“Terrible” Terry Beats Dixon for Title

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On January 5, 1900, four days before a showdown with Bantamweight Boxing Champion Terry McGovern, Featherweight World Boxing Champion George Dixon made an announcement to chill the spine of all his supporters.  Dixon announced that win or lose, he would be retiring from the ring after the bout with McGovern. The last thing a manager wants to hear before a

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Gentleman Jim KOs Boston Strong Boy

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John L. Sullivan had dominated the prize ring during his career.  Possessing a record of 40 wins, no losses and two draws, “The Boston Strong Boy” was considered invincible.  Sullivan won the world championship in 1882 and dispensed all challengers culminating with the Fight of the Nineteenth Century with Jake Kilrain. After defeating Kilrain in this epic bout, John L.

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Oliver Kirk and the 1904 St. Louis Olympics

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Oliver Leonard Kirk has the distinction of being the only Olympic boxer to win a gold medal in two separate weight classes in the same Olympic Games.  Oliver Kirk accomplished this feat at his hometown Olympics in 1904. St. Louis hosted the third Olympiad during the 1904 World’s Fair Exposition.  Like the Paris Games four years before, St. Louis gave

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“Terrible” Terry Dies in Charity Hospital

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On February 22, 1918, former World Bantamweight and Featherweight Boxing Champion “Terrible” Terry McGovern died in New York City’s Kings County Hospital. McGovern checked in a few days earlier with what McGovern thought was a severe upper respiratory infection. However, doctors diagnosed pneumonia. McGovern went from walking and talking to unresponsive in just one or two days. McGovern never recovered.

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Sam McVey’s Big Right Hand

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Sam McVey tired of the lack of opportunity for black fighters in the United States during the early Twentieth Century.  McVey decided to leave for Europe in 1907, where he fought until 1911.  McVey fought in Australia for three more years before returning to the United States. This brief highlight film from France in 1911 with “Battling” Jim Johnson shows

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Langford Defeats The Great Gans

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On December 8, 1903, Sam Langford fought the reigning lightweight boxing champion in his hometown of Boston, Massachusetts.  Prior to fighting Langford, most boxing experts felt Joe Gans could not be beaten in a legitimate bout.  Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Gans was able to break the color barrier by winning the World Lightweight Boxing Championship. Sam Langford is often considered

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“Terrible” Terry Shows His Power

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“Terrible” Terry McGovern proved to be a rare fighter at the turn of the Twentieth Century.  While smaller boxers packed no power in their punches, McGovern, who scaled between 110 and 126 pounds, possessed tremendous knockout power.  “Terrible” Terry often finished his opponents in the first four rounds. On July 1, 1899, Brooklyn based McGovern met Chicago’s Johnny Richie at

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