Willie Limond
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 Limond in 2019 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | 2 February 1979 Glasgow, Scotland |
| Died | 15 April 2024 (aged 45) Airdrie, Scotland |
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) |
| Weight | |
| Boxing career | |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 48 |
| Wins | 42 |
| Win by KO | 13 |
| Losses | 6 |
Willie Limond (2 February 1979 – 15 April 2024) was a Scottish professional boxer. He held the European super-featherweight title in 2004, the Commonwealth lightweight title from 2006 to 2007, the Commonwealth super-lightweight title from 2013 to 2014 and the British super-lightweight title in 2014.
Debut and British super-featherweight title fight
Limond started out as a footballer, making five league appearances for Albion Rovers in the 1998–99 season.[1][2]
His professional boxing career began in 1999 with a win over Lenny Hodgkins.[2] He won his first 18 fights, including a notable success over future World Boxing Union (WBU) featherweight champion Choi Tseveenpurev.[2]
This led to a showdown with fellow undefeated Scotsman Alex Arthur for the British super-featherweight title on 12 December 2003 at Braehead Arena in Glasgow. Limond was defeated by technical knockout in the eighth round.[2][3]
European super-featherweight title
Limond went on to pick up a few more wins before earning himself a shot at the vacant European super-featherweight title. He fought the French champion Youssouf Djibaba on 19 June 2004, at the Braehead Arena and won via unanimous decision.[1][2][3]
After a successful defense against Alberto López,[2] Limond went on to win the Celtic super-featherweight title against Kevin O'Hara on 17 June 2005.[2][4]
Commonwealth lightweight title
Limond stepped up in weight divisions to lightweight and took on Ghana's Joshua Allotey for the vacant Commonwealth title on 4 November 2006 at the Kelvin Hall in Glasgow, winning via unanimous decision.[2][3]
He lost the title in his first defence, to future world champion, Amir Khan, on 14 July 2007. He knocked Khan down in the sixth round but ultimately failed to defeat the 2004 Olympic silver medallist and was retired by his own corner at the end of the eighth round. The loss was not without controversy, as some spectators thought that Khan had been given a long count after Limond had sent him to the canvas.[1][2][3]
IBO Inter-Continental and WBU lightweight titles
With the loss of his Commonwealth title, he defeated Martin Watson for the vacant IBO Inter-Continental title on 29 March 2008, at the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre in Glasgow on a unanimous points decision.[2] In Paisley on 27 February 2009, Limond defeated Harry Ramogoadi on points victory in a non-title bout.[5]
Limond and fought Ryan Barrett for the WBU lightweight title on 29 May 2009 at the Thistle Hotel, Glasgow, winning by unanimous decision.[2][6]
Bout with Erik Morales
On 11 September 2010, Limond took on former champion Erik Morales for the WBC Silver light-welterweight title. In the sixth round Limond was knocked down three times causing the referee to call the fight off, awarding Morales a stoppage victory.[2][7]
New promoter and Anthony Crolla fight
After signing with promoter Tommy Gilmour,[2] Limond fought Anthony Crolla for the British lightweight title in Motherwell on 25 November 2011, but lost by unanimous decision.[2][8]
Commonwealth and British super-lightweight champion
Limond returned from the Crolla setback with a routine six round win over William Warburton in Dundee on 1 September 2012, after moving up to super-lightweight.[9] He fought unbeaten Eddie Doyle, for the vacant Commonwealth super-lightweight title in Glasgow on 21 January 2013. Limond drooped his opponent twice, winning by technical knockout in the first round.[2][10][11]
He successfully defended his title with a unanimous decision win over Mitch Prince in Glasgow on 7 June 2013,[2][3][12][13] before adding the British super-lightweight belt to his collection by defeating Curtis Woodhouse via majority decision, again in Glasgow, on 27 June 2014.[2][3][14] Having vacated both titles, he challenged British super-lightweight champion Tyrone Nurse in Glasgow on 28 May 2016, losing by stoppage in the ninth round.[2][15][16]
Final fights
Limond fought only three more times after 2016. He defeated William Warburton on points over six rounds in Glasgow on 6 June 2019.[17] Almost three years later, on 13 May 2022, Limond best CJ Wood in Renfrew[3] with his son, Jake, fighting on the undercard.[18]
His last fight was against Ricky Burns at Braehead Arena in Glasgow on 1 September 2023. Limond lost by stoppage in the eighth round.[19][20]
Death
In April 2024, Limond suffered a seizure. After 10 days at Monklands Hospital in Airdrie, North Lanarkshire,[21] Limond died on 15 April 2024, at the age of 45.[1][3][22]