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Thad Spencer

1943 – 2013

American boxer

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About Thad Spencer

Lived 1943 – 2013 (aged 70). Thad Spencer was an American boxer.

Thaddeus Spencer Jr. (March 28, 1943 – December 13, 2013) was an American heavyweight boxer.

A native of Portland, Oregon, Spencer made his professional boxing debut in May 1960. After building up a 31–5 record, Spencer was considered one of the top boxers of his time. With wins over contenders Doug Jones, Brian London, George Johnson, Tom McNeeley and Amos Lincoln, he was regarded highly enough to be a part of the eight-man WBA elimination tournament, held after Muhammad Ali had been stripped of the title. Spencer won a 12-round decision over former title-holder Ernie Terrell in August 1967 and was then matched against Jerry Quarry in the semi-finals. Despite entering the bout as a 6–4 favorite, Spencer lost to Quarry by a 12th-round TKO. Spencer lost his next three fights by knockout, to Leotis Martin, Billy Walker and Mac Foster, and was never a serious title contender again. He continued boxing until 1971, though without winning another bout.

Spencer died in his sleep on December 13, 2013, in Vallejo, California. Spencer's son, Todd Spencer, was a football star for U.S.C., and played three seasons in the NFL for the Steelers and the Chargers.

Professional boxing record

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Important facts

People in Thad Spencer's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Thad Spencer's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Thad Spencer?

American boxer

When was Thad Spencer born?

Thad Spencer was born on 28 March 1943 in Portland.

When did Thad Spencer die?

Thad Spencer died on 13 December 2013 in Vallejo, California.

What was Thad Spencer's occupation?

Thad Spencer was a boxer.

What nationality was Thad Spencer?

Thad Spencer was American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Thad Spencer

· Wikidata: Q7708946

· DBpedia: Thad Spencer

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Thad Spencer. https://biography.guide/thad-spencer/

MLA: "Thad Spencer." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/thad-spencer/.

Chicago: "Thad Spencer." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/thad-spencer/.

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