James Quick Tillis - What was he missing?

I always liked watching the Cowboy fight when he showed up motivated. He certainly had skills, good tools... He ran into some real monsters, guys like Witherspoon, prime Pinky, even Coetzee. But then he lost to B and C level dudes, too. What prevented him from really reaching that top contender, or even belt holder status?

 

Wasn't he allergic to something in the fight diet or some issue like that?

 

I read he was allergic to eggs which affected his stamina in fights. Who knows if or when he stopped eating them. But he lost almost every time he stepped up . I’m thinking at the end of the day he just topped out at fringe level

 

Tillis was allergic to milk and eggs, which they found out prior to the Tyson fight.

In the 1980"s having an allergic reaction to a food was something nobody considered.

In the 80's everyone's main concern was becoming a cocaine addict. It you weren't coked up everyone
figured you were good to go.

 

I pretty certain I read back in the day that Joe Manley also had a food allergy which effected his stamina.

After losing everytime he stepped up (Harry Arroyo, Gene Hatcher and Ronnie Shields) he turned it around by flooring Howard Davis twice and outpointing him, getting a draw with future champ Gary Hinton and then coming on strong to knockout Hinton for the World title in 10 rounds.

Unfortunately for Joe he was also allergic to Terry Marsh who completely destroyed him and effectively finished his career.

 

I don’t know but whenever I’m trying to figure out what was missing it turns out to it was a significant part or two and essentially he wasn’t good enough. Tillis wasn’t busy enough, often didn’t go balls to the wall and was a bunch off on a few parts

 

He didn't have much to begin with. I think he was way overrated, the only notable guys he beat were a washed-up Ron Stander and an aging Earnie Shavers. Against Mike Weaver he did nothing but run all night long. Angelo Dundee screaming profanity at Tillis between rounds was hilarious.

 

He had a very close fight against a virile Mike Tyson, an 80 inch reach, and a Cowboy hat.

That's 9/10 the way to a champeenship.

 

He seemed to lack a certain sharpness and his movement was less "quick" than it was spongy and bouncy. For a guy who was supposed to be a speedster, he seemed to have a certain aimlessness that caused him to get hit a lot more than he should've. I remember him getting clocked quite a few times from Roughhouse Fischer with very telegraphed overhand rights in his tuneup fight before he fought Weaver and Tom surely wasn't fleet of foot and should have never reached him that often.

The only time he looked really "on point" is when he obliterated Domingo D'Elia with some brutally sharp combos. For what it's worth, I thought he did good to go the distance with Weaver and avoid his power shots. He just wasn't willing to risk extended exchanges that night and take the risk.

 

He was one of those guys who looked slick but didn’t actually do much in the ring.

 

He was managed for a while by Ang.Dundee who actually said Tillis was going to be his next champ.
But he grew frustrated with Tillis lack of confidence and inconsistent discipline.
But he did take weaver to a majority decision loss,so he had a little something there.

 

I'm pretty sure Weaver beat him unanimously Ferg.

 

Your right mate, don't know where I got majority verdict from

 

Old age like me mate hahahaha

 

Lol tell me about it mate
Give it ten years and the missus will be having to text our address to me