Lloyd Honeyghan was on top of the world. Just five months ago, “The Ragamuffin Man” had smashed his way clean through Donald Curry and his sublime pound-for-pound skills to take the world welterweight crown. Now, the rough and tough, seemingly always angry Jamaican-born warrior was making his first title defence.
Johnny “Bump City” Bumphus was a former WBA 140 pound champion who was no stranger to the hazards of a rough and tumble fight. The lanky southpaw from Tacoma had defeated Lorenzo Garcia by decision in 1984, becoming champ. Then, in his first defence, Bumphus was dragged into one of the most gloriously wild and out of control world title fights ever seen. “Mad Dog” Gene Hatcher went to war with Bumphus and the huge underdog got the better of things. Both men went down, both men fought as though possessed by rage, and in the end, Bumphus was stopped, controversially, in the 11th round.
Bumphus was enraged at the stoppage enforced by the referee and he carried on slinging out punches even as new champ Hatcher was being held aloft and was celebrating. More wild scenes came in Bumphus’ next, and as it turned out last, world title fight.
After the wild west shoot-out with “Mad Dog,” Bumphus moved up to welterweight, where he won seven in a row, with a good win over Marlon Starling being the highlight. Bumphus’ final ring appearance came on the night of February 22, 1987 (35 years ago today) – and though Bumphus didn’t get the win, he sure went out with a bang.
Honeyghan, the quintessential angry young man, tried his very best to take Bumphus apart as soon as the bell rang at Wembley. Honeyghan, at his peak and believing a loss to any man was an impossible thing, belted his past his best yet still fiercely game challenger with everything. Downed in the torrid round, Bumphus somehow made it to the bell.
During the break from hostilities, listening as best he could to Lou Duva’s instructions, Bumphus was soon to be the victim of an ambush. The bell rang to start round two, and Bumphus, still barely off his stool, was cracked by a left hook from a rampaging, to heck with the rules (or at least to heck with sportsmanship) Honeyghan. Dropped again, Bumphus was given time to recover, while Honeyghan was docked a point. By this time, the easily inflamed Duva had barely calmed down.
Action resumed and Honeyghan soon finished Bumphus off, with Duva wrapping his arms around his thoroughly beaten fighter. It was a crazy night in London but Honeyghan’s rep as a devil may care warrior benefited. Afterwards, when quizzed on his borderline illegal tactics, Honeyghan came out with a great line: “the bell went ding and I went dong,” he said in victory.
Bumphus never fought again.
Honeyghan went on to win a further number of memorable fights, with him losing a few also. Sadly, Bumphus passed away at age 59, this just two years ago. Never let it be said that Johnny Bumphus was ever in a dull fight.