Marvin Camel (born December 24, 1951) is a Native American former professional boxer who competed from 1974 to 1990. He was the first cruiserweight world champion, having held the WBC title in 1980 and the IBF title from 1983 to 1984. Furthermore, while many boxers of Native American descent had previously won world titles, Camel was the first Native American tribal member to become a major world boxing champion.

Early life Marvin Camel was born December 24, 1951, in Ronan, Montana, part of the Flathead Indian Reservation. His father was Henry Camel Sr. (né Campbell), an African-American WWII Navy veteran, and his mother was Alice Nenemay of the Pend d'Oreilles. Through his mother, Marvin Camel is a registered member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes.

Camel grew up in a house with a wood stove and no running water. He had thirteen siblings, including one half-sibling with a different father. The elder Camel, who worked as a ranch hand twelve hours a day every day, was a strict disciplinarian who would beat Marvin with a belt. Marvin and most of his siblings were bullied on the reservation due to their partial African-American heritage, getting into a lot of fights growing up; his half-sibling was the only one who wasn't black.

In high school, Camel was a star athlete, having set a school record in track and being all-conference in football and basketball, as well as a stint at baseball. He took up boxing at fifteen and became a local AAU and Golden Gloves champion, making the national finals of both a combined fifteen times.

Professional boxing career Marvin Camel fought Bill Sharkey in the first cruiserweight title fight ever when the NABF sanctioned a bout for its continental title on June 5, 1979. Camel won the match, which led to the WBC sanctioning a cruiserweight title fight between him and Mate Parlov. Held in Split, Yugoslavia on December 8, 1979, the two fought to a fifteen-round draw in the first ever cruiserweight world title bout. In the rematch, held on March 5, 1980 in Las Vegas, Camel beat Parlov by unanimous decision after fifteen rounds for the inaugural WBC world cruiserweight title. Later that year, he lost the title in his first defense to Carlos De León, who had replaced David Pearce. After losing in a rematch to De León, he became the IBF's first world cruiserweight champion by beating Roddy MacDonald on December 13, 1983 in Halifax; MacDonald had also replaced David Pearce after the BBBoC would not sanction the cruiserweight division in the UK. Thus, Camel became a two-time cruiserweight world champion, the second in history after Carlos De León. Like the WBC title, he lost his first defense, this time against Lee Roy Murphy in 1984.

Following his second title reign, Camel went 2–2–8 in his last 12 fights. He lost his final bout in June 1990 against Eddie “Young Joe Louis” Taylor in Minneapolis. The ten-round decision left his lifetime mark at 45-13-5.

Camel's pro career took him from Ronan to thirteen states and seven foreign nations on three continents.

“I’ve had a good life, as far as boxing is concerned, winning two world titles, losing world titles, seeing the world,” Camel said in 2015. “Some things people only dream about having, I did it. I’ve been there. I’ve been to the top of the mountain. But I feel there’s still something out there that I’ve got to have, and I don’t know what it is.”

He is the subject of a biography released in December 2014, titled 'Warrior in the Ring' by Brian D'Ambrosio. The book was nominated for a High Plains Book Award and several other awards.

In December 2014, D'Ambrosio and Camel attended the 52nd Annual World Boxing Convention.

Honors In 2006 at the World Boxing Council's 44th annual convention, WBC President José Sulaimán awarded Camel honorary champion status.

