William Irwin (born May 20, 1968, Niagara Falls, Ontario, nicknamed "Billy the Kid", is a retired Canadian amateur lightweight and professional light/light welter/welterweight boxer of the 1990s and 2000s who as an amateur won a bronze medal in the Boxing at the 1991 Pan American Games in Havana, Cuba, losing to eventual silver medal winner Patrice Brooks of the United States, represented Canada at the 1991 World Amateur Boxing Championships in Sydney, Australia losing to Julien Lorcy of France. He represented Canada at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona but was stopped in the second round of the lightweight division (– 60 kg) by Ronald Chavez of the Philippines.

As a professional, he won the Canadian Professional Boxing Council, lightweight title, Canada lightweight title, International Boxing Organization (IBO) lightweight title, World Boxing Council (WBC) Continental Americas lightweight title, and Commonwealth lightweight title, and was a challenger for the International Boxing Federation (IBF) lightweight title against Paul Spadafora, and World Boxing Association (WBA) World lightweight title against Juan Díaz, his professional fighting weight varied from 133+1⁄2 lb (60.6 kg; 9 st 7.5 lb), i.e. lightweight to 142 lb (64.4 kg; 10 st 2.0 lb), i.e. welterweight.

Irwin's last stand was in 2005, up against the undefeated World Champion Juan Diaz. After losing to Diaz, Irwin walked away in class retiring from a very respectable pro boxing career that spanned over 12 years. He was a four time Canadian National Champion, a Bronze Medalist at the Pan-American Games, with an amateur record of 130-20-0 and with an impressive professional boxing record of 44 (31)–5-0.

He now trains amateurs, upcoming international fighters and professional boxers in Niagara Falls, Ontario. One of his fighters won the 2012 Canadian Champion Best Youth Boxer Award.

