Tony Tubbs
Tony Tubbs (born February 15, 1958) is a former American heavyweight boxer from Cincinnati, nicknamed TNT. He fought professionally from 1980 to 2006 and held the WBA heavyweight title from 1985 to 1986. As an amateur, Tubbs fought 253 times, winning 240 and losing 13, and he trained with the Muhammad Ali Amateur Boxing Team. He won the National AAU Heavyweight title in 1979 and the World Cup in 1979, and competed in USA–USSR duals against top amateurs.
Tubbs turned pro in 1980 and quickly rose through the ranks. He won a WBA title eliminator in 1985 by defeating James “Bonecrusher” Smith and then became the WBA heavyweight champion by beating Greg Page in a 15-round decision. His first title defense came in 1986, a 15-round decision loss to Tim Witherspoon. A rematch was planned, but Tubbs pulled out and Bonecrusher Smith fought instead.
In 1988, Tubbs challenged Mike Tyson for the undisputed title and was knocked out in the second round after a strong first round. He later won the North American Boxing Federation title by outpointing Orlin Norris in 1989, but cocaine was found in post-fight tests, and the win was changed to a no contest. In 1991 he had a controversial ten-round decision loss to Riddick Bowe.
Tubbs also faced a string of setbacks in the early 1990s, including a first-round loss to Lionel Butler in 1992. He did rebound by defeating Bruce Seldon and Tyrell Biggs, and in December 1993 won the People’s Choice Heavyweight Tournament by beating Willie Jackson, Tyrell Biggs, Jose Ribalta, and Daniel Dăncuţă, with a potential million-dollar payoff depending on pay-per-view results.
From 1994 to 1997 his record slipped to 3–3–1. He retired, then returned in 2002, winning several fights before finally retiring for good in 2006 with a six-round decision over Adam Smith. Tubbs was inducted into the California Boxing Hall of Fame in 2011.
Career overview:
- Height: 6 ft 3 in (190 cm); Reach: 79 in (201 cm); Stance: Orthodox
- Professional record: 59 fights, 47 wins (25 by KO), 10 losses, 2 no contests
- Notable titles: WBA heavyweight champion (1985–1986)
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 12:56 (CET).