Post by Ian from 616Entertainment. on Jul 31, 2007 1:45:00 GMT -5
The following is off the AP Newswire:
Former champion boxer Antwun Echols shot trying to break up fight
July 30, 2007
DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) -- Boxer Antwun Echols, a former super middleweight champion who twice lost to Bernard Hopkins, was shot in the leg while trying to break up a fight in the parking lot of a grocery store.
Police said Echols sustained a minor wound Sunday night and was taken to a hospital. The suspect fled in a sport utility vehicle.
Police were called to the store, where they found Echols and Stevie Hodges, both of Davenport. Hodges had been knocked to the ground and kicked, police said.
Hodges had been confronted by another man and a fight followed, police said. Echols intervened and pushed the suspect away from Hodges. The suspect then shot Echols once in the leg with a handgun, police said.
The 35-year-old Echols was taken to Genesis Medical Center for treatment. A call to the hospital Monday was not immediately returned. Hodges, 34, refused treatment, police said.
Echols fought Hopkins twice for the IBF middleweight title, with Hopkins winning by unanimous decision in 1999 and by technical knockout a year later. In 2003, Echols lost a unanimous decision to Anthony Mundine for the vacant WBA super middleweight title.
Echols has a record of 31-7-3, with 27 knockouts. He last won Dec. 12, 2004, and his most recent fight was a loss to Fulgencio Zuniga on June 23.
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Not a boxing fan, but I hope he's going to be ok.