Wesley Ramey
Born: Sept. 17, 1909
Died: March 10, 1997
Bouts: 195
Won: 158
Lost: 26
Drew: 11
KOs: 9
Induction: 2013
Born Wesley Andrew Ramey on September 17, 1909 in Everett, Michigan.
One of the star lightweights of the 1930s, Ramey turned pro in 1929 following a brief amateur career. Fighting primarily in his hometown of Grand Rapids, Ramey was a busy fighter, fighting 21 times in 1930 alone. In 1932 he defeated former featherweight and junior lightweight champion Benny Bass (W 10). 1933 saw Ramey score wins over future junior welterweight king Battling Shaw (W 10), former junior welterweight champion Johnny Jadick (W 10) and one of the biggest victories of his career, a 10-round win over lightweight champion Tony Canzoneri in a non-title affair. Ramey continued to rack up wins over top-notch opposition, including Cocoa Kid (W 10), but a title bout eluded him. The Michigan stylist became known to boxing aficionados as the “Uncrowned Lightweight Champion.” In 1934 and 1935 he traveled the globe plying his trade, registering wins in Australia, South Africa and England. Upon returning to the States, he continued his winning ways over the likes of Jadick (W 10), Lew Jenkins (W 10, W 10) and Leo Rodak (W 12, W 10). Unable to land a coveted title bout, the clever boxing Ramey, who combined speed and finesse to beat his opposition, retired in 1941 with a record of 158-26-11 (9 KOs).
In retirement he trained amateur and professional fighters in Grand Rapids. Ramey died on March 10, 1997.