Wrestling Champion Tries Boxing

On Tuesday, January 19, 1909, Dr. Benjamin Roller, a Seattle physician and pro wrestler who was good enough to win the American Heavyweight Championship, inexplicably decided to try his hand at professional boxing.  His opponent was friend and sparring partner, “Denver” Ed Martin, who would win the Colored World Heavyweight Boxing Championship.

Dr. Benjamin Franklin Roller was a unique athlete who used his prowess to help pay his way through college, where he eventually earned his doctorate.  Dr. Roller became a Professor of Physiology with the University of Washington before resigning in 1906 for a full-time wrestling career.  Dr. Roller also helped train George Hackenschmidt for his losing effort to regain his title from World Heavyweight Wrestling Champion Frank Gotch in 1911.

The Wednesday, January 20, 1909 edition of The Seattle Star was not kind in it’s reporting of the six round affair.  The headline was “Dr. Roller Not Made of Championship Material”.  All three columnists felt “Denver” Ed Martin carried his friend for six rounds.  The writer allowed that Dr. Roller’s strength and tenacity would give lesser opponents problems.  All agreed that his lack of pugilistic skill would result in loss or serious injury against a first rate boxer.  Dr. Roller was considered a better orater than boxer.

While Dr. Roller was a subpar boxer, he was a good enough wrestler to win the American Heavyweight Wrestling Champion three times.  Among the opponents Dr. Roller defeated were “Farmer” Burns, Fred Beel, Ed “Strangler” Lewis and Joe Stecher.  Dr. Roller, who was born in Illinois on July 1, 1876,  wrestled until he was 42 years old in 1918.

“Denver” Ed Martin stood 6’03”  to 6’04” and packed tremendous punching power.  However, Martin was also known for his scientific boxing and ability to evade an attack.  In 1902, he won the Colored Heavyweight Boxing Championship from Frank Childs.  He lost the title to Jack Johnson, who would one day win the World Heavyweight Boxing Championship from Tommy Burns.

“Denver” Ed Martin was born on September 10, 1881 in Denver, Colorado.  He made his pro boxing debut in 1899 and continued fighting until 1914.  Martin knocked out Victor McLaglen, a future Academy Award winning actor, in 1904.  Despite retiring in 1914, Martin staged a comeback in 1921 at 40 years of age.  He won three fights in  a row before being knocked out by Harry Willis in the first round.  Martin retired for good after this loss.

Why Dr. Roller thought a six round fight with Martin would be good for his career is lost to history.  However, it does not appear he ever tried such a stunt again, so maybe he learned his lesson in that cold January during 1909.

You can leave a comment or ask a question about this or any post on my Facebook page and Twitter profile.

Pin It