Craig Payne

Craig Payne (May 22, 1961 – April 7, 2017) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1985 to 2001. He challenged once for the IBO heavyweight title in 1992. As an amateur, he won the National Golden Gloves super heavyweight title in 1983.

Payne was a standout football player at Chillicothe (Ohio) High School, graduating in 1979. He moved to Livonia, Michigan, in July of that year and began boxing in order to lose weight. Payne won a gold medal at the 1982 National Sports Festival, followed by the National Golden Gloves title in 1983 after decisioning a young Mike Tyson.

Payne upset three-time Olympic champion Teófilo Stevenson en route to a gold medal at the 1983 North American Championships in Houston, Texas. At the Boxing World Cup held in Italy the following month, he took home the silver medal after losing to Francesco Damiani in the final.

Payne made his professional debut in 1985, defeating Cleveland Ingram via second-round knockout in Detroit. However, he didn't compete for six years before returning in 1991, well past his prime. Payne's pro career was quite surprising largely because he was completely out of shape often coming in at 300 lbs. His most notable success was a KO of previously undefeated Samson Po'uha.