Dokes was a great amateur, compiling a record of 147-7, including victories over future heavyweight champ John Tate and Greg Page and a narrow loss to Cuban great Teófilo Stevenson at the 1975 Pan American Games.
Dokes ended his pro career - which began in 1976 and ended in 1997 - with a record of 53-6-2 (34 KOs). Dokes scored a pair of decision victories over Randall "Tex" Cobb and lost to Evander Holyfield, Donovan "Razor" Ruddock and Riddick Bowe. The Holyfield bout is a classic -- if you've never seen it, definitely check it out.
In 2000, Dokes was sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to attempted murder, second-degree kidnapping and intent to commit sexual assault against Sandra Kaye Cummings, his girlfriend of more than nine years. He was paroled in 2008.
Michael Dokes, Larger-Than-Life Heavyweight Boxer, Dies at 54 - Douglas Martin, NYTimes.com
Comments
Thanks for this informative article. I remember watching Michael Dokes back in the eighties in some great fights. May he rest in peace. My sorry goes out to his family.
Thanks for this article. Michael Dokes was a good fighter and gave us some great memories in the ring. May he rest in peace.
May he rest in peace and god be with his family at this time of sorrow. Back in the day I used to wager heavily on major fights so of course I took a major hit when he loss to Gerrie Coetzee-he didn’t appear to have his head and body into the fight so it was not surprizing that he was coked uo. What a shame-he had all that natural God-given talent but those type of vices whether it be drugs,women-it’s all to eaSILY HAD AND TEMPTING.i’LL ALWAYS REMEMBER THE FIGHT HE HAD WITH RANDALL “tEX COBB’ WHO SAID HE HAD A GOOD OLE’ TIME WITH DOKES AND WOULD LOVE TO DO IT AGAIN-MUSTA’ GOT HIT WITH 4TO 1 OF HIS LANDED PUCHES BUT THAT’S THE TYPE OF FIGHTER HE WAS.dOKES REPLIED AFTER THE FIGHT IF HE WOULD LIKE TO GET BACK INTO THE RING WITH “COBB” AND HE REPLIED NO WAY-HE’S CRAZY.-NOWAY. AGAIN GOD BE WITH HIS FAMILY AT THIS YTIME OF SORROW AND MAY HE REST-IN-PEACE.
Could have been so much more. If only commitment and self disipline had matched his skills. But he surely left some great boxing menories back when the heavyweight division had considerable depth of talent. R.I.P. Mr Dokes
You can leave your condolence to Michael Dokes… http://www.eternal-contact.com/michael-dokes/