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James Butler Jr. (born December 18, 1972) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1996 to 2004. He challenged once for the IBF super middleweight title in 2000, but he is best known for his infamous bout on November 23, 2001. Butler brutally sucker punched Richard Grant after losing the fight and served four months at Rikers Island. In 2004, Butler was arrested for the murder of Sam Kellerman and was sentenced to 29 years and four months in prison.

Biography

Butler started off his career by scoring 18 wins and only 1 loss in the super middleweight division. This led to a title fight against Sven Ottke who beat Butler by unanimous decision.

Butler's next bout earned him infamy on November 23, 2001, at the Roseland Ballroom in Manhattan, New York. The bout was a charity event to benefit surviving New York firemen and police officers of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in New York City and was televised live on ESPN2's Friday Night Fights. Butler faced Richard "The Alien" Grant, a fighter who had decisioned him early in his career. After losing the rematch by unanimous decision, Butler had his gloves removed before the announcement of the winner, Grant then went to Butler's side of the ring for an expected exchange of congratulations. Instead, Butler sucker-punched Grant, nailing a bare-handed right hook to his jaw. Grant suffered a temporarily dislocated jaw and a lacerated tongue that required 26 stitches. Butler was arrested and charged with second degree assault. Butler was later convicted and served four months at Rikers Island detention facility.

Butler's last bout was a split-decision loss on August 10, 2004, to Omar Sheika.

Killing of Sam Kellerman

On October 12, 2004, writer Sam Kellerman (brother of sports analyst Max Kellerman) was killed at his apartment in Los Angeles. His body was not found until October 17. Butler was considered a suspect since he had been friends with Kellerman for over 10 years.

On October 20, Butler, accompanied by a lawyer, sought treatment for his alleged bipolar disorder.

Butler was arrested for the Kellerman murder on October 27. Two days later, he pleaded not guilty to murder and arson. He was held on $1.25 million bail. Prosecutors claimed that Butler, the only suspect in the case, repeatedly struck Kellerman in the head with a hammer then torched Kellerman's Hollywood, California apartment in an attempted cover-up.

On July 8, 2005, a Los Angeles judge ruled there was sufficient evidence for Butler to stand trial on charges of murder and arson.

On March 27, 2006, Butler pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and arson in the 2004 death of Kellerman. On April 5, Butler was sentenced to 29 years and four months in prison by Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor, according to Deputy Public Defender Jack Keenan.

Prosecutors speculated Butler was having relationship issues with his girlfriend while also struggling to revive his boxing career when Kellerman asked Butler to move out. A disagreement ensued on how long Butler could stay when he picked up a hammer and killed Kellerman then torched his house.

Professional boxing record

25	Loss	20–5	Omar Sheika	SD	10	August 10, 2004	Essex County College, Newark, New Jersey, U.S.
24	Win	20–4	Dan Sheehan	UD	6	June 4, 2004	PromoWest Pavilion, Columbus, Ohio, U.S.
23	Win	19–4	Reggie Strickland	UD	6	May 7, 2004	Farm Bureau Building, Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.
22	Loss	18–4	Thomas Reid	UD	8	February 27, 2004	Key Skating Center, Bronx, New York, U.S.
21	Loss	18–3	Richard Grant	UD	10	November 23, 2001	Roseland Ballroom, New York, New York, U.S.
20	Loss	18–2	Sven Ottke	UD	12	September 1, 2001	Bördelandhalle, Magdeburg, Germany	For IBF super-middleweight title
19	Win	18–1	Jerry Williams	UD	8	March 24, 2001	Bördelandhalle, Magdeburg, Germany
18	Win	17–1	Jose Spearman	TKO	6 (12), 0:59	September 29, 2000	Station Casino, Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.	Retained USBA super middleweight title
17	Win	16–1	Arthur Allen	TKO	2 (12), 2:03	March 24, 2000	The Blue Horizon, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.	Retained USBA super middleweight title
16	Win	15–1	Bryant Brannon	KO	7 (12), 0:55	October 29, 1999	Farm Bureau Building, Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.	For USBA super middleweight title
15	Win	14–1	Merqui Sosa	TKO	2 (10), 1:02	July 16, 1999	Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom, Hampton Beach, New Hampshire, U.S.
14	Win	13–1	Thomas James	TKO	2 (6)	June 24, 1999	Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
13	Win	12–1	Jose Hiram Torres	TKO	7 (10)	May 15, 1999	Leominster, Massachusetts, U.S.
12	Win	11–1	Calvin Moody	KO	1 (10)	April 22, 1999	Virginia, U.S.
11	Win	10–1	Rufat Baku	UD	10	October 9, 1998	Capitol Theatre, Port Chester, New York, U.S.
10	Win	9–1	Hector Rosario	TKO	6 (8)	September 11, 1998	Yonkers Raceway, Yonkers, New York, U.S.
9	Win	8–1	Tim Dendy	UD	6	March 24, 1998	Grand Casino, Tunica, Mississippi, U.S.
8	Win	7–1	Knowledge Bey	KO	3 (4)	January 24, 1998	Elks Lodge, Queens, New York, U.S.
7	Win	6–1	Malcolm Brooks	PTS	6	October 10, 1997	Capitol Theatre, Port Chester, New York, U.S.
6	Win	5–1	Louis March	PTS	4	September 19, 1997	Capitol Theatre, Port Chester, New York, U.S.
5	Win	4–1	Robert Muhammad	KO	6 (6)	June 18, 1997	Yonkers Raceway, Yonkers, New York, U.S.
4	Win	3–1	Gerald Holmes	KO	1 (4)	April 11, 1997	Capitol Theatre, Port Chester, New York, U.S.
3	Loss	2–1	Richard Grant	PTS	4	January 31, 1997	Yonkers Raceway, Yonkers, New York, U.S.
2	Win	2–0	Derrick Whitley	PTS	4	November 2, 1996	Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.
1	Win	1–0	Eddie Johnson	TKO	1 (4)	October 18, 1996	Bronx, New York, U.S.	Professional debut

References

1. ^ Wong, Edward (November 27, 2001). ""BOXING; Boxer Barred and Charged For Sucker Punch After Loss"". The New York Times. Retrieved May 28, 2020.
2. Smith, Tim (February 24, 2004). "A sucker no longer boxer back after punch led to jail, ban". New York Daily News. Daily News L.P. Retrieved March 8, 2017.
3. "Boxer pleads guilty to death of sportswriter Kellerman". ESPN.com. ESPN Inc. March 27, 2006. Retrieved September 12, 2011.
4. "Boxer sentenced to nearly 30 years for killing". ESPN.com. ESPN Inc. April 5, 2006. Retrieved March 8, 2017.

External links

• Boxing record for James Butler from BoxRec (registration required)
• James Butler Deserves Ban From Boxing
• Video of James Butler's sucker punch against Richard Grant

• 1972 births
• African-American boxers
• Light-heavyweight boxers
• American people convicted of assault
• American people convicted of manslaughter
• American sportspeople convicted of crimes
• Living people
• Sportspeople from Manhattan
• American people convicted of arson
• Prisoners and detainees of California
• American male boxers
• Prisoners and detainees of New York (state)
• Boxers from New York City
• 21st-century African-American sportspeople
• 20th-century African-American sportspeople