James Quick Tillis
Encyclopedia
James Tillis is an American prizefighter, nicknamed "Quick".
, Tillis grew up in a broken family with an alcoholic father and a deeply religious mother. He dreamed about being a professional boxer
after he listened to the 1964 bout between Muhammad Ali
and Sonny Liston
.He enlisted the help of noted trainer Ed Duncan. Tillis had an amateur record of 92-8, which included three state golden gloves and four state aau titles. He lost to future pro opponent Greg Page in the 1976 National Golden Gloves.
. Stander had fought Joe Frazier
and was regarded as one of boxing's most durable fighters. Other notable wins included a knockout of the South American champion Domingo D'Elia and a points win over the sometimes dangerous fringe contender Mike Koranicki.
World Heavyweight title. After a strong start, Tillis tired. The fight would become famous for trainer Angelo Dundee
imploring Tillis to do something, asking the fighter, "do you want to be a bum all your life?" Ultimately Tillis lost a close points decision.
In June 1982 Tillis came off the floor to outpoint the hard-hitting legend Earnie Shavers
but blew that momentum only a few months later, being upset by late substitute (and future world champion) Pinklon Thomas
. In November 1982, Tillis fought former amateur rival Greg Page
for the USBA Heavyweight title, where he knocked Page down but again tired and was the victim of an eighth-round knockout loss. Page would go on to win the world title.
in September 1983 for the vacant North American Boxing Federation title. Tillis was shockingly bombed out in one round apparently slipping on water in the ring as Witherspoon hit him. After the fight, Tillis' trainer Angelo Dundee
left him and advised him to retire as he had just suffered his third defeat in thirteen months.
Tillis got a new team and put together four wins in 1984, before challenging Carl Williams
in a world title eliminator. Having decked Williams twice in the opening round, Tillis tired and was outpointed. In 1985, under the guidance of Trainer Drew Bundini Brown
, he fought Joe Frazier's son and top contender Marvis Frazier
. In a recurring theme, he had Frazier down in the second round but ran out of gas and was outpointed. A few months later he travelled to South Africa to fight hard-hitting ex-champ Gerrie Coetzee
. Tillis was outpointed but sent Coetzee to hospital with stitches and missing teeth.
, who was a red-hot prospect with a 20-0 (20 knockouts) record. Tillis appeared to be a new man as he exchanged with Tyson and gave the future two-time champ a very tough fight. Although ultimately outclassed, he was the first person ever to take Iron Mike the distance.
The new Tillis was short-lived however, as he travelled to Australia and lost a close decision to veteran Joe Bugner
. In 1987 he was upset in eight rounds as underdog (and regular Tyson sparring partner) Michael Williams
came off the floor to beat an exhausted Tillis. Later in the same year he was busted up and stopped in five rounds by future champ Frank Bruno
in London, and knocked out in 10 rounds by hard-hitting Johnny DuPlooy
in South Africa.
Having failed to secure a rematch with Tyson in 1988, this time for the undisputed heavyweight championship, he made one last attempt at the big time, brought in to fight reigning cruiserweight world champion Evander Holyfield
, who was making a high-profile move into the heavyweight ranks. Holyfield punched out Tillis in five one-sided rounds.
Tillis resurfaced in 1991. However, his days even as a journeyman appeared over as hard-hitting (and future WBO
World Champion) Tommy Morrison
knocked him out in one round. His record was a mediocre 39-18-1.
, a 39-year-old Tillis was stopped in six rounds by Cliff Couser
in 1996.
Tillis fought his last fight in 2001, losing to clubfighter Rob Calloway
when he was 44 years old.
James Tillis, received catBOX Entertainment, Inc.’s Lifetime Sports Achievement Award. Tillis, whose fighting prowess named him “quick” “the fighting cowboy” was honored with the catBOX Entertainment, Inc.’s Lifetime Sports Achievement Award, before the main event at catBOX’s professional fight card set for February 11, 2010 at Remington Park Casino in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. http://www.catboxentertainment.com/catboxaward.html
On Feb. 12,2010, the State of Oklahoma honored one of its favorite sons, James “Quick” Tillis of Tulsa. Gov. Brad Henry signed a declaration making Feb. 12 James “Quick” Tillis Day in Oklahoma.http://www.tulsabeacon.com/?p=3684
As of 2010 Tillis is living in Tulsa.
