Looking Back At Two-Time Heavyweight King Tim Witherspoon

At the recent PAB HOF Inductions this past Sunday in Philadelphia, I talked with former two-time world heavyweight champion ‘Terrible’ Tim Witherspoon, whom I have known over the years.

Witherspoon is one of the nicest and most honest former champions who attends boxing matches in Philadelphia and events like the recent one. He is a fan favorite who was kind enough to answer some questions about his career.

I first met Witherspoon in 1979 when he was in camp sparring with Muhammad Ali in Deer Lake, PA, with his trainer ‘Slim’ Jim Robinson.

Witherspoon turned professional in October of 1979, defeating debuting Joe Adams and going on to win his first fifteen fights before losing a disputed split decision to WBC world champion Larry ‘The Easton Assassin’ Holmes, 42-0, at the Dunes Hotel & Casino, outdoor Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, in May of 1983. “I thought I won the fight over the years, I learned you have to do more than just win,“ said Witherspoon.

In Witherspoon’s fourteenth fight, he defeated Renaldo ‘Mr.’ Snipes, 22-1-1, at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas by majority decision, earning him the title fight. Snipes in his previous fight was coming off a title fight loss with Holmes.

I remember watching the Holmes-Witherspoon fight and felt Witherspoon should have gotten the split decision. Many years later, I mentioned this to Holmes at his press conference, and he wasn’t pleased with me saying this.

Witherspoon rebounded in his next fight, defeating Floyd ‘Jumbo’ Cummings, 15-4-1, at the Dunes. In September of 1983 he won the vacant NABF title that Michael Dokes vacated to go on winning the WBA title, stopping James ‘Quick’ Tillis, 26-3, in the first round. This earned him another title fight, winning the vacant WBC world title, defeating Greg Page, 23-1, at the Convention Center, Las Vegas, in March of 1984. “I learned over time that Don King was just manipulating the fighters for his own benefit, warning us to get in shape, and he said there is a young kid named Mike Tyson, and you better be in shape. He was just using us as opponents to get to Tyson,” said Witherspoon.

In August in his first defense Witherspoon lost a majority decision to Pinklon ‘Pink’ Thomas, 24-0-1, at the Riviera Hotel, Las Vegas. Again, close fight.

Witherspoon would go onto win his next seven fights including knocking out James ‘Broad Axe’ Broad, 17-1, in two rounds winning the NABF title at the Memorial Auditorium, in Buffalo, New York.

Next, Witherspoon defeated future world champion James ‘Bonecrusher’ Smith, 15-3, at the Riviera Hotel. Three fights later, he defeated Tony ‘TNT’ Tubbs, 21-0, in Atlanta, Georgia, on January 17th for the WBA world title, becoming a two-time world champion.

Just before the Tubbs fight on December 27th, I had a birthday, and I was training for the fight, and I smoked marijuana. I tested positive after the fight and paid a $25,000 fine, and had to go to rehabilitation for about six months, and was given a rematch. Tubbs got hurt in training, hurting his shoulder, and didn’t fight for another 15 months.

Then Witherspoon would travel to the UK before 40,000 in attendance stopping future world champion Frank Bruno, 28-1, in the eleventh round in July of 1986.

In December of 1986, Witherspoon would suffer his third defeat in a rematch with ‘Bonecrusher’, being stopped in the first round at Madison Square Garden, New York, dropping to 25-3. “I was scheduled to fight Tubbs in a rematch and when I heard he got hurt I broke camp. I was not in shape for this fight. We knew there was a three-knockdown rule, and I took a dive. You could see me crawling on the floor. I was acting to make it look good, or I wouldn’t get paid. I wasn’t even hurt,” said Witherspoon.

In 1987, Witherspoon filed a 25-million-dollar lawsuit against promoter Don King and his stepson, Carl King, who was Witherspoon’s manager, accusing them of fraud and conflict of interest. The suit was settled out of court for $1 million in 1992. “I got the money, about $800,000 in pieces,” said Witherspoon.

Witherspoon won his next eight fights. In March of 1991, he won a split decision over another opponent whom I felt defeated Holmes, only to lose when he was 16-0, the IBF USBA champion Carl ‘The Truth’ Williams, 23-3, at Trump Taj Mahal, Atlantic City, with Witherspoon winning a split decision.

Three wins later, Witherspoon lost a split decision to Everett ’Big Foot’ Martin, 17-14-1, at the Palace, Auburn Hills, Michigan. “I took him lightly and thought he was just an opponent,’ said Witherspoon.

In January of 1996, Witherspoon defeated former world cruiserweight champion Al Cole, 27-1, and then the big Cuban Jorge Luis Gonzalez, 24-1, both at MSG. “I boxed Gonzalez, not wanting to get in a brawl with him,” said Witherspoon.

In Witherspoon’s next fight, he lost to former WBO World champion Ray ‘Merciless’ Mercer, 23-4-1, in Atlantic City. “His jab was harder than Holmes,” said Witherspoon. After posting a win, he went on a five-fight losing streak to contenders WBC Continental Americas champion Larry ‘The Legend’ Donald, 29-1-1, James Thunder, 32-9, Andrew Golota, 31-3, ‘Super’ Brian Nielsen, who would equal Rocky Marciano’s 49-0 record. “His people came from Denmark to my house asking me to take a dive and they would pay me for it, I was, so I took it” said Witherspoon, being stopped in four rounds. Then Witherspoon lost in a rematch with Page, 55-14-1, being stopped after seven rounds in Fayetteville, NC.

Witherspoon would go on to post an 11-1-1 record before dropping his last two fights, including for the vacant WBO Inter-Continental title to Lou Savarese, 42-4. This brought his final record to 55-13-1 with 38 stoppages in March of 2003.

In asking Witherspoon about today’s top heavyweights he said, “I was in the UK and I would have a daughter Shanayiah Isabella Grace London Witherspoon, her mom’s last name London and my last name, and she is now 15,” He added, “I met Anthony Joshua, and Tyson Fury. Both asked me to spar with them. I would have never asked them to do that knowing the shape I was in,” said Witherspoon.

“Two years ago, I was taking my daughter to school after waking up in a sweat. I felt so bad on the way I went to the hospital. The doctor said “you are a lucky man, if you hadn’t come in you would have died due to blood clots,“ said Witherspoon.

“My son Tim Witherspoon, Jr., has a boxing gym in Bristol, PA.,” said Witherspoon.

Witherspoon said he stays healthy by drinking smoothies with honey and turmeric, as he takes blood thinners. He is very knowledgeable about what to take to be healthy.