Buddy Turman

Reagan Garth "Buddy" Turman (April 12, 1933 – April 1, 2007) was an American professional boxer who competed in the Heavyweight division.

Boxing career In his two years as an amateur in Texas, Turman accrued 20 wins and 5 losses, and one draw, he set a record for the quickest knockout in National AAU history.

Turman fought his first professional match in September 1954, against Bobby Babcock, which he won. Five months later, Turman became the first white man to legally fight an African-American in Texas thanks to the efforts of African-American I. H. "Sporty" Harvey, who had successfully challenged boxing segregation in court. Turman won the match against Harvey on February 24, 1955, and won a rematch in June 1955. Turman shared his opinions of Ruby and what he knew of Ruby's acquaintances in the Dallas Police Department.

Turman was married and had a son in Dallas in the late fifties, he began to seek work in films and television to support the family. First, he made a cameo appearance on an episode of Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse (1958) with Lucille Ball and Aldo Ray, and a few years later he appeared as a regular guest on Hollywood Squares. He was also considered for various roles that never materialized (including the lead role in a proposed biopic about his friend Jack Dempsey). Turman's marriage was brief, but he and his ex-wife remained lifelong friends. They continued to share responsibility for raising their son.

While living on the west coast, Turman befriended German boxer and wrestler Wilhelm von Homburg (who eventually had roles in several Hollywood films). Soon thereafter Turman began primarily fighting abroad. He spent much of the last two years of his career fighting on the same ticket as von Homberg throughout Germany. Von Homberg and Turman visited each other periodically and corresponded often in the following years. After von Homberg was diagnosed with cancer, he was visited by Turman for two weeks in Longview, Texas before going to Mexico where he eventually died.

After Turman's boxing years, he held various jobs including oil lease agent in East Texas and bartender and security guard at Binion's Horseshoe in Las Vegas.

He died on April 1, 2007, in Longview, Texas, of complications from Hepatitis C.

Professional boxing record

Win

KO 2 15/12/1967

Win

TKO 4 09/12/1966

Win

TKO 9 15/04/1966

Loss

PTS 8 10/03/1966

Win

TKO 4 28/05/1965

Loss

TKO 4 20/04/1965

Loss

DQ 5 02/04/1965

Win

TKO 4 06/03/1965

Win

KO 2 13/02/1965

Loss

PTS 10 05/02/1965

Win

TKO 4 16/01/1965

Win

TKO 5 14/11/1964

Loss

PTS 10 03/10/1964

Win

PTS 10 10/05/1964

Win

UD 10 05/02/1964

Draw

PTS 10 05/11/1962

Loss

DQ 2 19/07/1962

Loss

TKO 9 30/11/1961

Loss

UD 10 25/03/1961

Loss

UD 10 28/11/1960

Loss

KO 2 26/10/1960

Win

MD 10 25/04/1960

Win

MD 10 21/03/1960

Win

KO 3 01/03/1960

Draw

PTS 10 02/11/1959

Win

PTS 10 29/09/1959

Win

PTS 8 29/05/1959

Win

KO 10 05/05/1959

Loss

KO 2 21/03/1959

Win

KO 2 27/01/1959

Loss

UD 10 30/06/1958

Win

KO 1 07/04/1958

Win

KO 3 11/03/1958

Win

PTS 10 28/01/1958

Win

KO 1 17/12/1957

Win

KO 2 30/09/1957

Win

TKO 8 27/06/1957

Loss

PTS 10 18/04/1957

Win

KO 3 04/03/1957

Win

KO 1 31/01/1957

Win

KO 2 21/01/1957

Win

KO 4 10/12/1956

Win

TKO 3 01/11/1956

Win

KO 4 18/09/1956

Win

KO 5 16/08/1956

Win

KO 2 23/07/1956

Win

KO 2 21/06/1956

Win

KO 2 03/05/1956

Win

TKO 5 29/03/1956

Loss

SD 12 28/11/1955

Win

KO 10 07/11/1955

Win

PTS 10 17/10/1955

Win

UD 10 18/08/1955

Win

PTS 10 20/06/1955

Win

PTS 10 03/06/1955

Win

KO 4 05/05/1955

Win

KO 2 18/03/1955

Win

UD 10 24/02/1955

Win

KO 2 10/02/1955

Loss

UD 10 13/01/1955

Win

KO 2 17/12/1954

Win

UD 4 28/09/1954