Kim Duk-koo

Professional career

After compiling a 29–4 amateur record, he turned professional in 1978. In February 1982, he won the Orient and Pacific Boxing Federation lightweight title and became the World Boxing Association's number 1 contender. and had won 8 bouts by KO before flying to Las Vegas as the world's (WBA) number 1 challenger to world lightweight champion Mancini. However, he had fought outside of South Korea only once before, in the Philippines. It was his first time ever fighting in North America.

Mancini match

Kim was lightly regarded by the US boxing establishment, but not by Ray Mancini, who believed the fight would be a "war". When the fighters came out for the 14th round, Mancini charged forward and hit Kim with a right. Kim reeled back, Mancini missed with a left, and then Mancini hit Kim with another hard right hand. Kim went flying into the ropes, his head hitting the canvas. Kim managed to rise unsteadily to his feet, but referee Richard Green stopped the fight and Mancini was declared the winner by TKO nineteen seconds into the 14th round. The profile of the incident was heightened by the fight having been televised live by CBS in the United States.

Kim had never fought a 15-round bout before. In contrast, Mancini was much more experienced at the time. He had fought 15-round bouts three times and gone on to round 14 once before. Kim compiled a record of 17 wins with two losses and one draw. Eight of Kim's wins were knockouts.

Aftermath of Kim's death Mancini went through a period of reflection, as he blamed himself for Kim's death. After friends helped him by telling him that it was just an accident, Mancini went on with his career, though still haunted by Kim's death. His promoter, Bob Arum, said Mancini "was never the same" after Kim's death. Two years later, Mancini lost his title to Livingstone Bramble.

Four weeks after the fatal fight, the Mike Weaver vs. Michael Dokes fight at the same Caesars Palace venue ended with a technical knockout declared 63 seconds into the fight. Referee Joey Curtis admitted to stopping the fight early under orders of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, which required referees to be aware of a fighter's health, in light of the ManciniKim fight, and a rematch was ordered.

Kim's mother flew from South Korea to Las Vegas to be with her son before the life support equipment was turned off. Three months later, she committed suicide by drinking a bottle of pesticide.

Kim left behind a fiancée, Lee Young-mee, despite rules against South Korean boxers having girlfriends.

Mancini noted in Athletes Quarterly about his visit for the family:

Boxing rule changes The Nevada State Athletic Commission proposed a series of rule changes as a result, announcing it before a December 10 match between Michael Dokes and Mike Weaver that would in itself be disputed because of instructions match officials were given before the fight that was directly related to the Mancini-Kim match. Officials were told to be even more aware of a boxer's health in stopping a match. The break between rounds was initially proposed to go from 60 to 90 seconds (but it was later rescinded). The standing eight count (which allows a knockdown to be called even if the boxer is not down, but on the verge of being knocked down) was imposed, and new rules regarding suspension of licence were imposed, initially 45 days after a knockout loss.

The World Boxing Council (WBC), whose regional championship Kim held prior to relinquishing it for a WBA championship opportunity, announced during its annual convention of 1982 that many rules concerning fighters' medical care before fights needed to be changed. One of the most significant was the WBC's reduction of title fights from 15 rounds to 12. The World Boxing Association (WBA), which sanctioned the fatal match, and the International Boxing Federation (IBF) followed the WBC in 1987. When the World Boxing Organization (WBO) was formed in 1988, it immediately began operating with 12-round world championship bouts.

In Nevada, further regulations on a boxer's health were implemented following the 2005 deaths of Martín Sánchez and Leavander Johnson in separate matches. These regulations include regulations on weight cutting, concussions, and hydration that trainers must pass, including legalising sealed packets of sports beverages (instead of being water only), mandatory weights for gloves, and three ringside physicians on site that examine boxers at weigh-ins, before the contest, and immediately after the contest. In 2016, brain health testing became mandatory. Since these rules took effect, no boxer has been killed in Nevada matches.

Professional boxing record

Loss 17–2–1 Ray Mancini KO 14 November 13, 1982 Caesars Palace, Nevada, US For WBA Lightweight title; Kim died 5 days later. Kim's WBC OPBF title vacated. Win 17–1–1 Tadao Ishido TKO 4 July 18, 1982 Seoul, South Korea For Kim's WBC OPBF lightweight title Win 16–1–1 Nick Caputol UD 10 June 21, 1982 Seoul, South Korea Non-Championship bout Win 15–1–1

UD 12 May 30, 1982 Seoul, South Korea For Kim's WBC OPBF lightweight title Win 14–1–1

KO 1 April 4, 1982 Seoul, South Korea For Kim's WBC OPBF lightweight title Win 13–1–1 Kwang-min Kim UD 12 February 28, 1982 Seoul, South Korea For WBC OPBF lightweight title Win 12–1–1 Katsuhiro Okubo TKO 3 December 12, 1981 Seoul, South Korea Win 11–1–1 Flash Romeo KO 4 September 9, 1981 Seoul, South Korea Win 10–1–1 Jun Escalera PTS 10 August 16, 1981 Seoul, South Korea Win 9–1–1 Hong-kyu Lim TKO 4 April 22, 1981 Seoul, South Korea Win 8–1–1 Pil-gu Lee PTS 10 December 6, 1980 Seoul, South Korea Lightweight title Win 7–1–1 Tony Flores TKO 8 July 16, 1980 Metro Manila, Philippines Win 6–1–1 Han-ki Choi KO 8 June 21, 1980 Seoul, South Korea

5–1–1 Chang-pyo Kim PTS 8 February 26, 1980 Pusan, South Korea Win 5–1 Young-dae Kim PTS 4 October 6, 1979 Seoul, South Korea Win 4–1 Suk-soo Chang PTS 4 September 1, 1979 Seoul, South Korea Win 3–1 Myung-soo Park KO 1 March 25, 1979 Ulsan, South Korea Loss 2–1 Jong-sil Lee PTS 4 December 9, 1978 Seoul, South Korea Win 2–0 Young-wung Sung PTS 4 December 8, 1978 Seoul, South Korea Win 1–0 Myung-soo Park PTS 4 December 7, 1978 Seoul, South Korea Professional debut

In popular culture Champion is a 2002 South Korean film about the life and career of Kim, played by Yu Oh-seong.

The Warren Zevon song "Boom Boom Mancini" references the fatal fight with Kim.

The San Francisco-based band Sun Kil Moon's first album, Ghosts of the Great Highway, includes a fifteen-minute track titled "Duk Koo Kim" which references the Mancini fight. The song was included in a 2011 article titled "Sports Illustrateds Ultimate Playlist".

The 2012 Mark Kriegel biography The Good Son: The Life of Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini and related film The Good Son feature as part of its story denouement Kim's girlfriend and son visiting Mancini and his children 29 years after the fatal contest. Kim Chi-wan requested to visit to Mancini when Kriegel interviewed Lee and Kim for the documentary.