By: Fred L. Jones, Jr.
fjones@theoklahomaeagle.net
James “Quick” Tillis was inducted into this year’s National Boxing Hall of Fame. The ceremony ushered in the Class of 2017 honorees: Earnie Shavers, Mia St. John, Israel Vazquez, Michael Spinks, Ruben Olivares, Yaqui Lopez, Jorge Paez Sr., Jolene Blackshear, Gaspar Ortega, Alex Camponovo, Nacho Beristain and Carol Steindler with special awards going to Jill Diamond, Joey Olivo, Norm Lockwood, Howard James Triem and Budd Schulberg.
Previous notable inductees include Freddie Roach, Leon Spinks and Danny “Lil Red” Lopez. This year’s induction ceremony was held in Commerce, California on April 29th.
Known as “Quick”, he was known for his fast hand speed. Tillis was the firstborn son of James Tillis and wife Rose. Tillis attended Tulsa Raymond S. McLain High School and grew up in a very religious southern family, with a deeply religious mother. His mother would later join First Baptist Mohawk Church under the leadership of Pastor Clint Simmons. He dreamed about being a professional prize fighter and was given the nickname “Quick” by his first cousin Keith Reed. “Quick” was influenced to begin training to become a boxer after he listened to the 1964 bout between Muhammad Ali and Sonny Liston on the radio. He enlisted the help of noted trainer Ed Duncan and Marshall Jackson, by becoming involved in the sport at O’Brien and Chamberlin parks in Tulsa North. Tillis’ amateur record of 92-8 led to his being considered for the United States Olympic team. Due to an illness, he was unable to compete in the Olympic trials.
However, his impressive amateur career included three state Golden Gloves and four state AAU titles. He lost to future pro opponent Greg Page in the 1976 National Golden Gloves. He also managed to beat future pro contender Renaldo Snipes, who he later turned pro with on the same card.
Tillis began his professional boxing career in 1978, with a first-round knockout of Ron Stephany. He won his first 20 fights with 16 knockouts. In 1981, Tillis fought “Hercules” Mike Weaver for the WBA World Heavyweight title.
In June 1982, Tillis came off the floor to outpoint the hard-hitting legend Earnie Shavers but tired in the later rounds. In November 1982, Tillis fought former amateur rival Greg Page for the USBA Heavyweight title. He knocked Page down, but again tired and was the victim of an eighth-round knockout loss.
Having scored four wins after that fight, Tillis challenged future two-time world champion Tim Witherspoon in September 1983, for the vacant North American Boxing Federation title. Tillis slipped on a wet spot 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 heavyweight contender Marvis Frazier. In a recurring theme, he had Frazier down in the second round, but again ran out of gas and was outpointed. A few months later, he traveled to South Africa to fight hard-hitting ex-champ Gerrie Coetzee. Tillis lost, but sent Coetzee to hospital with stitches and missing teeth.
After extensive medical examination, Tillis’ strange recurrent fatigue midway through fights was found to derive from 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 Tyson, a red-hot prospect with a 19-0 (19 knockouts) record. Tillis appeared to be a new man, as he exchanged with Tyson and gave the future two-time champion a very tough fight. Although ultimately outpointed, he was the first person ever to take Iron Mike the distance. At the time, Iron Mike, an awesome puncher, had a 19-0 record with 19 straight knockouts. He appeared unbeatable. In the first 19, 11 of his victims didn’t even get out of the first round. Tyson commented after the fight that: “I was looking for one good punch to really hurt him. I knew I was ahead. I was just laying for one clean punch. I wanted to catch him. Mr. Tillis was in superb shape and he put up a great fight. He hit me with some good shots. There’s no way he should quit.”
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. Tillis was brought in to fight reigning cruiserweight world champion Evander Holyfield, who was making a high-profile move into the heavyweight ranks. Tillis resurfaced in 1991. However, his days even as a journeyman appeared over, as hard-hitting (and future WBO World Champion) Tommy Morrison defeated him. Tillis fought on and off until 2001. Tillis fought his last fight in 2001 with Rob Calloway, when he was 44 years old.
Tillis received catBOX Entertainment, Inc.’s Lifetime Sports Achievement Award. Tillis, whose fighting prowess named him “quick” and “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.
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.
On November 5, 2011, Tillis was Inducted into the Rochester Boxing Hall of Fame, receiving the “John Mastrella Integrity Award”. Tillis places the priorities in his life as “Serving The Lord Jesus Christ, Cowboy-ing and volunteering with amateur boxing clubs”. Bringing to fruition film adaptation of his autobiography, Thinkin Big: The Story of James Quick Tillis, the Fightin’ Cowboy, is his pet project.
James “Quick” Tillis athletic 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.
To purchase James “Quick” Tillis book “Thinkin Big-The Story of the Fighting Cowboy or autographed memorabilia logon on to: http://www.jamesquicktillis.com/
