James Broad, Heavyweight Contender.

Broad looked good here. 246. A little too heavy but not grossly out of shape. His best win. He must have signed with DK and lost Futch as a trainer after this. Another hw who flushed his career down the toilet.

 

he was a sparring partner for Tyson for a few years. At one point he ended up homeless for a while. The 80s were filled with good talent. It’s a shame that too many of these guys weren’t consistently in shape and didn’t fight against each other enough. If the contrary were true it might have been the best heavyweight decade ever.

 

solid point

 

They did fight each other a lot. But too often DK controlled both fighters and almost never were both combatants in shape

Tim Witherspoon v. Greg Page
Tim Witherspoon v. Pinklon Thomas
Greg Page v. Tony Tubbs
Tony Tubbs v. Tom Witherspoon
Pinklon Thomas v. Trevor Berbick.
Tim Witherspoon v. Bonecrusher Smith.

Pretty sure DK controlled both fighters in all these title fights

Then Tyson cleaned up while fighting for DK as promoter but retaining independent management and training. As soon as DK got total control it went to $hit.

Don would use the race card whispering why should this whitey get a cut.

All these guys would have benefited from retaining an independent voice who looked out soley for their interests in a given fight.

Some of these guys were probably forced to give DK total control or get blackballed but Tyson didn't have to. He was too big a draw.

 

yes I’m aware of all the fights you listed but there were plenty others which could have been made and needless to say the contestants could have been in better form for some of them

 

alot of accurate replies..... Saw him on ESPN numerous times.... I know there are many factors but Saad54 summed it up

 

It took a fistic magician like DuPlooy to truly defuse Broad Axe.

 

Marvis Fraziier was the first blemish...... Broad had knocked him in out in 22 seconds. int the amatuers. Not this time ...just outworked

1982???? " take back your name " was the great artictle

 

David Bey was another one on the fat guy list.

I remember the name, but I am not sure that I ever saw him fight. I just read that not only was Broad homeless, but badly brain damaged at the time of his death. Just a terrible, sad thing to see. Nothing profound to say, just sad to hear about this.

 

That was my thoughts as well, his biggest opponent was himself

 

A good amateur but he simply wasn't good enough in the professional ranks. They had him on television a lot but he was never more than a fringe contender at best.
An 8-0 Marvis Frazier (who lost to his as an amateur) outpointed him, and Broad was in good shape for that one.

 

Broad was a good fighter, but a good boxer would beat him even at his best. The Gregg win was his best fight.

 

There seemed to be a cruel culture of calling 1980s HW"s flabby when by 2010"s standards they were light and svelte..(Obviously Broad and Tubbs were exceptions) but Witherspoon in 1986 doesnt look out of shape...was Foreman mk 2 fat...Hell no...he looks imposing...but these guys were attacked in the magazine's at the time