Johnny Bratton, known as Honey Boy Bratton, was an American professional boxer and briefly reigned as the NBA welterweight champion in 1951.
15 Facts About Johnny Bratton
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Johnny Bratton fought many of the best fighters of his era in the division, earning nearly $400,000 in 83 fights, but ended up penniless and mentally impaired.
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Johnny Bratton was "instinctively disliked by others" and fans were said to hope he would "get a beating".
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Johnny Bratton turned pro in 1944 and captured the vacant National Boxing Association World welterweight title in 1951 with a majority decision win over Charley Fusari [2], fight in which Fusari was down for a four-count in the 4th round and a nine-count in the 10th.
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Johnny Bratton lost the belt two months later to Kid Gavilan by decision after Bratton's jaw was broken within the first five rounds.
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At his peak, Johnny Bratton was earning tens of thousands of dollars per fight, and he spent lavishly, on clothes, cars and gambling.
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Johnny Bratton attracted plenty of other people eager to relieve this Arkansas country boy of his new-found wealth, which - combined with poor financial management, by his father and others - meant that he ended up losing it all.
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Johnny Bratton was born in Little Rock, Arkansas where his father was a preacher.
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Johnny Bratton had older brothers named Jerry and Lawyer Jr.
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Johnny Bratton attended DuSable High School, but dropped out, spending his time on the street, an existence that led him to the fight clubs that would be his path to success.
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Johnny Bratton married young - a local girl called Cleadora McLinn with whom he had a son, Dana, in 1944, but the marriage didn't last a year.
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The rigors of the boxing ring had taken a heavy toll, and in 1955, a few months after his final fight, Johnny Bratton was admitted to Manteno State Mental Hospital, where he would stay for eight years.
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Johnny Bratton would spend time living in his car, then was homeless, and had ongoing mental problems and related hospital admissions.
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When his son Ricky died of an infection aged 11, in Detroit, Johnny Bratton was too sick to be aware of it.
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Johnny Bratton co-wrote a number of soul records, including "That's What He Told Me" and the flip side "Holding Hands,".