Remembering the White Ali, Light Heavyweight James Salerno, Murdered for His Truck
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
James Salerno, the so-called ‘Mouth of the South’ and showboating ‘White Muhammad Ali’ began his amateur boxing career at age nine after becoming inspired to do so after watching Muhammad Ali’s televised bout with Oscar Bonavena in December 1970 at Madison Square Garden. Rising in the amateur boxing program at the Orlando Naval Center in Florida under trainer Dominick Polo, Salerno scored 77 wins against 15 defeats as an amateur. He rose as a young professional, thanks to his Ali copycat big mouth.
Salerno signed a five year professional contract with Florida promoter Pete Ashlock, who also promoted light heavyweight contender Mike Quarry, the brother of ‘White Hope’ heavyweight contender Jerry Quarry. Salerno quit high school and turned pro at age 15, we inning a four round decision over 2-10 Henry Hall at the Orlando Sports Stadium in May 1977. He sparred with Victor Galindez, Sugar Ray Leonard and Roberto Duran, and visiting the camps of Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali with Angelo Dundee.
In 32 months, Salerno went 23-0 and attempted to predict his outcomes like Muhammad Ali did. Salerno’s dad worked at Walt Disney World, while his mom worked at a car dealership. Living in a seedy hotel in South Beach, Florida, Salerno bolted from his contract to sign a new promotional contract with Angelo Dundee. Working long hours washing dishes at a restaurant called The Crab Shack, and hanging out with female drug addicts, Salerno lost 10-round decisions twice to Leon McDonald in January 1980 and July 1981. Salerno then won eight bouts in a row, before losing three in a row, including losing a 10-round decision to future world light heavyweight champion Leslie Stewart, who also won a 10-round rematch over Salerno.
Salerno won three of his next six bouts, including losing a 12-round majority decision for the USBA Light Heavyweight title to future IBF World Light Heavyweight champion Prince Charles Williams. Salerno won seven of his next eight bouts. Salerno scored an eight-round draw and two 10-round decision losses in his last three bouts, finishing his career with a 10-round decision loss as a cruiserweight to former world light heavyweight and cruiserweight champion Dwight Muhammad Qawi. Working as a landscaper and making rap CDs, Salerno was murdered at age 38 by a man attempting to steal his truck in Jacksonville, Florida, on August 1, 1999. His obituary did not mention his boxing career. Salerno had beat great fighters like Eric Holley and Grover Robinson, but was eight years retired and forgotten by the boxing establishment, a loser of hard luck decisions who called out Michael Spinks frequently, but who never got the world title shot he desired.
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