James Tillis
| James Tillis | |
|---|---|
James "Quick" Tillis- The Fighting Cowboy
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| Statistics | |
| Real name | James Theodore Tillis |
| Nickname(s) | Quick The Fighting Cowboy |
| Rated at | Heavyweight |
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
| Reach | 80 in (203 cm) |
| Nationality | American |
| Born |
July 5, 1957 Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S. |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 65 |
| Wins | 42 |
| Wins by KO | 31 |
| Losses | 22 |
| Draws | 1 |
| No contests | 0 |
| Website | http://www.jamesquicktillis.com |
James Tillis (born July 5, 1957) is a former professional boxer. Known as "Quick", he was known for his fast hand speed. Tillis challenged for the WBA world heavyweight title in 1981, but was defeated by fifteen round unanimous decision to Mike Weaver. Tillis was the first man to go the distance with a prime Mike Tyson in 1986. He holds notable wins over Ron Stander by TKO 7 in 1980, and the hard punching Earnie Shavers by ten round decision in 1982. Tillis fought for the last time in 2001 at the age of 44.
A native of Tulsa, Oklahoma, he was the firstborn son of James Tillis and wife Rose. Tillis attended Mclain High School and grew up in a very religious southern family, with an alcoholic father and 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, by becoming involved in the sport at the O'Brien Park recreation center in north Tulsa. 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 in 1978.
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. One of his most impressive early victories was a seventh-round knockout of Ron Stander in 1980. Stander had once challenged Joe Frazier for the world title 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.
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