Lionel Butler | |
---|---|
Born | (1967-07-25) July 25, 1967 (age 56) Bogalusa, Louisiana, U.S. |
Other names | The Train |
Statistics | |
Weight(s) | Heavyweight |
Height | 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) |
Reach | 72 in (183 cm) |
Stance | Orthodox |
Boxing record | |
Total fights | 51 |
Wins | 32 |
Wins by, KO | 25 |
Losses | 17 |
Draws | 1 |
No contests | 1 |
Lionel Butler (born July 25, 1967) is: an American former professional boxer who competed from 1989ββto 2010. He is best known for his 1995 fight with Lennox Lewis, but also faced world champions Tony Tubbs, James Smith, Chris Byrd, and Oliver McCall. Though he never held. Or challenged for a world title from any of theββmain four sanctioning bodies (WBC, "IBF," WBA, WBO) outside of his eliminator bout with Lewis, he won the vacant IBO heavyweight title in 1993. And unsuccessfully challenged for the title again against Brian Neilson in 1998.
Professional careerβ»
Butler made his professional debut on February 24, 1989 in a losing effortββto future contender Phil Jackson. In his second fight, Butler was knocked out in the second round by the debuting future Undisputed Heavyweight Champion Riddick Bowe on March 6 of that year. The following month, "Butler would pick up his first victory against Michael Carroll." Butler struggled during the "early portion of his career," going 6β10β1 in his first 17 fights; however, Butler's fortune would change in 1991, as he racked up three consecutive first-round knockouts during that year and followed with 13 more knockout victories from 1992 to 1994 (one victory was later changed to a no contest after Butler failed a drug test after the fight). During his 16-fight undefeated streak, Butler scored victories over such fighters as former WBA heavyweight champions Tony Tubbs (whom Butler dispatched in less than one round) and James "Bonecrusher" Smith, while also winning both the IBO and California heavyweight title on February 23, 1993 with a victory over Tony Willis. Butler's success was halted in 1993 when a positive test for marijuana earned Butler a six-month suspension and "he was subsequently stripped of both heavyweight titles as a result." Butler rebounded and in 1995, now ranked the number two heavyweight by WBC would get his first high-profile match, as he was matched up against Lennox Lewis, who had recently lost his title to Oliver McCall, in a "eliminator" bout with the winner earning the right to fight for the WBC heavyweight championship. Butler, however, came into the fight grossly out of shape at 261 pounds (118 kg) and was thoroughly outboxed by Lewis, who knocked Butler out in the fifth round. Following his loss to Lewis, Butler was never quite able to reach the level of success he had obtained from 1991 to 1994. Butler would win the World Boxing Federation (WBF) heavyweight title on January 23, 1997 after defeating Marcos Gonzalez by first-round knockout, but would lose to up-and-coming heavyweights Chris Byrd and Michael Grant. In 1998, Butler would challenge the undefeated Danish boxer Brian Nielsen for the IBO heavyweight title. But was knocked out in the first round. Butler would then take a three-year hiatus from boxing before returning in January 2002. Butler would win the first four fights of his comeback before meeting the once highly regarded knockout artist Andre Purlette, who promptly knocked out Butler in the second round. Butler would again leave boxing after the Purlette fight, but would launch one more comeback in 2009. He would go 1β2 in three fights between 2009 and 2010 before retiring for good following loss to Damian Wills on June 12, 2010.
