Samson Po'uha (born June 2, 1971) is a Tongan 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 fights are supervised by a regulatory auth ...

who competed from 1992 to 2002.

Background

Po'uha was born into a

Mormon Mormons are a religious and cultural group related to Mormonism, the principal branch of the Latter Day Saint movement started by Joseph Smith in upstate New York during the 1820s. After Smith's death in 1844, the movement split into several ...

family in

Los Angeles, California Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

and was raised in

Utah Utah is a landlocked state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is one of the Four Corners states, sharing a border with Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico. It also borders Wyoming to the northea ...

Boxing career

Amateur

Highly-touted as an amateur, Po'uha was a

National Golden Gloves The Golden Gloves of America is an organization that promotes annual competitions of amateur boxing in the United States, in which winners are awarded a belt and a ring, and the title of national champion. The organization currently owns 30 fr ...

Super Heavyweight Champion in 1991 and United States ( National AAU) amateur Super Heavyweight champion in 1992. During his amateur career, he defeated Larry Donald,

Darroll Wilson Darroll Lamont Wilson (born June 8, 1966) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1993 to 2006. He is best known for his gutsy performances against some of the best fighters of his day, and his upset third-round TKO win over Sh ...

, and

Cuba Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is an island country, comprising the island of Cuba (largest island), Isla de la Juventud, and List of islands of Cuba, 4,195 islands, islets and cays surrounding the main island. It is located where the ...

n star Roberto Balado.

Professional

After turning professional in 1992, Po'uha showed good power, but was often out of shape. He lost to former amateur

Craig Payne Craig Payne (May 22, 1961 – April 7, 2017) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1985 to 2001, challenging for the IBO heavyweight title in 1992. As an amateur, he won the National Golden Gloves super heavyweight title in 1983. ...

, (then 11-8), in 1994, and never became a major contender. He lost by technical knockout to then-undefeated

Andrew Golota Andrzej Jan Gołota (; born 5 January 1968), best known as Andrew Golota, is a Polish former professional boxer who competed from 1992 to 2013. He challenged four times for a heavyweight world title (by all four major sanctioning bodies), and as a ...

in a fight, where Golota was nearly knocked out by Po'uha, out of desperation he resorted to biting Po'uha on the side of his neck during a clinch. Po'uha later lost to a journeyman

Jesse Ferguson Jesse Ferguson (born March 20, 1957) is a retired American boxer who was a Heavyweight title challenger and top contender who Beat undisputed Heavyweight world champion Buster Douglas, Heavyweight world champion Ray Mercer and Cruiserweight wor ...

. Overall he had a pro career record of 20-5-1 with 18 KOs. He retired in 2003.

Professional boxing record

, - , align="center" colspan=8, 20 Wins (18 knockouts, 2 decisions), 5 Losses (3 knockouts, 2 decisions), 1 Draw''

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Laughlin, Nevada Laughlin () is an unincorporated community in Clark County, Nevada, United States. Laughlin lies south of Las Vegas, in the far southern tip of Nevada. As a resort town, it is known for its gaming and water recreation. As of the 2020 census, t ...

, U.S. , align=left, , - , Draw , , align=left, Frankie Swindell , PTS , 5 , 30/01/2002 , align=left,

Miami Beach, Florida Miami Beach is a coastal resort city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. It is part of the Miami metropolitan area of South Florida. The municipality is located on natural and human-made barrier islands between the Atlantic Ocean ...

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Louis Monaco Louis "The Facelifter" Monaco (born April 28, 1968) is a professional boxer in the heavyweight division and the former CAM (Canadian American Mexican) heavyweight champion. Nicknamed "The Facelifter," Monaco is a clubfighter who fought several s ...

, KO , 8 , 05/05/2000 , align=left,

Las Vegas, Nevada Las Vegas, colloquially referred to as Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and second-l ...

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, TKO , 8 , 31/05/1997 , align=left,

Atlantic City, New Jersey Atlantic City, sometimes referred to by its initials A.C., is a Jersey Shore seaside resort city (New Jersey), city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, Atlantic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Atlantic City comprises the second half of ...

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Bert Cooper Bertram Cooper (January 10, 1966 – May 10, 2019), nicknamed Smokin' Bert Cooper, was an American professional boxer who competed between 1984 and 2012. He fought Evander Holyfield, George Foreman, Riddick Bowe, Michael Moorer, Chris Byrd, Ray ...

, TKO , 4 , 22/04/1997 , align=left,

Auburn Hills, Michigan Auburn Hills is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. A northern suburb of Detroit, Auburn Hills is located about north of downtown Detroit. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 24,360. Auburn Hills is home to ...

, U.S. , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Frankie Swindell , SD , 10 , 05/04/1997 , align=left,

Albuquerque, New Mexico Albuquerque ( ; ), also known as ABQ, Burque, the Duke City, and in the past 'the Q', is the List of municipalities in New Mexico, most populous city in the U.S. state of New Mexico, and the county seat of Bernalillo County, New Mexico, Bernal ...

, U.S. , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Jimmy Haynes , TKO , 2 , 28/01/1997 , align=left,

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, TKO , 5 , 16/05/1995 , align=left,

, U.S. , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Martin Foster , TKO , 1 , 19/01/1995 , align=left,

, U.S. , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Jeff Lally , KO , 1 , 08/12/1994 , align=left,

, U.S. , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, John Morton , KO , 1 , 17/11/1994 , align=left, Saint George, Utah, U.S. , align=left, , - , Loss , , align=left,

, TKO , 6 , 30/06/1994 , align=left,

Mesquite, Nevada Mesquite is a city located in the northeast corner of Clark County, Nevada, Clark County, Nevada, United States adjacent to the Arizona state line and northeast of Las Vegas on Interstate 15 in Nevada, Interstate 15. As of the 2020 United State ...

, U.S. , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, David Graves , KO , 7 , 14/01/1994 , align=left, Saint George, Utah, U.S. , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Mike Rouse , TKO , 8 , 16/11/1993 , align=left, Bay Saint Louis, Mississippi, U.S. , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Jason Waller , TKO , 1 , 05/10/1993 , align=left,

, U.S. , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Carl McGrew , TKO , 1 , 04/09/1993 , align=left,

, U.S. , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Al Shoffner , TKO , 2 , 30/08/1993 , align=left,

Kansas City, Missouri Kansas City, Missouri, abbreviated KC or KCMO, is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri by List of cities in Missouri, population and area. The city lies within Jackson County, Missouri, Jackson, Clay County, Missouri, Clay, and Pl ...

, U.S. , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Eddie Gonzales , KO , 1 , 05/08/1993 , align=left,

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Mashantucket, Connecticut Mashantucket is a census-designated place (CDP) in the northeastern part of the town of Ledyard, New London County, Connecticut, United States. It consists of land held by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe. The Foxwoods Resort Casino Foxwoods Re ...

, U.S. , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Mike Acklie , KO , 1 , 26/06/1993 , align=left, Saint George, Utah, U.S. , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Warren Williams , TKO , 1 , 06/06/1993 , align=left,

, U.S. , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Willie Jackson , TKO , 1 , 03/04/1993 , align=left,

, U.S. , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Patrick Smith , TKO , 4 , 14/02/1993 , align=left,

, U.S. , align=left, , - , Win , , align=left, Steve Cortez , KO , 1 , 25/11/1992 , align=left,

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References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Pouha, Samson 1972 births Living people American male boxers Tongan male boxers Heavyweight boxers National Golden Gloves champions Winners of the United States Championship for amateur boxers Boxers from Los Angeles Boxers from Utah American people of Tongan descent 20th-century American sportsmen