1. Home
  2. Sports
  3. Boxing
photo of Andrew Eisele

Andrew's Boxing Blog

By Andrew Eisele, About.com Guide to Boxing since 1999

Letterlough Shot and Killed

Saturday July 9, 2005
Light heavyweight contender Julian Letterlough, 35, was shot and killed on a street corner in Reading, PA on Thursday night. Details are sketchy but it has been reported that Letterlough was shot in the back. The man who allegedly shot Letterlough was then chased and shot twice by police and is now in custody. His condition has not been reported, but his wounds are not believed to be life threatening.

Letterlough, nicknamed Mr. KO because of his tremendous punching power, was best known for his 2001 fight with Julio Gonzalez in which both fighters traded bombs and knockdowns. Gonzalez ended up getting the decision in a bout many considered the "Fight of the Year". Letterlough spent seven years in prison for assault before fighting his first pro bout at the age of 28. Despite the late start, Letterlough had turned his life around outside the ring and made up for his lack of experience in the ring with a fearless determination that quickly made him a fan favorite. Letterlough's career record of 21-5-3 (20 KOs) also included fights with Vassiliy Jirov, David Telesco, Richard Hall and Daniel Judah.

Letterlough is survived by a wife and a 15-year-old son named Julian who recently took up boxing.

Comments

May 11, 2006 at 1:16 pm
(1) Michael Rudolph says:

Remembering Julian Letterlough.A brave man who put his troubled past behind him and became “MR.KO”.The most exciting fight I ever did see was Letterlough vs Julio Gonzalez.What he lacked in pure boxing skill he made up in heart.Rest in Peace Julian all who saw you fight won’t forget you!

April 2, 2008 at 5:10 am
(2) Greg Lesh says:

This is horrible news. Mr. KO turned his life around and became a great story. Watching his heart and determination in the ring was an absolute pleasure to watch, but the biggest thing was his heart and determination out of the ring to turn his life into a positive influence for so many people. You always hear that boxing saves so many kids from troubled lives. Boxing helped turn his trouble life around. We our all so pround of the changes that you made in your life, and all enjoyed watching you fight. We will never forget you. May you rest in peace.

Leave a Comment

Line and paragraph breaks are automatic. Some HTML allowed: <a href="" title="">, <b>, <i>, <strike>

Explore Boxing

About.com Special Features

Learn to Pitch

Strike out the competition with these step-by-step pictorials. More >

Introduction to Pilates

Learning Pilates fundamentals can help you get the most out of your exercise regime. More >

  1. Home
  2. Sports
  3. Boxing

©2009 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company.

All rights reserved.