James Tillis

Infobox Boxer
name=James Tillis
realname=James Theodore Tillis
nickname=Quick, The Fighting Cowboy


height=height|ft=6|in=1
weight=Heavyweight
nationality=flagicon|USA American
birth_date=birth date and age|1957|07|05
birth_place=Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA
death_date=
death_place=
home=Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA
style=Orthodox
total=65
wins=42
losses=22
draws=1
KO=31

James Tillis (born July 5, 1957) is an American prizefighter, nicknamed "Quick".

A native of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Tillis grew up in a broken family with an alcoholic father and a deeply religious mother. He dreamed about being a professional boxer after he listened to the 1964 bout between Muhammad Ali and Sonny Liston.

Tillis began his boxing career in 1978 with a first-round knockout of Ron Stephany. He won his first 20 fights with 16 knockouts. One of his most impressive early victories was a seventh-round knockout over the "Omaha Butcher" Ron Stander. Stander had fought Joe Frazier and was regarded as one of boxing's most durable fighters. Other notable wins included a knockout of the South American champion Domingo D'Elia and a points win over the sometimes dangerous fringe contender Mike Koranicki.

Title fight

In 1981, Tillis fought "Hercules" Mike Weaver for the WBA World Heavyweight title. After a strong start, Tillis tired. The fight would become famous for trainer Angelo Dundee imploring Tillis to do something, asking the fighter, "do you want to be a bum all your life?" Ultimately Tillis lost a close points decision.

In June 1982 Tillis came off the floor to outpoint the hard-hitting legend Earnie Shavers but blew that momentum only a few months later, being upset by late substitute (and future world champion) Pinklon Thomas. In November 1982, Tillis fought former amateur rival Greg Page for the USBA Heavyweight title, where he knocked Page down but again tired and was the victim of an eighth-round knockout loss. Page would go on to win the world title.

Downward spiral

Having scored four wins, Tillis challenged (future two-time world champion) Tim Witherspoon in September 1983 for the vacant North American Boxing Federation title. Tillis was shockingly bombed out in one round, and at 26 wins, 4 losses his career appeared over. His longtime trainer Angelo Dundee advised him to retire and stopped working with him, although Tillis had only suffered losses in very high-class company.

Tillis got a new team and put together four wins in 1984, before challenging Carl Williams in a world title eliminator. Having decked Williams twice in the opening round, Tillis tired and was outpointed. In 1985 he fought Joe Frazier's son and top contender Marvis Frazier. In a recurring theme, he had Frazier down in the second round but ran out of gas and was outpointed. A few months later he travelled to South Africa to fight hard-hitting ex-champ Gerrie Coetzee. Tillis was outpointed but sent Coetzee to hospital with stitches and missing teeth.

tamina issue

After extensive medical examination,it was discovered the reasons for Tillis' strange recurrent fatigue midway through fights was a severe allergy to the classic fighter's diet of milk and eggs. A doctor provided Tillis with a more suitable diet in the training for his upcoming fight with Mike Tyson, who was a red-hot prospect with a 19-0 (19 knockouts) record. Tillis appeared to be a new man as he exchanged with Tyson and gave the future two-time champ a very tough fight. Tillis ended up losing a 10-round decision.

The new Tillis was short-lived however, as he travelled to Australia and lost a close decision to veteran Joe Bugner. In 1987 he was upset in eight rounds as underdog (and regular Tyson sparring partner) Mike Williams came off the floor to beat an exhausted Tillis. Later in the same year he was busted up and stopped in five rounds by future champ Frank Bruno in London, and knocked out in 10 rounds by hard-hitting Johnny DuPlooy in South Africa.

Having failed to secure a rematch with Tyson in 1988, this time for the undisputed heavyweight championship, he made one last attempt at the big time, brought in to fight reigning cruiserweight world champion Evander Holyfield, who was making a high-profile move into the heavyweight ranks. Holyfield punched out Tillis in five one-sided rounds.

Tillis resurfaced in 1991. However, his days even as a journeyman appeared over as hard-hitting Tommy Morrison knocked him out in one round. His record was a respectable 39-18-1.

emi-retirement

Tillis fought on and off until 2001. Although he still was able to outpoint former top-flight amateur Craig Payne, a 39-year-old Tillis was stopped in six rounds by Cliff Couser in 1996.

Tillis fought his last fight in 2001, losing to clubfighter Rob Calloway when he was 44 years old.

In retirement he wrote an autobiography. His daughter Iciss played basketball at Duke University as a center, and was on the United States National Team for the 2003 Pan American Games. Iciss was later selected in the first round by the Detroit Shock during 2004 WNBA Draft. She later played for the New York Liberty in 2006.

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