His daughter Iciss
played basketball
at Duke University
as a center, and was on the United States National Team for the 2003 Pan American Games
. Iciss was later selected in the first round by the Detroit Shock
during 2004 WNBA Draft
. She later played for the New York Liberty
in 2006.
Tillis is married to Vanessa Williams-Tillis and [as of 2011] lives in La Luz, New Mexico. He primarily enjoys, "serving The Lord Jesus Christ, Cowboying and volunteering with amateur boxing clubs.
A film adaptation of his autobiography,["Thinkin' Big: The Story of James "Quick" Tillis- The Fightin' Cowboy], is in pre-production.
Personal
A native of Tulsa, OklahomaTulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...
, Tillis grew up in a broken family with an alcoholic father and a deeply religious mother. He dreamed about being a professional boxer
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
after he listened to the 1964 bout between Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali is an American former professional boxer, philanthropist and social activist...
and Sonny Liston
Sonny Liston
Charles L. "Sonny" Liston was a professional boxer and ex-convict known for his toughness, punching power, and intimidating appearance who became world heavyweight champion in 1962 by knocking out Floyd Patterson in the first round...
.He enlisted the help of noted trainer Ed Duncan. Tillis had an amateur record of 92-8, which included three state golden gloves and four state aau titles. He lost to future pro opponent Greg Page in the 1976 National Golden Gloves.
Pro Boxing Career
Tillis began his boxing career in 1978 with a first-round knockout of Ron Stephany. He won his first 20 fights with 16 knockouts. One of his most impressive early victories was a seventh-round knockout over the "Omaha Butcher" Ron StanderRon Stander
Ron Stander is a boxing referee and former professional boxer from Council Bluffs, Iowa, who was once a challenger for the heavyweight championship of the world....
. Stander had fought Joe Frazier
Joe Frazier
Joseph William "Joe" Frazier , also known as Smokin' Joe, was an Olympic and Undisputed World Heavyweight boxing champion, whose professional career lasted from 1965 to 1976, with a one-fight comeback in 1981....
and was regarded as one of boxing's most durable fighters. Other notable wins included a knockout of the South American champion Domingo D'Elia and a points win over the sometimes dangerous fringe contender Mike Koranicki.
Title fight
In 1981, Tillis fought "Hercules" Mike Weaver for the WBAWorld Boxing Association
The World Boxing Association is a boxing organization that sanctions official matches, and awards the WBA world championship title at the professional level. It was previously known as the National Boxing Association before changing its name in 1962...
World Heavyweight title. After a strong start, Tillis tired. The fight would become famous for trainer Angelo Dundee
Angelo Dundee
Angelo Dundee is an American boxing cornerman. He is best known for his work with Muhammad Ali , and has worked with 15 world boxing champions, including Sugar Ray Leonard, José Nápoles, George Foreman, Jimmy Ellis, Carmen Basilio, Luis Rodriguez and Willie Pastrano.-Professional career:Born in...
imploring Tillis to do something, asking the fighter, "do you want to be a bum all your life?" Ultimately Tillis lost a close points decision.
In June 1982 Tillis came off the floor to outpoint the hard-hitting legend Earnie Shavers
Earnie Shavers
Earnie Dee Shaver , better known as Earnie Shavers, is an American former professional boxer and is widely considered along with George Foreman as the hardest punchers of all time...
but blew that momentum only a few months later, being upset by late substitute (and future world champion) Pinklon Thomas
Pinklon Thomas
Pinklon Thomas is a retired heavyweight boxer and former WBC heavyweight champion whose trademark pink boxing trunks and a left jab were key distinguishing characteristics....
. In November 1982, Tillis fought former amateur rival Greg Page
Greg Page (boxer)
Greg Page was a boxer from Louisville, Kentucky. He was the World Boxing Association Heavyweight Champion from 1984 to 1985...
for the USBA Heavyweight title, where he knocked Page down but again tired and was the victim of an eighth-round knockout loss. Page would go on to win the world title.
