JOHNNY BUMPHUS

Inducted on November 8, 2001

Johnny “Bump City” Bumphus was born in Tacoma, Washington, and began his career in boxing at the age of 8 at the Tacoma Boys Club. He had 367 amateur fights and lost only 16. As an amateur, Johnny won five national titles and was on the 1980 USA Boxing Team. When President Carter boycotted the 1980 Olympics in Moscow, Bumphus turned professional. He then joined USA Boxing Team members, Alex Ramos, Tony Tucker, Bernard Taylor, Chris McDonald, Davey Moore and Mitch Green, along with Tony Ayala as one of NBC’s “Tomorrow’s Champions”. Johnny and Alex Ramos were actually roommates in Clementon, NJ.

In 1981, Johnny won the USBA Super Lightweight Championship in his 12th professional fight. In his 22nd pro fight, he won the World Super Lightweight Championship in a I5-round decision over Lorenzo Garcia. He lost his title to Gene Hatcher in a controversial 11th round stoppage, that was his first career loss. In 1987, Bumphus moved up to Welterweight and won the USBA title by beating Marlon Starling. His boxing career ended in 1998 when he lost for Only the second time in another controversial stoppage in the 2nd round against Lloyd Honeygan. He found solace in drugs and was lost in the darkness for a couple years before seeking treatment. He entered rehab back in Tacoma, and found sobriety. One day, Lou Duva gave him a call and told him he needed his help in Florida, training some fighters. Johnny left for Florida and lives there today, training some hot prospects-including up-and-coming Kassima Ouma, a major contender in the junior middleweight class.

Trainer: George Benton
Managers: Lou Duva, Shelly Finkel

Career Highlights

  • Began boxing as an amateur at the age of eight out of the Tacoma Boys Club, and claimed a career amateur record of 341-16. One of four World Champions to begin boxing in Tacoma; Freddie Steele, Rocky Lockridge, and Leo Randolph, were the others.
  • 1977 National AAU featherweight champion, decisioning Lee Simmons of Akron, OH, in the final.
  • 1979 National Golden Gloves Champion (132 lbs.), defeating Efrain Nieves at Indianapolis
  • Member of the 1980 United States Olympic Team (139 lbs.). He did not compete, due to the U. S. boycott. He earned his berth on the team with a win over Ronnie Shields. He had also won the National AAU title in 1980.
  • Towards the end of his boxing career he developed an addiction to cocaine, which he briefly kicked. When he returned to Tacoma’s drug infested Hilltop neighborhood in 1989, he quickly became addicted to crack cocaine. In 1995, he spent a year in rehab, and then left Tacoma to work as a trainer for his former manager Lou Duva in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Boxers trained

Boxing Record: Johnny Bumphus