A Fond Farewell to ‘The Demon From Philadelphia’, Buster Drayton, Showtime’s First Main Event
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
Philadelphia, PA (November 30th, 2022)– He rose from the sweat, blood, and guts of boxing gyms of Philadelphia to become the principal sparring partner of Marvelous Marvin Hagler to become the Junior Middleweight champion of the world. Buster ‘The Demon from Philadelphia’ Drayton passed away at age 70 on November 20, 2022. The fighting marine was a veteran sergeant, a veteran Federal Law Enforcement Officer of the Philadelphia Branch of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, and a Philadelphia policeman. Drayton would ultimately rise to become part of two of boxing’s most significant moments.
Buster Drayton first made boxing history on June 4, 1986, when he won a majority decision over Carlos Santos in the main event at Meadowlands Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey, to win the International Boxing Federation World Super Middleweight title. The title bout, was preceded by Venezuela’s Bernardo Pinango winning the World Boxing Association World Bantamweight title by unanimous 15-round decision over Gaby Canizales, and Jimmy ‘Ringmaster’ Paul making his third successful defense of the International Boxing Federation World Lightweight title by 15-round unanimous decision, was part of a boxing card which was a box office bomb.
However, Showtime broadcast the card for Top Rank, Showtime’s first ever televised boxing card, making Drayton’s main event title-winning performance and Top Rank part of a unique television sports success. Three months earlier, on March 10, 1986, Showtime had aired Marvelous Marvin Hagler’s World Middleweight title defense knockout of John ‘The Beast’ Mugabi from Caesars Palace outdoor Arena in Las Vegas on tape delay after the bout had ended. The Top Rank Drayton-Santos card was Showtime’s first live boxing event, paving the way for HBO, ESPN and all cable television sports events which followed.
Drayton defended his IBF World Lightweight title against Davey Moore and Said Skouma in Europe in 1987, before losing his IBF title to Matthew Hilton by 15 round unanimous decision at The Forum in Montreal, Canada, on June 27, 1987. After a comeback second-round stoppage win over Leroy Jones in Davenport, Iowa, Drayton’s next and most memorable bout was a three-round televised toe-to-toe thriller against Julian ‘The Hawk’ Jackson for the World Boxing Association World Super Welterweight title on June 30, 1988, at Harrah’s Marina Hotel Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey on CBS Television, called by ring commentators Tim Ryan and Gil Clancy.
An insane authoritative pinpoint electric devastating overhand left-hand bomb from Jackson laid out the smiling ever confident 35-year-old Drayton on his back, and ended the contest at 2:57 of the third round, when referee Tony Perez immediately waived it off. The one-punch delayed reaction knockout shot by Jackson, which took out a surprised stubborn falling backward onto his back, appears on highlight reels, and ended Drayton’s status as a world title challenger.
In Drayton’s next bout, Drayton lost a 12-round unanimous decision to future junior middleweight world champion Terry Norris for the North American Boxing Federation Super Welterweight title at Showboat Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. Norris would get taken out by a right-hand shot from Jackson in a title bid in Atlantic City in his next bout.
Drayton would fight another ten bouts at middleweight over the next six years in relative obscurity, winning five consecutive comeback bouts over undistinguished opponents with losing records. After a 12-round loss to 21-2 Derrick Rolon in Worcester, Massachusetts, for the IBF-USBA North Atlantic Middleweight title on June 10, 1995, Drayton retired with a final record of 40 wins, 15 losses, and one draw, with 28 knockouts. Seventeen years later, on January 28, 2012, Drayton, age 57, returned to the ring, and fought an exhibition in Philadelphia against Philadelphia police officer Floyd ‘Sugar Boy’ Richards on the undercard of light heavyweight Dhafir Smith’s six round decision win over Quinton Rankin at First District Plaza.
Noted Drayton, “I didn’t feel bad about losing by (world title in Montreal by) decision because I fought (almost the entire bout) with one hand [after breaking his right hand] in the third round. Even though I lost, I was happy. I thought the only person who could do something like that was Ali! People said ‘Why are you so happy? You lost the title’ but I won something more. I learned something about myself.” When asked who his toughest opponent was, and Drayton fought Sumbu Kalambay, Terry Norris, Julian Jackson and Davey Moore among others, Drayton stated “All of them. Because nearly everyone I fought was either a former world champion or became a world champion.”
Drayton was co-managed by Mickey Duff and Ivan Cohen. Drayton is survived by his second wife Sylvia and seven children. “I couldn’t be more satisfied (with my career and my life, looking back). I’m happy most of all, that: number one, I came out (of professional boxing) with all my marbles; and, number two, I always said, there’s life after fighting. When you don’t consider those two things, you’ve got problems when your career is over, whether it’s walking straight, standing up or talking. Every time a fighter gets into that ring for his first fight, he must remember there’ll be a last time. I did and I couldn’t be happier.”
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