Sugar Ray Leonard,1972 & 1976 Olympics, and Life After Boxing: Davey Lee Armstrong Looks Back
Exclusive Interview by “Bad” Brad Berkwitt(Interview conducted in 2005)
I was on the greatest (76’) US amateur boxing team the Olympics have ever seen. Not taking anything away from the 84’ Team, who won many Gold Medals, but they just didn’t have the tough guys like we faced”.–Davey Lee Armstrong
Throughout my many years of doing interviews with a diverse group of boxers from the new school to the old, I always derive pleasure from going back and finding fighters we just don’t hear about anymore. Interviewing Davey Lee Armstrong happened to be one of those gems you stumble across and once you do, you are moved by it and thrilled to bring a history lesson to the newer generation of boxing fans who think boxing started with Oscar De La Hoya. No slam on Oscar because he has done tons to move the sport forward, but there is a history in the sport that has been around for years before he laced up a boxing glove. The 1980s gave the children of the late 60’s, such as myself, lots of memorable fights along with many exciting fighters.
Davey was one of those in the talent rich lightweight division. After going to the 72’ and 76’ Olympic Games, Armstrong turned pro in early 1980. He fought out of the now legendary Kronk Gym and had their leader, Emmanuel Steward, as not only his trainer, but also as his manager. Davey had success in a very short pro career, but never fought for a world title. He got out of boxing before making it to that level, but for very good reasons. The details of which, you will read in his exclusive interview with RSR.