Termite Watkins

Maurice Watkins, known in the boxing world as Termite Watkins, is a former professional boxer whose career has spanned from the championship rings of Las Vegas to the conflict zones of Baghdad. At age 16, Watkins became the nation's youngest national Golden Gloves champion, compiling an amateur record of 128 wins and 10 losses. In the early 1970s, he competed on the international amateur team alongside Howard Davis and Sugar Ray Leonard. Watkins transitioned to a professional boxing career, achieving a record of 58 wins, 5 losses, 2 draws, and 48 knockouts, and concluded his career with a fight for the world title. He faced Saoul Mamby for the WBC light welterweight title at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, serving as the chief supporting fight to Muhammad Ali's attempt to regain the heavyweight championship from Larry Holmes.

Following the attacks of September 11, Watkins sought to support the military and was contracted by the American military as a fumigator to assist in rebuilding Iraq's infrastructure. While in Iraq, he provided boxing classes to soldiers, officers, and aid workers, gaining recognition for his work in both pest control and boxing training.

Coalition leader Mike Gfoeller tasked Watkins with building an Iraqi Olympic boxing team during the war and preparing them for the Athens Olympics. Under the previous regime, Iraqi athletes faced harsh treatment, and Watkins worked to change the culture while training the team under challenging conditions. He introduced the slogan "Iraq is Back," which became the team's mantra. Within 57 days of taking over, Watkins led the team to a tournament in the Philippines, followed by matches in China and Pakistan and training in the United States. Ultimately, flyweight Najah Ali qualified for the Summer Games in Athens.

Watkins' life is chronicled in the book "Termite" by Suzy Pepper. His journey, which includes fighting for world championships, overcoming addiction, recovering from COVID-19, and training Iraqi boxers for the Olympics, has attracted the attention of Balboa Productions, which is developing a feature film about his life. Watkins has also managed and trained Evan Holyfield, son of former boxing champion Evander Holyfield. In addition to mentoring youth, he continues to speak at events across the country, sharing his experiences in boxing, Olympic coaching, and personal perseverance.