This report is being written a few hours before “The Native Sensation” , J.J. Corn, enters the ring at the Menominee Resort Casino in Menominee, Wisconsin for his farewell fight against St. Paul Cruiserweight Boyd Davis. Corn, with a record of 47-23-3, 16 KOs, brings much more professional experience into the ring than Davis. Corn’s greatest boxing achievement was winning an international Middleweight title with a unanimous decision over Harold Brazier (a fighter whose final record was 105-18-1, 64 KOs, with wins over the likes of “Irish” Micky Ward and Anthony “Untouchable” Stevens and decision losses to greats like Pernell “Sweet Pea” Whitaker and Meldrick Taylor) on June 26, 1998 at the Hochunk Casino in Baraboo, WI. Davis enters the ring after a five year layoff with a record of 10-8-0, 2 KOs. Davis is an accomplished boxer bringing excellent talent to the ring, but his long layoff and smaller degree of experience makes him too vulnerable to defeat Corn. Look for Corn to win tonight by decision or late stoppage.
Corn’s last fight was a 1st round TKO loss to Ryan “The Irish Outlaw” Coyne, now 18-0-0, 8 KOs on November 12 last year. Corn explained to the Shawono Leader, that the decision to retire comes two years after the birth of his son Chase, the fifth child in the Corn family.
“He was born with Down Syndrome,” Corn told the Shawono Leader, “and that was God’s way of telling me life isn’t all about me anymore. I’m not that arrogant, egotistical SOB anymore.”
The last time I was fortunate enough to see J. J. Corn was at the Riverside Ballroom in Greenbay, WI when he knocked out Light Heavyweight Travis McCullough on November 2, 2006. I had the pleasure of meeting his wife, Tara, and their children for the first time on September 16 of that year when he knocked out Elvin Versey in the first round at the LCO Casino in Hayward, WI. I’d like to send my best wishes to J.J. and his family in his retirement, and also express my solidarity with them in welcoming and fostering the gift of new life into our world. After having myself worked 13 years with Native American youth at a St. Paul homeless shelter in a nation where the misguided advice of doctors and social workers has resulted in 9 out of 10 prenatal diagnoses of Down Syndrome ending in abortion, it’s always refreshing to know another family accepts the precious gift of life and understands that every soul arrives here to make our world better.
“We’re going to do this one more fight to have my son, Chase Wheeler, on my shoulders and show him what it’s like,” Corn told the Showono Leader. “Chase has changed my life. The boxer, that’s not who I am anymore. Now, I’m Chase’s dad.”
For coverage of the Corn-Davis fight and to read more click onto MinnesotaBoxing.com
By Mark Connor
© Copyright 2012, Mark Connor
