Chuck Hunter inspired Paul Buckner as a boxer. Paul Buckner was inspired by his Godmother’s son, legendary Cleveland middleweight boxer Chuck Hunter. During the 1940’s and 50’s Hunter fought and beat many of the middleweight contenders of that era. His opponents read like a list of Who’s Who in boxing with such boxers as Bobo Olson, Harold Johnson, Jake LaMotta, Tommy Yarosz, Bob Satterfield, California Jackie Wilson, Tommy Bell, and Jimmy Doyle. At 12 years old, Buckner started his amateur boxing career with the renown boxing trainer Jesse Levels at the old K.Y Benson Boys Town. While training at K.Y. Benson Boys Town, the outstanding professional welterweight boxer Cecil Shorts, became his mentor. Shorts took Buckner to famous Johnny Papke’s Big Ten Gym where Buckner began to train with the legendary trainer, Clint Martin.

The old Big Ten Gym was a gym located at E. 14th Street and Carnegie Ave. which at the time was comparable to Gleason’s Gym and Stillman’s Gym. It was a gym where all the professional boxers and outstanding amateur boxers trained. In 1963, Buckner won the Cleveland Golden Gloves District middleweight championship by defeating Doyle Baird and Nestor Malone. Baird went on to become an outstanding middleweight professional boxer fighting the former world middleweight champion, Nino Benvenuti twice. In 1964, Buckner won the trophy for the ” Comeback Fighter of the Year.” Buckner went to the semifinals of the Olympic trials in Washington, D.C. in 1964. His amateur boxing record is 36 wins and 6 losses. Buckner and his wife, Ruby, have five children: Robert, Michael, Mario, Tazmon, Tara, and Cherise. Buckner attended the Cleveland Public Schools and completed his education at Thomas A. Edison High School. Buckner has been a truck driver for 45 years, and apprenticing with Teamsters Local 436 of which he is a member. After 23 yeas as a truck driver with the Independence Excavating Company, Buckner retired from the company with an outstanding driving record.