Cool QA with Terrible T Witherspoon

[montrealsuper]

spam: What was your first big break-throught fight, where you really first impacted the boxing world?

Tim Witherspoon: The Marvin Stinson fight, my 8th pro fight in 1981 (W10). It was a real confidence builder. I beat a guy that was one of Larry Holmes’ sparring partners. He was getting ready to fight a big CBS fight – against Tex Cobb for $50,000. I stopped that opportunity. He was the first of a line that I was gonna go after.

spam: What were some memorable attempts to intimidate you in your career?

Tim Witherspoon: Only one who did that was Larry Holmes. All the other ones were intimidated by me I think. Holmes belittled me. Like he was gonna kick my butt. Didn’t work though.

spam: How did you first get into boxing? You started very late…

Tim Witherspoon: The people at a job – upper class nurses and doctors at Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia – treating me like I was nothing. My mom and two brothers worked there too. They treated blacks really unfair. I said I’m not gonna live the rest of my life like this. That started me training (at age 19). http://spam.com/2016/06/14/talk ... therspoon/

[SaadOffTheDeck]

Always been a fan of Tim's. That being said, I wish I could take back that click. Hate to contribute a penny to that useless douchebag.

[stevedoc]

i met tim a couple of times and he is one of the funniest nicest guys i have ever met we drank more than a few together and laughed a lot ..super cool guy.

[Bodyshot3]

Can't beat a bit of Witherspoon wisdom....a nice guy-class act and seems to really like it over here in the UK.
Getting dicked about by Don King at his most ruthless/devious could not have been a whole lotta fun but Tim's still coming out smiling.

[Like a Boss]

Can't beat a bit of Witherspoon wisdom....a nice guy-class act and seems to really like it over here in the UK.
Getting dicked about by Don King at his most ruthless/devious could not have been a whole lotta fun but Tim's still coming out smiling.

King did them all over. But few as thoroughly as he did Tim.

[Cutman Scabbers]

I remember the Bonecrusher Smith fight.

Interesting to consider how in boxing one man's worst experience can be another man's best.

[Bodyshot3]

King did them all over. But few as thoroughly as he did Tim.

Very true....you do kind of suspect that someone like Thomas Hauser is sitting on a mother lode of material on DK but his publishers just won't touch it until Don heads 'upstairs' (or maybe downstairs) for some more scheming.

King was often great for boxing - he did some huge nights and had a true gift for publicity - but I don't think he was that good for a significant number of his fighters.

If the book ever gets written then I look forward to hearing Tim's input.