HE never won a world title, but for many, more so the ‘old school’ boxing fans, Terrence Alli’s name will forever be etched in their memories as the fighter who carried the ‘Golden Arrowhead’ around the world, one ‘back flip’ after another.
Today, the fighter who finished his career with 52 wins; the most by any Guyanese professional fighter, struggles to make ends meet and rely on his farm to make a living.
Terrence Alli is actually his alias. His real name is Terrence Halley. He explained that persons began to pronounce his name as ‘Alli’ and stuck with it.
“Terrence Alli is one of the best boxers to ever leave Guyana to fight in America. Terrence Alli was two-time United States Champion, two-time North American champion and rated number one in the world, the most wins on ESPN; Terrence Alli is a bad old man. That’s how I will describe who Terrence Alli is,” the now 58-year-old fighter told Chronicle Sport in an exclusive interview at the Lama Avenue, Bel Air, Georgetown location.
The life and career of Terrence Alli embodies both the glory and the tragedy that often lurk not far from one another in the world of boxing. He was an exciting, eccentric and socially-conscious fighter who became the world’s top super lightweight contender.
Perhaps sadder still, by all accounts he feels he has been forsaken by the country that he always proudly represented with such patriotic vigour, even when he had to go abroad to advance his career.
“Right now I’m trying to do some farming. As I graduated from Burnham Agricultural Institute years ago and now I’m putting that back in my farm in order to maintain a living, so when people see Terrence Alli coming down the street, you don’t have to turn your head thinking he will be you, because Terrence Alli don’t beg people for nothing; I’m surviving by the grace of God,” Alli said with his usual charismatic smile.
Alli finished his career with 52 wins (25 by knock out), 15 losses and two draws but will be forever remembered as one of the best fighters Guyana has ever produced – to never win a world title.
His first shot at a world title was in 1985 against Harry Arroyo for the IBF World Lightweight Title but, the Guyanese was knocked out by the American.
FLASH BACK: Guyana’s Terrence Alli (right) exchanges punches with legend Julio Cesar Chavez for the WBC World Super Lightweight Title. (Photo credit: Holly Stein/Allsport).
Mexican great Jose Luis Ramirez and Alli fought in 1987 for the vacant WBC World Lightweight Title, his second title fight, but the Lindener lost the fight by Unanimous Decision.
Ramirez would later surrender that title to Julio Cesar Chavez – Alli’s final shot at a world title.
Guyanese at home and abroad were glued to their television screens to witness the classic showdown, hoping that Alli could take down the man who at the time had defended his title against the likes of Hector Camacho, Angel Hernandez and Meldrick Taylor.
However, Chavez punished Alli throughout the fight before putting the prized Guyanese fighter down 42 seconds into the sixth round of their 12-round encounter.
“That man does hit like when donkey kick yuh. By far the hardest that I’ve been hit in the ring,” Alli joked when asked about his Chavez encounter. “That was a tough fight. I had caught him with some good shots, but not enough. I remember my trainer telling me to get close, so I had to ask him if he wants to step into the ring and help me take those punches.”
Asked about his accumulated wealth, Alli said it’s a preconceived notion that he made a lot of money in his career, telling Chronicle Sport “All my fights on ESPN, I never made over $7 500, and I had to take care of my family, kids, wife, a house, pay mortgage, rent; so I never made no big money until I fought Chavez where they had wanted to pay me $100 000 and I had to get a lawyer, then I ended up getting over $300 000. That’s the biggest money I’ve ever made.”
“I had three big fights, three world title fights and I made $60 000 in one and I think $40 000 in the other. I can’t remember properly, but Chavez fight is where I actually made money,” Alli stated.
Meanwhile, Alli was blunt when speaking about the recognition given by Guyana, telling Chronicle Sport, “Being the best boxer from Guyana, I think I deserved better from Guyana. When I came back, people got the wrong idea; they thought I made a lot of money, but I didn’t.
“So instead of giving me a house lot, like Jagdeo gave me just a house lot, but I can’t do nothing because I’m not financially set, so I couldn’t have done anything with it.”
“They used my name to do stuff, but they’re not coming to get Terrence Alli. Terrence Alli don’t even have a TV to see what’s going on, I just hear by people telling me that they had something with my name, so I guess people in Guyana should be more upfront and come get me when they have tournaments and boxing using my name,” the former US champion pointed out.
FIGHTING FOR SURVIVAL
“I fight for survival and whatever it takes to maintain and get a meal when the day comes,” Alli sternly pronounced with his slurred speech.
Visibly shaking like Muhammed Ali in his early stage of his Parkinson’s disease, Terrence Alli explained that at first, all was well, since he had occupied the home of his late parents in Mahaicony, but things took a turn when one of his siblings, his sister to be exact, returned from the U.S. and had him forcefully removed with the help of the police.
“I have a sister that I took to America in 1985, and she came back to Guyana, she got the police and put me out the house; a house that I took care of because Sam Hinds had given me some money to do the roof and so on and now she’s living in the house.”
“I would like to tell All Guyanese, you’re watching the best boxer, Guyana has ever produced. Even when I’m dead and gone, the talk will be around, Terrence Alli is the best and the ‘baddest boxer’ Guyana has ever seen. I personally think Guyana should do something for me, because people know Terrence Alli has done so much for their country, flying the flag of Guyana throughout the world,” Alli said.
“I’m not from Georgetown; born in Mahaicony, raised in Linden but Terrence Alli is still the best Guyanese fighter. When I watch myself back, I say damn, that guy can fight.”
Terrence Alli, was over the weekend named as an inductee of the New York State Boxing Hall of Fame.
The seventh annual New York State Boxing Hall of Fame (NYSBHOF) induction dinner will be held on April 29, at Russo’s On the Bay in Howard Beach, New York.
Each attending inductee (or direct descendant of) will receive a custom-designed belt signifying his or her induction into the NYSBHOF.
