{{short description|American boxer}} {{Infobox boxer|name=Craig Payne |image = |realname = Craig Payne |nickname= |weight=Heavyweight |height=6 ft 2 in |reach= |birth_date={{Birth date|1961|05|22}} |death_date={{death date and age|2017|4|7|1961|5|22}} |birth_place=Chillicothe, Ohio, U.S. |style=Orthodox |total=33 |wins=11 |KO=8 |losses=20 |draws=2 | medaltemplates = {{MedalSport | Men's amateur boxing}} {{MedalCountry | {{USA}} }} {{MedalCompetition | World Cup}} {{MedalSilver | 1983 Rome | Super heavyweight}} {{MedalCompetition | North American Championships}} {{MedalGold | 1983 Houston | Super heavyweight}} }} '''Craig Payne''' (May 22, 1961 – April 7, 2017) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1985 to 2001. He challenged once for the IBO heavyweight title in 1992. As an amateur, he won the National Golden Gloves super heavyweight title in 1983.

==Amateur career== Payne was a standout football player at Chillicothe (Ohio) High School, graduating in 1979.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/293144434/?terms=%22Craig%20Payne%22%20Chillicothe%201979&match=1&clipping_id=111218617|title=Payne faces toughest challenge|work=Chillicothe Gazette|first=Gerry|last=Galipault|date=April 6, 1983|access-date=October 12, 2022|page=9|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref name="title">{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/97721796/?terms=%22Craig%20Payne%22%20mike%20tyson&match=1&clipping_id=111218888|title=Livonia boxer comes home with U.S. Golden Gloves title|work=Detroit Free Press|first=Clifton|last=Brown|date=April 7, 1983|access-date=October 12, 2022|page=125|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> He moved to Livonia, Michigan, in July of that year and began boxing in order to lose weight.<ref name=title/><ref name="fear">{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/379350117/?terms=%22Craig%20Payne%22%20mike%20tyson&match=1&clipping_id=111255876|title=Amateur boxer Payne has no fear|work=Austin American-Statesman|first=Michael|last=Katz|author-link=Michael Katz (journalist)|date=October 14, 1983|access-date=October 13, 2022|page=76|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Payne won a gold medal at the 1982 National Sports Festival, followed by the National Golden Gloves title in 1983 after decisioning a young Mike Tyson.<ref name=title/>

Payne upset three-time Olympic champion Teófilo Stevenson en route to a gold medal at the 1983 North American Championships in Houston, Texas.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/633598632/?terms=%22Craig%20Payne%22%20teofilo%20stevenson&match=1&clipping_id=111257155|title=Payne Delivers Upset of Upsets|work=Los Angeles Times|first=Earl|last=Gustkey|date=September 16, 1983|access-date=October 13, 2022|page=38|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/625272608/?terms=%22Craig%20Payne%22&match=1&clipping_id=111257521|title=Boxing|work=Miami Herald|date=September 16, 1983|access-date=October 13, 2022|page=149|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> At the Boxing World Cup held in Italy the following month, he took home the silver medal after losing to Francesco Damiani in the final.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/508054587/?terms=%22Craig%20Payne%22&match=1&clipping_id=111257812|title=Americans left in wake of Cuban title winners|work=Times Colonist|date=October 23, 1983|access-date=October 13, 2022|page=17|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>

==Professional career== Payne made his professional debut in 1985, defeating Cleveland Ingram via second-round knockout in Detroit.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/100406921/?terms=%22Craig%20Payne%22&match=1&clipping_id=111258299|title=First pro outing was a bang-up success|work=Detroit Free Press|first=Clifton|last=Brown|date=March 28, 1985|access-date=October 13, 2022|page=168|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> However, he didn't compete for six years before returning in 1991, well past his prime. Payne's pro career was quite surprising largely because he was completely out of shape often coming in at 300&nbsp;lbs. His most notable success was a KO of previously undefeated Samson Po'uha.

