In unhappy information, it has been reported by RingTV.com that Buster Drayton has handed away at age 70. No particulars have been introduced concerning the reason for loss of life. The warrior from the nice preventing metropolis of Philadelphia was born in March of 1952 and as a younger man he joined the Marine Corp. As a boxer, Drayton gained the IBF title at 154 kilos, this in June of 1986, with Buster making two retentions of the belt.
An extremely gutsy fighter who was matched robust from the beginning, Drayton would combat anybody, any time, anywhere. Going professional in November of 1978, this with a draw with Charles Carey in Virginia Seashore, Buster received to 7-0-1 earlier than he started dropping extra typically than he would have preferred. Drayton was stopped by Kevin Perry and he was decisioned by each Mark Holmes and Mario Maldonado.
Drayton continued to work exhausting, typically preventing in Atlantic Metropolis, New Jersey. 1982 noticed Drayton choose up a great win over Duane Thomas, however he was crushed by Lindell holmes, and, in a combat that passed off in Italy, by Sumbu Kalambay. By the top of 1983, Buster had eight losses on his report. Nonetheless, Drayton refused to surrender on his objective of turning into a world champion.
1984 proved to be a great yr for Drayton, who was now aged 32. A visit to London noticed Buster cease Mark Kaylor and he gained six fights in whole that yr. Other than an April 1985 factors loss to James Kinchen, Drayton retained his profitable methods. Then, lastly, in June of ’86, Drayton grew to become champion, selecting up a 15 spherical choice over Carlos Santos to win the IBF light-middleweight strap. Retentions over Davey Moore and Stated Skouma adopted, earlier than Buster was dethroned by Matthew Hilton in June of 1987.
Drayton was not able to name it quits. Buster took an astonishing quantity of punishment in a July 1988 problem of WBA 154 pound champ Julian Jackson, who stopped Drayton in three savage rounds. Drayton then prolonged Terry Norris in an NABF title problem, dropping on factors. Drayton fought on, profitable some, dropping others, earlier than he retired in June of 1995, when sporting a hard-earned 40-15-1(28) ledger. He was stopped simply 3 times.
Drayton, who got here up the exhausting means, being one of many nice Marvelous Marvin Hagler’s chief sparring companions in Philly, earned each good factor that got here his means. Our condolences exit to Buster’s household and buddies at this unhappy time.