He qualified at 156 pounds and was a member of the 1980 U.S. Olympic boxing team that perished in an air crash in Warsaw, Poland, on March 14, 1980.

[1] Shuler began his professional boxing career as a middleweight on September 12, 1980, with a second-round knockout of Chris Rogers in Philadelphia.

During his five years as a pro, he won the NABF, national Middleweight championship with a win over Sugar Ray Seales.

Shuler died in a motorcycle accident in Philadelphia on 17 March 1986, just one week after his last fight against Thomas Hearns.

Custus met Shuler in the 1970s at the Joe Frazier Gym where they trained together and remained close friends for the rest of James’ life.