Known primarily for his amateur career, during which he already earned his nickname "Wonderful", coming to attention of Howard Cosell, who predicted his bright future as a most likely U.S. Olympic Team light heavyweight for the 1984 Olympics, and a successful professional career afterwards, but both predictions proved unfulfilled, as Womack lost the Olympic qualifiers to Evander Holyfield, and his up-and-coming professional career crumbled after a criminal conviction.

Eventually social services took Ricky along with his seven brothers and sisters away from his mother to a foster care.

He started boxing at the age of thirteen with the Kronk Gym, being trained by Emanuel Steward.

But troubled childhood deeply affected his personality, he became a staunch kleptomaniac and had frequent brushes with the law enforcement authorities.

At that time his teammate, another Kronk's young talent Mark Breland came under Womack's destructive influence.

Womack's criminal habits eventually led him to a long term prison sentence.