Book on Jeff 'Candy Slim' Merrritt

[Bill Paxtom]

Camp[I]1974[/I

The Lost Year For Jeff 'Candy Slim' Merritt

Once Jeff was released form the Muhammad Ali Camp {Deer Lake Training Camp} on August 24th, he was pretty much on his own.

Don King was too busy with putting together 'The Rumble in the Jungle', and could care less about 'small potatoes'.
Don put it bluntly to Jeff > "I have bigger fish to fry."

By September 1st, Jeff was trying to offer his services to get on several East Coast Fight Cards. There was a September 10th
Fight Card at The Spectrum in Philadelphia, but there was no 'real money' in the bout, as Jeff was only offered $700 to fight
Joe 'Top Cat' Gholston.

Jeff got in touch of Teddy Brenner of Madison Square Garden, and Jeff 'begged' onto a September 9th Fight Card at The Garden.
But Jeff was too late, as the card was already filled.

Jeff asked about future bouts, but Teddy only replied > "We'll see what we can do for you Jeff, but I can't promise you anything."

There was a possibility of a Fight Card in Orlando, Florida for late-September, with Jeff facing Leon 'The Shadow' Shaw. But 'No Luck'
as that Fight Card was cancelled and pushed back to November 9th.

By the end of September 1974, Jeff was 'running on fumes', and decided to leave Cleveland and drive back home to
Kansas City, Missouri to see his family {Mother} and friends.

'Trouble Will Be Coming Back To Kansas City'