In 1974, Philadelphia boxer Marvin Stinson traveled to Cuba to compete in the world games to face Teofilo Stevenson, losing a close decision in the finals. In 1976, Marvin won the national AAU title, he went to the Olympic trials that year, alongside future world champions Michael Dokes and the eventual winner of the tourney John Tate. Tate would beat Stinson in the final and would eventually represent the famed 1976 Olympic team. Prior to this particular meeting, both Tate and Marvin had split their two previous bouts. Stinson however remained in the Olympic camp as an alternate at heavyweight.
Marvin would turn pro in the July of 1977, at the age of 25, he would score a second round Ko of Charles Boston at Virginia Beach. Marvin would win five of his first six fights by knockout, including a stoppage of tough Mike Montgomery (6-0). He followed this with three straight 8-round points wins, including a decision over Leroy Diggs (8-4-3), a man who would later serve alongside Marvin as a Larry Holmes sparring partner. Marvin would beat the notable Pedro Soto of Puerto Rico at Madison square garden in May of 1978, which amounted to 9 bouts in under 10 months. It was then that the problem of getting fights would begin. Stinson signed with former world champion Joe Frazier who at the time was busy on the road with his band, Joe Frazier and the Knockouts. Local manager Gary Hegyi and George Benton were steering Stinson’s career and booking him fights. This began to prove difficult after the first year.
Seven months passed before he finally boxed, scoring an 8 round draw with Randy Mack, a Philadelphia southpaw who was on a 5 fight winning streak. A further seven months passed before his would box again, this time scoring a stoppage Tyrone Harlee in Atlantic City, a winner of 6 of his previous 8 bouts. Another five months would pass before he boxed again, this time scoring another draw with future NABF champion Larry Alexander at the Upper Darby Forum on the outskirts of Philly.
In 1979 Larry Holmes was preparing to defend his title against Mike Weaver in New York when he called Frazier to ask if he had anyone to send up for sparring. Frazier sent Stinson, little did he know it would be a job that he would hold for 13 years, remaining a permanent fixture in the Holmes camp until his 1992 fight with Evander Holyfield. Holmes would initially agree to pay Marvin $300 a week, but after their first session Larry added a further $100 to his weekly wage.
Stinson would travel with Larry for his Las Vegas bout with Leroy Jones in the March of 1980, and secured a spot on the undercard at Caesars Palace where he would score a first round knockout over Eddie Wilson. 2 months later Stinson would box a rematch with Randy Mack, who had continued a winning streak for 6 more fights since their last meeting, resulting again in a draw, this time over 10 rounds in Atlantic City. Mack proved himself as a very tough and crafty opponent.
Back in Las Vegas in October of 1980 Stinson would climb off the floor to out-hustle Jeff Shelburg in an ESPN main event, this would be Marvin’s last victory. Stinson would go on to meet unbeaten Philadelphian Tim Witherspoon (7-0 / 6 KOs) at the time. The future WBC and WBA heavyweight champion would not only win a close decision over Stinson but follow up with another seven wins before losing a highly disputed split decision to WBC champion Holmes.
Stinson would meet veteran Philadelphian Jimmy Young next, a tricky customer who had been in with Ken Norton, Earnie Shavers, Gerry Cooney, Ron Lyle and hold a victory over George Foreman. Young had also lost a controversial WBC and WBA title bout with Muhammad Ali in Maryland which many ringsides thought Jimmy had won. The Stinson-Young match was in June of 1981 in Atlantic City. Marvin later revealed that the Young fight was probably the only fight he felt he genuinely lost. Approaching the conclusion of his long career Stinson craved one last big fight, and 14 months later he would face undefeated New Yorker Eddie Gregg at the Felt Forum in Madison Square Garden. At the end of the 7th round it appeared as if Gregg did not want to come out of his corner, but the referee insisted that he fight on. Stinson, ahead on the scorecards suffered a cut from an apparent head butt, the referee immediately stopped the bout offering the victory to Gregg without even consulting the ring doctor. I sat on my stool and cried said Stinson. Eddie Futch said advised Marvin that it was the right time to quit. Marvin had an extensive decorated amateur career with over 300 bouts including bouts with Larry Holmes, Fred Houpe, Dwain Bonds, John Tate, Teofilio Stevenson and Jimmy Clark followed by a professional career that concluded with 12 wins, 3 draws and 3 losses and 6 knockout wins. Marvin Stinson would later spend some time serving as a sparring partner to an 18 year old Mike Tyson in the Catskills prior to the 1984 Olympic trials earning $750 a week. Marvin would retire from boxing and return to a civilian life in the early 1990s, stating that he didn’t wish to work with any of today’s fighters because they lacked the drive and dedication, literally showing up at the gym when they wanted.
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