Born: August 3, 1938 in Rochelle, Georgia
Ventura College 1963-1966
Ray was born in Rochelle, GA in 1938. He started his boxing career in 1958 after he moved to Ventura County.
He attended Ventura College from 1963 to 1966.
Ray’s first professional fight was in 1958 and when he retired his record was 48-15-5. During his career he fought in nationally televised bouts twenty-seven times.
He reigned as the California State light heavyweight champion from 1970 to 1974. He fought Jimmy Dupree for the North American light heavyweight in 1971 and again in 1973 against Mike Quarry, losing both fights in close twelve round decisions.
During his career, he fought twelve fighters who had been World Title contenders.
Ray was a popular entertaining boxer who developed an unique fighting style. He created a number of crowd-pleasing punches including the “roosted’, the “behind-the-back”, the “jump”, the “double uppercut”, the “double jab”, the “backhand bolo” and, of course, his signature “windmill” punch.
He was one of the first athletes to combine entertainment and sports. He drew tremendous public interest and appeared on the Merv Griffin TV talk show five times and on the Mike Douglas Show twice.
Ray gave back to the community by opening the famous La Colonia Boxing Club in Oxnard in 1978. He remodeled an old fire station into a gym. La Colonia is regarded as one to the finest amateur fight programs in the State, producing such fighters as Olympian and two-time World Champion Fernando Vargas and World Champion Robert Garcia.
Ray also officiated for the California Boxing federation for fifteen years and promoted “Fight Night with Windmill White” at the County Fairgrounds.
Ray has four children, Shawn White and Melinda Goff of Oak View, Brad White of Ojai and Stephanie Hunter of San Luis Obispo.