MIAMI, Fla. --Retired world champion boxer, kickboxer and trainer.  

That's what James Warring is now.

Obscure football player and college dropout.

That was what Warring almost became. 

Eastern Illinois nearly lost the guy who was to become the leading receiver for its 1978 NCAA Division II national championship football team.

The Florida native not only was miffed by seeing snow for the first time when coming to Charleston, he also got the cold shoulder in football his freshman year at Eastern when he played only junior varsity ball.

LINK TO COMPLETE STORY ON JG-TC ONLINE