James Butler (boxer)

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Template:Use mdy dates Template:Short description Script error: No such module "Template wrapper".Script error: No such module "Check for clobbered parameters". James Butler Jr. (born December 18, 1972) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1996 to 2004. He challenged once for the IBF super middleweight title in 2000, but he is best known for his infamous bout on November 23, 2001 against Richard Grant where he was arrested after the fight for assault.[1] In 2004, Butler was arrested for the murder of Sam Kellerman and was sentenced to 29 years and four months in prison after pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter.

Biography

Butler started off his career by scoring 18 wins and only 1 loss in the super middleweight division. This led to a title fight against Sven Ottke who beat Butler by unanimous decision.

Butler's next bout earned him infamy. On November 23, 2001, Butler took on Richard Grant on a special edition of ESPN2's Friday Night Fights, at the Roseland Ballroom in New York City. The card was part of a charity event designed to raise money to help assist New York police and fire department personnel that survived the September 11 attacks. The two had met earlier in their careers, fighting in 1996 when they were first starting out as professionals, with Grant winning a four-round decision. The fight went the ten round distance, with all three judges scoring the bout for Grant.

As the two men waited for the results, Butler asked for his gloves to be cut off. After Grant was announced the winner, Butler stood in his corner seeming unpleased by the decision. Grant then made his way over to Butler to congratulate him for his effort, but Butler sucker punched the unsuspecting Grant with a right hook that dropped him to the floor. Grant lay dazed on the ring mat and bleeding from the mouth while broadcasters Bob Papa and Teddy Atlas called out for Butler to be arrested on assault charges. [1] Grant suffered a dislocated jaw and lacerated tongue from the unprotected bare knuckle punch, and Butler was eventually convicted of assaulting Grant and spent four months in Rikers Island.[2]

After Butler's assault, he would not return to boxing for three years. Returning as a light heavyweight, he fought four times and lost twice. His last fight was on another ESPN card against former super middleweight contender Omar Sheika, which he lost by split decision on August 10, 2004.

Killing of Sam Kellerman

On October 12, 2004, writer Sam Kellerman (brother of sports analyst Max Kellerman) was killed at his apartment in Los Angeles. Kellerman died of blunt-force trauma to the head, and his body was not found until October 17.[3][4] Butler was considered a suspect since he had been friends with Kellerman for over 10 years.

On October 20, Butler, accompanied by a lawyer, sought treatment for his alleged bipolar disorder.

Butler was arrested for the Kellerman murder on October 27. Two days later, he pleaded not guilty to murder and arson. He was held on $1.25 million bail. Prosecutors claimed that Butler, the only suspect in the case, repeatedly struck Kellerman in the head with a hammer, then torched Kellerman's Hollywood, California apartment in an attempted cover-up.

On July 8, 2005, a Los Angeles judge ruled there was sufficient evidence for Butler to stand trial on charges of murder and arson.

On March 27, 2006, Butler pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and arson in the 2004 death of Kellerman. On April 5, Butler was sentenced to 29 years and four months in prison by Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor, according to Deputy Public Defender Jack Keenan.[5]

Prosecutors speculated Butler was having relationship issues with his girlfriend while also struggling to revive his boxing career when Kellerman asked Butler to move out. A disagreement ensued on how long Butler could stay when he picked up a hammer and killed Kellerman, then torched his house.[6]

