Ernest Mateen (June 3, 1966 – November 6, 2012, in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, New York), nicknamed 'M-16', was a United States and IBU Cruiserweight (boxing) champion. He was shot to death by his wife in a case of probable self-defense.[1]

Ernest Mateen

Amateur career

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As an amateur boxer in New York City, M-16 Mateen won two New York Golden Gloves Championships. Mateen won the 1988 and 1989 178 pound Open Championships. In 1988, Mateen defeated Clinton Mitchell of the Police Athletic League in the finals to win the Championship. Mitchell then turned pro and defeated Bernard Hopkins on December 11, 1988, in their professional debuts. M-16 Mateen remained an amateur, and in 1989 repeated as 178 pound Open Champion again by defeating Jade Scott of the Police Athletic League in the New York Golden Gloves championship final. Mateen trained at the Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn BA in 1988 and at Gleason's Gym in 1989.[2] He was trained in the amateurs by his father, Ernest Mateen Sr., an auto mechanic and a father of nine, who was shot and killed in mid-afternoon in a crowded open-air vegetable market in Canarsie, Brooklyn in May 1990.[3]

Professional career

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M-16 Mateen turned pro in the Light heavyweight boxing division on January 13, 1991, and won by decision over undefeated David Telesco, who went on to become the USBA Light heavyweight champion ranked # 1 by the WBC, WBA and IBF. Mateen drew with, then later defeated Tim Wilson, and won by decision over David Telesco again. M-16 Mateen went undefeated in his first twenty professional bouts, including wins over 12-0 Steve Pannell and 20-0 Billy Lewis. M-16 Mateen also defeated Kevin Watts, Dale Jackson, and Drake Thadzi (who later defeated James Toney), fighters with a combined 65 wins, en route to winning the Nevada State and World Boxing Council Continental Americas Light heavyweight boxing title and rising as high as # 2 in the world ratings, before losing his title in the tenth round to Charles Williams (boxer). Williams had fought in 11 consecutive IBF Light heavyweight world title fights before fighting Mateen. In a controversial ending, M-16 Mateen was later disqualified in the fifth round of a Light heavyweight world title bout against champion James Toney.

M-16 Mateen went on to decision John Scully twice, later known as the trainer of Chad Dawson, and drew with future Cruiserweight (boxing) champion O'Neil Bell. M-16 went on to win the United States Boxing Organization Cruiserweight title by 12-round decision over Joey DeGrandis. M-16 Mateen went on to win the International Boxing Union version of the Cruiserweight (boxing) title, stopping Uriah Grant twice in title bouts. Grant went on to stop Thomas Hearns.

M-16 Mateen finished with a professional record 30-12-3 with 10 knockouts. In his last two fights, M-16 Mateen lost to future top contender Matt Godfrey, but finished his career with a ten-round unanimous decision over veteran Terry Porter in Memphis, Tennessee, on June 10, 2006, leaving the ring a winner at age 40.[4]

