FOR MANY in the boxing world, especially in New York City, Mark Breland was going to be the next Sugar Ray Robinson. One of the best amateurs produced by the United States, the 1984 Olympic gold medalist was on his way to big things in the pro ranks, going 18-0 en route to winning the vacant WBA welterweight title against Harold Volbrecht in February of 1987.
Six months later, he was matched up with Marlon Starling, a veteran of 45 pro fights who had beaten the likes of Simon Brown, Floyd Mayweather Snr, Jose “The Threat” Baret, Kevin Howard and Tommy Ayers, but fell short in his first title shot against Donald Curry in 1984. And more disappointment was expected against Brooklyn’s Breland, but the then-28-year-old from Hartford, Connecticut had other ideas, even if he knew it might be an uphill climb.
“That was a big Olympic champ, and I was supposed to beat Breland,” Starling, now 63, said. “He was a young, up and coming guy and I was a veteran. And conditioning and being a smart