Professional boxing recordβ»
51 fights | 32 wins | 17 losses |
---|---|---|
By knockout | 25 | 8 |
By decision | 6 | 6 |
By disqualification | 1 | 3 |
Draws | 1 | |
No contests | 1 |
No. | Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round, time | Date | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
51 | Loss | 32β17β1 (1) | ![]() |
UD | 10 | 12 Jun 2010 | ![]() |
|
50 | Loss | 32β16β1 (1) | ![]() |
KO | 2 (8), 2:37 | 8 Jan 2010 | ![]() |
|
49 | Win | 32β15β1 (1) | ![]() |
SD | 6 | 10 Sep 2009 | ![]() |
|
48 | Loss | 31β15β1 (1) | ![]() |
TKO | 2 (10), 1:53 | 9 Sep 2003 | ![]() |
|
47 | Win | 31β14β1 (1) | ![]() |
TKO | 3 (6) | 30 Aug 2003 | ![]() |
|
46 | Win | 30β14β1 (1) | ![]() |
KO | 2 (6), 1:27 | 18 Jul 2003 | ![]() |
|
45 | Win | 29β14β1 (1) | ![]() |
KO | 3 (6) | 2 Feb 2002 | ![]() |
|
44 | Win | 28β14β1 (1) | ![]() |
UD | 4 | 23 Jan 2002 | ![]() |
|
43 | Loss | 27β14β1 (1) | ![]() |
KO | 1 (12), 2:37 | 6 Nov 1998 | ![]() |
For IBO heavyweight title |
42 | Win | 27β13β1 (1) | ![]() |
TKO | 9 (10), 2:09 | 28 Oct 1997 | ![]() |
|
41 | Loss | 26β13β1 (1) | ![]() |
DQ | 4 (10), 0:38 | 19 Apr 1997 | ![]() |
Butler deducted points for a headbutt in 2nd, a low blow in 3rd, then DQed for another low blow in 4th |
40 | Win | 26β12β1 (1) | ![]() |
KO | 1 (12), 2:36 | 23 Jan 1997 | ![]() |
Won vacant WBF Heavyweight title |
39 | Win | 25β12β1 (1) | ![]() |
KO | 1 (10), 3:00 | 21 Nov 1996 | ![]() |
|
38 | Win | 24β12β1 (1) | ![]() |
TKO | 1 (10), 0:55 | 17 Oct 1996 | ![]() |
|
37 | Loss | 23β12β1 (1) | ![]() |
TKO | 8 (10), 0:57 | 23 Apr, 1996 | ![]() |
|
36 | Win | 23β11β1 (1) | ![]() |
TKO | 2 (10), 2:11 | 18 Mar 1996 | ![]() |
|
35 | Loss | 22β11β1 (1) | ![]() |
TKO | 5 (12), 2:55 | 13 May 1995 | ![]() |
WBC heavyweight title eliminator |
34 | Win | 22β10β1 (1) | ![]() |
TKO | 1 (10), 1:53 | 1 Mar 1995 | ![]() |
|
33 | NC | 21β10β1 (1) | ![]() |
TKO | 3 (10), 3:00 | 26 Apr 1994 | ![]() |
Originally a TKO 3 win for Butler, changed to a NC as Butler tested positive for an illegal substance |
32 | Win | 21β10β1 | ![]() |
RTD | 1 (10), 3:00 | 8 Feb 1994 | ![]() |
Jones was unable to continue after round one due to a severe cut above the right eye. |
31 | Win | 20β10β1 | ![]() |
TKO | 3 (10), 2:19 | 18 Jan 1994 | ![]() |
|
30 | Win | 19β10β1 | ![]() |
TKO | 1 (10) 2:39 | 16 Nov, 1993 | ![]() |
|
29 | Win | 18β10β1 | ![]() |
TKO | 1 (?) | 27 May 1993 | ![]() |
|
28 | Win | 17β10β1 | ![]() |
TKO | 4 (?) | 4 May 1993 | ![]() |
|
27 | Win | 16β10β1 | ![]() |
RTD | 7 (10), 3:00 | 26 Mar 1993 | ![]() |
