Marvin Camel

Marvin Camel (born December 24, 1951) is a Native American former professional boxer who competed from 1974 to 1990. He was the first cruiserweight world champion, having held the WBC title in 1980 and the IBF title from 1983 to 1984. Furthermore, while many boxers of Native American descent had previously won world titles, Camel was the first Native American tribal member to become a major world boxing champion.

Early life Marvin Camel was born December 24, 1951, in Ronan, Montana, part of the Flathead Indian Reservation. His father was Henry Camel Sr. (né Campbell), an African-American WWII Navy veteran, and his mother was Alice Nenemay of the Pend d'Oreilles. Through his mother, Marvin Camel is a registered member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes.

Camel grew up in a house with a wood stove and no running water. He had thirteen siblings, including one half-sibling with a different father. The elder Camel, who worked as a ranch hand twelve hours a day every day, was a strict disciplinarian who would beat Marvin with a belt. Marvin and most of his siblings were bullied on the reservation due to their partial African-American heritage, getting into a lot of fights growing up; his half-sibling was the only one who wasn't black. Camel won the match, which led to the WBC sanctioning a cruiserweight title fight between him and Mate Parlov. Held in Split, Yugoslavia on December 8, 1979, the two fought to a fifteen-round draw in the first ever cruiserweight world title bout. In the rematch, held on March 5, 1980 in Las Vegas, Camel beat Parlov by unanimous decision after fifteen rounds for the inaugural WBC world cruiserweight title. Later that year, he lost the title in his first defense to Carlos De León, who had replaced David Pearce. After losing in a rematch to De León, he became the IBF's first world cruiserweight champion by beating Roddy MacDonald on December 13, 1983 in Halifax; MacDonald had also replaced David Pearce after the BBBoC would not sanction the cruiserweight division in the UK. Thus, Camel became a two-time cruiserweight world champion, the second in history after Carlos De León. Like the WBC title, he lost his first defense, this time against Lee Roy Murphy in 1984.

Following his second title reign, Camel went 2–2–8 in his last 12 fights. He lost his final bout in June 1990 against Eddie “Young Joe Louis” Taylor in Minneapolis. The ten-round decision left his lifetime mark at 45-13-5.

Camel's pro career took him from Ronan to thirteen states and seven foreign nations on three continents.

“I’ve had a good life, as far as boxing is concerned, winning two world titles, losing world titles, seeing the world,” Camel said in 2015. “Some things people only dream about having, I did it. I’ve been there. I’ve been to the top of the mountain. But I feel there’s still something out there that I’ve got to have, and I don’t know what it is.”

He is the subject of a biography released in December 2014, titled 'Warrior in the Ring' by Brian D'Ambrosio. The book was nominated for a High Plains Book Award and several other awards.

In December 2014, D'Ambrosio and Camel attended the 52nd Annual World Boxing Convention.

Honors In 2006 at the World Boxing Council's 44th annual convention, WBC President José Sulaimán awarded Camel honorary champion status.

Professional boxing record