Scott Frank (boxer)
Scott Frank (born 1958) is an American former heavyweight boxer from Oakland, New Jersey. He stood 6 ft 2 in tall, had a 75 in reach, fought in an orthodox style, and finished his career with 24 pro fights: 22 wins (16 by knockout), 1 loss, and 1 draw. He’s best known for his 1983 push to become world heavyweight champion.
As a kid, Frank organized backyard boxing in his neighborhood, charging a small admission and earning a few dollars from each bout. He started boxing seriously at 17, training at Tony Ryles A.C. and later at Lou Duva’s gym, where he was guided by trainer Chiky Ferrara. He went to Indian Hills High School in New Jersey.
Frank enjoyed a strong amateur career, winning the New Jersey Open Class Golden Gloves heavyweight title in 1977 and the AAU heavyweight championship. He finished amateur boxing with a record of 25 wins and 3 losses, and even appeared on ABC’s Wide World of Sports.
He turned professional on May 2, 1978, beating Joe Maye in Totowa, New Jersey. He quickly rose in the ranks, winning the New Jersey state heavyweight title by defeating Chuck Wepner on September 26, 1978, and retaining it in January 1979 against Guy Casale. In January 1980 he delivered a first-round TKO over Ron Stander, a former title challenger.
In March 1982 Frank fought Renaldo Snipes to a ten-round draw. He then defeated Steve Zouski by ten-round decision in January 1983 to cement his place among the top heavyweights. Frank gained momentum and even called the world champion to arrange a title fight.
On February 1983, he challenged WBC heavyweight champion Larry Holmes. The bout ended in a fifth-round TKO loss for Frank, who later said Holmes may have accidentally thumbed him in the eye; Holmes apologized for the incident.
Two weeks after the Holmes fight, Gerrie Coetzee won the WBA title, marking the absence of a White heavyweight champion for 23 years. After the Holmes fight, Frank briefly retired, but returned to boxing in 1987 and 1997. He stopped Stan Johnson in the first round in 1987 and beat Derek Amos by fifth-round TKO in 1997.
Frank finished his career with 24 professional fights, 22 wins (16 KOs), 1 loss (to Holmes by KO), and 1 draw. He was inducted into the New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame on November 14, 2002.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 04:12 (CET).