Johnny Bumphus

Johnny 'Bump City' Bumphus (August 17, 1960 – January 31, 2020) was an American professional boxer who held the WBA super lightweight title in 1984 and challenged once for the WBC and IBF welterweight titles in 1987.

Johnny Bumphus
Statistics
Nickname(s)Bump City
Weight(s)
Height6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Reach74 in (188 cm)
NationalityAmerican
Born(1960-08-17)August 17, 1960
Tacoma, Washington, U.S.
DiedJanuary 31, 2020(2020-01-31) (aged 59)
Tacoma, Washington, U.S.
StanceSouthpaw
Boxing record
Total fights31
Wins29
Wins by KO20
Losses2

Amateur career

Bumphus began boxing as an amateur at the age of eight at the Tacoma Boy's Club Boxing Club, located on 25th and Yakima Avenue. He was one of four World Champions to begin boxing in Tacoma, the others being Freddie Steele, Rocky Lockridge and Leo Randolph.

His amateur highlights were:

  • Winning the 1977 National AAU Featherweight Championship by decisioning Lee Simmons of Akron, Ohio, in the final.
  • Winning the 1979 National Golden Gloves Championship in the lightweight division (132 lbs) by defeating Efrain Nieves at Indianapolis.
  • Being ranked #1 U.S. Lightweight by the U.S. Amateur Boxers and Coaches Association in 1979,[1] while also serving as a deputy sheriff with the Nashville Sheriff's Department in Nashville, Tennessee.

Bumphus qualified for the 1980 American Olympic boxing team, but did not compete due to the American boycott of the Moscow Olympics. He was the torch bearer for the American Olympians.[2]

In August 1980, he signed with boxing promoter Bob Arum reportedly for $500,000.[3]

Highlights

Bumphus finished his amateur career at 341–16,[4] (or 354–16[5][6].)

Olympics

Bumphus qualified at 139 pounds and was a member of the 1980 U.S. Olympic boxing team[7] that died in the crash of LOT Polish Airlines Flight 007 in Warsaw, Poland, on March 14, 1980[8] en route to the USA vs. Poland Box-off as part of "USA vs. the World" event. Bumphus was not with the team. Among the USA Boxing teammates who were killed in the crash were Lemuel Steeples from St. Louis, Calvin Anderson from Connecticut, Paul Palomino - the brother of Carlos Palomino, George Pimental and the Olympic coach, Sarge Johnson.[9] Members of the team who were also not aboard included Bobby Czyz, Alex Ramos and James Shuler.

Bumphus earned his place on the team with a win over Ronnie Shields. Bumphus did not compete in the Olympics, due to the 1980 Summer Olympics boycott. In 2007, he received one of 461 Congressional Gold Medals created especially for the spurned athletes.[10]

His reaction to the LOT Polish Airlines Flight 7 crash, where several of his teammates were killed, was: "We were going in the same direction a week ahead on the same plane and everything, so I'm just grateful it wasn't me that went down in the crash."[11]

Professional career

Dubbed "Bump City", Bumphus began his professional career as a hot prospect, winning his first 22 fights, including the vacant WBA Light Welterweight Title with a decision win over Lorenzo Luis Garcia in 1984. Bumphus lost the belt to Gene Hatcher in June 1984 in Buffalo, New York. Hatcher scored an 11th-round technical knockout that had Hatcher knocking Bumphus down, then slipping and falling on a follow-up attempt, then throwing Bumphus down to the mat when both fighters clinched. A post-fight melee in the ring then ensued, as Hatcher was celebrating in triumph while the now-deposed champion was slugging away in frustration. The fight was named as Ring magazine's Upset of the year for 1984. In 1987, Bumphus took on Lloyd Honeyghan for the WBC and IBF Welterweight Title, but lost with 2nd round technical knock out. He retired after the loss, with a record of 29-2-0.

Those in Tacoma's Hilltop area knew of the lure drugs had for Bumphus. Towards the end of his boxing career he developed an addiction to cocaine, which he briefly kicked. When he returned to Tacoma, through a series of bad friends and choices, he resumed taking drugs in 1989, becoming addicted to crack cocaine. In 1995, he spent a year in rehab, and then left Tacoma to work as a trainer for his former manager Lou Duva in West Palm Beach, Florida.

As a trainer, he worked with Kassim Ouma and Emmett Linton.

Professional boxing record
31 fights 29 wins 2 losses
By knockout 20 2
By decision 9 0

References
  1. Amateur Boxing Rankings (UPI,) Galveston Daily News, February 15, 1979, p. 59.
  2. Arum signs 8 fighters; 2 are Olympic champs By Hal Bock (AP,) The Times Leader, August 20, 1980, p. 29.
  3. Initial bonus offer 'disappointing' by Bill Cox, The Jackson Sun, August 6, 1980, p. 33.
  4. "KO Closeup: Johnny Bumphus", KO: 35, August 1983
  5. Vegas Not So Far For SEAAU Boxers By Tom Wood, The Tennessean, April 10, 1980, p. 10.
  6. Experienced Pal Aids Boxer King by J. T. Phillips, The Tennessean, April 5, 1980, p. 22.
  7. "U.S. Olympic Boxing Teams" Archived May 22, 2006, at the Wayback Machine at boxing.about.com (Retrieved September 12, 2013)
  9. "Retired Boxers Foundation Founder Alex 'The Bronx Bomber' Ramos Selected as U.S.A. Torchbearer for ATHENS 2004 Olympic Torch Relay" at ikfkickboxing.com, May 24, 2004
  10. Caroccioli, Tom; Caroccioli, Jerry. Boycott: Stolen Dreams of the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games. Highland Park, IL: New Chapter Press. pp. 243–253. ISBN 978-0942257403.
  11. No More Overseas Flights For Boxer (AP,) The Indianapolis Star, March 15, 1980, p. 31.
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