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Hilmer Kenty: The Unassuming
Champion
Hilmer Kenty is still getting used to being
a world boxing champion. He remains
amazed at his sudden celebrity status,
and still has to convince his wife that it's
all right to spend a little more money than
before. And it's still settling in that he
now is the hunted as opposed to the
hunter among professional lightweights.
Of course, the fact that his title is
relatively new doesn't make Kenty or
anyone else doubt that he indeed is the
lightweight champion of the world.
Especially convinced is Emesto Espana,
whose WBA crown was brutally taken
away by Kenty on March 2 in Detroit
before thousands of fans and a national
television audience.
The 24year old Kenty's success story
could have come from a storybook, right
on through a championship fight with all
the makings of a Hollywood classic.
And, just as the hero always gets the girl
in the end, Kenty married his longtime
sweetheart just two weeks after winning
the lightweight crown.
Champion
Hilmer Kenty is still getting used to being
a world boxing champion. He remains
amazed at his sudden celebrity status,
and still has to convince his wife that it's
all right to spend a little more money than
before. And it's still settling in that he
now is the hunted as opposed to the
hunter among professional lightweights.
Of course, the fact that his title is
relatively new doesn't make Kenty or
anyone else doubt that he indeed is the
lightweight champion of the world.
Especially convinced is Emesto Espana,
whose WBA crown was brutally taken
away by Kenty on March 2 in Detroit
before thousands of fans and a national
television audience.
The 24year old Kenty's success story
could have come from a storybook, right
on through a championship fight with all
the makings of a Hollywood classic.
And, just as the hero always gets the girl
in the end, Kenty married his longtime
sweetheart just two weeks after winning
the lightweight crown.
Hilmer and Barbara Kenty live in an upper flat on Detroit's west side with their six-year-old son,
Martai. Each has been basking in the afterglow of Kenty's stunning ninth-round TKO over Espana,
and even Martai has gotten into the act.
"The day after the fight, the kids at George Ford Elementary School had a crown made up for
Martai," Kenty said. "They paraded him around the school, and on the crown it said 'son of the
lightweight champion of the world. ' You know he enjoyed it. "
Kenty himself became an instant celebrity after the fight: "That day after the fight," he recalled, "I was
in a drugstore. There was this little girl in a shopping cart being pushed around by her mother, and
she said, 'Mommy, that's the man from TV yesterday.' It's amazing."
The road to fame is always a long one, however, and Kenty's case is no different. It started for him
in Columbus, Ohio, where he lived with three brothers and three sisters in the projects. With three
athletic brothers, Hilmer had to find a sport in which he could do well.
"The reason I started boxing is because I tried football, basketball and baseball like my brothers, and
I never could excel," Kenty said. "So I tried boxing."
Kenty began an outstanding amateur boxing career in 1969 by winning the Columbus Golden Gloves
championship in the light flyweight (100 pounds) bracket. He went on to compile an amateur record
of 104-32 in a career which included national AAU titles in 1974 and 1975, and a trip to the 1974
World Games quarterfinals in Cuba.
He lost twice in Olympics trials i n1972 and 1976 - the latter time to Aaron Pryor, woh currently is
rated in the top 10 among lightweights and according to Kenty , "is squawking for a bout now."
Kenty lost a split decision to Pryor in the trials held in Cincinnati, Pryor's hometown.
Anotehr of Kenty's amateur bouts of note was in the finals of the National Golden Gloves
tournament in 1973 against current WBC welterweigth champ Sugar Ray Leonard. Kenty lost a split
decision and, he said, "whenever a fight is that close you always think you win-and, of course, I did.
People booed that decision until we were out of the ring."
Kenty didn't consider turning professional until a lot of his amateur friends went the pro route,
including his younger brother, 10-0 junior lightweight Forrest Winchester. Kenty made the transition
into the pro ranks in October, 1977, and won his first five matches before his young career took a
major turn in the form of manager/trainer Emanuel Steward.
Steward runs Detroit's increasingly impressive Kronk boxing team, which is led by Kenty and
unbeaten welterweight Thomas Heams, who is expected to be making a title bid soon.
"Emanuel knew how good I was because of my amateur career," Kenty said, "and I could see just
how good he was because of his progress with Tommy. So we talked at the Ohio State Fair and got
together and talked more later.
"You have to know Emanuel's smart, and he's still not getting his due respect."
Steward took Kenty under his wing in August, 1978, and the lightweight won his first fight as a
member of the Kronk stable that October. He commuted from Columbus to Detroit for around a
year before he, Barbara and Martai moved to the Motor City last fall.
Kenty continued to pile up victories under Steward's auspices, including one last August over Ralph
Racine in which he was knocked down twice before securing the victory. Observers point to the
Racine match as another turning point in Kenty's career — showing that he had the guts to come up
from the mat twice for the win.
