A Boxing Memory: James Shuler

A Boxing Memory: James Shuler

Within a matter of days, James Shuler lost his unbeaten record and his life. In 1986, Shuler was 22-0 heading into his breakthrough fight with Thomas Hearns. He lasted just over a minute. Just one week later he would lose his life.

Shuler spent part of the wage from the fight with Hearns on a new red Kawasaki motorcycle. Soon after, he paid for that purchase with his life. Involved in a fatal road traffic accident in North Philadelphia. Shuler was pronounced dead at the scene. He was just 26.

Defending his North American Boxing Federation middleweight title, Shuler went into the fight with Hearns unbeaten and the number one ranked WBC middleweight contender. Shuler entered the fight with Hearns armed with real hope. A win over a marquee name like the Detroit legend would likely have propelled Shuler into a fight for the middleweight championship of the world. But everything would go tragically wrong for Shuler. The life and career of Shuler are very much what could have been.

Legend has it that Shuler walked past Joe Frazier’s gym when he was just 9, he saw the old heavyweight champion through a window, he went in and with an autographed picture in hand was invited back to learn how to box. Shuler would go on to compile a 178-6 amateur record.

Shuler, nicknames ‘Black Gold’ should have gone to the Moscow Olympics in 1980, the American boycott of those games in protest at Russia’s invasion of Afghanistan ended many a dream. Shuler lost his moment, but his life could have ended even more prematurely. Twenty-two members of the US Olympic boxing team were killed in a plane crash that was en route to Poland for a tournament. Shuler should have been on that plane. Suffering from a nose injury, Shuler decided not to go.

A favourite for the Gold medal in Moscow, with his dream being taken away from him, Shuler turned professional under Frazier. The former heavyweight champion of the world had just started to manage and train fighters, and alongside Marvis Frazier, Shuler started his path in the paid ranks. But his career progress was slow and frustrating, Shuler tried with Frazier and then with Butch Lewis. Winning sometimes isn’t enough.

There were decent wins on his record, winning the NABF middleweight title from Sugar Ray Seales in 1982 and wins over Clint Jackson and James Kinchen stand out, but his career largely stalled until he got his big chance against Hearns.

Shuler’s then trainer, Eddie Futch, said of his protege when he was struggling to get fights: “I thought it was a crime to allow that much talent to stand idle.”

Shuler went to Las Vegas looking for the win that would change everything. Marvelous Marvin Hagler defended his titles against John Mugabi, and the winner of Hearns/Shuler would likely have fought for the title next. Sugar Ray Leonard would spoil that party, but for Shuler, everything would go tragically wrong in many ways.

“I just got caught. There’s no excuse. When he hit me with the first one, I thought, ‘Shoot, I can take it from him.’ And then he hit me again. I guess I was wrong.” Shuler would say post-fight. One powerful right hand in 73 seconds would sadly end the boxing career of Shuler. One week later everything would end for Shuler.

Shuler one of 10 children was a product and a survivor of the infamous and notorious Philadelphia gym wars. Many a great fighter left their careers in those hot sweaty and unforgiving gyms. Shuler could have been different. Shuler hoped for redemption and another chance after the fight with Hearns. Fate sadly had other ideas.