Sean O’Grady was born in Austin, Texas on February 10, 1959. His family moved to Oklahoma City at age 11, and he began his professional boxing career at the ridiculously young age of 15.
He earned the nickname the ‘Bubblegum Kid’ by chewing gum on his walk into the ring. He had an incredible record of 73-1 when he earned a shot at WBC champ Jim Watt’s title on November 1, 1980 in Glasgow, Scotland.
I remember watching the right on ABC TV, a prelim to the first broadcast of the Ali-Holmes massacre from 4 weeks earlier. Sean was winning the fight before it was stopped in the 12th rounds because of a huge gash he had on his forehead. It had been caused by a butt, and his subsequent protest earned him another shot at the championship the next spring.
The fight from Atlantic City on Easter Sunday, April 12, 1981 was for Hilmer Kenty’s WBA version of the crown. O’Grady suffered another cut, but dropped Kenty twice, in rounds two and eight, enroute to a unanimous decision victory.
Sean never defended his championship, and was stripped of his title later that year, He was knocked out by Andy Ganigan on October 31, boxed a few more years at retired at 24 years of age in 1983.
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