Downward spiral
Having scored four wins, Tillis challenged (future two-time world champion) Tim WitherspoonTim Witherspoon
"Terrible" Tim Witherspoon is an American boxer who was twice world heavyweight champion.-Early career:Witherspoon had eight and a half amateur bouts, losing one to Marvis Frazier on decision after getting knocked down....
in September 1983 for the vacant North American Boxing Federation title. Tillis was shockingly bombed out in one round apparently slipping on water in the ring as Witherspoon hit him. After the fight, Tillis' trainer Angelo Dundee
Angelo Dundee
Angelo Dundee is an American boxing cornerman. He is best known for his work with Muhammad Ali , and has worked with 15 world boxing champions, including Sugar Ray Leonard, José Nápoles, George Foreman, Jimmy Ellis, Carmen Basilio, Luis Rodriguez and Willie Pastrano.-Professional career:Born in...
left him and advised him to retire as he had just suffered his third defeat in thirteen months.
Tillis got a new team and put together four wins in 1984, before challenging Carl Williams
Carl Williams (boxer)
Carl Williams is a retired American boxer from Belle Glade, Florida who fought in several noteworthy boxing matches in the 1980s and 1990s...
in a world title eliminator. Having decked Williams twice in the opening round, Tillis tired and was outpointed. In 1985, under the guidance of Trainer Drew Bundini Brown
Drew Bundini Brown
Drew Bundini Brown was an assistant trainer and cornerman of Muhammad Ali throughout the former heavyweight champion's career, as well as occasional film actor.-Personal life:...
, he fought Joe Frazier's son and top contender Marvis Frazier
Marvis Frazier
Marvis Frazier is a former professional boxer of the heavyweight division.-Personal:Marvis is the son of former heavyweight champion and Hall of Famer, Joe Frazier. His sister Jackie Frazier-Lyde was also a professional boxer, as was his brother Joe Frazier, Jr...
. In a recurring theme, he had Frazier down in the second round but ran out of gas and was outpointed. A few months later he travelled to South Africa to fight hard-hitting ex-champ Gerrie Coetzee
Gerrie Coetzee
Gerhardus Christian Coetzee , better known as Gerrie Coetzee, is a South African former boxer. He made history twice: he was the first boxer from the African continent ever to fight for the World Heavyweight Title, and the first to win the World Heavyweight Title...
. Tillis was outpointed but sent Coetzee to hospital with stitches and missing teeth.
Stamina issue
After extensive medical examination, it was discovered the reasons for Tillis' strange recurrent fatigue midway through fights was a severe allergy to the classic fighter's diet of milk and eggs. A doctor provided Tillis with a more suitable diet in the training for his upcoming fight with Mike TysonMike Tyson
Michael Gerard "Mike" Tyson is a retired American boxer. Tyson is a former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world and holds the record as the youngest boxer to win the WBC, WBA and IBF world heavyweight titles, he was 20 years, 4 months and 22 days old...
, who was a red-hot prospect with a 20-0 (20 knockouts) record. Tillis appeared to be a new man as he exchanged with Tyson and gave the future two-time champ a very tough fight. Although ultimately outclassed, he was the first person ever to take Iron Mike the distance.
The new Tillis was short-lived however, as he travelled to Australia and lost a close decision to veteran Joe Bugner
Joe Bugner
József Kreul "Joe" Bugner is a Hungarian-born British-Australian former top heavyweight boxer. He holds triple nationality, being a citizen of Hungary and a naturalized citizen of both Australia and the United Kingdom where he learned to box and spent his peak years.Born in Szőreg, a southeastern...
. In 1987 he was upset in eight rounds as underdog (and regular Tyson sparring partner) Michael Williams
Michael Williams (boxer)
Michael Williams is a former heavyweight boxer.-Boxing career:Known as "Mercury," Williams turned pro in 1984 and was considered a rising prospect after winning his first 13 fights, including a win over James Tillis. In 1987 he stepped up and lost a split decision to former champion Tim Witherspoon...
came off the floor to beat an exhausted Tillis. Later in the same year he was busted up and stopped in five rounds by future champ Frank Bruno
Frank Bruno
Franklin Roy Bruno MBE is an English former boxer whose career highlight was winning the WBC Heavyweight championship in 1995. Altogether, he won 40 of his 45 contests...
in London, and knocked out in 10 rounds by hard-hitting Johnny DuPlooy
Johnny DuPlooy
- Boxing career :The tall 6`3 South African boxer started his career in 1985 and beat 17 opponents. He then was stopped cold after losing to ex-champ Mike Weaver by 7th round KO...
in South Africa.
Having failed to secure a rematch with Tyson in 1988, this time for the undisputed heavyweight championship, he made one last attempt at the big time, brought in to fight reigning cruiserweight world champion Evander Holyfield
Evander Holyfield
Evander Holyfield is a professional boxer from the United States. He is a former undisputed world champion in both the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions, earning him the nickname "The Real Deal"...
