Thread: Tillery sentenced to 9 years

Tillery sentenced to 9 years

Originally Posted by Fightnews

By Lisa Scott
Former heavyweight fighter Elijah Tillery was sentenced yesterday to 9 years in prison for 2nd degree weapon possession - in which he concealed a 12-gauge sawed-off shotgun inside a 3 foot green toy alligator. As the 50 year old Tillery was led out of the Albany NY courtroom in shackles, he muttered “Burn in hell,” towards his attorney and the prosecutor. According to the Times Union, Tillery was angry that his public defender recommended that he testify in his own defense. However, faced with 3½ to 15 years, his lawyer had relayed a plea deal from prosecutors in which Tillery would have served only 2½ years in prison (to run concurrent with a November assault charge of an Albany county inmate, for which he still remains charged). But Tillery rejected it, instead opting for a trial which lasted only 4 days.

Once a top ten ranked cruiser weight and sparring partner for Mike Tyson and Michael Spinks, Tillery (23-7; 15 KO’s) fought two losing bouts against former heavyweight champ Riddick Bowe in 1991. In their first bout, fight fans will remember Tillery reacting to a punch after the bell - by kicking Bowe several times. A brawl erupted when Bowe’s manager Rock Newman jumped up on the ring apron and pulled Tillery over the ropes and out of the ring. Bowe won by DQ. In their rematch two months later, Tillery was TKO’d in the 4th round. By 1993, Tillery had changed his name to el-Hajj Abdul Nazir and made an Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca as he prepared for a fight against another former heavyweight champ, James ‘Bonecrusher’ Smith. Tillery lost by 6th round TKO and never fought again.

We knew this guy was mad when he tried kicking Bowe . Thats something you just dont do ! He's lucky Bowe knocked him over the top rope instead of knocking his head off .

Silly man Tillery so prison is probably the safest place for him

9 years is not enough.