Man wrongly jailed for 26 years fulfills his lifelong dream of becoming a boxer - Polidicks

[URL="http://espn.go.com/boxing/story/_/id/7108340/exonerated-ex-con-dewey-bozella-wins-pro-boxing-debut-52"]ESPN[/URL] [release]LOS ANGELES -- Dewey Bozella landed a hard right cross on his opponent's jaw at the final bell, and the 52-year-old boxer raised his arms in victory. After 26 years behind bars for a murder he didn't commit, Bozella triumphantly realized a dream deferred in his first and only professional fight. Bozella won his pro boxing debut Saturday night, beating Larry Hopkins by unanimous decision in the latest stunning chapter of a remarkable life. [B][URL="http://espn.go.com/boxing/story/_/id/7108340/exonerated-ex-con-dewey-bozella-wins-pro-boxing-debut-52#"][IMG]http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2011/1015/boxing_a_mb_bozella_300.jpg[/IMG][/URL] [/B]"I used to lay in my cell and dream about this happening," Bozella said. "It was all worth it. It was my dream come true." Bozella caught the eye of Golden Boy Promotions, which is promoting the Oct. 15 card, after his life was chronicled in July on ESPN's annual ESPY Award show. Bozella was honored with the Arthur Ashe Courage Award on the show. Wrongfully convicted of killing 92-year-old Emma Crapser in 1983, Bozella earned two college degrees and became the light heavyweight champion of Sing Sing before he was exonerated in 2009. Golden Boy fulfilled Bozella's dream by putting him on the undercard of Bernard Hopkins' bout with Chad Dawson. His victory, punctuated by that devastating punch to Larry Hopkins' head at the final bell, brought the crowd to its feet. "This was my first and last fight," said Bozella, who lives in Newburgh, N.Y. "It's a young man's game. I did what I wanted to do, and I'm happy. I appreciate everybody that made this possible. This has been one of the greatest experiences of my life." Despite a complete lack of physical evidence, Bozella was convicted of killing Crapser on her way home after a night out playing bingo. He maintained his innocence throughout a quarter-century behind bars, even turning down a plea-bargain offer in 1990 that would have required admitting guilt, until his conviction was overturned. Bozella battered the winless Hopkins throughout the second half of their four-round fight. Hopkins, no relation to Bernard Hopkins, also lost points for losing his mouthpiece six times in the final round, apparently exhausted and unable to match Bozella's conditioning. "This guy is an incredible athlete, a remarkable man," said Bernard Hopkins, the 46-year-old light heavyweight champion who trained with Bozella in recent weeks. "I spent five years in the penitentiary, but not for something I didn't do. We understand what it takes to overcome your circumstances. Unless you've done it, you can't understand it. I have all respect for what Dewey has done with his life." [B]Bozella's Relentlessness Wins Out Again[/B] All along, Dewey Bozella's message to anyone who would listen was this: Never give up. On Saturday, in his first and only pro fight, he again practiced what he has preached, willing himself to a win, writes Cal Fussman. [URL="http://espn.go.com/boxing/story/_/id/7108941/dewey-bozella-relentlessness-again-pays-off"][B]Story[/B][/URL] Bozella didn't have a younger man's hand speed, but he moved with a confident ease and showed strong technique in the ring, constantly moving his head and outmaneuvering Larry Hopkins. Both cruiserweights absorbed big shots in the first two rounds, but Bozella was never hurt beyond a welt near his left eye. Bozella dominated the fourth round, even finishing the final seconds in style. After Hopkins spit his mouthpiece into the air and flailed at it with his boxing gloves, Bozella decked him with a right cross at the bell, leaving Hopkins woozy on the ropes. With his family and friends gathered around him in the ring, Bozella raised his gloves in victory when the judges favored him 39-36, 38-37 and 38-36. Bozella has never lived without tragedy. His father beat his pregnant mother to death when he was 9 years old, and two of his brothers were murdered on the Brooklyn streets. Four months after he moved to Poughkeepsie, N.Y., in 1977, he was suspected of killing Crapser, but not indicted by a grand jury. Bozella cleaned up a life of petty crime and embraced boxing at a gym run by former heavyweight champion Floyd Patterson, but he was arrested and convicted of Crapser's murder in December 1983 on the strength of false testimony from other convicts. Bozella's story attracted the attention of Oscar De La Hoya and his business associates, who arranged for Bozella to fight in Los Angeles after he passed the California State Athletic Commission's fitness requirements. Although the crowd loved Bozella's fight, he said he had "done what I needed to do." He hopes to spend his life training fighters in Newburgh. "I'm going to concentrate on the Dewey Bozella Foundation, which really means opening a gym in my town," Bozella said. "Because there are no gyms, and I'd like to see kids who are on the street have something productive to do. No more fighting for me."[/release]

I'm sure he learned how to fight real good from being in prison for 26 years.

