Darrin Van Horn
# Darrin Van Horn

Darrin Van Horn (born September 7, 1968) is an American former professional boxer. He held the IBF Super Middleweight title from 1991 until 1992, as well as the IBF Junior Middleweight title in 1989.

## Professional boxing career

Van Horn boxed as an amateur for four years, winning Golden Gloves and Junior Olympic titles. With his father as his manager and trainer, he made his professional debut in New Orleans, Louisiana, on September 2, 1984. Van Horn was just five days short of his 16th birthday.

Since Van Horn was still a high school student when he turned professional, he was given the nickname "Schoolboy." In 1986, he moved to Lexington, Kentucky, to attend the University of Kentucky where he became a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity. Boxing with the letters "UK" on his trunks, the "Schoolboy" angle was played up heavily.

He compiled a record of 38-0 before challenging for a world title. Van Horn, a 2-1 underdog, defeated Robert Hines by a 12-round unanimous decision to win the IBF Junior Middleweight Championship on February 5, 1989, in Atlantic City, New Jersey. On July 15, 1989, Van Horn returned to Atlantic City to make his first title defense against Gianfranco Rosi, the former WBC Super Welterweight Champion. Rosi, a decided underdog, took the title by winning by a 12-round unanimous decision.

After five consecutive wins, Van Horn had a rematch with Rosi in Italy on July 21, 1990. Although Van Horn fought better than he did in the first fight against Rosi, he was unable to regain the title. Rosi once again won by a 12-round unanimous decision.

Van Horn moved up in weight and won the IBF Super Middleweight Championship with an 11th-round knockout of Lindell Holmes in Italy on May 18, 1991. In his first title defense, he scored a third-round knockout of mandatory challenger John Jarvis in Irvine, California, on August 17, 1991.

On January 10, 1992, Van Horn lost the title to Iran Barkley, the former WBC Middleweight Champion, by a second-round technical knockout in New York City. Barkley, a 2-1 underdog, wobbled Van Horn with a left hook early in the first round and floored him three times in the second.

In May 1992, Van Horn graduated from the University of Kentucky with a bachelor's degree in broadcast journalism.<

Van Horn was scheduled to face James Toney for the IBF Super Middleweight Championship in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on October 29, 1993, but he pulled out of the fight after claiming a shoulder injury. The Boston Globe reported: "Sadly, word around boxing says his real problem has been near-constant headaches that recently forced him to stay in a darkened room for days at a time." The Van Horn camp denied that was true, but one fight figure was quoted as saying: "It would be child abuse for his father to put him back in the ring. When I was with him, he knew me and why I was there, but every 15 or 20 minutes he'd ask, 'Why are you guys here?' It's pretty sad."

Van Horn was scheduled to face Nigel Benn for the WBC Super Middleweight Championship in England on September 10, 1994, but the fight was called off. According to Boxing news, it was cancelled after Van Horn failed a brain scan. However, during an interview with Boxing news online in 2015, Van Horn said: "I never failed any scan, not ever. I have no idea where that came from. I fought a few times after the Barkley fight. Rumors and things come up, it's just ridiculous. I just became disenchanted with the sport. I said to myself I was going to step back for a while and get a few things done; like going back to college, and my intention was to come back to boxing. But I never did."

## Retirement

Van Horn won his final six fights. His last bout took place in Harlingen, Texas, on August 3, 1994. He defeated journeyman Willie Bell by a second-round technical knockout.

After retiring from boxing, Van Horn became a state trooper.

