The best punch trackers on the market
23rd November 2020
By: Max Taylor
From clashing with world class opponents in his prime, to later battling his conscience and making the worst possible life choices. James Butler’s career finished in tragedy and the beginning of the end came with a punch that happened on this day in 2001.
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On the turn of the new century James Butler’s career was going from strength to strength. It was 10 days before the 9/11 attacks, that literally hit home for the New Yorker, where his 18-1 record finally became recognised. On the 1st September 2001, the ‘Harlem Hammer’ was given a shot at world honours against German champion Sven Ottke.
Ottke outpointed his adversary over 12 rounds before disaster struck the U.S in the following weeks. The terrorist attack prompted Butler to return to the ring on the 23rd of November in a charity match made to raise funds for the First Responders of the destructive scenes of New York. He faced the first man to blemish his record in Richard Grant.
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Another points decision that did not go his way, Butler conceded a unanimous defeat after a 10-round rematch against his Jamaican rival. Ironically, this generous charity match that materialized for a good cause elicited selfish and egotistical behavior from a frustrated Butler.
What ensued after the final bell was an animalistic moment that unveiled what true barbarians compete in a sport that is violent yet civilized. There was no civility from the ‘Harlem Hammer’ though, as he atrociously right hooked his opponent, who gestured for an embrace, with his bare knuckles knocking him clean out and causing a lacerated tongue which required 26 stitches.
Butler suitably served four months on Rikers Island for 2nd degree assault. Through that time though, he only went further down the immoral spectrum instead of reforming which was clear to the public in 2004. This was intended to be the year of the comeback and re-establishment, instead it was the nail in the coffin to an already stained career.
The former IBF world title challenger did not have the return to the sport he expected, winning two out of four bouts by August of 2004. Now a forgotten name to the Super Middleweight division and homeless, Butler was given a temporary place to stay by long time friend Sam Kellerman, brother of esteemed boxing analyst Max.
The former USBA 168lb champion thought of his accommodation as more long term than Kellerman expected it to be. An argument sprouted from this and was resolved in tragic fashion. In the most unfortunate of circumstances, Butler killed Kellerman with a murder weapon identical to his nickname.
This signaled the end to the criminal’s freedom who was jailed for almost 30 years in 2006. This year marks only the half-way point of his sentence but today marks his infamous sucker punch.
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