[quote] Bozella earned two college degrees and became the light heavyweight champion of Sing Sing before he was exonerated in 2009.[/quote] Wow, good for him. I'm glad he seems to be living his life and trying to achieve all his goals and dreams.

Stories like this make my day.

How do you get degrees while in prison?

[QUOTE=Number-41;32817347]How do you get degrees while in prison?[/QUOTE] They let you

[QUOTE=Number-41;32817347]How do you get degrees while in prison?[/QUOTE] Inside of prison you're allowed too take job classes, and general education classes which aid you in getting a job if given the ability too leave prison.

Man, this is like something you'd see in a movie. Good to know stuff like this can still happen.

[QUOTE=RichyZ;32817604]you get free college in prison but not out of prison :)[/QUOTE] Free Healthcare too right? That's what I heard atleast.. What the fuck is up with the Prison System and Laws? Seems to be so fucked up in America that soon it all gonna collapse.

I hate when innocent people are sent to prison, especially for decades. I'm glad he's living his dreams but it still makes me sick to think about.

It looks like he's holding up a wrestling belt with the McDonalds logo in the middle. Kind of ironic...

Good for him. If we still based our rules on eye for an eye, he'd be dead now. So I guess we are getting somewhere as a society. [editline]16th October 2011[/editline] [QUOTE=RoflKawpter;32818708]It looks like he's holding up a wrestling belt with the McDonalds logo in the middle. Kind of ironic...[/QUOTE]How exactly is that ironic?

To Darkslicer and RichyZ noting the free college and healthcare; ironically, there are some people who intentionally commit crimes and get caught so they can be sent to jail/prison. Primarily because they get free living space, education, healthcare and such and don't have to worry about paying bills or such in the process. Nice to see this man accomplished his dream, even despite being 56-years-old and his innocence in his sentence and all.

[QUOTE=RikohZX;32819870]To Darkslicer and RichyZ noting the free college and healthcare; ironically, there are some people who intentionally commit crimes and get caught so they can be sent to jail/prison. Primarily because they get free living space, education, healthcare and such and don't have to worry about paying bills or such in the process. Nice to see this man accomplished his dream, even despite being 56-years-old and his innocence in his sentence and all.[/QUOTE] This is New York though. In Texas he might have been executed.

[QUOTE=Darkslicer;32817682]Free Healthcare too right? That's what I heard atleast.. What the fuck is up with the Prison System and Laws? Seems to be so fucked up in America that soon it all gonna collapse.[/QUOTE] Umm how us being able to educate yourself while incarcerated a bad thing

[QUOTE=JCDentonUNATCO;32814966]I'm sure he learned how to fight real good from being in prison for 26 years.[/QUOTE] I wonder if he gets his strength from any rage he might have...

Hopefully this will happen less and less with the advents in technology like DNA and all that.

[QUOTE=Cone;32817584]Man, this is like something you'd see in a movie. Good to know stuff like this can still happen.[/QUOTE] This [I]should[/I] be a movie.

[QUOTE=LegndNikko;32823704]This [I]should[/I] be a movie.[/QUOTE] Totally agree, I think it would be great to see a studio pick up the rights to it and do it justice. This sounds like a fascinating story and individual.

His attitude is very remarkable, I saw this on ESPN and watched him fight on the under card of Bhop vs Dawson

[img]http://i.somethingawful.com/forumsystem/emoticons/emot-unsmith.gif[/img]

Actually brought tears to my eyes reading this. That is such a tragic story at first, spending a quarter of his life basically cut off from the outside world. Yet, it's also so inspiring, I mean even just the fact that he got two college degrees while in and never gave up - and now he's finally free and was able to live out one of his biggest dreams. Just. Cool.

[QUOTE=RikohZX;32819870]To Darkslicer and RichyZ noting the free college and healthcare; ironically, there are some people who intentionally commit crimes and get caught so they can be sent to jail/prison. Primarily because they get free living space, education, healthcare and such and don't have to worry about paying bills or such in the process. Nice to see this man accomplished his dream, even despite being 56-years-old and his innocence in his sentence and all.[/QUOTE] I've found cases of homeless people getting themselves put in lockup for the weekend or something (hell they could probably just ask and the cops would let them) but I think you'd be hard pressed to find someone who actually commits a felony for the sole purpose of being taken to a prison.

his dream was to punch people in the face?

[QUOTE=Clio;32827916]his dream was to punch people in the face?[/QUOTE] No wonder he spent 26 years in prison.. Glad to see him living his dream though, I can't even begin to imagine what it's like being in prison for more than I have been on this planet.

[QUOTE=Zeke129;32827646]I've found cases of homeless people getting themselves put in lockup for the weekend or something (hell they could probably just ask and the cops would let them) but I think you'd be hard pressed to find someone who actually commits a felony for the sole purpose of being taken to a prison.[/QUOTE] [url]http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/man-robs-bank-medical-care-jail-143625999.html[/url]