Born and raised in Mansfield, Texas, Troy Dorsey began training in karate and taekwondo at the age of ten, eventually reaching the rank of eighth degree black belt.[1] Troy Dorsey was coached in taekwondo by Jim Choate. After competing in point karate competitions, he made the switch to kickboxing, fighting under full contact rules. Troy Dorsey was then coached in boxing and kickboxing by Casey Malone.
Career
After a brief and successful run as an amateur kickboxer in 1980, Dorsey soon turned professional. He rose to prominence with a one-sided knockout defeat of Santae Wilson for the KICK United States Featherweight Championship and defence against Jorge Angat in 1983. At the W.A.K.O. World Championships 1985 (London), held in London, England on November 2, 1985, Dorsey won gold in both semi-contact and full-contact kickboxing in the 57 kg/125 lb division.[2]
His first loss was a split decision against dominant long-time PKA Bantamweight Champion, Felipe Garcia in Garcia's hometown of Denver, Colorado in January 1987. They rematched six months later on August 8, 1987, in El Paso, Texas for the ISKA World Bantamweight ( 54.5 kg/120.2 lb) Full Contact Championship and Dorsey won with a unanimous decision that ended Garcia's eight-year reign. Dorsey defended his ISKA bantamweight world title with knockouts over Steve Demencuk and Jeff Watt. In his victory over Demecuk, Dorsey dropped Demencuk six times before finally knocking his opponent out in the seventh round. At the W.A.K.O. World Championships 1987 in Munich, West Germany in October 1987, Dorsey again took gold in full-contact kickboxing. However, he lost out to Oliver Drexler in the final, earning a silver medal.[3]
On March 18, 1989, Dorsey went up to 60 kg/132 lb to fight Michael Kuhr at a USA vs. Germany event at the Deutschlandhalle in West Berlin, losing a controversial decision after a five-round fight. The following month, Dorsey was scheduled to fight for the Professional Kickboxing Organization (PKO) World Bantamweight (57 kg/125 lb) Championship in Gothenburg, Sweden against Dennis Sigo. However, Sigo had broken his hand during sparring just one week prior to the event, and Michael Kuhr was asked to move down in weight and take the fight. Dorsey won by unanimous decision to take his second world title on April 13, 1989.[4]
After a TKO of Bernardo Piñango two months later, Dorsey rematched Páez for both the IBF and WBO World Featherweight titles on July 8, 1990. The bout was scored a split draw. Dorsey later won the IBF featherweight title by knocking out Alfred Rangel in round one for the vacant championship on June 3, 1991. He lost it to Manuel Medina two months later.[5]
Dorsey made a brief return to kickboxing in 1994, knocking out Mechell Rochette in San Jose, California to be crowned the ISKA World Lightweight (60 kg/132.3 lb) Full Contact Champion.
He would return to boxing, and win a lightly regarded title on October 18, 1996, when he forced Jimmi Bredahl to quit on his stool in Vejle, Denmark, taking the IBO World Super Featherweight ( 58.9 kg/130 lb) Championship. Several of his later fights having been stopped due to cuts, Dorsey's retirement from the ring was hastened in 1998.[6]
Troy Dorsey is the only man to hold world titles in both boxing and kickboxing at the same time.
Personal life
He has two daughters, Kendra and Shelly, with his wife Leslie.[1] Troy is also a Brazilian jiu-jitsu Black Belt under Travis Lutter.