Ross Puritty’s One Big One

With a record of 31-20-3, Ross “The Boss” Puritty joins “Fearless” Freddie Pendleton (47-26-6), Darroll “Doin Damage” Wilson (27-10-2),  Jesus Soto “Pantera” Karass (29-13-4),Cristobal “Lacandon “ Cruz (41-22-4), Darnell “Ding-A-Ling-Man” Wilson (25-21-3), Rogers “The Tiger” Mtagwa (27-17-2), Mauricio “El Maestro” Herrera (24-9), “Fearless” Frankie Swindell (37-24-4), Emanuel Augustus (38-34-6), Ron “The Butcher” Stander (37-21-3), Uriah “Bossman” Grant (30-21) and the late Saoul Mamby (45-34-6) as fighters with deceptive records who could cause havoc on any given night. There are many, many others.

Puritty played football at the University of Texas at El Paso (1986-89) and unlike other crossovers, became a successful boxer. While his pro start was less than stellar, he learned on the job using a curious peek-a-boo defensive style, explosive aggression, resiliency, an uncanny ability to pace himself, and a super strong chin.

Some considered him a high-level journeyman and an occasional heavyweight contender, but “The Boss” fought the very best and often on their home turf. Names like Brian Nielsen, Hasim Rahman, and Kirk Johnson appear during the early part of his pro career but on July 28,1994 at the Convention Center in Atlantic City, he met a heavily favored but past-his-best Tommy Morrison (41-2) in a battle of native Oklahomans. Ross decked Tommy twice and both knockdowns were hard. The fight was ruled a draw. Ross was now a legitimate contender as he launched a 10-fight win streak against less than threatening opposition until he lost to Hasim Rahman (12-0) and Michael Grant (19-0) in 1996.

He then won five straight and this time he got two big wins on his ledger. One was a TKO over the touted Cuban defector Jorge Luis Gonzalez (24-2) in Tulsa in December 1996 where be backed the 6’7” Gonzalez into a corner and after several brutal exchanges, the giant Cuban took out his mouthpiece and said to referee Fred Copeland, “no more.”

The other notable win was a KO over rugged Joe “The Boss” Hipp (38-4) in the tenth and final round in a “Battle of the Bosses.” Both men absorbed heavy punishment until Ross, after surviving a series of Hipp uppercuts, exploded and sedated Joe with a right cross and finishing left.

Puritty was then matched against world title contenders Corrie Sanders (32-1), Larry Donald (31-1-1), and Chris Byrd (25-0), losing to all three. Each fight went the distance. He regained his form when he KOd undefeated, albeit overrated Danish prospect Mark Hulstrom (15-0-1) in Copenhagen in November 1998.  And this set him up for that one BIG ONE just one month later in the Sports Palace in Kiev where he would fight the undefeated future world champion Wladimir Klitschko (24-0) for the WBC International Heavyweight Title.

The Fight

The Doctor controlled the action until around the ninth, but he appeared tight and his punches seemed labored. He used up a lot of energy along the way, especially in the seventh and eighth rounds. Then he began to tire more noticeably. Puritty saw his opportunity and seized on it.

In the tenth, Klistchko attacked but Ross exhibited his explosive aggression and knocked the big Ukrainian down hard. He repeated this late in the round. Klitschko was saved by the bell but he was dazed, bone tired, and ready for the end as the heretofore lively crowd remained stunned. As soon as the bell rang for round 11, “The Boss” attacked but before he could close the show, Klitschko’s coach Fritz Sdunek jumped into the ring and wisely stopped the mugging saving his man for another day.

A joyous Puritty lifted Wladimir up and carried him halfway around the ring displaying great sportsmanship.

Later

In December 2001, Vitali Klitschko avenged his brother’s defeat by stopping Puritty on a nasty cut in the 11th round, but Ross remained game throughout the fight.

His career did not include any further “Big Ones” as he won some and lost a few more, but he did fight a draw against the very formidable—but hot and cold– Frankie Swindell in January 2000. Frankie came in hot this time and they went at it for ten tough and fan-friendly rounds.

After beating the very beatable Tommy Connelly (17-14), Ross would lose to Drago look-alike Alexander Dimitrenko (16-0) in Russia, Eddie Chambers (22-0) in Philadelphia, and David Cadieux (14-1) in Montreal. Each went the distance reflecting The Boss’s signature durability (in this regard, he fought a career total pf 299 rounds).

Ross Puritty, an Oklahoman by birth, now resides in Wichita, Kansas. He and his wife Twila, the CEO of a urology clinic, are the parents of five children. There he has taken under his wing several amateur boxers and also handled pro Charles Ellis (10-3-1) who beat James Toney in Ellis’s final pro fight. He is also an assistant football coach for Mt. Carmel HS in Wichita.

Ross “The Boss” Puritty always gave 100% and was an entertaining fighter, but look, don’t take this writer’s word for it. Check him out on YouTube’s “Ross Puritty’s boxing highlights.”

Ted Sares can be reached at tedsares@roadrunner.com or on Facebook and welcomes inquires.

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