[CONN CHRIS]

PAUL POIRIER

Hometown – New Bedford, MA

31(7)-3-0

Paul Poirier was one of the most promising New England boxers of the seventies. Poirier fought as a middleweight compiling a perfect 21-0 record from 1973 to 1975. (Boxrec incorrectly credits Paul with a loss during this period that was not one of his bouts.) He began boxing at the age of 16 which was below the legal age limit for professional boxing in Massachusetts. When his age was discovered, he was allowed to continue because it was determined that it would detrimental to his career to force him to sit out until reaching age 18.

With such a promising future, it was a shock to the New England boxing community when Poirier, just shy of his eighteenth birthday, walked away from the sport due to his conversion as a Jehovah’s Witness.

Fast forward fifteen years. At the age of 33, Poirier came back to the boxing scene as a heavyweight. At first, he dispatched 9 local club heavyweights with relative ease; collecting the New England Heavyweight Title along the way. Then on July 24, 1992 Paul suffered his first pro defeat in the form of a third round TKO to Alex Stewart in the Catskills. By then, his story had become known on a wider basis and Paul was finally able to secure a few decent paydays. Unfortunately, both were losses.

Poirier fought Tony Tucker in November of 1992 at the Caesars Tahoe Casino and was stopped by TKO in round four. After one tune-up back in Foxboro, Paul took the biggest fight of his career. He faced Larry Holmes on May 18, 1993 in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. Poirier fought gamely, but succumbed to that still-potent Holmes jab in the seventh round.

Paul was an interesting fighter and the fact that he was able to come back after a fifteen year lay-off and take the former champ to the seventh round will leave him and New England fight fans forever wondering what might have been.



--- I have searched most of the New England sites that I know without any luck in finding a picture of Paul. I suspect that the most likely place to find one would be from the program when he fought Holmes in Mississippi. If anyone has a pic I would be greatful!

CONN

EDIT: Jofre found a pic (of course) it is posted over on the photo thread.