Book on Jeff 'Candy Slim' Merrritt

[Bill Paxtom]

1974

'The Lost Year For Jeff 'Candy Slim' Merrit'

Don King was royally 'pissed-off' at Jeff for disappearing for his May 16th bout.

Don had worked out a Boxing Schedule for Jeff, which included '3' real easy monthly bouts;
starting off with Roy 'Cookie' Wallace on May 16th in San Jose, California.

Then following bouts in California for;
* June vs. Charlie 'Devil' Green
* July vs. Charlie James

None of the above bouts ever took place, as Jeff was acting bizarre with his flighty behavior.

In the interim, Don King shipped Jeff off to the Deer Lake Training Camp in Pennsylvania so Jeff could provide his
services as a sparring partner for Muhammad Ali, while he was prepping for his September 25th {original date} bout
with George Foreman set for Kinshasa, Zaire.

Muhammad had opened Camp at Deer Lake in early-June, and had planned to work out there thru the end of August,
before heading to Africa on September 4th.

In June and July, Jeff was there with Roy 'Tiger' Williams and Larry Holmes.