Antwun Echols

Antwun Echols (December 4, 1970 – July 2, 2023) was an American boxer who was a world middleweight contender throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s. His hometown was Davenport, Iowa.

He missed out on a spot on the 1992 United States Olympic boxing team by losing to Raúl Márquez in the final of the trials.

Echols turned professional in 1993. In 1999, he challenged IBF middleweight title holder Bernard Hopkins but lost via decision. The following year he lost a rematch with Hopkins, this time losing via technical knock-out in the 10th round.

In 2001, he fought Charles Brewer. Echols went down three times in round two, but recovered in round three to score a technical knock-out win to capture the vacant NABA super middleweight title. In 2003, Echols had another opportunity for a title shot after the WBA Super Middleweight Title was vacated when Sven Ottke was upgraded to 'Super' champion status. He battled Anthony Mundine for the vacant title, but lost a close decision. In 2005, Echols lost an IBF Middleweight Eliminator to Kingsley Ikeke when he was stopped in the 10th round.

Echols's record from 2005 to his retirement was 1–16–3, as his run as a championship caliber fighter had long ended. In October 2015, Echols was defeated by Derrick Findley in three rounds. It was the seventh consecutive bout in which he lost in the third round. His lasted recorded interview is in the Amazon podcast Everipedia Boxing Show with Matthew E. O'Neil. Echols lost his last ten professional boxing matches, including losses to Mike Jimenez and to Lamar Russ.

On July 30, 2007, in Davenport, Iowa, Echols was shot in the leg while trying to break up a fight. In 2013, when asked how many children he has, he replied "Twenty-three, I think," admitting it could be more. At the time, he was living with his fiancé and four children in Dade City, Florida.

Echols died on July 2, 2023, at the age of 52. He had been suffering from diabetes.