Promoter Russell Peltz reported the sad news that former light heavyweight contender Jerry Martin passed away, less than one month before his 68th birthday. Martin had three unsuccessful title shots against the "murderer's row" of Muhammads: Matthew Saad Muhammad, Eddie Mustafa Muhammad and Dwight Muhammad Qawi. Peltz reminisced, "Jerry 'The Bull' Martin always had a big smile on his face. He boxed at a time when the light heavyweight division was perhaps at its strongest ever (or close to it) in the mid-1970s through the mid-1980s. In those days, his opposition included Matthew Saad Muhammad, Richie Kates, Dynamite Douglas, Jesse Burnett, James Scott, Eddie Mustafa Muhammad, Willie 'The Bull' Taylor, Dwight Muhammad Qawi, Jerry Celestine, Anthony Witherspoon, Johnny Davis and Dale Grant. Jerry was 25-7 against those and others with 17 knockouts. When Jerry was on the rise, I once asked him why anyone would want to fight him. His answer: 'they either don't know or they don't care.'"

 

Peltz continued, "Jerry provided me with one of my career highlights when he went into Rahway (New Jersey) State Prison on Memorial Day Weekend in 1980 and upset the heralded inmate, James Scott, on NBC TV. I remember as we walked through the prison on our way to the Drill Hall for the fight how glad I was to be on my side of the iron bars, not the other. After the upset, I had dinner with Jerry, manager/trainer Leon Tabbs, cut man Milt Bailey, and ex-pro Jimmy Savage. We went to an outdoor restaurant near the prison. During dinner, a group of about half-a-dozen of Jerry's countrymen from Antigua came to our table and gave speeches, telling us how much they appreciated what we had done for Jerry. It was a heart-warming scene you don't often see in our business. He will be remembered and he will be missed."

 

Boxingtalk sends its condolences to the friends and family of Jerry Martin.