Olympic champion boxer Howard Davis Jr, who won the 1976 gold medal and was named over US teammate Sugar Ray Leonard as the most outstanding fighter in the Montreal Games, has died of cancer.
His diagnosis of stage four lung cancer in February just before his birthday came as a shock because he had never smoked. The cancer spread to his liver, and the family chose to discontinue treatment in a hospital this week. In the 1976 Olympics, Davis was voted the outstanding boxer, out-polling his teammates Leonard, and Michael and Leon Spinks.

His mother died three days before the Montreal Games, and he considered withdrawing. Instead, he stayed, and dedicated his lightweight gold medal to his mother’s memory. Davis was considered by many to be better than Leonard on the star-studded 1976 American team. As a pro, however, his career never matched his Olympic exploits. The gold medal awarded to Davis was a story unto itself.

Davis retired from boxing in 1996 with a professional record of 36-6-1 with 14 knockouts, according to his biography on the Howard Davis Jr. Foundation’s website. Davis went on to train mixed martial arts fighters, including Chuck Liddell.