Gov. Charles Turnbull is honoring former world welterweight champ, world middleweight champ, Boxing Hall of Fame member and St. Thomas resident Emile Griffith with a proclamation of Emile Griffith Week.
Turnbull declared the special week on Monday, after Griffith, 63, and his son visited Government House on St. Thomas.
Following his primary education in St. Thomas, the Griffith’s family relocated to New York City, where the soon-to-be champ pursued a career as a pro boxer. In 1958, Griffith won both the New City and intercity Golden Gloves Amateur Welterweight titles. From there he went on to become the world welterweight champion in 1961, 62-63, 63-65; and world middleweight champ in 1966-67, 67-68. His pro record was 85-24-2 with 23 knock outs.
Griffith was inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame as the seventh-best welterweight and the eighth-best middleweight champion of the world.
In issuing the proclamation, Turnbull called on the people of the Virgin Islands to salute Griffith, a native Virgin Islander, for his career.
