Combat Sports Historian and Martial Artist
Posts about professional boxing from 1890 to 1930.
In the 1910s, American professional wrestling permanently moved from legitimate wrestling contests to prearranged exhibitions. Fan interest, promoter control and less wear and tear on the wrestlers all played a role in this transition. Another less talked about pressure was outside of the sport itself. Prior to the 20th Century, professional boxing was illegal in the United States. Bare knuckle
On Thursday, February 26, 1903, Jack Johnson defended his World Colored Heavyweight Boxing Championship against the undefeated Sam McVey. McVey brought a 6-0 record with six knockouts into the championship match. Since boxing promoters refused to let Black fighters compete for the World Heavyweight Boxing Championship, the best boxers around the turn of the Century fought for the World Colored
After averaging 9 fights a year over the past 7 years, World Middleweight Boxing Champion Stanley “The Michigan Assassin” Ketchel was exhausted. Ketchel took a vacation on the Missouri ranch of his friend Colonel R. P. Dickerson in an attempt to regain his strength and enthusiasm for fighting. Ketchel never returned from vacation as he was shot and killed at
On March 17, 1897, current World Heavyweight Boxing Champion James J. Corbett entered the boxing ring at Carson City, Nevada. Corbett faced the challenge of former middleweight boxing champion Bob Fitzsimmons. Corbett entered as the favorite enjoying both an almost twenty pound weight advantage and slick boxing skills. “Ruddy Robert” as Fitzsimmons was sometimes known won the World Middleweight Boxing Championship in
On July 2, 1921 in Jersey City, New Jersey, reigning World Heavyweight Boxing Champion Jack Dempsey met light heavyweight boxing king Georges Carpentier. Boxing fans flocked to event resulting in the first million dollar gate in boxing history. The match would prove the old boxing adage, “A good big man always beats a good little man.” Even though Georges Carpentier
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
On July 3, 1905, Marvin Hart entered the fight for the vacant world title as a 3 to 1 underdog. Jack Root who would be the first light heavyweight championship was the favorite to succeed the recently retired James J. Jeffries. Jeffries would referee this title match to replace him. Marvin Hart had recently beaten Jack Johnson. Widely considered the
“Terrible” Terry McGovern earned a reputation as one of the most powerful punchers in the history of the lighter divisions of professional boxing. McGovern weighed between 112 and 126 pounds. Unlike his fellow smaller fighters, who overwhelmed their opponents with punching volume, McGovern possessed exceptional knockout power. McGovern proved his power on Tuesday, September 12, 1899, when he fought British
After Jack Johnson became champion, a lack of strong contenders caused public pressure to mount on James J. Jeffires, the retired former heavyweight champion, to end his retirement and fight Johnson. Jeffries was considered the first and most credible of the “White Hope” contenders. In his prime, Jeffries probably couldn’t beat Johnson. At 35 years of age and nearly 300
On April 17, 1909, African-American heavyweight boxer Joe Jeanette met World Colored Heavyweight Boxing Champion Sam McVey for the title in a fight to the finish. Before the classic bout was complete, the men would box for 49 rounds over 3 hours and 30 minutes. From February 5, 1903, when he beat “Denver” Ed Martin to December 26, 1908, when