Tarick Salmaci (born February 28, 1972) is a Lebanese-American former professional boxer and North American Boxing Organization (NABO) middleweight champion.[1] He was one of 16 boxers chosen worldwide to participate on season 1 of NBC’s reality television series The Contender.
Boxing
Amateur career
Salmaci began his boxing career at the age of 8 at Kronk Gym in Detroit. He compiled an amateur record of 136–12, and earned a spot in the Olympic Trials where he fought his way to the finals, just missing the U.S. Olympic team.[2]
Professional career
Salmaci turned professional after the Olympic Trials and signed with manager Jackie Kallen.[3]
Salmaci won the North American Boxing Organization‘s super middleweight title on March 11, 1997, in Phoenix, Arizona.[1] He then signed to fight Joe Calzaghe for the WBO super middleweight championship but pulled out of the fight after a dispute with his management.[4]
Salmaci won his first eighteen professional bouts and finished his career in May 2005 with an overall record of nineteen wins and three losses.[1]