How good was James "Bubba" Busceme ?

Highly regarded at the start of his professional career, then got upset and
was somewhat forgotten.

Did beat another highly regarded lightweight, Herman 'Kid' Montes.
Both Bubba and the Kid should have been in 'The Mix' at lightweight.

 

Bubba and I had a mutual friend so we followed his boxing pretty cloose and attended all his local fights. He was a very gifted and skilled lefty boxer/counter puncher that was practically invincible as an amateur. As a pro he was prone to fail to maintain the required conditioning. I recall one instance where he got stopped, then got serious and came back to destroy the guy in their rematch.

Some of that day's recognized fighters didn't want any part of his style, Sean O'Grady is one example. Fighting Arguello would have been futal for any 135 pounder on the planet, Bubba said he had the power of a middle weight. If he had only fought Boom Boom Mancini who obtained the WBA title about six months after the Arguello fight he may have become champion. Bubba only lost one decision and it was a controversial split decision against Livinstone Bramble who went on to lift the crown from Boom Boom and defend it against him in a rematch. He loved fighters that forced their chin his way like Mancini or Herman Montes!

SKeown