Education
Bumphus began boxing as an amateur at the age of eight out of the Tacoma Boy"s Club Boxing Club, located on 25th and Yakima Avenue, and finished his amateur career at 341-16.
Bumphus began boxing as an amateur at the age of eight out of the Tacoma Boy"s Club Boxing Club, located on 25th and Yakima Avenue, and finished his amateur career at 341-16.
He was one of four World Champions to begin boxing in Tacoma, the others being Freddie Steele, Rocky Lockridge and Leo Randolph. His amateur highlights were:
Bumphus lost the belt to Gene Hatcher in June 1984 in Buffalo, New New York Hatcher scored an 11th-round technical knockout that had Hatcher knocking Bumphus down, then slipping and falling on a follow-up attempt, then throwing Bumphus down to the mat when both fighters clinched.
The fight was named as Ring magazine"s Upset of the year for 1984.
In 1987, Bumphus took on Lloyd Honeyghan for the WBC and IBF Welterweight Title, but lost with 2nd round technical knock out. He retired after the loss, with a record of 29-2-0.
Those in Tacoma"s Hilltop area knew of the lure drugs had for Bumphus. Towards the end of his boxing career he developed an addiction to cocaine, which he briefly kicked.
When he returned to Tacoma, through a series of bad friends and choices, he resumed taking drugs in 1989, becoming addicted to crack cocaine.
In 1995, he spent a year in rehab, and then left Tacoma to work as a trainer for his former manager Lou Duva in West Palm Beach, Florida. As a trainer, he has worked with Kassim Ouma and Emmett Linton. Olympics
Bumphus was not with the team
Among the United States of America Boxing teammates who were killed in the crash were Lemuel Steeples from Saint Louis, Calvin Anderson from Connecticut, Paul Palomino - the brother of Carlos Palomino, George Pimental and the Olympic coach, Sarge Johnson.
Bumphus did not compete in the Olympics, due to the United States. boycott.
Bumphus qualified at 139 pounds and was a member of the 1980 United States. Olympic boxing team that died in the crash of LOT Polish Airlines Flight 007 in Warsaw, Poland, on 14 March 1980 en route to the United States of America versus Poland Box-off as part of "United States of America versus the World" event. Members of the team who were also not aboard included Bobby Czyz, Alex Ramos and James Shuler.