80s Heavyweight Contender Eddie Gregg Passes

Heavyweight contender of the 1980s, Eddie Gregg, passed earlier this week in his sleep in Greensboro, NC. Gregg was a standout amateur out of the New York City Recreation Department’s St.John’s Center. Gregg New York Golden Gloves Championships: the 1977 Sub-Novice Heavyweight Championship, and the 1978 Open Heavyweight Championship. Later in 1978, he won the heavyweight Intercity Golden Gloves championship against future WBC heavyweight title challenger, Renaldo Snipes.

He turned pro at the advanced age of 29, with his first 13 wins coming by knockout, sandwiched around a lone 6-round draw. He reached 20-0-1 when he faced James ‘Broadaxe’ Broad for the NABF heavyweight title in August 1984 at MSG’s Felt Forum. Gregg was stopped in eight rounds. He would bounce back six months later, stopping then undefeated (15-0, 10 KOs) Carlos Hernandez in the first round to win the New York State heavyweight title. In his next fight, Gregg became the only man to drop the ever-tough Randall “Tex” Cobb, winning unanimous ten-round decision. Two victories and one year later, Gregg would get stopped in one round by Gerry Cooney in Anchorage, Alaska. His career ended nine months later, also via TKO1 against Olympic Silver medalist Francesco Damiani in Toscana, Italy, for the WBC International heavyweight title. Gregg finished with a respectable career record of 24-3-1, 18 KOs. He was 75 years old.

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