Ringside Report Looks Back at Former WBC & IBF Welterweight Champion Maurice Blocker

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By Donald “Braveheart” Stewart

He sent Marlon Sterling into retirement from his hospital bed, with his own retirement coming after two wins against Hector Lopez in 1994 and Bobby Butters in 1995. Along the way, “The Thin Man” managed to fight no fewer than 40 times, beating 36 of his opponents and came away with the WBC, IBF and the lineal world welterweight championships in 1990 and 1991, which included a remarkable act of kindness from a boxing colleague and close friend.

“The Thin Man”? Maurice Blocker, 36-4, 20 KO’s.

An orthodox tall 6 foot, 2 inches, he was born in Washington, DC in 1963 and became a professional in 1982. In his first 16 fights, he won them all – in Atlantic city – fighting so much there he must have been in danger of getting a residency! Of those 16, 10 were by knockout! It’s hard to hide such a prestigious knockout ratio so he was bound to be found.

His first title fight came in his 20th fight in Washington, DC where he faced and beat Pedro Villella on points for the NABF welterweight title. Having won his first belt, it was not going to be long before it was for far more serious titles.

It was in 1987 that he was fighting for his first world title against the UK’s Lloyd Honeyghan; it ended in his first loss, but it was not without some glory.

The fight was for the WBC title over 12 rounds and the shorter distance was to be Blocker’s undoing, but Honeyghan’s saviour. Blocker fought in London and abroad for the first time in his professional career so perhaps he needed a knockout to win? Honeyghan was wild that night and Blocker nearly came away with the win. The score cards were no true reflection of his attempt at world glory, giving the fight to the home fighter by 3, 5 and 7 rounds. Honeyghan continued his unbeaten record, but had it been an IBF sanctioned bout over 15 rounds Blocker would have won it as Honeyghan was done in by the end of the 12th.

Perhaps that loss was a blessing as Honeyghan’s scalp, though a big one at the time is nothing on his record to sending Marlon Starling into retirement when he won the WBC and Lineal titles in 1990. Blocker used his height advantage and reach to win a majority decision and take the belt. In an interview with the LA Times later Blocker credited his win to a different mindset, he said, “Last time I went in to fight for the belt. This time I came to take the belt.”

On the way to that night, the 19th of August 1990 in Reno, Blocker had amassed 8 straight wins, 6 by way of knockout – this was an exciting fighter to watch and one who really did deserve his world title chances.

It was not to be a long reign either as he lost in his very next fight against his good friend, Simon Brown in Las Vegas in March 1991 with the WBC and IBF titles on the line. Having met in the gym and trained together, Brown and Blocker were great friends. Later in life, Brown was interviewed and reflected on the fight, “Me and Maurice, we’re like blood brothers, whatever we do, we do together,” he said. “It came to a point that I had my title before Maurice had his and they set up for me to fight him. He was OK with it and I was OK with it. As you see in the fight I gave it my all and he gave it his all.”

Friendship was certainly left at the door and Brown stopped his friend in the fight. The day after the fight with both families having dinner together, Brown followed up that with an incredible gesture – he vacated one of the two belts that had been on the line that night. The IBF belt was now available for his friend, Blocker, to fight Glenwood Brown for.

In October 1991, Blocker entered the ring against Brown and left it holding the belt winning the title in a split decision with jabs, counter punches and just enough guile to take the fight at the Merv Griffin’s Casino thanks to Judge Rocky Castellani’s score card – this time it worked for him.
After one split decision defence he then got in the ring for a fight at the weight division above his at super welterweight for the WBC title but lost to Terry Norris. It was 1993 and his career was now beginning to prepare itself for looking in the wrong direction.
Returning to his right weight division he then defended his IBF title in June 1993 against Felix Trinidad and was caught out and beaten by being knocked out in the 2nd round. Trinidad who was undefeated in 19 fights was an up and coming fighter at the time and give the number of world title holders we have now who take less than 10 fights to win world titles, it might seem like Trinidad was a slow starter – anything but – but times were different then!

Blocker was now no longer considered for world title fights and as things began to fall to the wayside it is perhaps worthy of hearing the views expressed by his close friend and sparring partner of many years, Simon Brown who when asked who had the best jab and was the smartest he fought in the ring said, Maurice Blocker. Why? Let him tell you, “I fought quite a few guys with a very good jab. Buddy McGirt had a very good jab but it wasn’t a hard jab. Maurice had a strong, stiff jab that kept you at bay. Every time you made a move to get inside he’d shoot that jab out there. Maybe ’cause we sparred for many years. I really had to chase him down to hurt him. Maurice was the type of fighter that was hard to hit.

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