, who was making a high-profile move into the heavyweight ranks. Holyfield punched out Tillis in five one-sided rounds.
Tillis resurfaced in 1991. However, his days even as a journeyman appeared over as hard-hitting (and future WBO
World Boxing Organization
The World Boxing Organization is a sanctioning organization currently recognizing professional boxing world champions. The organization is recognized as one of the four major world championship groups by the IBHOF alongside the International Boxing Federation, the World Boxing Council and the...
World Champion) Tommy Morrison
Tommy Morrison
Tommy David Morrison is an American heavyweight boxer and a former World Boxing Organization champion. He lost only three out of a total of 52 professional fights. Morrison's nickname, "The Duke," is based on disputed claims that he is a grandnephew of Hollywood star John Wayne...
knocked him out in one round. His record was a mediocre 39-18-1.
Semi-retirement
Tillis fought on and off until 2001. Although he still was able to outpoint former top-flight amateur Craig PayneCraig Payne
Craig Payne is a former US-American boxer best known for winning the National Golden Gloves in 1983.-Amateur:Payne won the National Golden Gloves in 1983 beating a young Mike Tyson ....
, a 39-year-old Tillis was stopped in six rounds by Cliff Couser
Cliff Couser
Clifford Couser is a heavyweight boxer. Nicknamed "The Black Bull" and often "Twin Tyson" for his resemblance to Mike Tyson, Couser fought several contenders from his era...
in 1996.
Tillis fought his last fight in 2001, losing to clubfighter Rob Calloway
Rob Calloway
Rob Calloway is an American boxer. He had forty amateur bouts, being the Kansas City Golden Gloves champion three times and a semifinalist for the 1992 US western Olympic trials...
when he was 44 years old.
Life After Boxing
In retirement he wrote an autobiography, [Thinkin' Big- The Story of James "Quick" Tillis- The Fightin' Cowboy]James Tillis, received catBOX Entertainment, Inc.’s Lifetime Sports Achievement Award. Tillis, whose fighting prowess named him “quick” “the fighting cowboy” was honored with the catBOX Entertainment, Inc.’s Lifetime Sports Achievement Award, before the main event at catBOX’s professional fight card set for February 11, 2010 at Remington Park Casino in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. http://www.catboxentertainment.com/catboxaward.html
On Feb. 12,2010, the State of Oklahoma honored one of its favorite sons, James “Quick” Tillis of Tulsa. Gov. Brad Henry signed a declaration making Feb. 12 James “Quick” Tillis Day in Oklahoma.http://www.tulsabeacon.com/?p=3684
As of 2010 Tillis is living in Tulsa.
His daughter Iciss
Iciss Tillis
Iciss Tillis is an American professional women's basketball player. She was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma.-High school:Tillis played for Cascia Prep School in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where she was named a WBCA All-American...
played basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
at Duke University
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
as a center, and was on the United States National Team for the 2003 Pan American Games
Pan American Games
The Pan-American or Pan American Games are a major event in the Americas featuring summer and formerly winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Pan American Games are the second largest multi-sport event after the Summer Olympics...
. Iciss was later selected in the first round by the Detroit Shock
Detroit Shock
The Detroit Shock was a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. They were the 2003, 2006 and 2008 WNBA champion...
during 2004 WNBA Draft
2004 WNBA Draft
2004 WNBA Draft - 17 April 2004On January 6, 2004 a dispersal draft took place. Players were drafted from the roster of the Cleveland Rockers, who folded after the 2003 season....
. She later played for the New York Liberty
New York Liberty
The New York Liberty is a professional basketball team based in New York City, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was one of the eight original franchises of the league...
in 2006.
Rochester Boxing Hall of Fame Induction
On November 5, 2011, James "Quick" Tillis was Inducted into the Rochester Boxing Hall of Fame, receiving the "John Mastrella Integrity Award".Tillis is married to Vanessa Williams-Tillis and [as of 2011] lives in La Luz, New Mexico. He primarily enjoys, "serving The Lord Jesus Christ, Cowboying and volunteering with amateur boxing clubs.
A film adaptation of his autobiography,["Thinkin' Big: The Story of James "Quick" Tillis- The Fightin' Cowboy], is in pre-production.