Ricky Anderson

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For the American football player, see Ricky Anderson (American football).

Ricky Anderson
Born
Africville, Nova Scotia
Other namesThe Gentleman
OccupationBoxer

Ricky Anderson is a Canadian-born former professional boxer from Africville, Nova Scotia. Anderson was due to represent Canada at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, but the Canadian teams boycotted the event.[1] He soon became a top amateur boxer, and later a champion professional boxer.

Biography[edit]

Early History[edit]

Nova Scotia’s Ricky Anderson fought for the first time as an amateur boxer in 1974. He’d eventually win the Nova Scotia Flyweight title in his first year as a boxer. In 1975, he’d capture a Silver medal at the 1975 Canada Winter Games held in Lethbridge, Alberta. In 1977, Ricky Anderson became the first Canadian-born boxer to beat a Cuban fighter at an international tournament in Cuba. The same year he would win the Light Welterweight title.

In 1979, Ricky was selected to participate in the Levi’s Cup, the first World Junior Championships held by the Amateur International Boxing Association in Yokohama, Japan. He lost a narrow decision in the gold medal round to a fighter from the Soviet Union. Anderson was the first Canadian to win a Silver medal at the Junior World Championship level.

In 1980, Ricky made the Canadian Olympic Team but did not get the chance to represent his country as Canada would boycott the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, Russia.

Later that year, Anderson won a gold medal in the Light Welterweight division at the 23rd International Acropolis Cup tournament held in Athens, Greece before the Moscow Olympic boycott was announced.[2]

In 1981, Anderson won his fourth Amateur Canadian Championship. Then, in Shreveport, Louisiana, he competed in the North American Amateur Boxing Championships.[3] He added the North American Light Welterweight title to his accolades by knocking out U.S. Champion James Mitchell, a former World Army Champion. Following the win over Mitchell, he was named Canadian Athlete of the Month for September by the Canadian Sports Federation.[4]

He competed at the 1981 Boxing World Cup in Montreal, and he would battle for the world championship against Vasily Shyshev of the Soviet Union. He lost a narrow decision in the gold medal round to the Soviet Union.

His overall amateur record stands at 97 fights, with 85 wins and 12 losses.

Professional boxing career[edit]

On April 30, 1985, Anderson fought Chavez Guerrero for the Canadian Welterweight Boxing Championship.[5] The end came in the eighth round when Anderson delivered a straight left hand that put Chavez down. The Halifax native became the new Canadian welterweight champion.[6]

In 1986, Ricky was forced to retire prematurely from the ring as champion resulting from a stubborn knee injury. His professional record was 19 wins and two losses.[7] On May 14, 1990, the two-time Canadian Welterweight Champion was inducted into the Canadian Boxing Hall of Fame.

Education[edit]

Anderson completed his education and graduated from Saint Mary's University receiving his Sociology degree in 1988.

Work career[edit]

Following his 12-year boxing career, he was appointed by the provincial government as a Drug Prevention Information Officer with Addiction, Prevention, and Treatment Services in Nova Scotia.

In 1993, Ricky received an offer for a part-time sports broadcasting position. He accepted the role and worked as a CTV Atlantic weekend sportscaster until 1995. Ricky remained at his full-time job as a Drug Prevention Specialist at Addiction Services until his retirement in 2015.

On the side, Anderson created his own business, Go Ricky Motivational Services. On September 1, 2003, Ricky released "Win in the Arena of Life: Living a Life You Love Is Worth Fighting For", a 158-page self-help book published by Aslan Publishing.

He also worked as a member of the Nova Scotia Boxing Authority and Canadian Boxing Federation, government agencies that regulate professional boxing and mixed martial arts events provincially and federally. Ricky achieved 22 years as a general board member of the Nova Scotia Boxing Authority, at one point becoming Vice-Chairman.[8]

Personal Life[edit]

Anderson volunteered for 10 years with the Ward 5 Community Centre in Halifax, two years of which he was chairman of the board.

Awards & Recognition[edit]

• Nova Scotia Amateur Fly Weight Champion. (1974)

• 1975 Canada Winter Games Silver Medalist. (1975)

• Canadian Junior Featherweight Champion. (1976)

• World Amateur Boxing Championships Silver Medalist. (1979)

• 1980 Summer Olympics Team Canada Member[9]. (1980)

• Nova Scotia's Male Athlete of the Year Award. (1980)

• 1981 North American Championships Light-Welterweight Gold Medalist. (1981)

• 1981 Boxing World Cup Light-Welterweight Silver Medalist. (1981)

• Canadian Sports Federation's Canadian Athlete of the Month for September. (1981)

• 2-Time Nova Scotia Male Athlete of the Year. (1981)

• 2-time Canadian Welterweight Champion. (1985 & 1986)

• Member of the Canadian Boxing Hall of Fame. (1990)[10]

• Member of the Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame. (2003)[11]

• Member of the Black Ice Hockey and Sports Hall of Fame. (2007)

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Olympic athletes after the glory days". thecoast.ca. Retrieved 30 January 2010.
  2. ^ thechronicleherald.ca
  3. ^ https://www.upi.com/Archives/1981/09/25/Seven-fighters-representing-the-United-States-have-moved-to/2777370238400/
  4. ^ https://https://www.pressreader.com/canada/the-chronicle-herald-metro/20220510/281539409545699/
  5. ^ https://boxrec.com/en/event/20145
  6. ^ https://www.canadianboxing.com/profiles_content.htm
  7. ^ https://boxrec.com/en/box-pro/33523
  8. ^ https://nscsauthority.ca/team/ricky-anderson/
  9. ^ https://olympic.ca/team-canada/rick-anderson/
  10. ^ https://en-academic.com/dic.nsf/enwiki/6711335
  11. ^ "Ricky Anderson". Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
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