On the recent PAB HOF Inductions this past Sunday in Philadelphia, I talked with former two-time world heavyweight champion ‘Terrible’ Tim Witherspoon, whom I even have known through the years.
Witherspoon is one among the nicest and most honest former champions who attends boxing matches in Philadelphia and events just like the recent one. He’s a fan favorite who was kind enough to reply some questions on his profession.
I first met Witherspoon in 1979 when he was in camp sparring with Muhammad Ali in Deer Lake, PA, along with his trainer ‘Slim’ Jim Robinson.
Witherspoon turned skilled in October of 1979, defeating debuting Joe Adams and occurring to win his first fifteen fights before losing a disputed split decision to WBC world champion Larry ‘The Easton Assassin’ Holmes, 42-0, on the Dunes Hotel & Casino, outdoor Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, in May of 1983. “I believed I won the fight through the years, I learned you have got to do greater 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 must have gotten the split decision. A few years later, I discussed 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, on 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 primary round. This earned him one other title fight, winning the vacant WBC world title, defeating Greg Page, 23-1, on the Convention Center, Las Vegas, in March of 1984. “I learned over time that Don King was just manipulating the fighters for his own profit, warning us to get in shape, and he said there may be a young kid named Mike Tyson, and also you higher 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, on 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 on the Memorial Auditorium, in Buffalo, Latest York.
Next, Witherspoon defeated future world champion James ‘Bonecrusher’ Smith, 15-3, on the Riviera Hotel. Three fights later, he defeated Tony ‘TNT’ Tubbs, 21-0, in Atlanta, Georgia, on January seventeenth for the WBA world title, becoming a two-time world champion.
Just before the Tubbs fight on December twenty seventh, I had a birthday, and I used to be training for the fight, and I smoked marijuana. I tested positive after the fight and paid a $25,000 high-quality, and needed 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 an additional 15 months.
Then Witherspoon would travel to the UK before 40,000 in attendance stopping future world champion Frank Bruno, 28-1, within 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 primary round at Madison Square Garden, Latest York, dropping to 25-3. “I used to be scheduled to fight Tubbs in a rematch and after I heard he got hurt I broke camp. I used to be not in shape for this fight. We knew there was a three-knockdown rule, and I took a dive. You can see me crawling on the ground. I used to be acting to make it look good, or I wouldn’t receives a commission. 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 cash, about $800,000 in pieces,” said Witherspoon.
Witherspoon won his next eight fights. In March of 1991, he won a split decision over one other 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, on the Palace, Auburn Hills, Michigan. “I took him calmly and thought he was just an opponent,’ said Witherspoon.
In January of 1996, Witherspoon defeated former world cruiserweight champion Al Cole, 27-1, after which the massive Cuban Jorge Luis Gonzalez, 24-1, each 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 got here from Denmark to my house asking me to take a dive and they’d pay me for it, I used to be, so I took it” said Witherspoon, being stopped in 4 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 used to be within the UK and I might have a daughter Shanayiah Isabella Grace London Witherspoon, her mom’s last name London and my last name, and she or he is now 15,” He added, “I met Anthony Joshua, and Tyson Fury. Each asked me to spar with them. I might have never asked them to try this knowing the form I used to be in,” said Witherspoon.
“Two years ago, I used to be taking my daughter to high school after waking up in a sweat. I felt so bad on the best way I went to the hospital. The doctor said “you’re a lucky man, should you hadn’t are available in you’d have died as a consequence of 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 may be very knowledgeable about what to take to be healthy.
Last Updated on 10/21/2025