Mickey Goodwin , 50 , Kronk Boxing's first Star
Chris
BY ERIC LAWRENCE AND MIKE BRUDENELL . FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITERS . March 3,
2009
Mickey Goodwin, the Downriver boxer who became Kronk's first star, was found
bludgeoned to death in his home Tuesday, according to Melvindale Police.
Goodwin's body was discovered about 5 p.m. at the house on Ruth Street in
Melvindale he shared with his mother, said Lt. Keith Guyot.
Goodwin's mother was not home at the time.
Officers went to check on Goodwin, 50, after being told that he had not
shown up for work at the River Rouge gym where he trained boxers.
Police declined to release other details, but asked anyone with leads to
call 313-429-1070.
Trained by Emanuel Steward, Goodwin won the Golden Gloves title in 1975 and
turned professional two years later.
Goodwin (40-2-1, 28 KOs) and Thomas Hearns became Kronk's "KO Twins," but it
was the young Goodwin, with his Beatle haircut and good looks, who stole the
show.
Steward remembered a youngster from Melvindale coming into Detroit, taking
off his shirt and knocking out one of Steward's experienced Kronk fighters.
"He just kept turning up and knocking guys out," Steward said. "Mickey was
the big attraction at first at Olympia and around Detroit, not Tommy."
Steward said he had spoken recently to Goodwin about coming over to Mickey
Goodwin's River Rouge Boxing Club on Jefferson to look at a young
heavyweight he was training.
"I'm just shocked," Steward said. "He was getting his life together. When he
was boxing, he had all the Downriver people following him.
"Mickey was a star."
Goodwin, however, never won a championship belt. After a draw and a loss in
1985, he went eight years before his next fight. His last came Nov. 29,
1994, when he beat Jamie Stevenson on points in Royal Oak.
Referee Frank Garza officiated several of Goodwin's fights. Garza, who lives
in Lincoln Park, had spoken to Goodwin on Monday about a TV or radio boxing
show Goodwin had in mind.
"Mickey was a guy who was always offering to help you," Garza said. "He was
a super guy - that's what puzzles me, I don't know anyone who would want to
hurt him. He gave his time to kids at the gym. He was a real Damon
Runyon-type of character. I never saw a violent side of him. He took a lot
of pride in his work."
Garza rated him a very good middle and light heavyweight.
"He was underrated," Garza said. "He had weight problems throughout his
career. But he was a damn good fighter, an outstanding footballer and
athlete. I'm extremely shook up right now."
Hilmer Kenty, Kronk's first world champion, trained with Goodwin as an
amateur and pro.
"I liked Mickey; he was genuine," Kenty said. "We'd call him 'Sneaky P.' He'd
sneak that left hook into you. .
"He'd have climbed the middleweight ladder. His biggest opponent was his
weight. He had to move up to light heavy, and he was giving fighters 3 or 4
inches.