Professional boxing record

ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes62Loss45–13–4Eddie TaylorMD1011 Jun 1990 61Loss45–12–4Joe HippTKO6 (10)2 Dec 1989 60Win45–11–4Jerome HillUD86 Nov 1989 59Win44–11–4J.J. CottrellUD1025 Sep 1989 58Draw43–11–4Trent SurrattTD1 (?), 10 Aug 1989 57Loss43–11–3James SalernoTKO631 May 1988 56Loss43–10–3Ralf RocchigianiPTS1026 Apr 1988 55Loss43–9–3Taoufik BelbouliTKO410 Oct 1987 54Loss43–8–3Virgil HillKO1 (10), 1 May 1987 53Loss43–7–3José María Flores BurlónUD108 Aug 1986 52Draw43–6–3Jimmy BillsPTS1022 May 1986 51Loss43–6–2Lee Roy MurphyRTD14 (15), 6 Oct 1984 50Win43–5–2Roddy MacDonaldTKO5 (15), 13 Dec 1983 49Win42–5–2Rocky SekorskiRTD8 (12)21 May 1983 48Loss41–5–2John OdhiambhoTKO2 (8) 11 Feb 1983 47Win41–4–2Leonardo RodgersRTD4 (12)30 Jun 1982 46Loss40–4–2Carlos de LeónTKO8 (15)24 Feb 1982 45Win40–3–2Bash AliUD122 Oct 1981 44Win39–3–2Willie ShannonTKO3 (12), 11 Aug 1981 43Win38–3–2Rahim MuhammadUD125 May 1981 42Win37–3–2Ron DraperTKO6 (10), 24 Apr 1981 41Loss36–3–2Carlos de LeónMD1525 Nov 1980 40Win36–2–2Mate ParlovUD1531 Mar 1980 39 Draw35–2–2Mate ParlovMD158 Dec 1979 38Win35–2–1David CabreraKO3 (10), 30 Aug 1979 37Win34–2–1Macka FoleyTKO2 (10), 1 Aug 1979 36Win33–2–1Bill SharkeyUD125 Jun 1979 35Win32–2–1David SmithTKO 9 (10)24 Apr 1979 34Win31–2–1Jim IngramUD1028 Feb 1979 33Win30–2–1Bob HeflinKO2 (10), 3 Jan 1979 32Win29–2–1Tom BetheaKO2 (12), 11 Nov 1978 31Win28–2–1Dale GrantUD1213 Sep 1978 30Win27–2–1Ibar ArringtonUD1022 Aug 197829Win26–2–1Chuck WarfieldKO5 (10)27 May 1978 28Win25–2–1Pete McIntyreUD107 Apr 197827Win24–2–1Bobby LloydUD109 Mar 1978 26Win23–2–1David SmithUD108 Feb 197825Win22–2–1Karl ZurheideRTD7 (10), 8 Dec 197724Win21–2–1Ron WilsonUD1029 Aug 197723Loss20–2–1 Danny BrewerTKO6 (10)28 Jun 197722Win20–1–1Gary SummerhaysUD126 May 197721Draw19–1–1Dale GrantPTS1015 Feb 197720Win19–1Lionel FordUD1026 Jan 197719Win18–1Larry CastanedaUD1020 Nov 197618Win17–1Matthew Saad MuhammadMD1023 Oct 197617Win16–1Johnny TownsendUD1025 Sep 197616Win15–1Johnny TownsendUD1028 Aug 197615Loss14–1Matthew Saad MuhammadSD1017 Jul 197614Win14–0Angel OquendoUD108 May 197613Win13–0Rafael GutierrezUD107 Apr 197612Win12–0Don MelonconTKO3 (10), 18 Feb 197611Win11–0Pedro VegaKO1 (10), 14 Jan 197610Win10–0Danny BrewerUD1019 Nov 19759Win9–0Terry LeeTKO8 (10), 24 Sep 19758Win8–0Ron WilsonUD1020 Aug 19757Win7–0Fernando Lee JonesRTD6 (10)28 May 19756Win6–0Amado VasquezKO3 (10), 30 Apr 19755Win5–0Jack JohnsonUD82 Apr 19754Win4–0Chico ValdezKO2 (6), 19 Feb 19753Win3–0George ClarkTKO4 (6), 22 Jan 19752Win2–0James T. JacksonTKO4 (6), 25 Feb 19741Win1–0Joe WilliamsonTKO1 (4), 25 Jun 1973

See also List of cruiserweight boxing champions

References

External links

Marvin Camel - Montana Magazine Marvin Camel - CBZ Profile