"I think a lot of people didn't know how big my heart was at that time," Kenty said. "But I knew."
And then came the opportunity to fight Espana for the WBA championship. After just 16
professional fights, Kenty was the decided underdog against the Venezuelan, who entered the ring
with a 28-1 record. But, then again, there was that Hollywood setting.
The site was Detroit's new Joe Louis Arena. On hand was the legendary Brown Bomber himself,
wheelchair bound at ringside, along with Detroit Mayor Coleman Young and then-WBA
heavyweight champ John Tate. It was billed as the biggest boxing event Detroit had seen in nearly
three decades; a celebration of the Motor City's boxing renaissance, which can be credited greatly to
Hearns and Kenty.
Kenty grabbed the microphone being introduced and dedicated fight to Louis. The storybook scene
was reaching its climax.
The veteran Espana's smugness appeared warranted early in the fight but Kenty surprised the
champion an aggressive strategy devised by Steward and himself.
"We watched films of Espana," said Emanuel I came up with the strategy of taking it to him," Kenty
said."It surprised everybody. We noticed the film that Espana isn't as strong when he's backing up.
"
The strategy worked. Over 13,000 spectators watched as Espana began to tire in the brawl. His
powerful arms became lumbering, increasingly ineffective weapons. Kenty, meanwhile, peppered
Espana with effective jabs and occasional stinging rights.
It ended in the ninth round when Kenty, his opponent on the ropes, let loose with a flurry that sent
Espana's head reeling from side to side. Kenty smacked him senseless, with only the ropes keeping
Espana from the canvas. Even the referee grimaced as the helpless Espana refused to fall. Finally, at
the 2:53 mark of the ninth round, the referee signalled an end to the massacre.
Kenty leaped into the air, then, tearfully, into the arms of trainer Steward. Surrounded by a mob of
well-wishers swelling into the ring, Kenty managed to grab the microphone to address the man still
observing from ringside: "Joe Louis," Kenty said, emotion filling his voice, "that's for you."
Life has been good to Hilmer Kenty, especially since winning the WBA crown. For one thing, he
netted some $50,000 for the Espana fight - his biggest purse yet - and has even bigger paydays in his
immediate future.
Kenty is easy going and friendly, almost humble at times despite his newfound status. Similar status
has been known to make individuals somewhat arrogan, but will success spoil Hilmer Kenty?
"I never can see myself as an arrogant person," Kenty said. "Maybe playing around or joking, but
never arrogant. I hope it never happens to me."
Having taken the giant step from contender to champion, Kenty is planning on keeping the title "until
I retire or go to another division." However, he knows all too well of the "first defense jinx" which
has seen the likes of Marvin Johnson and John Tate lose in their first title defenses.
"I will be so glad when it's over," Kenty said of his first title defense. He added with a laugh, "The
main thing is I haven't even made no money yet."
What about the future? Despite his youth (he will turn 25 on July 30) Kenty is pragmatic about
looking ahead.
"I'm getting ready to enroll in real estate school," the champion said. "I"m going to get a real estate
license. If I don't have something to do when I'm off, I'll get lazy."
From August, 1980 Boxing Illustrated
Martai. Each has been basking in the afterglow of Kenty's stunning ninth-round TKO over Espana,
and even Martai has gotten into the act.
"The day after the fight, the kids at George Ford Elementary School had a crown made up for
Martai," Kenty said. "They paraded him around the school, and on the crown it said 'son of the
lightweight champion of the world. ' You know he enjoyed it. "
Kenty himself became an instant celebrity after the fight: "That day after the fight," he recalled, "I was
in a drugstore. There was this little girl in a shopping cart being pushed around by her mother, and
she said, 'Mommy, that's the man from TV yesterday.' It's amazing."
The road to fame is always a long one, however, and Kenty's case is no different. It started for him
in Columbus, Ohio, where he lived with three brothers and three sisters in the projects. With three
athletic brothers, Hilmer had to find a sport in which he could do well.
"The reason I started boxing is because I tried football, basketball and baseball like my brothers, and
I never could excel," Kenty said. "So I tried boxing."
Kenty began an outstanding amateur boxing career in 1969 by winning the Columbus Golden Gloves
championship in the light flyweight (100 pounds) bracket. He went on to compile an amateur record
of 104-32 in a career which included national AAU titles in 1974 and 1975, and a trip to the 1974
World Games quarterfinals in Cuba.
He lost twice in Olympics trials i n1972 and 1976 - the latter time to Aaron Pryor, woh currently is
rated in the top 10 among lightweights and according to Kenty , "is squawking for a bout now."
Kenty lost a split decision to Pryor in the trials held in Cincinnati, Pryor's hometown.
