Brunch Boxing Remembers: George Benton
- Matthew Brown
- 5 days ago
- 3 min read
02/14/2026
They called him “The Mayor of North Philadelphia,” a fitting title for a man who carried the pride of his neighborhood into every ring he entered. George Benton was more than a gifted middleweight. He became one of the most respected teachers the sport has ever known.
His life traced the arc of resilience. He rose from segregated streets, climbed to the top of the rankings, endured injustice and violence, and ultimately shaped champions. North Philadelphia never stopped claiming him, and boxing never forgot him.
Born on May 15, 1933 in Philadelphia, Benton grew up in a household of eleven children. He was the son of Ottis and Lily May Benton and attended Philadelphia public schools alongside his four sisters and four brothers. He came of age in a segregated city reshaped by World War II and the Korean conflict. The Philadelphia Navy Yard and the Frankford Arsenal fueled the war effort, drawing thousands of workers and intensifying the hypersegregation that defined many neighborhoods. Out of those streets came a quiet teenager who found his calling in boxing at thirteen.
Three years later he left school and turned professional. He boxed from 1949 to 1970 and built a reputation as one of the slickest defensive fighters in the game. In seventy six professional fights he was never knocked down and was stopped only twice. One came on a cut against Luis Manuel Rodríguez. The other came when he did not answer the bell for the final round against Bennie Briscoe. His final record stood at 62 wins, 13 losses, 1 draw, with 37 knockouts.
Benton defeated future world champions such as Freddie Little, Jimmy Ellis, and Joey Giardello. After beating Giardello in 1962, Benton believed a world title shot was next. At the time he was ranked the number one middleweight contender in the world. Instead, Giardello received the opportunity to challenge Dick Tiger for the world middleweight championship and won. Years later, Giardello’s manager Lou Duva admitted he maneuvered the shot away from Benton. The missed opportunity remains one of boxing’s enduring injustices. Benton never fought for a world title, though he did capture the Pennsylvania State middleweight title in 1964.
His style made him a nightmare to face. Jimmy Collins once said you could not hit him with a handful of rice. Benton popularized a variation of the crab defense known as the Philly Shell, a style that became a signature of Philadelphia fighters. He mastered it and later taught it to the next generation.
In 1956 Benton was drafted into the United States Army at age twenty two. He served with Company C, 1st Brigade, 7th Cavalry on Honshu, Japan, likely stationed at Camp Zama. Though the Korean conflict had reached a stalemate in 1953, American forces continued stabilization efforts. Much of Benton’s official record was later lost in the 1973 fire at the National Personnel Records Center. He returned home the same year and completed his enlistment at Fort Sheridan in Illinois.
Back in Philadelphia, Benton married Mildred Hogans on November 24, 1963. They had two sons, Anthony and Ondra. He resumed his boxing career until violence abruptly ended it in 1970. After a dispute involving his family, a man shot Benton in the back. The bullet lodged near his spine and remained there for the rest of his life. He spent two years in and out of the hospital. Fighting professionally was no longer possible.
Benton refused to leave the sport. Instead he studied under Eddie Futch and became a master strategist. He worked in the corner of Joe Frazier for the third bout with Muhammad Ali, remembered as the Thrilla in Manila. He also helped craft the strategy when Leon Spinks shocked Ali to win the world heavyweight championship.
For seventeen years Benton worked with Lou Duva and Main Events as head trainer. His students included Evander Holyfield, Oliver McCall, Mike McCallum, Meldrick Taylor, Pernell Whitaker, Rocky Lockridge, and Johnny Bumphus. He also coached Marvis Frazier during his amateur career. Many of them called him The Professor for his calm demeanor and deep understanding of ring craft.
In 1989 and 1990 the Boxing Writers Association of America named Benton Trainer of the Year. In 2001 he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame as a trainer, a testament to the greater impact he made outside the ropes.
George Benton died on September 19, 2011 after battling pneumonia. He is buried at Washington Crossing National Cemetery in Newtown, Pennsylvania.
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