Verno Jeremias Phillips (born November 29, 1969) is a
Belize
Belize (; bzj, Bileez) is a Caribbean and Central American country on the northeastern coast of Central America. It is bordered by Mexico to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and Guatemala to the west and south. It also shares a wate ...
an former
professional boxer
Professional boxing, or prizefighting, is regulated, sanctioned boxing. Professional boxing bouts are fought for a purse that is divided between the boxers as determined by contract. Most professional bouts are supervised by a regulatory auth ...
who competed from 1988 to 2008. He is a three-time
junior middleweight
Light middleweight, also known as junior middleweight or super welterweight,PeBoxRec/ref> is a weight class in combat sports.
Boxing
The light middleweight division (also known as junior middleweight in the IBF or super welterweight in the WBA a ...
world champion, having held the
WBO title from 1993 to 1995, and the
IBF
The International Boxing Federation (IBF) is one of four major organizations recognized by the International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF) which sanctions professional boxing bouts, alongside the World Boxing Association (WBA), World Boxing Counci ...
title twice in 2004 and 2008.
Professional career
Phillips turned professional in 1988 and captured the Vacant WBO light middleweight title in 1993 with a win over
Lupe Aquino
Isaias Guadalupe "Lupe" Aquino (born 23 January 1963) is a Mexican former professional boxer who competed from 1981 to 1999.
Aquino, known as "Lupe", turned pro in 1981 and won the WBC light middleweight title in 1987 with a decision over Duane ...
. He defended the title four times before losing a decision to
Paul Jones of England. In 2004 Phillips captured the vacant IBF light middleweight title by beating
Carlos Bojorquez
Carlos Bojorquez (born 26 June 1972) is a Mexican professional boxer who competed from 1997 to 2007, challenging for the IBF light middleweight title in 2004.
Professional career
He has fought for the vacant IBF Light Middleweight title and has ...
via a TKO, but lost the belt in his next fight to
Kassim Ouma
Kassim Ouma (born 12 December 1978) is a Ugandan professional boxer. He held the IBF junior middleweight title from 2004 to 2005, and has challenged twice for a world middleweight title in 2006 and 2011.
Early life
Born into poverty, at the age ...
. He lost his next bout to
Ike Quartey
Isufu "Ike" Quartey (born 27 November 1969) is a Ghanaian former professional boxer who competed from 1988 to 2006. He held the WBA welterweight title from 1994 to 1998, and challenged once for IBF junior-middleweight title in 2000.
Early yea ...
, but in 2006 rallied with wins over Juan Carlos Candelo and Teddy Reid, televised by ESPN.
On March 27, 2008, Phillips beat
Cory Spinks
Cory Spinks (born Cory Calvin; February 20, 1978) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1997 to 2013. He held multiple world championships in two weight classes, including the undisputed welterweight title from 2003 to 2005 ...
by disputed split decision to regain the IBF light middleweight title.
Philips signed to fight the young
Paul Williams on November 29, 2008 on HBO for the vacant WBO interim light middleweight title, vacating his IBF title in the process. Phillips ended up losing the bout the after his cornerman,
Trevor Wittman
Trevor Wittman (born March 5, 1974) is an American boxing and MMA trainer.
Training career
Compelled to retire from boxing after being diagnosed with a hyperinflated lung, Wittman transitioned to training boxers in the Denver metropolitan area. ...
, stopped the fight at the end of the eighth round, resulting in only the second loss via TKO in his career.
Professional boxing record
References
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Phillips, Verno
1969 births
Belizean male boxers
International Boxing Federation champions
Living people
World Boxing Organization champions
People from Belize City
Middleweight boxers
World light-middleweight boxing champions