Professional boxing record

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30 Wins (10 knockouts, 20 decisions), 12 Losses (10 knockouts, 2 decisions), 3 Draws [1]
Result Record Opponent Type Round Date Location Notes
Win 30-12-3   Terry Porter UD 10 10/06/2006   Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
Loss 29-12-3   Matt Godfrey TKO 2 13/02/2006   Dunkin Donuts Center, Providence, Rhode Island, U.S. Referee stopped the bout at 1:51 of the second round.
Win 29-11-3   Ronnie Smith UD 6 21/01/2006   Olive Branch, Mississippi, U.S.
Win 28-11-3   Uriah Grant TKO 8 15/11/2003   Boynton Beach, Florida, U.S. IBU Cruiserweight Title. Referee stopped the bout at 1:10 of the eighth round.
Loss 27-11-3   Vassiliy Jirov TKO 7 07/08/2003   Pechanga Resort and Casino, Temecula, California, U.S. Referee stopped the bout at 1:09 of the seventh round.
Loss 27-10-3   Rich LaMontagne TKO 6 02/05/2003   Foxwoods Resort Casino, Mashantucket, Connecticut, U.S.
Win 27-9-3   Uriah Grant TD 9 09/11/2002   South Florida Fairgrounds Expo Center, West Palm Beach, Florida, U.S. USBO Cruiserweight Title. Doctor stopped the bout due to a cut.
Win 26-9-3   Joey DeGrandis UD 12 27/09/2002   Ramada, Rosemont, Illinois, U.S. USBO Cruiserweight Title.
Draw 25-9-3   O'Neil Bell TD 3 26/04/2002   Ramada, Rosemont, Illinois, U.S. Referee stopped the bout due to a cut caused by an accidental headbut.
Win 25-9-2   Iceman John Scully UD 8 19/04/2001   New Haven Coliseum, New Haven, Connecticut, U.S.
Loss 24-9-2   Antonio Tarver KO 1 29/02/2000   Plaza Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
Loss 24-8-2   Will Taylor TKO 6 07/11/1997   First Union Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. IBF USBA Light Heavyweight Title. Referee stopped the bout at 3:00 of the sixth round.
Draw 24-7-2   Chris Johnson TD 3 03/10/1997   Tropicana Hotel & Casino, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
Win 24-7-1   Iceman John Scully UD 10 29/06/1997   Dressler Arena, Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.
Loss 23-7-1   David Telesco TKO 8 11/04/1997   Capitol Theater, Port Chester, New York, U.S. New York Light Heavyweight Title.
Loss 23-6-1   Imamu Mayfield TKO 4 03/05/1996   Somerset, New Jersey, U.S. Referee stopped the bout at 0:48 of the fourth round.
Loss 23-5-1   James Toney DQ 5 09/09/1995   Caesars Palace, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. WBU Light Heavyweight Title. Mateen disqualified at 2:59 of the fifth round.
Loss 23-4-1   Tim Hillie PTS 10 29/04/1995   US Air Arena, Landover, Maryland, U.S.
Loss 23-3-1   Garry Delaney TKO 7 18/03/1995   Green Glens Arena, Millstreet, Ireland WBO Intercontinental Light Heavyweight Title.
Win 23-2-1   Ron Preston PTS 10 18/11/1994   Webster, Massachusetts, U.S.
Win 22-2-1   Luis Oliveira TKO 1 30/09/1994   Worcester, Massachusetts, U.S.
Loss 21-2-1   Rudy Nix TKO 2 30/06/1994   Trump Castle, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
Loss 21-1-1   Charles Williams TKO 10 07/04/1994   Robinsonville, Mississippi, U.S. WBC Continental Americas Light Heavyweight Title.
Win 21-0-1   Robert Thomas PTS 10 21/01/1994   Hotel Pennsylvania, New York City, New York, U.S.
Win 20-0-1   John McClain UD 10 09/12/1993   Paramount Theatre, New York City, New York, U.S.
Win 19-0-1   Billy Lewis TKO 10 06/10/1993   Harrah's Atlantic City, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. WBC Continental Americas Light Heavyweight Title.
Win 18-0-1   Tim St Clair UD 10 30/07/1993   Ramada, New York City, New York, U.S. New York Light Heavyweight Title.
Win 17-0-1   Drake Thadzi MD 10 13/05/1993   Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
Win 16-0-1   Steve Pannell TKO 1 08/04/1993   Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
Win 15-0-1   Kevin Watts TKO 4 26/02/1993   Hauppauge, New York, U.S. Referee stopped the bout at 2:14 of the fourth round.
Win 14-0-1   John Spiros TKO 4 30/01/1993   New York City, New York, U.S.
Win 13-0-1   Roosevelt Williams TKO 7 04/12/1992   Bushkill, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Win 12-0-1   Hector Rosario PTS 10 23/10/1992   Bushkill, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Win 11-0-1   Jamal Arbubakar DQ 2 18/09/1992   Bushkill, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Win 10-0-1   Art Bayliss UD 8 31/07/1992   Bushkill, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Win 9-0-1   Keith Providence TKO 3 28/05/1992   Monticello, New York, U.S.
Win 8-0-1   Dale Jackson PTS 8 08/05/1992   Allentown, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Win 7-0-1   John Spiros SD 4 10/04/1992   New York City, New York, U.S.
Win 6-0-1 Julio Hernandez TKO 3 23/03/1992   Harrah's Atlantic City, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
Win 5-0-1   Exum Speight UD 4 06/03/1992   Callicoon, New York, U.S.
Win 4-0-1   Tim Wilson UD 4 16/01/1992   Elizabeth, New Jersey, U.S.
Win 3-0-1   David Telesco PTS 6 26/11/1991   Westchester County Center, White Plains, New York, U.S.
Win 2-0-1   Rick Beechum TKO 2 24/08/1991   Shawnee State University, Portsmouth, Ohio, U.S.
Draw 1-1   Tim Wilson PTS 4 17/05/1991   New York City, New York, U.S.
Win 1-0   David Telesco PTS 4 22/03/1991   Callicoon, New York, U.S.

Life after retirement

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Mateen worked as a licensed professional boxing trainer in New York and New Jersey, with particular attention to the career of his brother, rising light heavyweight boxer Hamid-Abdul Mateen.[2]

References

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  1. ^ Alexis Stevens (November 6, 2012). "Cops: Wife kills former pro boxer in self-defense". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved November 28, 2012.
  2. ^ a b Ernest Mateen - Boxrec Boxing Encyclopaedia
  3. ^ Failed Memories and Vanished Witness Follow Killing in a Market - New York Times
  4. ^ Ernest Mateen - Boxer
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