Darroll Lamont Wilson (born June 8, 1966 in Danville, Virginia) is a professional boxer. He is a journeyman heavyweight best known for his performances against more notable contenders.
Pro Boxing Career
Known as "Doin' Damage", Wilson was a prospect early in his pro career. After 13 wins and a draw he fought another unbeaten prospect in light-hitting Cruiserweight Terry McGroom, a former light-heavy Golden Gloves champ. Wilson and McGroom fought to a ten round draw.
In Wilson's next fight he outpointed an unbeaten heavyweight in James Stanton.
He didn't look particularly dangerous early on at only 215 lbs and a record of 15-0-2 (only 10KOs).
Briggs and Thsabalala fights
But in 1996 he competed in HBO's "Night of the young heavyweights". His unbeaten opponent, 25-0 Shannon Briggs was an amateur star and being touted as a future champ, he was the main feature of the card. In a huge upset, the Wilson took Briggs best shots in the opening rounds, turned the tide in the second, then knocked Briggs out for the full count in the third. This is by far the highlight #1 of Wilson's career. Briggs for a while had the reputation to be "chinny" but wasn't knocked down by George Foreman (he actually won a highly questionable decision in Foreman's last fight and became champion), lasted 5 with Lennox Lewis and the only other guy in 10 years to score a knockdown against him was Jameel McCline.
Later that year 1996, Wilson was brought back to HBO a fight later to meet another undefeated Top-prospect, the Samoan born, New Zealand Olympic bronze medallist David Tua, who had also won on the previous "young heavys" card. The hard hitting Tua KO'ed Wilson in one round with his lethal left hook. It was the first time it became apparent that Wilson could take very little.
Wilson had lost, but was still a semi-attraction, and got his second chance when he met once-beaten South African Courage Tshabalala. The two staged one of the most famous fights of the year 1997. In the first round Courage dropped Wilson with a jab 25 seconds into the fight, again demonstrating how chinny Wilson is. Things looked even worse for Wilson when he was dropped again in the third, this time much harder, with a right hand. Courage tried to finish in the fourth but Wilson fought back with the heart he showed in the Briggs fight, and leveled his opponent for the count.
Decline
Wilson's next big fight was an upset loss to Terrence Lewis by fifth round TKO in 1998.
Lewis was a Clubfighter but had a respected right hand, however, the result was still a surprise. Wilson was no longer a fringe contender, just merely a hard hitting journeyman.
Wilson was again TKO'ed in his next fight to the hard hitting contender and Olympic silver medallist David Izon. In that fight Wilson's own power surfaced early, and Izon was dropped in the first round, but Wilson couldn't finish the job.
Since then he slipped dramatically and never regained his old form. In 1999 he lost fights to the likes of Frankie Swindell (17 losses) and Zuri Lawrence, and was blown out in two rounds by an aging Tim Witherspoon.