Anotehr of Kenty's amateur bouts of note was in the finals of the National Golden Gloves
tournament in 1973 against current WBC welterweigth champ Sugar Ray Leonard. Kenty lost a split
decision and, he said, "whenever a fight is that close you always think you win-and, of course, I did.
People booed that decision until we were out of the ring."
Kenty didn't consider turning professional until a lot of his amateur friends went the pro route,
including his younger brother, 10-0 junior lightweight Forrest Winchester. Kenty made the transition
into the pro ranks in October, 1977, and won his first five matches before his young career took a
major turn in the form of manager/trainer Emanuel Steward.
Steward runs Detroit's increasingly impressive Kronk boxing team, which is led by Kenty and
unbeaten welterweight Thomas Heams, who is expected to be making a title bid soon.
"Emanuel knew how good I was because of my amateur career," Kenty said, "and I could see just
how good he was because of his progress with Tommy. So we talked at the Ohio State Fair and got
together and talked more later.
"You have to know Emanuel's smart, and he's still not getting his due respect."
Steward took Kenty under his wing in August, 1978, and the lightweight won his first fight as a
member of the Kronk stable that October. He commuted from Columbus to Detroit for around a
year before he, Barbara and Martai moved to the Motor City last fall.
Kenty continued to pile up victories under Steward's auspices, including one last August over Ralph
Racine in which he was knocked down twice before securing the victory. Observers point to the
Racine match as another turning point in Kenty's career — showing that he had the guts to come up
from the mat twice for the win.
"I think a lot of people didn't know how big my heart was at that time," Kenty said. "But I knew."
And then came the opportunity to fight Espana for the WBA championship. After just 16
professional fights, Kenty was the decided underdog against the Venezuelan, who entered the ring
with a 28-1 record. But, then again, there was that Hollywood setting.
The site was Detroit's new Joe Louis Arena. On hand was the legendary Brown Bomber himself,
wheelchair bound at ringside, along with Detroit Mayor Coleman Young and then-WBA
heavyweight champ John Tate. It was billed as the biggest boxing event Detroit had seen in nearly
three decades; a celebration of the Motor City's boxing renaissance, which can be credited greatly to
Hearns and Kenty.
Kenty grabbed the microphone being introduced and dedicated fight to Louis. The storybook scene
was reaching its climax.
The veteran Espana's smugness appeared warranted early in the fight but Kenty surprised the
champion an aggressive strategy devised by Steward and himself.
"We watched films of Espana," said Emanuel I came up with the strategy of taking it to him," Kenty
said."It surprised everybody. We noticed the film that Espana isn't as strong when he's backing up.
"
The strategy worked. Over 13,000 spectators watched as Espana began to tire in the brawl. His
powerful arms became lumbering, increasingly ineffective weapons. Kenty, meanwhile, peppered
Espana with effective jabs and occasional stinging rights.
It ended in the ninth round when Kenty, his opponent on the ropes, let loose with a flurry that sent
Espana's head reeling from side to side. Kenty smacked him senseless, with only the ropes keeping
Espana from the canvas. Even the referee grimaced as the helpless Espana refused to fall. Finally, at
the 2:53 mark of the ninth round, the referee signalled an end to the massacre.
Kenty leaped into the air, then, tearfully, into the arms of trainer Steward. Surrounded by a mob of
well-wishers swelling into the ring, Kenty managed to grab the microphone to address the man still
observing from ringside: "Joe Louis," Kenty said, emotion filling his voice, "that's for you."
Life has been good to Hilmer Kenty, especially since winning the WBA crown. For one thing, he
netted some $50,000 for the Espana fight - his biggest purse yet - and has even bigger paydays in his
immediate future.
Kenty is easy going and friendly, almost humble at times despite his newfound status. Similar status
has been known to make individuals somewhat arrogan, but will success spoil Hilmer Kenty?
"I never can see myself as an arrogant person," Kenty said. "Maybe playing around or joking, but
never arrogant. I hope it never happens to me."
Having taken the giant step from contender to champion, Kenty is planning on keeping the title "until
I retire or go to another division." However, he knows all too well of the "first defense jinx" which
has seen the likes of Marvin Johnson and John Tate lose in their first title defenses.
"I will be so glad when it's over," Kenty said of his first title defense. He added with a laugh, "The
main thing is I haven't even made no money yet."
What about the future? Despite his youth (he will turn 25 on July 30) Kenty is pragmatic about
looking ahead.
"I'm getting ready to enroll in real estate school," the champion said. "I"m going to get a real estate
license. If I don't have something to do when I'm off, I'll get lazy."
From August, 1980 Boxing Illustrated
| "Poke 'em in the eyes!" - Mayor Coleman Young describing his fighting techniques to Hilmer Kenty and Thomas "Hitman" Hearns. |
| Hilmer Kenty Boxing on DVD Click for more info... |
| Boxing on DVD Click for more info... |
