Buster Mathis
Born Buster Mathis
(1943-06-11 ) June 11, 1943Died September 6, 1995(1995-09-06) (aged 52) Statistics Weight(s) Heavyweight Height 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) Reach 76 in (193 cm) Stance Orthodox
Boxing record Total fights 34 Wins 30 Wins by KO 21 Losses 4 Draws 0
Buster Mathis (June 11, 1943 – September 6, 1995) was an American boxer.
Career
Mathis had a successful career as an amateur heavyweight boxer . He qualified for a spot in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics , but had to withdraw due to an injury. He was replaced in the tournament by Joe Frazier who went on to win the gold medal.
Mathis turned professional in June 1965 with a second round knockout victory over Bob Maynard.[citation needed ] Buster Mathis went on to win his next 22 contests as well and qualified for a shot at the New York State Athletic Commission World Heavyweight Title, which had become vacant after Muhammad Ali was stripped of the title for refusing to be drafted into the United States Army .[citation needed ]
The Title fight was to be held March 4, 1968, in New York 's Madison Square Garden against 'smoking' Joe Frazier , his old rival. Frazier won by 11th-round knockout.[citation needed ]
Buster Mathis continued to fight in the following years, outpointing George Chuvalo , but losing on points to Jerry Quarry - a fight Mathis was favoured to win. Mathis retired after losing to Quarry in 1969, but returned in 1971 to box Muhammad Ali for the NABF belt, losing on points over 12 rounds.[citation needed ] Ali was later criticized for not finishing Mathis in the final rounds of the fight.[1]
After Mathis was knocked out in just two rounds in September 1972 by Ron Lyle , he retired for good.[citation needed ]
Retirement
A 1980 Sports Illustrated article featured interviews with Mathis and many of Muhammad Ali's other opponents.[citation needed ] It reported Mathis worked in the trucking business after he retired from the ring. [citation needed ]
Mathis had various health problems in later years, including two strokes, a heart attack, and kidney failure. He died of heart failure at age 52.
Professional boxing record
30 Wins (21 knockouts, 9 decisions), 4 Losses (2 knockouts, 2 decisions)[2]
Result
Record
Opponent
Type
Round
Date
Location
Notes
Loss
30–4
Ron Lyle
KO
2
29 Sep 1972
Denver Coliseum , Denver, Colorado
Mathis knocked out at 2:58 of the second round.
Win
30–3
Humphrey McBride
TKO
3
5 Sep 1972
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
World Super Heavyweight Title . Referee stopped the bout at 1:34 of the third round.
Loss
29–3
Muhammad Ali
UD
12
17 Nov 1971
Astrodome , Houston, Texas
WBC NABF Heavyweight Title . 105–118, 104–118, 108–119
Loss
29–2
Jerry Quarry
UD
12
24 Mar 1969
Madison Square Garden , New York City
2–9, 1–10, 1–10
Win
29–1
George Chuvalo
UD
12
3 Feb 1969
Madison Square Garden , New York City
10–2, 9–3, 8–3
Win
28–1
J.J. Woody
TKO
6
26 Sep 1968
Madison Square Garden , New York City
Referee stopped the bout at 2:59 of the sixth round.
Win
27–1
Dick Wipperman
UD
10
16 Sep 1968
County Stadium , Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Win
26–1
Amos Lincoln
SD
10
5 Sep 1968
Olympic Auditorium , Los Angeles, California
9–1, 11–0, 4–5
Win
25–1
J.J. Beattie
TKO
7
25 Jul 1968
Met Center , Bloomington, Minnesota
Win
24–1
M.J. Turnbow
TKO
7
30 Apr 1968
Miami Beach Auditorium , Miami Beach, Florida
Referee stopped the bout at 2:44 of the seventh round.
Loss
23–1
Joe Frazier
TKO
11
4 Mar 1968
Madison Square Garden , New York City
NYSAC World Heavyweight Title . Referee stopped the bout at 2:33 of the 11th round.
Win
23–0
Gerry de Bruyn
KO
1
26 Dec 1967
Frolundaborg , Gothenburg
Bruyn knocked out at 0:36 of the first round.[3]
Win
22–0
Roberto Davila
TKO
7
18 Nov 1967
Johanneshov , Stockholm
Win
21–0
Ron Marsh
TKO
4
18 Sep 1967
Madison Square Garden , New York City
Referee stopped the bout at 1:13 of the fourth round.
Win
20–0
Wayne Heath
KO
5
2 Aug 1967
Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena , Los Angeles, California
Heath knocked out at 1:16 of the fifth round.
Win
19–0
Sonny S.D. Moore
TKO
5
23 May 1967
Saint Louis, Missouri
Referee stopped the bout at 2:09 of the fifth round.
Win
18–0
Ed "Baker Boy" Hurley
KO
1
12 May 1967
Detroit, Michigan
Win
17–0
Waban Thomas
KO
1
6 Feb 1967
Astrodome , Houston, Texas
Thomas knocked out at 2:23 of the first round.
Win
16–0
E.S. Andrews
KO
2
17 Nov 1966
Portland Exposition Building , Portland, Maine
Andrews knocked out at 2:10 of the second round.
Win
15–0
Johnny Barazza
KO
1
2 Nov 1966
Civic Center , Grand Rapids, Michigan
Win
14–0
Earl Averette
TKO
3
28 Sep 1966
Cambria County War Memorial Arena , Johnstown, Pennsylvania
Win
13–0
Bob Stallings
SD
10
15 Sep 1966
Armory , Akron, Ohio
Win
12–0
Mert Brownfield
KO
1
29 Aug 1966
Cobo Arena , Detroit, Michigan
Win
11–0
Charley E. Chase
UD
6
28 Jul 1966
Portland Exposition Building , Portland, Maine
Win
10–0
Everett Copeland
KO
2
23 Jun 1966
Madison Square Garden , New York City
Copeland knocked out at 2:27 of the second round.
Win
9–0
Tom Swift
KO
1
16 Jun 1966
Portland Exposition Building , Portland, Maine
Win
8–0
Charley Polite
PTS
6
16 Feb 1966
Westchester County Center , White Plains, New York
Win
7–0
Mike Bruce
TKO
5
19 Jan 1966
Westchester County Center , White Plains, New York
Win
6–0
Chuck Wepner
TKO
3
7 Jan 1966
Madison Square Garden , New York City
Referee stopped the bout at 1:58 of the third round.
Win
5–0
Charlie Lee
PTS
6
15 Dec 1965
Westchester County Center , White Plains, New York
Win
4–0
Bob Stallings
UD
6
23 Sep 1965
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Win
3–0
Bob Maynard
PTS
4
30 Aug 1965
Paul Sauve Arena , Montreal , Quebec
Win
2–0
Johnny Shore
TKO
2
28 Aug 1965
Rock Island, Quebec
Referee stopped the bout at 2:45 of the second round.
Win
1–0
Bob Maynard
TKO
2
28 Jun 1965
Paul Sauve Arena , Montreal , Quebec
Personal life
His son Buster Mathis Jr. was to later become a successful fighter, and was to take on Mike Tyson in 1995.
Notes
External links