BIO:

Detroit's top light heavyweight boxer and the International Boxing Federation (IBF) No. 1 contender, Hoye won the vacant IBA Continental crown with a 12-round decision over Prince Badi "The Boxing Prince'' Ajamu June 5, 2003, on the SHOWTIME boxing series, "ShoBox: The New Generation."

Hoye survived an early knockdown to rally and outpoint Ajamu. The Prince had his way during a huge second round when he scored with a volley of shots and then dropped Hoye flat on his back with a right hand to the jaw.

Despite the fact that Hoye was shaken, Ajamu did not press the attack thereafter and his opponent rebounded in excellent fashion to win by the scores 118-109 twice and 117-110.

"I was a little too cocky and a little too arrogant coming into the bout,'' said Hoye, who suffered a deep gash above his right eye that needed seven stitches to close. "The knockdown definitely served as a wake-up call."

Four months later on Oct. 11, 2003, Hoye added the NABO belt by scoring a second-round TKO over Etianne ("E.T.) Whitaker in Auburn Hills, Mich.

Nicknamed "Suave" for his smooth, fluid style, Hoye had his way with Whitaker. In a virtual walkover that sent E.T. home early, Hoye recorded three knockdowns in less than six minutes of action.

After closing out 2003 with an opening-round KO over Marris Virgil on Dec. 12, Hoye opened his fourth pro campaign March 18 on "ShoBox." The unbeaten Detroit native added the North American Boxing Federation (NABF) and World Boxing Council (WBC) Continental Americas light heavyweight titles to his collection with a first-round KO over Donnell Wiggins from Santa Ynez, Calif.

Hoye dropped Wiggins twice in the opening stanza of the scheduled 12-rounder with wicked right hands behind the ear and near the top of the skull. After Wiggins barely beat the count following his second trip to the canvas, the referee waved off the bout at 2:28 of the first round. Less than two months later on May 18, 2004, Hoye demolished Richard Hall in the fourth round of their IBF elimination bout on the Roy Jones Jr. - Antonio Tarver undercard. One right to Hall's left temple ended the fight.

Born into a long line of fighters, Hoye literally grew up in a gym, as both his father and grandfather fought professionally.

"I have been around boxing from the time I was born," Hoye said. "From what I have been told, I was brought to the gym in my crib or car seat."

Hoye was fed a study diet of boxing as a child. If he wasn't at the gym with his father, he would watch a televised fight with his family. The tradition was officially passed down to him when he stepped into the ring for the first time at age seven.

"I remember how much fun it was the first time I ever boxed," Hoye said. "I was not nervous at all and ended up stopping my opponent in the first round."

As an amateur, Hoye posted an impressive 68-12 record and earned numerous titles. He competed in the Junior Olympics, captured the Golden Gloves tournaments in Toledo, Ohio and Detroit, and was on track to compete for a spot on the 1992 Olympic boxing team.

However, growing up in such a boxing conscious family caused added stress to the rising star.

"I was sort of forced into boxing," Hoye said. "Even though I was only 15 or 16 years old, my family expected me to succeed in the sport."

With so much pressure on him to make it as a fighter, Hoye began pulling away from the sweet science. Distancing himself more and more, Hoye eventually began hanging out with a rough crowd.

During an altercation in which Hoye was attacked, he shot a man and was sentenced to nine years in prison.

"You can look at the experiences from serving time in two ways,'' Hoye said. "It is a negative for a lot of people. However, it pretty much helped me become a man and look at life in a totally different light."

Hoye was released from prison in 2000. Determined to resurrect his life and make a contribution to society, he focused on making positive choices. One of the first was to give boxing another chance. Hoye wanted to become a part of the famed Kronk Gym, but "they pretty much kicked me out the door.''

The fighter soon landed with trainer Tommy Rowland, a former Kronk trainer who had worked with world champions Jimmy Paul and Hilmer Kenty.

Rowland and my father knew each other while fighting together in Kalamazoo,' said Hoye, whose dad died in 1996. "We just started working together and clicked right away.''

Hoye's comeback became official on June 20, 2001, when he made his professional debut at age 26, one year after he was released from prison.

Fighting in front of family and friends, the one-time Olympic hopeful displayed the skills that brought him tremendous amateur success when he scored a third-round knockout over Omar Pucci in Warren, Mich.

After winning his next six fights, including five by knockout, Hoye appeared on the undercard of the Lennox Lewis-Mike Tyson fight card in Memphis, Tenn., on June 8, 2002. Unfazed by his surroundings, Hoye stopped George Klinesmith in the second round.

Following an eight-round decision and two opening-round knockouts, Hoye earned a third-round TKO over Tyrone Muex on April 24, 2003, in Gulfport, Miss.

Hoye ended 2003 by flattening Marris Virgil in the first round on Dec. 12, 2003, in Dearborn, Mich.

Since turning pro, Hoye has tallied six opening-round knockouts and defeated his 17 opponents in a total of 53 rounds.

After fighting six times in 2002 and five times in '03, Hoye would prefer to continue to fight as often as possible.

"I just want to get to the top as fast as I can and continue to focus on changing my life," Hoye said. "I am back on the road to success."

Hoye was defeated on March 4, 2005 by Clinton Woods with a TKO in round 6.