Career Decline
He finished 1971 with a ten round decision win over Jose Gabino, and went 3-2 in 1972, losing two fifteen round decisions to world title challenger Hedgemon Lewis. He lost 3 of 4 bouts in 1973, and went on a European tour in 1974, winning 2 and losing 2 in Paris and Berlin. In 1975, he went to Australia and lost by a knockout in five to Rocky Mattioli, and then he came back to the States, where he beat Marc Gervais by a knockout in ten. This marked the start of another 9 fight winning streak, which led the WBA to make him their number one challenger. After drawing in twelve rounds with Everaldo Acosta Acevedo, he had a chance at regaining the world welterweight title when faced against world champion Pipino Cuevas of Mexico, once again in Los Angeles. After losing by a knockout in the first round, Backus then announced his retirement from boxing for good.
Although he isn't a member of the International Boxing Hall Of Fame (unlike his uncle Basilio, who is), in 1990, Ed Brophy and some Canastota businessmen came up with the idea to build the hall of fame in Canastota, to honor Canastota's two native world champions: Basilio and Backus.
In 2010, the award nominated "Title Town USA, Boxing in Upstate New York" by noted historian Mark Allen Baker was published by The History Press in 2010 and supports Canastota, New York as the epicenter of Upstate New York's rich boxing heritage. The book includes chapters on both Carmen Basilio and Billy Backus. The introduction was written by Edward P. Brophy, Executive Director of the International Boxing Hall of Fame .
Backus had a final record of 48 wins, 20 losses and 5 draws, with 22 wins by knockout.
| Sporting positions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by José Ángel Nápoles |
WBA Welterweight Champion 3 Dec 1970 – 4 Jun 1971 |
Succeeded by José Ángel Nápoles |
| Preceded by José Ángel Nápoles |
WBC Welterweight Champion 3 Dec 1970 – 4 Jun 1971 |
Succeeded by José Ángel Nápoles |
Read more about this topic: Billy Backus
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