## Professional boxing record

| 57 fights | 54 wins | 3 losses |
| - | - | - |
| By knockout | 30 | 1 |
| By decision | 24 | 2 |
| No. | Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round, time | Date | Location | Notes |
| 57 | Win | 54–3 | Willie Ball | TKO | 2 (10) | 03/08/1994 | Harlingen Garden, Harlingen, Texas, U.S. | |
| 56 | Win | 53–3 | Ricky Thomas | UD | 10 (10) | 15/12/1992 | Foxwoods Resort Casino, Ledyard, Connecticut, U.S. | |
| 55 | Win | 52–3 | Rollin Williams | UD | 10 (10) | 16/10/1992 | Boise Centre, Boise, Idaho, U.S. | |
| 54 | Win | 51–3 | Bill Bradley | RTD | 2 (10) | 29/09/1992 | Civic Center, Bismarck, North Dakota, U.S. | |
| 53 | Win | 50–3 | Martín Amarillas | UD | 10 (10) | 04/09/1992 | Country Club, Reseda, California, U.S. | |
| 52 | Win | 49–3 | Nicky Walker | UD | 10 (10) | 30/06/1992 | Civic Center, Pensacola, Florida, U.S. | |
| 51 | Loss | 48–3 | Iran Barkley | TKO | 2 (12) | 10/01/1992 | Paramount Theatre, New York City, New York, U.S. | Lost IBF Super Middleweight Title |
| 50 | Win | 48–2 | John Jarvis | KO | 3 (12) | 17/08/1991 | Bren Events Center, Irvine, California, U.S. | Retained IBF Super Middleweight Title |
| 49 | Win | 47–2 | Lindell Holmes | KO | 11 (12) | 18/05/1991 | Palazzo Dello Sport, Verbania, Italy | Won IBF Super middleweight Title |
| 48 | Win | 46–2 | Randy Williams | UD | 10 (10) | 28/12/1990 | Rupp Arena, Lexington, Kentucky, U.S. | |
| 47 | Loss | 45–2 | Gianfranco Rosi | UD | 12 (12) | 21/07/1990 | Palazzo del Ghiaccio, Marino, Italy | For IBF Junior middleweight Title |
| 46 | Win | 45–1 | Jake Torrance | PTS | 8 (8) | 14/04/1990 | Loew's Hotel, Monte Carlo, Monaco | |
| 45 | Win | 44–1 | Ruben Cortina | KO | 1 (?) | 02/03/1990 | Community Center, Biloxi, Mississippi, U.S. | |
| 44 | Win | 43–1 | Salim Muhammad | UD | 10 (10) | 09/10/1989 | Clarion Hotel Ballroom, Saint Louis, Missouri, U.S. | |
| 43 | Win | 42–1 | Mike Sacchetti | PTS | 10 (10) | 25/09/1989 | Nogent-le-Phaye, France | |
| 42 | Win | 41–1 | Steve Langley | UD | 10 (10) | 13/09/1989 | Lakefront Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. | |
| 41 | Loss | 40–1 | Gianfranco Rosi | UD | 12 (12) | 15/07/1989 | Trump Castle, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. | Lost IBF Junior middleweight Title |
| 40 | Win | 40–0 | Robert Hines | UD | 12 (12) | 05/02/1989 | Trump Castle, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. | Won IBF Junior middleweight Title |
| 39 | Win | 39–0 | Miguel Angel Hernandez | TKO | 5 (10) | 03/11/1988 | Showboat Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. | |
| 38 | Win | 38–0 | Jake Torrance | UD | 10 (10) | 20/09/1988 | Memorial Coliseum, Lexington, Kentucky, U.S. | |
| 37 | Win | 37–0 | Juan Elizondo | KO | 3 (10) | 05/05/1988 | Fairgrounds, Louisville, U.S. | |
| 36 | Win | 36–0 | John Munduga | TKO | 7 (10) | 21/02/1988 | Hilton Hotel, Frankfort, Kentucky, U.S. | |
| 35 | Win | 35–0 | Joe Summers | UD | 10 (10) | 05/12/1987 | Convention Center, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. | |
| 34 | Win | 34–0 | Juan Alonso Villa | UD | 10 (10) | 17/10/1987 | Sands Casino Hotel, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. | |
| 33 | Win | 33–0 | Norberto Bueno | KO | 3 (10) | 17/09/1987 | Felt Forum, New York City, New York, U.S. | |
| 32 | Win | 32–0 | Greg Taylor | UD | 8 (8) | 25/08/1987 | Continental Inn, Lexington, Kentucky, U.S. | |