Professional boxing record

48 fights42 wins6 losses
By knockout301
By decision125
No.ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes
48Loss42–6Juan DíazTKO9 (12), 1:27Jan 21, 2005Reliant Center, Houston, Texas, U.S.For WBA lightweight title
47Win42–5Lou BizzarroTKO9 (10), 2:10Jul 28, 2004Avalon Hotel, Erie, Pennsylvania, U.S.
46Win41–5Mark RiggsKO1 (10), 1:44Jul 5, 2003CanWest Global Park, Winnipeg, Canada
45Win40–5Luis Gustavo SosaTKO4 (10), 0:50Apr 26, 2003Hamilton Place Theatre, Hamilton, Canada
44Win39–5Richard HowardTKO2 (10)Jan 17, 2003Sawridge Hotel, Slave Lake, Canada
43Win38–5Vincent HowardTKO9 (10), 2:59Oct 28, 2002Hershey Centre, Mississauga, Canada
42Win37–5Mario LechowskiTKO7 (12), 1:02Sep 14, 2002Ed Lumley Arena, Cornwall, CanadaWon Canadian lightweight title
41Win36–5Chad BrissonMD10Apr 10, 2002Royal York Hotel, Toronto, Canada
40Win35–5Teddy WorthUD6Jan 31, 2002Ramada Marlborough Hotel, Winnipeg, Canada
39Loss34–5Dorin SpiveyUD10Jun 15, 2001The Blue Horizon, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
38Loss34–4Paul SpadaforaUD12Dec 16, 2000David L. Lawrence Convention Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.For IBF lightweight title
37Win34–3Moisés PedrozaTKO1 (10), 2:35Sep 23, 2000Casino Rama, Rama, Canada
36Win33–3Miguel ArrozalTKO6 (10)Jun 2, 2000The Blue Horizon, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
35Win32–3Rubén Darío OlivaKO2 (10), 1:32Apr 26, 2000Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
34Win31–3John BaileyTKO7 (10), 2:05Mar 24, 2000The Blue Horizon, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
33Win30–3José Vida RamosTKO4 (8), 2:10Dec 10, 1999The Blue Horizon, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
32Win29–3Larry O'ShieldsTKO6Sep 24, 1994The Blue Horizon, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
31Win28–3Damion StuttonTKO3 (8)Aug 12, 1999Slave Lake, Alberta, Canada
30Win27–3Shawn SimmonsTKO2 (10), 1:57Jul 20, 1999Casino Windsor, Windsor, Canada
29Win26–3John LarkKO2 (10)Jun 4, 1999The Blue Horizon, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
28Win25–3David ArmstrongTKO2 (10), 2:58Mar 19, 1999The Blue Horizon, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
27Win24–3Charles TschorniawskyTKO8 (10)Dec 11, 1998The Blue Horizon, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
26Loss23–3Gerald GraySD8Oct 2, 1998The Blue Horizon, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
25Loss23–2Ahmed SantosUD10May 12, 1998Corel Centre, Kanata, Canada
24Win23–1Andy WongUD10Apr 22, 1998Royal York Hotel, Toronto, Canada
23Win22–1José ManjarrezUD10Sep 15, 1997Convention Centre, Edmonton, Canada
22Win21–1Andre CraySD10May 13, 1997Grand Casino, Biloxi, Mississippi, U.S.
21Loss20–1David TettehUD12Mar 4, 1997Airport Hilton Hotel, Toronto, CanadaLost Commonwealth lightweight title
20Win20–0David TettehMD12Oct 11, 1996International Plaza Hotel, Toronto, CanadaWon Commonwealth lightweight title
19Win19–0Daniel SarmientoKO3 (10), 2:23Aug 29, 1996International Plaza Hotel, Toronto, Canada
18Win18–0Manuel Alberto BillalbaKO8 (10)Mar 30, 1996Buenos Aires, Distrito Federal, Argentina
17Win17–0Juan Luis SánchezUD10Jan 25, 1996International Plaza Hotel, Toronto, Canada
16Win16–0Jesús RodríguezMD12Sep 28, 1995Westin Harbour Castle Hotel, Toronto, CanadaWon WBC Continental Americas lightweight title
15Win15–0Amado CabatoUD12Jun 8, 1995Metro Convention Centre, Toronto, CanadaWon vacant IBO lightweight title
14Win14–0Rodney WilsonKO6 (10)Apr 28, 1995Convention Centre, Edmonton, Canada
13Win13–0Bobby JohnsonKO1 (10), 1:35Feb 24, 1995Palais des Sports Jonquière, Saguenay, Canada
12Win12–0Alex PérezKO1 (10), 2:56Jan 11, 1995Curzon Health Club, Toronto, Canada
11Win11–0Stan CunninghamTKO4 (10)Dec 9, 1994Convention Centre, Edmonton, Canada
10Win10–0Steve ThomasKO1 (10), 2:46Oct 27, 1994Curzon Health Club, Toronto, Canada
9Win9–0Manuel SantiagoUD8Aug 11, 1994MacDonald Field, Malden, Massachusetts, U.S.
8Win8–0Nedrick SimmonsTKO8 (12), 2:20Jun 8, 1994Memorial Arena, Niagara Falls, CanadaWon CPBC lightweight title
7Win7–0Charles BealsKO2 (10), 2:58Apr 13, 1994Royal York Hotel, Toronto, Canada
6Win6–0Dezi FordUD6Dec 9, 1993Curzon Health Club, Toronto, Canada
5Win5–0Brent MitchellTKO2 (6), 1:52Oct 2, 1993Grant MacEwan College, Edmonton, Canada
4Win4–0Ben SimmonsTKO5 (6), 2:27Jun 12, 1993AJ Palumbo Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
3Win3–0Clifford HicksUD6Apr 14, 1993Royal York Hotel, Toronto, Canada
2Win2–0John GottschlingKO1 (6), 2:50Mar 26, 1993Sheraton Centre, Toronto, Canada
1Win1–0Charles McClellanTKO1 (6), 2:40Feb 11, 1993Niagara Falls Arena, Niagara Falls, Canada

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