TRENTON, NJ — No discussion of boxing history from New Jersey’s capital can take place without mentioning Bryant Brannon.
The former super middleweight contender from Trenton fought professionally between 1992 and 1999, before returning for singles fights in 2002 and 2005. He is best remembered for his 1996 title challenge from a Roy Jones Jr. main, putting in a spirited effort before of being knocked out in two rounds at Madison Square Garden.
Brannon, now 56, was one of several former professional boxers who were honored at an amateur boxing show on Saturday, September 10, for their contributions to Trenton boxing history. Brannon, along with 1996 Olympic bronze medalist Terrance Cauthen and others received awards from event organizer Robert Smarr of Knuckle Game Boxing in Trenton, to commemorate his induction into the New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame.
Brannon fought his way up the rankings the hard way, and lists his finest hour as the night he beat Frank Rhodes in 1995 to win the NABF super middleweight title. Brannon suffered a severe cut in the first round, but was able to take the fight into the fourth round, when he won a technical decision.
“My proudest moment as a boxer was when I won my first national title, which was the NABF championship. I got hit with a headbutt in the first round and it was a really bad headbutt and the referee wanted to stop the fight but I encouraged him to give me a few rounds,” Brannon tells The Ring.
Brannon then defeated future super middleweight champion Eric Lucas in his next fight, but his career never really recovered after the Jones loss. He wrestled until 1999, when a knockout loss to James Butler derailed his dreams of returning to world title level.
Brannon says he hopes to spend time at local gyms helping boxers, and he has a few lessons he can teach boxers, and just about anyone else, about the importance of avoiding distractions outside the ring. He was shot multiple times and turned his life around after serving time for robbery, and advises other young boxing hopefuls to stay away from trouble that can cut short their boxing dreams.
“I would let them know that their worst opponent and their opponent is definitely themselves,” Brannon said.
“If a fighter is going to be a great fighter, the best thing to do is say no to drugs, no to alcohol, no to crime and no to gang activity. And they can accomplish anything they want to do in the sport of boxing.”
