Jimmy Doyle | |
|---|---|
 Doyle, circa 1942 | |
| Born | James Emerson Delaney[1] (1924-08-12)August 12, 1924 |
| Died | June 25, 1947(1947-06-25) (aged 22) |
| Statistics | |
| Weight | Welterweight |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 53 |
| Wins | 43 |
| Wins by KO | 14 |
| Losses | 7 |
| Draws | 3 |
James Emerson Delaney (August 12, 1924 – June 25, 1947), known professionally asJimmy Doyle, was awelterweightboxer who died after a boxing match withSugar Ray Robinson.[2]
A mixed-raceCreole, Doyle was born James Emerson Delaney inLos Angeles on August 12, 1924. "Jimmy Doyle" was the son of Edward (originally Edouard) Delaney and Marie Elodie Barret, both fromNew Orleans, who moved to Los Angeles shortly after they married in 1921. Jimmy's father was born in 1886 to Joseph Georges Delaney and Elodie Landry, part of a French-speaking family of colored Creoles who hailed from the upper BayouLafourche country.
Doyle made his debut as a professional boxer in 1941[3] and in 1947 lost toSugar Ray Robinson by 8th roundTKO. After the bout, Doyle went to the hospital, suffering from a severe head injury, where he died seventeen hours later.[4]
In 1947, Doyle challengedSugar Ray Robinson for the World Welterweight Title. Robinson had the advantage in every round except the sixth, when he was staggered twice and received a cut over his right eye. A single left hook from Robinson, thrown as Doyle was attempting a right hook, ended the fight in the eighth round. The punch knocked Doyle hard on to his back. As the referee started counting, Doyle raised himself onto his elbows, and tried to use the ropes to gain his feet, but he couldn't. The bell ending the round struck as the referee counted off 'nine,' saving Doyle from a complete knock out by the bell. His handlers asked the ref to end the match, as Doyle was in no condition to go on.
Doyle was taken to St. Vincent's Charity Hospital immediately after the bout, where he failed to regain consciousness and died a few hours later.[4] He was givenlast rites by a Catholic priest as Robinson rushed to the hospital.[5]
Jimmy Doyle was fighting inCleveland, since after suffering some heavy knockouts inCalifornia that state's boxing commission would not sanction him to fight again.[6] After his death, criminal charges were threatened against Robinson in Cleveland, up to and including manslaughter, though none actually materialized. Robinson's biographerWill Haygood stated during a September 25, 2010 book festival appearance that Doyle was pushing himself to fight to "buy his mother a house" and after Doyle's death in 1947, Robinson gave the earnings of his next four fights to Doyle's mother, so she could buy that house. Later in an interview, Sugar Ray Robinson says he dreamt the night before the fight that he killed Doyle in the ring.[6]
