapids in 1952.
When Paul entered the service, he was able to hone his boxing skills.
He fought out of Kansas City where he was stationed, and won the State
of Missouri Open Middleweight Championship in 1954. Later that same
year he won the Chicago Tournament of Champions Middleweight title,
the Inter-Service World Wide Middleweight Championship and the International
Golden Gloves Middleweight Championship. In 1954, by virtue of his
International Golden Gloves title he became the first Flint, United
States Golden Gloves Champion. No other vehicle city fighter had ever
won a U.S. Golden Gloves title. This feat placed him among the all
time Flint amateur ring greats. Paul was selected on a 10-man U.S.
boxing team to challenge Europe's best in 1954. He continued to use
his accurate right hand and effective left jab, frequently weaving
and bobbing to overcome many outstanding fighters from all over the
world.
In 1955, he was Air Force World Champion and the National A.A.U. Middleweight
Champion. Paul was a Gold Medal Middleweight Champion in the Pan American
Olympic Games. In 1956, he repeated winning four titles he captured
in 1955 (the Inter-Service Middleweight Crown, Air Force World Middleweight
Champion, National A.A.U. Middleweight Champion and the National A.A.U.
Outstanding Boxer of the Tournament).
Paul ended his amateur boxing career in 1956. By that time he had
won every amateur title in existence except a U.S. Olympic Crown. Paul,
a very dynamic fighter, won the hearts of fight fans throughout the
United States.
His professional career was from 1957-1962, with a record of 45 won
and two lost. He traveled with Floyd Patterson, Heavyweight Champion
of the World, and was his number one sparring partner. Both were managed
by the late Cus D'Amato. Paul lives in Oakland, California with his
family and is employed as a security supervisor.
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