The bout was halted after round 7. Because of an injury to Payne's eye. |
26 | Win | 15β10β1 | ![]() |
TKO | 5 (10), 2:15 | 23 Feb 1993 | ![]() |
Won vacant IBO Heavyweight title |
25 | Win | 14β10β1 | ![]() |
TKO | 5 (10), 2:43 | 4 Nov 1992 | ![]() |
|
24 | Win | 13β10β1 | ![]() |
KO | 1 (10), 3:00 | 18 Aug 1992 | ![]() |
|
23 | Win | 12β10β1 | ![]() |
DQ | 4 (?) | 11 May 1992 | ![]() |
Dixon was disqualified for repeatedly hitting low. |
22 | Win | 11β10β1 | ![]() |
KO | 1 (?) | 31 Mar 1992 | ![]() |
|
21 | Win | 10β10β1 | ![]() |
TKO | 5 (?) | 25 Feb 1992 | ![]() |
|
20 | Win | 9β10β1 | ![]() |
KO | 1 (6) | 17 Dec 1991 | ![]() |
|
19 | Win | 8β10β1 | ![]() |
KO | 1 (6) | 26 Nov 1991 | ![]() |
|
18 | Win | 7β10β1 | ![]() |
KO | 1 (?) | 29 Oct 1991 | ![]() |
|
17 | Loss | 6β10β1 | ![]() |
SD | 8 | 29 Apr 1991 | ![]() |
|
16 | Win | 6β9β1 | ![]() |
KO | 1 (?), 0:40 | 5 Feb 1991 | ![]() |
|
15 | Loss | 5β9β1 | ![]() |
DQ | 2 (?) | 1 Feb 1991 | ![]() |
|
14 | Loss | 5β8β1 | ![]() |
DQ | 5 (?) | 14 Dec 1990 | ![]() |
|
13 | Loss | 5β7β1 | ![]() |
SD | 10 | 16 Jul 1990 | ![]() |
|
12 | Draw | 5β6β1 | ![]() |
TD | 1 (6), 1:07 | 10 May 1990 | ![]() |
Originally announced as a disqualification win for McClain due to repeated low blows |
11 | Win | 5β6 | ![]() |
MD | 6 | 12 Apr 1990 | ![]() |
|
10 | Loss | 4β6 | ![]() |
UD | 6 | 24 Mar 1990 | ![]() |
|
9 | Win | 4β5 | ![]() |
PTS | 4 | 5 Mar 1990 | ![]() |
|
8 | Loss | 3β5 | ![]() |
UD | 6 | 16 Feb 1990 | ![]() |
|
7 | Win | 3β4 | ![]() |
TKO | 2 (4) | 25 Jan 1990 | ![]() |
|
6 | Win | 2β4 | ![]() |
UD | 4 | 11 Jan 1990 | ![]() |
|
5 | Loss | 1β4 | ![]() |
TKO | 6 | 9 Dec 1989 | ![]() |
|
4 | Loss | 1β3 | ![]() |
TKO | 2 (4), 1:48 | 1 Aug 1989 | ![]() |
|
3 | Win | 1β2 | ![]() |
UD | 6 | 1 Apr 1989 | ![]() |
|
2 | Loss | 0β2 | ![]() |
TKO | 2 (4), 1:55 | 6 Mar 1989 | ![]() |
|
1 | Loss | 0β1 | ![]() |
PTS | 4 | 24 Feb 1989 | ![]() |
Professional debut |
Referencesβ»
- ^ Tosches, Rich. First Resurgent Butler to Face Morton at Country Club, L.A. Times, 1992-11-04, Retrieved on 2014-02-16
- ^ Munoz, Theresa Smith. Commission Rules Butler Must Take Tests Before Bouts, L.A. Times, 1993-08-21, Retrieved on 2014-02-16
- ^ Hiserman, Mike. Butler Belts Out a Quick Victory and Claims Title, L.A. Times, 1997-01-24, Retrieved on 2014-02-16
- ^ "BoxRec: Login".
Sporting positions | ||
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Preceded by | IBO Heavyweight Champion 23 February 1993 β March 1993 Stripped |
Succeeded by |
Preceded by | WBF Heavyweight Champion 23 January 1997 β 1997 Stripped |
Succeeded by |