Tunney Morgan Hunsaker (September 1, 1930 – April 27, 2005) was an American professional boxer who is best remembered as the first professional opponent of boxing great Cassius Clay, later known as Muhammad Ali. Outside of his boxing career, Hunsaker served many years as the Police Chief of Fayetteville, West Virginia.

Early life

He was born in the Western Kentucky town of Princeton, in Caldwell County. In his youth he served in the United States Air Force, stationed at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas.

Boxing career

In 1960, Hunsaker was Cassius Clay's (later Muhammad Ali) first opponent in a professional boxing bout.^[1][2] After the fight Hunsaker said, "Clay was as fast as lightning ... I tried every trick I knew to throw at him off balance but he was just too good". In a thumbnail profile of the fight the following January, young Cassius was reported as having remarked that Hunsaker's style was far different from what Clay had been exposed to as an amateur and Olympian; the young fighter admitted to nervousness going in, and that Hunsaker's aforementioned pro style, had given him trouble.^[3] This respect appears genuine, as it was lasting—in his autobiography, Ali said Hunsaker dealt him one of the hardest body blows he ever took in his career. Ali and Hunsaker became good friends and stayed in touch over the years. Hunsaker said he did not agree with Ali's decision to refuse military service, but praised him as a great humanitarian and athlete.^[4]

In the fight game, Hunsaker was a small heavyweight, perhaps better suited for light-heavy classification (175 lbs. limit); today, he would most likely compete as a cruiserweight (190 lbs. limit). He fought as a boxer-puncher, by his own telling. Hunsaker once appeared on the undercard at Madison Square Garden. Hunsaker ended up with a record of 17 wins with 15 defeats with 8 wins by knockout.^[5] His career ended after a boxing-related head injury suffered on April 6, 1962, in Beckley, West Virginia. Rushed to a Beckley hospital, Hunsaker was in a coma for 9 days during which he underwent two brain operations.^[6]

Law enforcement career

Hunsaker served as Fayetteville police chief for 38 years,^[1] and was the youngest police chief in the history of West Virginia. He was later inducted into the Law Enforcement Hall Of Fame.^[7]

Death

Hunsaker suffered the physical effects of his last match for the rest of his life. He was 74 when he died on 27 April 2005, having been afflicted with Alzheimer's disease in his last years. His body was buried in Huse Memorial Park cemetery, Fayetteville, West Virginia.

Personal life

Tunney Hunsaker Bridge

Hunsaker was active in the Oak Hill Church of the Nazarene for many years, teaching a Sunday School class for fifth and sixth grade boys. He was three times named Sunday School Teacher of the Year. At the time of his death in 2005 he had been married to wife Patricia for over thirty years.

In the US state of West Virginia, the Fayette Station Bridge carrying County Route 82 over the New River at the bottom of New River Gorge was named after him.^[7][8]

References

Further reading

• Facing Ali (book) by Stephen Brunt (2002). Guilford, Connecticut: The Lyons Press.
• Muhammad Ali: His Life and Times by Thomas Hauser (1991). New York: Simon & Schuster.

External links

Tunney Hunsaker at Find a Grave