Johnny Bratton
| Johnny Bratton | |
|---|---|
| Statistics | |
| Real name | Johnny Bratton |
| Nickname(s) | Honey Boy Bratton |
| Rated at | Welterweight |
| Nationality | American |
| Born |
September 9, 1927 Little Rock, AR, U.S. |
| Died | August 15, 1993 (aged 65) |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 86 |
| Wins | 59 |
| Wins by KO | 33 |
| Losses | 24 |
| Draws | 3 |
| No contests | 4 |
Johnny Bratton, also known as Honey Boy Bratton, (September 9, 1927 – August 15, 1993) was an American professional boxer in the welterweight (147lb) division. He fought many of the best fighters of his era in the division, earning nearly $400,000 in 83 fights, but ended up penniless and mentally impaired.
Bratton started boxing at age 14 and competed in several Golden Gloves events before turning pro.
Bratton was a strong character, contemporaneously described as "flashy" or "egotistical", with his "brilliantined hair and a fondness for purple shirts". He was "instinctively disliked by others" and fans were said to hope he would "get a beating".
He turned pro in 1944 and captured the vacant National Boxing Association World welterweight title in 1951 with a majority decision win over Charley Fusari [2], fight in which Fusari was down for a four-count in the 4th round and a nine-count in the 10th. He lost the belt two months later to Kid Gavilan by decision after Bratton's jaw was broken within the first five rounds. In 1953 Bratton rematched Gavilan for the World Welterweight Title and lost a lopsided decision with scores 85-65, 83-67, 82-68 all for Gavilan. After the loss to Gavilan, Bratton's career spiraled downward with losses to Johnny Saxton and Chico Varona. He retired in 1955 after a brutal loss to Del Flanagan, a fight stopped by the ring doctor because Bratton was cut over both eyes and appeared "dazed and didn't know where he was."
His career record was 60 wins (including 34 knockouts), 24 losses (three knockouts) and three draws.
At his peak, Bratton was earning tens of thousands of dollars per fight, and he spent lavishly, on clothes, cars and gambling. His manager, Howard Frazier, was found to be embezzling his income and had his license revoked for it in 1949. Bratton attracted plenty of other people eager to relieve this Arkansas country boy of his new-found wealth, which - combined with poor financial management, by his father and others - meant that he ended up losing it all.
Bratton was born in Little Rock, Arkansas where his father was a preacher. He had older brothers named Jerry and Lawyer Jr. During the Great Depression, the family moved north to Chicago, where his father got a job as a taxi driver, which meant he was often away from home, and young Bratton grew up without strong family support, as his mother left him to his own devices. He attended DuSable High School, but dropped out, spending his time on the street, an existence that led him to the fight clubs that would be his path to success.
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