Sam McVey Puts Pressure on the Champ

Sam McVey would win the World Colored Heavyweight Boxing Championship in an era where the three best fighters were black and frozen out of the title picture.  He started 1903 out so well, he would put pressure on World Heavyweight Boxing Champion James J. Jeffries to give him a match.  Jeffries refused to break the “color line” by giving a black fighter a title shot.

In January 1903, McVey crushed “Toothpick” Kelly, the handpicked fighter of “Spider” Kelly.  “Spider” Kelly was considered a knowledgeable evaluator of boxing talent and a hype machine.  “Spider” Kelly had people convinced “Toothpick” Kelly would challenge Jeffries for the World Title after a few fights.  The giant Sam McVey crushed these hopes and “Toothpick” Kelly.  A fourth-round body shot ended Kelly’s title dreams.

In February 1903, McVey crushed Montana welterweight Jack Lavelle in one round.  Although Sam McVey was much bigger than Lavelle, smart analysts believed Lavelle had a chance.  Whether Lavelle was that good or sports writers did not want to give McVey his due, McVey proved a good big man always beats a good little man.

On May 5, 1903, the Oxnard, California based McVey met Kid Carter in Los Angeles.  Carter was able to stay away for one round but McVey hit him with a crushing right in the second.  Kid Carter recovered during the one-minute rest between rounds but Sam McVey would not be deterred.  In the ninth round, McVey knocked Carter down twice more with his big right hand.  In the eleventh round, McVey finished him with a left-right combination.

In September 1903, McVey beat “Denver” Ed Martin, formerly the number one rated fighter in the black heavyweight division.  Martin landed one clean punch before McVey bombed Martin with his powerful right.  He finished Martin with three powerful right hands to the body.

On October 27, 1903, Sam McVey finally met his match.  He lost a 20 round decision to Jack Johnson, the future World Heavyweight Boxing Champion.  Johnson won the World Colored Heavyweight Boxing Championship before beating Tommy Burns for the world title.

Johnson out boxed McVey and avoided his powerful right hands.  Three times Jack Johnson dropped McVey with a right hand of his own but each time McVey jumped back up to continue the fight.  While Johnson was too experienced and talented for Sam McVey at that point in their careers, Johnson was not able to stop McVey.

Sam McVey was frozen out of a title shot at the recognized world championship but did win the World Colored Heavyweight Boxing Championship.  While Jeffries would not give a shot to a black fighter, Sam McVey was one of the first fighters to put pressure on the champ with his impressive run in 1903.

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