[Rocco Del Sesto]

Tod Herring - USA
1959-1967

27 wins / 6 losses / 0 draw / 20 KO

Alias: Carl
Hometown: Houston, TX

Rating by: Rocco Del Sesto

Herring's built his career to a 24-2-0 record including winning the Texas State Heavyweight Title in April 1963 defeating Sonny Moore. Some of Herring's other noteable opponents during that span were a 10 round UD over Tunney Hunsaker(Ali's first career professional opponent), a 2nd round KO of Harold Carter, an 8th round KO loss to Tony Alongi, a 10 round decision loss to Alonzo Johnson, a 10 round decision win against Bill McMurray and then a 9th round KO of Alonzo Johnson.

Then in March 1964, Herring got his first real test against more of the heavyweight upper class when he went up against Zora Folley. Herring managed to go 6 rounds before Folley KO'd him in the 7th round. After a couple of KO wins against a Roy Rogers(7-0-1 at the time) and Elmer Rush, he got into the ring in Stockholm, Sweden against Floyd Patterson in May 1965. Herring was no match for Patterson as Floyd knocked him out in the 3rd round.

That fight was followed by a 4th round KO at the hands of Elmer Rush in August 1965 and then after not fighting for close to a year, in June 1966 Herring was stopped again early in a fight, this time a 3rd round KO by Cleveland Williams. Herring fought only one more time in his career before hanging them up, a 4th round TKO win over a Jack Johnson(2-2-2).

Herring is another one of those examples of a guy building a real nice looking record against the usual array of mostly punch bags that a young upward moving boxer is expected to beat to gain higher status. But, once Herring got the chance against the tougher competition, he quickly showed he was not good enough to become even a fringe type contender.

Enjoy....
Rocco