RICARDO “TICKY” BRYANT

(Athlete of Distinction)
Washington High School
University of Kentucky

ATHLETE—WRESTLING AND BOXING

A 1975 WPIAL Section 3 Wrestling Champion, Bryant advanced to the WPIAL semifinals in 1974 and the 1975 WPIAL finals while also qualifying for the PIAA Championships in 1975. He lost to defending PIAA champion Mike DeAugustino in the WPIAL finals.

At the Section 3 Tournament his senior season, Bryant pinned defending section champion Bill DePaoli of Chartiers-Houston in the semifinals before a 15-1 victory over McGuffey’s Jeff Breese in the finals. He helped Washington finish second in the team standings just a half-point behind Canon-McMillan.

After one season competing in wrestling at the University of Kentucky, Bryant turned to boxing, and won a Silver Gloves championship and was a Golden Gloves runner-up as an amateur. He was a part of a western Pennsylvania team which competed in a Silver Gloves national tournament in San Francisco.

He compiled a 15-12 professional record and made his professional debut in October 1984, knocking out Roosevelt Moss at the Expo Mart in Monroeville.

Ticky fought on television’s popular “Friday Night Fights,” and defeated Mike Sacchetti by TKO in one of those televised events.

Bryant fought four boxers who went on to become world champions and himself fought for the International Boxing Council Middleweight title in June 1990 against James Toney in Dearborn, Michigan. Toney won by technical knockout. It was the final fight of Bryant’s career.

Today, Bryant is a recognized scholastic referee, having worked two PIAA Championships and two PIAA Team Tournament Championships.