Former welterweight champ charged with failing to pay child support

HARTFORD, Conn. --Former world welterweight champion Marlon Starling has been charged with failing to pay support for his three children.

Starling, 47, a Hartford native who now lives in East Hartford, was released on $2,000 bail Friday after being arrested in Southington Thursday night. He appeared in Hartford Family Court Friday afternoon and was told to return on Aug. 16.

State Attorney General Richard Blumenthal said Starling owes more than $30,000 in back child support payments and interest. In March 2002, he was ordered to pay $83 a week in support.

An arrest warrant was issued for Starling in September 2005 because he failed to appear in court on the child support allegations.

During a 12-year career in which he earned more than $2 million in prize money, Starling was 45-7-1 with 27 knockouts. The two-time champ retired after losing the World Boxing Council welterweight title to Maurice Blocker on a split decision Aug. 19, 1990.

Starling denied that he owes as much as Blumenthal said, but said he plans to get caught up with the payments.

"I'm going to do what I have to do," he said. "I was embarrassed for getting into this situation, but there's a lot of good people who have run into these problems."

Starling blamed his falling behind on the payments on bad investments and a lack of work.

"I'm a good father," he said. "It takes more than money to be a dad."

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Information from: The Hartford Courant, http://www.courant.com