James Butler (boxer)

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James Butler Jr. boxer
Data
Birth Name James Butler Jr.
Weight class Super middleweight
nationality United States
birthday 18th December 1972
place of birth Harlem , USA
Combat Statistics
Struggles 25th
Victories 20th
Knockout victories 12
Defeats 5

James Butler, Jr. (born December 18, 1972 in Harlem , New York City ) is an American, former professional super middleweight boxer . Because of his origin and his dreaded right hook, his battle name was "The Harlem Hammer" .

Professional career

Butler won his first professional fight on October 18, 1996 by technical knockout in the first round over Eddie Johnson. After a points victory over Derrick Whitley on November 2 of the same year, he stepped on January 31, 1997 against Richard Grant in the ring and suffered his first defeat when Grant was declared the winner on points. Butler was not discouraged and was able to win the next 12 fights, whereupon he qualified for a title fight against Bryant Brannon. Butler won the fight by knockout in round 7, making him the new American super middleweight champion.

After three more victories, on September 1, 2001, he got the opportunity to challenge the reigning IBF world champion , the German Sven Ottke . The fight took place in front of around 8,000 spectators in the Magdeburg Bördelandhalle and ended in a heavy defeat for Butler. He had to box the full 12 laps for the first time and also suffered a heavy bruise on his right eye. In the end, Ottke was unanimously declared the winner on points, defending his title for the eleventh time.

He played his next fight on November 23 of the same year against Richard Grant, the boxer against whom he suffered his first and only Ottke defeat. The boxing match was part of a fundraising event in New York City to raise money for the survivors of the victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks . The fight went on for 10 rounds and ended again with a point defeat for Butler. However, when Grant came to his corner to hug him after the fight, Butler hit the right hook on Grant's jaw with his bare fist. Grant's jaw was dislocated and his tongue seriously injured, which had to be sewn with 26 stitches. Butler was arrested immediately after the uproar, suspended indefinitely by the boxing association and later sentenced to four months without parole for assault, which he served in Rikers Island Penitentiary .

Although he was allowed to box again from February 2004, he was no longer able to continue anywhere near his old achievements. After only three fights against below average opponents, of which he even lost one and the other two had to box over the full length, he went to his last professional fight against Omar Sheika on August 10, 2004 , which he lost on points.

Killing of Sam Kellerman

On 12 October 2004 Butler killed his 29-year-old friend Sam Kellerman (brother of the famous HBO -Moderators Max Kellerman ) in his apartment in Hollywood and then set fire to cover up the crime. Butler was arrested on October 27th and charged with murder and arson. On April 5, 2006, he was finally sentenced to 29 years and four months' imprisonment for willful manslaughter and arson. He cited an argument as a motive because Kellerman wanted to throw him out of the apartment, but Butler needed it for himself, his girlfriend and his daughter and was working on his comeback.

Main fights

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Edward Wong: BOXING; Boxer Barred and Charged For Sucker Punch After Loss. In: The New York Times . November 27, 2001, accessed December 17, 2016 .
personal data
SURNAME Butler, James
ALTERNATIVE NAMES The Harlem Hammer
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American super middleweight boxer
DATE OF BIRTH 18th December 1972
PLACE OF BIRTH Harlem