11.07.05 – By Tim Foley: It seems like boxing has tragedies more frequently than other sports. The boxing world lost a truly great fighter and person in Julian Letterlough on July 7th, 2005. As a fan, I love fighters who give everything they have and leave it all in the ring. Mr. KO, as he was called, was a man who did just that.
Many people who are not boxing fans always speak of how much damage the sport of boxing can do on a person physically and mentally. He was a man who learned from his mistakes and used boxing as a way to turn his life around. Not many people reflect upon the positives that boxing can do for a person. After spending a seven year stint in prison for assault, he vowed to turn his life around. Boxing was step one in a rehabilitation process. Step two was being a terrific role model for his son, Julian Jr.
He provided fans with many memorable moments inside of the ring. His war with Julio Gonzalez on ESPN was the first fight I was privileged to see involving Mr. KO. It was a back and forth battle with five total knockdowns (Letterlough down twice, Gonzalez down three times). Although Mr. KO came up short, he still knew he was part of something great..
He always viewed boxing as the second most important thing in his life. He understood that family came first and regardless of whether he won or lost, he had a great family and would always have that above boxing.
Most boxing blogs and news sites have already covered this story, but as a fan of this man, I felt it was necessary to give him a fitting tribute. Rest in peace, Julian Letterlough. You made a difference in and out of the ring. You were a champion in every fight fans’ eyes. May your family take comfort in knowing you are in peace.