Former lightweight world champion Livingstone Bramble passed away yesterday at the age of 64. He was the first boxer from the state of Saint Kitts and Nevis to win a world boxing title and is best remembered for his two memorable battles against the hugely popular Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini.
Bramble earned his world title shot in 1984 with a record of twenty wins, one loss, and one draw. On the eve of the big event, both experts and fans saw him as a clear underdog. After all, WBA lightweight champion Ray Mancini was coming off a series of impressive victories and had only ever been defeated by the great Alexis Arguello. Boom Boom was already in negotiations to fight the legendary Aaron Pryor, but he miscalculated.
Unfazed by the bookmakers’ odds, which had him as a four-to-one underdog, Bramble engaged in a brutal war, opening a deep cut on his opponent’s face in the very first round and systematically breaking him down until scoring a shocking technical knockout in the fourteenth round.
The rematch, held a year later, was just as spectacular and thrilling, and once again, Bramble emerged victorious. This time, the Nevisian fighter did not stop the bout early, and the result was only confirmed after the official scorecards were read, showing him ahead by a single point after the full fifteen rounds.
With this second victory, Bramble solidified his status as an elite fighter. After one more successful title defense against Philadelphia southpaw Tyrone Crawley, he seemed poised for a high-profile unification bout with WBC lightweight champion Hector “Macho” Camacho.
However, Bramble suffered the same cruel fate that had befallen Mancini. Just as he appeared on the verge of securing a lucrative superfight, he lost his title in an upset. The man responsible was Puerto Rican heavy-hitter Edwin Rosario, who, much like Bramble two years prior, was a four-to-one underdog but shocked the boxing world by knocking out the champion in just two rounds.
Following that devastating defeat, Bramble’s hopes of reclaiming the top spot in the division were dashed by the gritty American fighter Freddie Pendleton—a classic “deceptive record” boxer who, despite numerous losses, always gave his opponents a grueling fight. Bramble faced him twice, managing a draw in their first encounter but suffering a technical knockout defeat in the rematch.
From that point on, Bramble’s athletic abilities gradually declined to the extent that he soon became a journeyman, used by rising prospects to gain experience and boost their records. He retired from professional boxing in 2003 with a final record of forty wins, twenty-six losses, and three draws.
At the peak of his career, Bramble made headlines for his eccentricities, most notably his love for snakes. He often entered the ring accompanied by one of his reptiles, and in September 1984, the renowned American magazine The Ring featured him on its cover with the world championship belt draped over one shoulder and a snake coiled around his neck.
A follower of a pescatarian diet, Bramble was also known for his passion for marathons—he participated annually in the International Boxing Hall of Fame’s celebrity marathon—and for his adherence to Rastafarianism. Sports journalist Brian D’Ambrosio wrote and published his biography, Rasta in the Ring: The Life of Rastafarian Boxer Livingstone Bramble.
Although his time at the top was relatively short, Bramble is still fondly remembered by many boxing fans who, since yesterday, have been sharing messages of condolences and support for the former champion’s family. Many of them will likely be rewatching his two epic battles against Mancini—two sensational fights that left an indelible mark on the history of the lightweight division in the 1980s.