1992 Greater Flint Afro-American Hall of Fame Inductee
Category: BOXING
Parents: George and Sally Wright
Wife: Carolyn Wright
Daughter: Hellena Joyce
Son: Kenneth Eugene
Paul Wright was born in Flint, and attended Flint schools. Boxing seemed to be what Paul liked best as a youngster. He began boxing at the age of 14, training under the late great Flint boxer, Dee Cavette (also an inductee in the GFAAFH). In 1951 and 1952, Paul won the Golden Gloves Middleweight Championship. He also captured the State Middleweight Championship in Grand Rapids in 1952.
When Paul entered the service, he was able to hone his boxing skills. He fought out of Kansas City where he was stationed, and won the State of Missouri Open Middleweight Championship in 1954. Later that same year he won the Chicago Tournament of Champions Middleweight title, the Inter-Service World Wide Middleweight Championship and the International Golden Gloves Middleweight Championship. In 1954, by virtue of his International Golden Gloves title he became the first Flint, United States Golden Gloves Champion. No other vehicle city fighter had ever won a U.S. Golden Gloves title. This feat placed him among the all time Flint amateur ring greats. Paul was selected on a 10-man U.S. boxing team to challenge Europe’s best in 1954. He continued to use his accurate right hand and effective left jab, frequently weaving and bobbing to overcome many outstanding fighters from all over the world.
In 1955, he was Air Force World Champion and the National A.A.U. Middleweight Champion. Paul was a Gold Medal Middleweight Champion in the Pan American Olympic Games. In 1956, he repeated winning four titles he captured in 1955 (the Inter-Service Middleweight Crown, Air Force World Middleweight Champion, National A.A.U. Middleweight Champion and the National A.A.U. Outstanding Boxer of the Tournament).
Paul ended his amateur boxing career in 1956. By that time he had won every amateur title in existence except a U.S. Olympic Crown. Paul, a very dynamic fighter, won the hearts of fight fans throughout the United States.
His professional career was from 1957-1962, with a record of 45 won and two lost. He traveled with Floyd Patterson, Heavyweight Champion of the World, and was his number one sparring partner. Both were managed by the late Cus D’Amato. Paul lives in Oakland, California with his family and is employed as a security supervisor.