Professional boxing record

Template:BoxingRecordSummary

25 Loss 20–5 Template:Flagicon Omar Sheika SD 10 August 10, 2004 Template:Flagicon Essex County College, Newark, New Jersey, U.S.Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
24 Win 20–4 Template:Flagicon Dan Sheehan UD 6 June 4, 2004 Template:Flagicon PromoWest Pavilion, Columbus, Ohio, U.S.Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
23 Win 19–4 Template:Flagicon Reggie Strickland UD 6 May 7, 2004 Template:Flagicon Farm Bureau Building, Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
22 Loss 18–4 Template:Flagicon Thomas Reid UD 8 February 27, 2004 Template:Flagicon Key Skating Center, Bronx, New York, U.S.Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
21 Loss 18–3 Template:Flagicon Richard Grant UD 10 November 23, 2001 Template:Flagicon Roseland Ballroom, New York, New York, U.S.Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
20 Loss 18–2 Template:Flagicon Sven Ottke UD 12 September 1, 2001 Template:Flagicon Bördelandhalle, Magdeburg, GermanyScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". For IBF super-middleweight titleScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
19 Win 18–1 Template:Flagicon Jerry Williams UD 8 March 24, 2001 Template:Flagicon Bördelandhalle, Magdeburg, GermanyScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
18 Win 17–1 Template:Flagicon Jose Spearman TKO 6 (12), 0:59Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". September 29, 2000 Template:Flagicon Station Casino, Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". Retained USBA super middleweight titleScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
17 Win 16–1 Template:Flagicon Arthur Allen TKO 2 (12), 2:03Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". March 24, 2000 Template:Flagicon The Blue Horizon, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". Retained USBA super middleweight titleScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
16 Win 15–1 Template:Flagicon Bryant Brannon KO 7 (12), 0:55Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". October 29, 1999 Template:Flagicon Farm Bureau Building, Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". For USBA super middleweight titleScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
15 Win 14–1 Template:Flagicon Merqui Sosa TKO 2 (10), 1:02Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". July 16, 1999 Template:Flagicon Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom, Hampton Beach, New Hampshire, U.S.Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
14 Win 13–1 Template:Flagicon Thomas James TKO 2 (6) June 24, 1999 Template:Flagicon Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
13 Win 12–1 Template:Flagicon Jose Hiram Torres TKO 7 (10) May 15, 1999 Template:Flagicon Leominster, Massachusetts, U.S.Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
12 Win 11–1 Template:Flagicon Calvin Moody KO 1 (10) April 22, 1999 Template:Flagicon Virginia, U.S.Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
11 Win 10–1 Template:Flagicon Rufat Baku UD 10 October 9, 1998 Template:Flagicon Capitol Theatre, Port Chester, New York, U.S.Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
10 Win 9–1 Template:Flagicon Hector Rosario TKO 6 (8) September 11, 1998 Template:Flagicon Yonkers Raceway, Yonkers, New York, U.S.Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
9 Win 8–1 Template:Flagicon Tim Dendy UD 6 March 24, 1998 Template:Flagicon Grand Casino, Tunica, Mississippi, U.S.Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
8 Win 7–1 Template:Flagicon Knowledge Bey KO 3 (4) January 24, 1998 Template:Flagicon Elks Lodge, Queens, New York, U.S.Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
7 Win 6–1 Template:Flagicon Malcolm Brooks PTS 6 October 10, 1997 Template:Flagicon Capitol Theatre, Port Chester, New York, U.S.Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
6 Win 5–1 Template:Flagicon Louis March PTS 4 September 19, 1997 Template:Flagicon Capitol Theatre, Port Chester, New York, U.S.Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
5 Win 4–1 Template:Flagicon Robert Muhammad KO 6 (6) June 18, 1997 Template:Flagicon Yonkers Raceway, Yonkers, New York, U.S.Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
4 Win 3–1 Template:Flagicon Gerald Holmes KO 1 (4) April 11, 1997 Template:Flagicon Capitol Theatre, Port Chester, New York, U.S.Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
3 Loss 2–1 Template:Flagicon Richard Grant PTS 4 January 31, 1997 Template:Flagicon Yonkers Raceway, Yonkers, New York, U.S.Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
2 Win 2–0 Template:Flagicon Derrick Whitley PTS 4 November 2, 1996 Template:Flagicon Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
1 Win 1–0 Template:Flagicon Eddie Johnson TKO 1 (4) October 18, 1996 Template:Flagicon Bronx, New York, U.S.Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". Professional debutScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".

References

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External links

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