Chuck Adkins

Chuck Adkins won the AAU lightweight title in 1949 for his only national championship. In the 1952 Olympic trials he lost a decision in the finals to Joe Reynolds, but proved stronger than Reynolds in pre-Olympic training and the coaches elected to use Adkins in the Games. It was a good decision as he won the gold medal in Helsinki rather easily. After the Olympics, Adkins turned pro and fought for five years as a lightweight. His main problem was that he was easily knocked out, losing several fights in that manner. In 1958, Eddie Perkins knocked him out in the first round, and he retired from boxing with a pro record of 17 wins and 5 losses.