| 31 | Win | 31–0 | Luis Santana | UD | 10 (10) | 21/06/1987 | Continental Inn, Lexington, Kentucky, U.S. | |
| 30 | Win | 30–0 | Elio Díaz | UD | 10 (10) | 20/04/1987 | Rupp Arena, Lexington, Kentucky, U.S. | |
| 29 | Win | 29–0 | John Moore | TKO | 6 (8) | 24/02/1987 | Continental Inn, Lexington, Kentucky, U.S. | |
| 28 | Win | 28–0 | Danny Thomas | UD | 10 (10) | 13/01/1987 | Continental Inn, Lexington, Kentucky, U.S. | |
| 27 | Win | 27–0 | Sammy Floyd | UD | 10 (10) | 09/09/1986 | Rupp Arena, Lexington, Kentucky, U.S. | |
| 26 | Win | 26–0 | Keheven Johnson | KO | 8 (8) | 01/07/1986 | Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. | |
| 25 | Win | 25–0 | Donald Gwinn | TKO | 5 (8) | 24/06/1986 | Continental Inn, Lexington, Kentucky, U.S. | |
| 24 | Win | 24–0 | David Ramsey | KO | 4 (?) | 15/04/1986 | Municipal Auditorium, Lafayette, Louisiana, U.S. | |
| 23 | Win | 23–0 | Norberto Sabater | TKO | 2 (10) | 06/03/1986 | Landmark Hotel, Metairie, Louisiana, U.S. | |
| 22 | Win | 22–0 | Ed Modicue | UD | 8 (8) | 21/01/1986 | Landmark Hotel, Metairie, Louisiana, U.S. | |
| 21 | Win | 21–0 | Reggie Dixon | PTS | 6 (6) | 15/10/1985 | Landmark Hotel, Metairie, Louisiana, U.S. | |
| 20 | Win | 20–0 | Javier Muniz | KO | 5 (?) | 02/10/1985 | Houma, Louisiana, U.S. | |
| 19 | Win | 19–0 | Pablo Valdez | TKO | 4 (8) | 17/09/1985 | Landmark Hotel, Metairie, Louisiana, U.S. | |
| 18 | Win | 18–0 | Earl White | KO | 5 (?) | 06/09/1985 | VFW Hall, Terrytown, Louisiana, U.S. | |
| 17 | Win | 17–0 | Robert Manous | KO | 3 (?) | 11/07/1985 | Sports Palace, Morgan City, Louisiana, U.S. | |
| 16 | Win | 16–0 | Reggie Dixon | UD | 6 (6) | 26/06/1985 | Municipal Auditorium, Lafayette, Louisiana, U.S. | |
| 15 | Win | 15–0 | Alonzo Stringfellow | TKO | 1 (6) | 10/06/1985 | Landmark Hotel, Metairie, Louisiana, U.S. | |
| 14 | Win | 14–0 | John Wesley Morton | SD | 6 (6) | 07/05/1985 | Landmark Hotel, Metairie, Louisiana, U.S. | |
| 13 | Win | 13–0 | Ronald Paige | KO | 1 (?) | 18/04/1985 | Civic Center, Monroe, Louisiana, U.S. | |
| 12 | Win | 12–0 | James Sanders | KO | 4 (6) | 20/03/1985 | Municipal Auditorium, Lafayette, Louisiana, U.S. | |
| 11 | Win | 11–0 | Derrick Earvin | SD | 4 (4) | 07/03/1985 | Convention Hall, Gadsden, Alabama, U.S. | |
| 10 | Win | 10–0 | Jessie Hopkins | KO | 1 (4) | 04/03/1985 | Landmark Hotel, Metairie, Louisiana, U.S. | |
| 9 | Win | 9–0 | Jimmy Mitchell | TKO | 5 (?) | 21/02/1985 | Municipal Auditorium, Morgan City, Louisiana, U.S. | |
| 8 | Win | 8–0 | David Seville | KO | 2 (?) | 08/02/1985 | Lafayette, Louisiana, U.S. | |
| 7 | Win | 7–0 | Mike French | TKO | 1 (?) | 16/01/1985 | Municipal Auditorium, Lafayette, Louisiana, U.S. | |
| 6 | Win | 6–0 | Jamie Hobbs | KO | 1 (?) | 18/12/1984 | Morgan City, Louisiana, U.S. | |
| 5 | Win | 5–0 | Rodney Jones | TKO | 2 (?) | 04/12/1984 | St. Bernard Civic Center, Chalmette, Louisiana, U.S. | |
| 4 | Win | 4–0 | Pete Lee | KO | 1 (6) | 29/11/1984 | Municipal Auditorium, Morgan City, Louisiana, U.S. | |
| 3 | Win | 3–0 | Willie Rimmer | UD | 6 (6) | 20/11/1984 | Landmark Hotel, Metairie, Louisiana, U.S. | |
| 2 | Win | 2–0 | Richard Morris | TKO | 2 (?) | 13/11/1984 | Municipal Auditorium, Lafayette, Louisiana, U.S. | |
| 1 | Win | 1–0 | Leon Kerlinger | KO | 2 (?) | 02/09/1984 | New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. | |
