The Strange Story of James Scott

From about 1976 to say 1982 or so the light heavyweight division went through perhaps its most glorious time. That one division in that short period produced four Hall of Famers in Victor Galindez (booooooo), Matthew Saad Muhammad, Dwight Muhammad Qawi and the best of them all Mike Spinks. But look past those Four Kings and there was a group of Crown Princes that in other eras, and certainly today, would have been dominant figures. Lefty bomber Marvin Johnson, the Indian Yaqui Lopez, Slick Brit John Conteh, the formidable Eddie Mustafa Muhammad were the second level in this incredible time.

But of all those? The strangest story had to be that of James Scott. Out of Newark, Scott was given boxing gloves by an uncle at ten years old. He spent his youth in and out of prison as a petty criminal . At this time Rahway State Prison emphasized inmate rehabilitation and one of the programs they offered was a boxing team. He learns to fight and becomes the New Jersey Prison System Light heavyweight Champion. He was released from Rahway State Prison in New Jersey in 1973 and became a pro fighter late, at age 26, fighting out of Miami. Scott was big at 6'1, had a great physique and could punch and brawl. When you watched the guy what leaped out was he was a fighter. In only his eleventh fight he faced his first ranked challenger.

Jesse Burnett-Unbeaten and ranked #8. In his next fight he will upset #6 ranked Yaqui Lopez. He will go on to go the distance with Victor Galindez and will get a draw with John Conteh. Scott wins a decision. UD10.

Scott now signs a contract to face strapholder John Conteh. The kickoff press conference is the next day when Scott is arrested. Scott killed a man during an armed robbery, was convicted of the armed robbery and goes back to Rahway. Scott is able to re-start his professional career by getting fighters to come to Rahway and fight in the prison beginning in 1978 at 30. Think Scott had a little home court advantage? Think anyone was in better shape than this guy who trained eight hours a day?

Eddie Mustafa Muhammad-The future two time 175 strapholder is ranked #1. Think about this. The #1 challenger in the world is going to a Maximum Security Prison to fight an inmate! Don Dunphy and Ray Leonard called the fight. James Scott upsets then Eddie Gregory. UD10.

For the next two years James Scott is a TV phenomenon. All these fights happen in the prison and were on national television.

Richie Kates-In the last year the longtime contender out of Philadelphia has challenged HOFer Galindez and Saad Muhammad and come up short both times. After this fight he will defeat contenders Murray Sutherland and Jerry Celestine. Scott destroys him. TKO10.

Jerry Celestine-Will go on to challenge Michael Spinks for the 175 crown and will beat Richie Kates as well. He is also a product of a prison boxing program and had also served time for armed robbery. Scott just dominates him. UD10.

Yaqui Lopez-The Indian will challenge three times for a 175 crown. Each time he will face a HOFer. Talk about wrong place at the wrong time! He is ranked #4 in the world. Yaqui is an extra large 175 at 6'2 with a 75 inch reach. Scott is too much of an athlete for him. UD10.

Scott is now 17-0-1 and has beaten four ranked contenders. The problem is do you give the guy a title crack? Ring magazine has him ranked #2 in the world. But Scott is now 33 and will soon go on trial for the killing that happened during the armed robbery.

Jerry Martin-Ranked #4, the Bull is a bigger, stronger Scott. He is coming off a win over Buster's Dad Dynamite Billy Douglas. He will challenge twice for straps. Martin floors Scott twice early and though Scott gets up and fights courageously he can never really recover the lost ground. In an upset Martin hands Scott his first loss. UD10.

Scott rebounds with a win over a journeyman.

Dwight Muhammad Qawi-The Camden Buzzsaw himself served time in Rahway. The future HOFer had just knocked out former champion Mike Rossman and in his next fight will take out HOFer Saad Muhammad. Now Qawi goes back into the same prison where he served four years and in a brutally tough fight then Braxton wins a clear decision. UD10.

That's it for James Scott. In 1981 he is convicted of murder and a few years later prison officials begin to realize maybe teaching unreliable violent men how to box may not be a good idea and the program ends. James Scott was released from prison in 2005.

One of pugilism's truly strange runs.

A man does 2 years and when he comes back out everything feels so different. I can't even imagine the cultural shock after 28 years of incarceration.

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Originally Posted by Violent Demise

A man does 2 years and when he comes back out everything feels so different. I can't even imagine the cultural shock after 28 years of incarceration.

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Me either. Steven King/Frank Darabont did a nice job of showing how that might feel by having the sub-plot of Brooks Hatlen being released as an old man in Sahwashank. Completely disoriented.

Have seen a few of his bouts. amazing what he was able to do all the while behind bars. Seeing them call on commercial tv from Rahway is surreal. Always wonder if peak was yet to be met or Institute had good timing. Non the less he has to be the least-non payed legit contender in a very long span.