==Professional boxing record== {{s-start}} |- |align="center" colspan=8|'''11 Wins''' (8 knockouts, 3 decisions), '''20 Losses''' (7 knockouts, 13 decisions), '''2 Draws''' [http://boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=5421&cat=boxer] |- | align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|'''Result''' | align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|'''Record''' | align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|'''Opponent''' | align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|'''Type''' | align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|'''Round''' | align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|'''Date''' | align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|'''Location''' | align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|'''Notes''' |-align=center |{{no2}}Loss |align=left|{{small|11-20-2}} |align=left| Andre Purlette |align=left|TKO |align=left|2 |10/02/2001 |align=left| Miami, Florida, U.S. |align=left| |- |{{no2}}Loss |align=left|{{small|11-19-2}} |align=left| Anthony Curry |UD |6 |05/02/2000 |align=left| Rochester, Washington, U.S. |align=left| |- |{{no2}}Loss |{{small|11-18-2}} |align=left| Richard Mason |UD |6 |22/10/1999 |align=left| Rising Sun, Indiana, U.S. |align=left| |- |{{no2}}Loss |{{small|11-17-2}} |align=left| Fres Oquendo |TKO |3 |10/07/1999 |align=left| Elgin, Illinois, U.S. |align=left| |- |{{no2}}Loss |{{small|11-16-2}} |align=left| Troy Weida |TKO |5 |10/06/1999 |align=left| Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S. |align=left| |- |{{no2}}Loss |{{small|11-15-2}} |align=left| Tim Puller |UD |8 |01/05/1999 |align=left| Rochester, Washington, U.S. |align=left| |- |{{no2}}Loss |{{small|11-14-2}} |align=left| Iran Barkley |MD |8 |27/07/1996 |align=left| Rochester, Washington, U.S. |align=left| |- |{{no2}}Loss |{{small|11-13-2}} |align=left| James Tillis |UD |8 |21/06/1996 |align=left| Vancouver, Washington, U.S. |align=left| |- |{{no2}}Loss |{{small|11-12-2}} |align=left| Daniel Dăncuță |KO |6 |07/03/1995 |align=left| Prior Lake, Minnesota, U.S. |align=left| |- |{{no2}}Loss |{{small|11-11-2}} |align=left| Joe Thomas |PTS |4 |17/02/1995 |align=left| Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. |align=left| |- |{{no2}}Loss |{{small|11-10-2}} |align=left| Shannon Briggs |UD |8 |13/01/1995 |align=left| Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. |align=left| |- |{{no2}}Loss |{{small|11-9-2}} |align=left| Ray Anis |TKO |10 |01/10/1994 |align=left| Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |align=left| |- |{{yes2}}Win |{{small|11-8-2}} |align=left| Samson Po'uha |TKO |6 |30/06/1994 |align=left| Mesquite, Nevada, U.S. |align=left| |- |{{no2}}Loss |{{small|10-8-2}} |align=left| Mike Hunter |PTS |10 |19/05/1994 |align=left| North Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. |align=left| |- |{{no2}}Loss |{{small|10-7-2}} |align=left| John Bray |PTS |8 |06/05/1994 |align=left| Terre Haute, Indiana, U.S. |align=left| |- |{{no2}}Loss |{{small|10-6-2}} |align=left| Darren Hayden |PTS |6 |09/03/1994 |align=left| Lexington, Kentucky, U.S. |align=left| |- |{{no2}}Loss |{{small|10-5-2}} |align=left| Francois Botha |KO |7 |30/10/1993 |align=left| Johannesburg, South Africa |align=left| |- |{{no2}}Loss |{{small|10-4-2}} |align=left| Garing Lane |PTS |10 |28/09/1993 |align=left| Bay Saint Louis, Mississippi, U.S. |align=left| |- |{{yes2}}Win |align=left|{{small|10-3-2}} |align=left| Rocky Sekorski |TKO |6 |14/09/1993 |align=left| Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. |align=left| |- |{{yes2}}Win |align=left|{{small|9-3-2}} |align=left| Melton Bowen |TKO |5 |28/08/1993 |align=left| Orlando, Florida, U.S. |align=left| |- |{{yes2}}Win |{{small|8-3-2}} |align=left| Bobby Crabtree |TKO |6 |29/05/1993 |align=left| Yakima, Washington, U.S. |align=left| |- |{{yes2}}Win |{{small|7-3-2}} |align=left| Tyrone Evans |PTS |6 |27/04/1993 |align=left| Auburn Hills, Michigan, U.S. |align=left| |- |{{no2}}Loss |{{small|6-3-2}} |align=left| Lionel Butler |TKO |7 |26/03/1993 |align=left| Reseda, California, U.S. |align=left| |- |{{no2}}Loss |{{small|6-2-2}} |align=left| Pinklon Thomas |SD |12 |14/11/1992 |align=left| Greenville, South Carolina, U.S. |align=left|{{small|For inaugural IBO heavyweight title}} |- |{{yes2}}Win |{{small|6-1-2}} |align=left| Arthel Lawhorne |TKO |2 |27/10/1992 |align=left| Auburn Hills, Michigan, U.S. |align=left| |- |{{yes2}}Win |{{small|5-1-2}} |align=left| Conroy Nelson |KO |6 |19/06/1992 |align=left| London, Ontario, Canada |align=left| |- |{{no2}}Loss |{{small|4-1-2}} |align=left| Tyrone Evans |MD |4 |21/04/1992 |align=left| Auburn Hills, Michigan, U.S. |align=left| |- |style="background: #c5d2ea"|Draw |{{small|4-0-2}} |align=left| Kevin P Porter |PTS |4 |08/02/1992 |align=left| Lansing, Michigan, U.S. |align=left| |- |{{yes2}}Win |{{small|4-0-1}} |align=left| Luis Torres |PTS |4 |21/01/1992 |align=left| Canton, Michigan, U.S. |align=left| |- align=center |style="background: #c5d2ea"|Draw |align=left|{{small|3-0-1}} |align=left| Robert Smith |align=left|PTS |align=left|4 |09/12/1991 |align=left| Waukesha, Wisconsin, U.S. |align=left| |- |{{yes2}}Win |{{small|3-0}} |align=left| Ken McCants |KO |3 |14/11/1991 |align=left| Auburn Hills, Michigan, U.S. |align=left| |- |{{yes2}}Win |{{small|2-0}} |align=left| Kevin P Porter |PTS |4 |16/07/1991 |align=left| Lansing, Michigan, U.S. |align=left| |- |{{yes2}}Win |{{small|1-0}} |align=left| Cleveland Ingram |KO |2 |21/03/1985 |align=left| Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |align=left| |}

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * {{boxrec|id=5421}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Payne, Craig}} Category:1961 births Category:2017 deaths Category:Heavyweight boxers Category:National Golden Gloves champions Category:American male boxers Category:Sportspeople from Chillicothe, Ohio Category:Sportspeople from Livonia, Michigan Category:Boxers from Ohio Category:Boxers from Michigan Category:20th-century American sportsmen