McVey KOs Ferguson
On August 11, 1915, current World Colored Heavyweight Boxing Champion Sam McVey fought Sandy Ferguson in Boston, Massachusetts at the Atlas Athletic Association gym. McVey fought in an era where promoters froze out all the African American boxers, except the great Jack Johnson, from fighting for the world championship.
McVey defeated most of the other great Black fighters of this era, but he did not defend his title in this match. For one of the rare times in his career, McVey fought a white fighter in Ferguson. Ferguson risked angering the public because if he could defeat McVey, Ferguson would establish himself as a top contender.
Sam McVey circa 1914 from the Public Domain
McVey fought more as a puncher than a boxer. Fighters feared McVey’s big right hand, but his left hand was equally dangerous. Ferguson learned this lesson the hard way.
Ferguson made the fight easy for McVey by rushing at McVey for most of the fight. McVey stepped back, let loose with a flurry, and waited for Ferguson to rush back in. Two minutes in to the first round, McVey almost brought a quick end to the fight.
Sam McVey and Al Reich in 1914 (Public Domain)
McVey hit Ferguson with a left hook as Ferguson swung wildly at McVey. Ferguson slumped over the top rope for a count of nine. Ferguson beat the count and avoided McVey for the remainder of the round to survive until the second round.
Ferguson did use his jab well. McVey struggled to land a clean right hand even though McVey won the first three rounds.
Ferguson edged out the fourth round, but the bell saved Ferguson at the end of both the fifth and sixth rounds Ferguson used the jab in the seventh round to control the action, but McVey started pressing his own attack.
Ferguson amazed observers by making it to the eighth round after McVey nearly knocked Ferguson out in the first round. Unfortunately for Ferguson, he chose a fighting style that made him vulnerable to McVey’s power. While Ferguson avoided the right hand, Ferguson could not avoid McVey’s left hook.
Ferguson started the eighth round by jabbing at McVey, but McVey hit Ferguson with a left hook. Ferguson dropped to a knee.
Ferguson stood back up and clinched McVey. McVey pushed Ferguson away causing Ferguson to fall back to the mat. Ferguson stood back up and McVey hit Ferguson with another left hook.
Ferguson reeled backwards as McVey pressed his attack. McVey landed another left hook followed by a right cross, left hook combination. McVey’s combination knocked Ferguson back to the mat.
Ferguson tried to stand back up as referee Phil Donahue counted him down. Donahue reached ten before Ferguson regained his feet. Donahue awarded McVey the bout on an eighth-round knockout.
McVey continued fighting and training other fighters until his untimely death on December 23, 1921 at thirty-seven years of age. Pneumonia did what no other foe could do.
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Sources: Fall River Globe (Fall River, Massachusetts), August 11, 1915, p. 7
