Emile Alphonse Griffith (February 3, 1938 – July 23, 2013) was an American professional boxer who won world titles in three weight divisions.

When the owner, a former amateur boxer, noticed his frame, he took Griffith to trainer Gil Clancy's gym.

[9] Griffith won the 1958 New York Golden Gloves 147 lb Open Championship, defeating Osvaldo Marcano of the Police Athletic Leagues Lynch Center in the final.

In 1957 Griffith advanced to the finals of the 147-lb Sub-Novice division and was defeated by Charles Wormley of the Salem Crescent Athletic Club.

Griffith waged a classic four-fight series with Luis Rodríguez, losing their second fight and winning the other three.

He later admitted to being gentler with his opponents and relying on his superior boxing skills because he was terrified of killing someone else in the ring.

Griffith and Paret's third fight, which was nationally televised by ABC, occurred on March 24, 1962, at Madison Square Garden.

[13] After the sixth round Griffith's trainer, Gil Clancy, later said he told him, "When you go inside I want you to keep punching until Paret holds you or the referee breaks you!

[9] The fight, and the widespread publicity and criticism of boxing which accompanied it, became the basis of the 2005 documentary Ring of Fire: The Emile Griffith Story.

[15] In 1971, two months after they met, Griffith married another Virgin Islander, Mercedes "Sadie" Donastorg, who was then a member of the dance troupe "Prince Rupert and the Slave Girls".

[12] After retiring from boxing, Griffith worked as a corrections officer at the Secaucus, New Jersey Juvenile Detention Facility.

[9] In 1992, Griffith was viciously beaten and almost killed on a New York City street after leaving a gay bar near the Port Authority Bus Terminal.

"[9] A long-time resident of Weehawken, New Jersey,[17] Griffith died July 23, 2013, at a care facility in Hempstead, New York.