Father, son, and brother combinations are rare in professional boxing. The Welliver boys of Washington state are no exception.
Dewey (27) and Chauncy (26) are grizzled veterans of the fight game that may not be well-known to fans outside their local area of the Pacific Northwest, but are well – known by boxing insiders and professional matchmakers.
Dumont (Dewey) is a former world and national amateur champion. He beat Bad Chad Dawson as an amateur in the National Junior Olympics on ESPN and shot out to a 12-0 record as a professional.
But then his career went south and he now is saddled with a journeyman 18-20 record. But he still loves the sport.
Dewey earned his GED at 16 and turned professional at the young age of 17 after his promise as an amateur.
However Dewey has the size, skills and experience to be a valuable sparring partner for world class professionals. Specifically Dewey has been a key sparring mate of Germany’s Arthur Abraham over the past two weeks in Palm Springs, CA for Abraham is scheduled to face Andre Dirrell on March 27 in the Super Six World Boxing Classic on Showtime Network.
“Abraham is a Top 10 Pound for Pound boxer, maybe top three,” said Dewey. ” I can tell by his strength, ring generalship and how he has studied my moves. He’s very intelligent, a quick study, and he is well-coached. His power would slow down anyone wanting to show him movement. I worked with Floyd Mayweather, Jr. about five years ago so I know what I’m talking about,” said the elder Welliver.
In fact Dewey worked with Mayweather, Jr. twice: Once for his second lightweight title fight with Jose Luis Castillo and for the Victoriano Sosa fight. Dewey worked with Oscar De La Hoya for his fight with Fernando Vargas.
“After working with both Floyd and Oscar I predicted correctly that Floyd would handle Oscar easily, which he did,” said Dewey.
Dewey is contemplating a career after boxing of being a professional boxing trainer but also wants to get a college degree and not just live off of his boxing laurels.
“It’s great being in the same camp as my kid brother, but it’s a lot of work. We have important jobs,” said Dewey.
Younger brother Chauncy, is a true heavyweight that once scaled over 300 lbs. but has slimmed down to a svelte 256. He is also in Palms Springs sparring World Boxing Organization Cruiserweight Champion Marco Huck who shares trainer Ulli Wegner with Abraham.
Chauncy has worked several training camps in Germany as Huck’s lead sparring partner.
It’s rare that the Welliver brothers find themselves in the same place at the same time at this point in their careers.
Chauncy sports a mind – boggling record of 40-5 (14 KO’s). Chauncy is ranked 14Th amongst heavyweights by the World Boxing Organization. But he doesn’t have any significant wins over any names you would recognize. Chauncy pretty much takes fights as they come. He is even faced with the indignity of fighting pro debut – type fighters.
His biggest fight to date was as co-main event last October when Vitali Klitschko stopped WBC Heavyweight Champion Samuel Peter in Germany. Chauncy fought world-rated No. 2 and former Olympic Gold Medalist Odlanier Solis of Cuba and took the Cuban further than any previous opponent – into the 9Th round of a scheduled 12.
He actually makes more money as a sparring partner for a top contender than for a fight. He’s sparred with big names like Mike Tyson, Shannon Briggs, David Tua, Vassily Jirov, Audley Harrison, Virgil Hill, Shane Cameron, and Clifford Etienne among others as they prepared for multi-million dollar paydays.
Chauncy is very in-tune as to the economics of the sport of boxing.
“I’d like to get a significant win or two, sock away some money and then retire,” says Welliver. But I want to further my career as a promoter after I retire. I’m co-promoting a fight in Lewiston, Idaho with the Clearwater River Casino on April 17Th. And I’m also the main event!
“I’d like to fight Evander Holyfield or maybe a James Toney to really put a big name on my resume,” said Chauncy at a local laundromat in nearby Cathedral City (CA).”
“It’s great being in camp with my brother. It’s rare. As I have gotten older I have learned to appreciate it more. He’s been my hero my entire career,” said Chauncy.
Chauncy has traveled the world as a boxer and even has dual citizenship in America and New Zealand. He is the New Zealand Heavyweight Champion.
Chauncy didn’t have much of an amateur career, instead he had over 50 fights in the popular Toughman Championships. He turned pro at 18 and has never looked back. He even lives upstairs in an apartment above a boxing gym in his hometown of Spokane.
The Welliver brothers are pretty much the professional sports franchise of Spokane.
