Monroe Brooks: WBC Challenge and Roberto Duran Bout
Monroe Brooks was an American boxer from Wichita Falls, Texas, whose professional career included a WBC junior-welterweight title challenge and a 1978 bout against Roberto Durán. Born on May 9, 1953, he later boxed out of Los Angeles. His recorded professional activity extended from September 1972 through October 1983.
Career and championship record
Brooks developed a substantial amateur record before becoming an established professional. BoxRec credits him with 109 amateur wins and five defeats, five local Golden Gloves championships, five Red River National titles and three Diamond Belt championships. His managers during his professional career included Jackie McCoy and Henry Davis.
His professional debut was a points victory over Javier Martinez at the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles on September 21, 1972. He subsequently appeared frequently in California, with contests in Sacramento and Los Angeles forming much of his early schedule. He also fought in Mexico and other American states.
On January 15, 1977, Brooks challenged Saensak Muangsurin for the WBC super-lightweight championship in Chiang Mai, Thailand. He lost by stoppage. Later that year, he won an NABF super-lightweight contest against Abraham Perez in Los Angeles. Bruce Curry defeated him in an NABF title fight in April 1978.
Brooks faced Durán at Madison Square Garden in New York on December 8, 1978. The contest was scheduled for twelve rounds and ended with Durán scoring an eighth-round knockout at 1:59. Brooks weighed 143 pounds and Durán 147. It was a non-title fight rather than a challenge for Durán’s lightweight championship.
Brooks continued competing after that defeat, recording wins over opponents including Howard Jackson, Leonardo Bermudez and Rafael Nunez. His later schedule included losses to Ronnie Shields, Saoul Mamby and Vilomar Fernandez. The Fernandez contest in Sacramento in October 1983 is his last listed professional appearance.
Brooks died on October 27, 2018, aged 65. His family’s obituary records his Wichita Falls birthplace and identifies his wife and children among his survivors. A memorial service was held at New Hope Church in Wichita Falls on November 10, 2018.
Sources
Additional sources: https://boxerlist.com/boxer/monroe-brooks/329; https://www.youngcofh.com/obituary/Monroe-Brooks; https://boxrec.com/wiki/index.php/WBC_Light_Welterweight_Title_Fights; https://boxrec.com/wiki/index.php/NABF_Light_Welterweight_Champion
Additional sources: https://boxrec.com/wiki/index.php/Monroe_Brooks; https://boxrec.com/wiki/index.php/Roberto_Duran_vs._Monroe_Brooks
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