He was one of four World Champions to begin boxing in Tacoma, the others being Freddie Steele, Rocky Lockridge and Leo Randolph.
[5][6]) Bumphus qualified at 139 pounds and was a member of the 1980 U.S. Olympic boxing team[7] that died in the crash of LOT Polish Airlines Flight 007 in Warsaw, Poland, on March 14, 1980[8] en route to the USA vs. Poland Box-off as part of "USA vs. the World" event.
A post-fight melee in the ring then ensued, as Hatcher was celebrating in triumph while the now-deposed champion was slugging away in frustration.
In 1987, Bumphus took on Lloyd Honeyghan for the WBC and IBF Welterweight Title, but lost via a second-round technical knockout.
When he returned to Tacoma, through a series of bad friends and choices, he resumed taking drugs in 1989, becoming addicted to crack cocaine.
In 1995, he spent a year in rehab, and then left Tacoma to work as a trainer for his former manager Lou Duva in West Palm Beach, Florida.