"only universally recognized form of a world championship until July 2, 1921, when Jack Dempsey became the inaugural NBA Heavyweight Champion. The growing popularity of boxing led to a birth of various regional sanctioning organizations, with each recognizing their own champion. The major governing bodies were the National Boxing Association, formed in 1921, the New York State Athletic Commission, found after the Walker Law legalized prizefighting in New York in 1920, and the International Boxing Union, created in 1911 in Paris in attepmt create a unified international governing body for professional boxing. Both NBA and NYSAC made then-lineal champion Jack"
"Deanna Dempsey died in 2003. Jack Dempsey William Harrison ""Jack"" Dempsey (June 24, 1895 – May 31, 1983), nicknamed ""Kid Blackie"" and ""The Manassa Mauler"", was an American professional boxer who competed from 1914 to 1927, and reigned as the world heavyweight champion from 1919 to 1926. A cultural icon of the 1920s, Dempsey's aggressive fighting style and exceptional punching power made him one of the most popular boxers in history. Many of his fights set financial and attendance records, including the first million-dollar gate. Dempsey is ranked tenth on ""The Ring"" magazine's list of all-time heavyweights and seventh among"
"Mike McTigue ""Bold"" Mike McTigue (November 26, 1892 – August 12, 1966) was the light heavyweight boxing champion of the world from 1923 to 1925. Michael Francis McTigue (Mike McTigue) was born in Lickaun, Kilnamona, in County Clare, Ireland, on 26 November 1892. He was recorded in the 1901 Census of County Clare. McTigue emigrated to America in 1912 when he was 21. He traveled as a steerage passenger of the British steamer ""Baltic"", which arrived at the Port of New York on 21 September 1912. He was the brother of fellow boxer Jim McTigue. McTigue began boxing and fought"
"Jack Dempsey William Harrison ""Jack"" Dempsey (June 24, 1895 – May 31, 1983), nicknamed ""Kid Blackie"" and ""The Manassa Mauler"", was an American professional boxer who competed from 1914 to 1927, and reigned as the world heavyweight champion from 1919 to 1926. A cultural icon of the 1920s, Dempsey's aggressive fighting style and exceptional punching power made him one of the most popular boxers in history. Many of his fights set financial and attendance records, including the first million-dollar gate. Dempsey is ranked tenth on ""The Ring"" magazine's list of all-time heavyweights and seventh among its Top 100 Greatest Punchers,"
"Joe Louis Joseph Louis Barrow (May 13, 1914 – April 12, 1981), best known as Joe Louis was an American professional boxer who competed from 1934 to 1951. He reigned as the world heavyweight champion from 1937 to 1949, and is considered to be one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time. Nicknamed the ""Brown Bomber"", Louis' championship reign lasted 140 consecutive months, during which he participated in 26 championship fights. The 27th fight, against Ezzard Charles in 1950, was a challenge for Charles' heavyweight title and so is not included in Louis' reign. He was victorious in 25"
"World Boxing Hall of Fame in 1980, and the International Boxing Hall of Fame as a first-class inductee in 1990. Harry Greb Edward Henry Greb (June 6, 1894 – October 22, 1926) was an American professional boxer. Nicknamed ""The Pittsburgh Windmill"", he was the American light heavyweight champion from 1922 to 1923 and world middleweight champion from 1923 to 1926. He fought a recorded 298 times in his 13 year-career, which began at around 140 pounds. He fought against the best opposition the talent-rich 1910s and 20s could provide him, frequently squaring off against light heavyweights and even heavyweights. Greb"
"porch of the church was named after him. Kilnamona's Community Centre was opened in 2001 and named in his honour. Mike McTigue ""Bold"" Mike McTigue (November 26, 1892 – August 12, 1966) was the light heavyweight boxing champion of the world from 1923 to 1925. Michael Francis McTigue (Mike McTigue) was born in Lickaun, Kilnamona, in County Clare, Ireland, on 26 November 1892. He was recorded in the 1901 Census of County Clare. McTigue emigrated to America in 1912 when he was 21. He traveled as a steerage passenger of the British steamer ""Baltic"", which arrived at the Port of"
"Joe Gans Joe Gans (born Joseph Gant; November 25, 1874 – August 10, 1910) was an African-American boxer, born in Baltimore, Maryland, who was rated the greatest lightweight boxer of all time by boxing historian and ""Ring Magazine"" founder, Nat Fleischer. Gans was known as the ""Old Master"". He fought from 1891 to 1909. He was the first African-American World Boxing Champion of the 20th century, reigning continuously as World Lightweight Champion from 1902-1904 and 1906-1908. Gans started boxing professionally about 1891 in Baltimore. He gained many fans within the boxing world, both white and black, with his ""scientific"" approach"
"in the table below. Harry Lewis (boxer) Harry Lewis (Harry Besterman; September 16, 1886 – February 22, 1956), was an American boxer, generally credited with holding the Welterweight Championship of the World from April 1908 to March 1911. He defeated ""Young Joseph"", the reigning Welterweight Champion of England in London on June 27, 1910, but was not credited with the British Welterweight championship as the fight was sanctioned as a World, and not English title. Boxing writer Nat Fleischer rated Lewis the sixth-greatest welterweight of all time. He was inducted into the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 2002,"
"Harry Lewis (boxer) Harry Lewis (Harry Besterman; September 16, 1886 – February 22, 1956), was an American boxer, generally credited with holding the Welterweight Championship of the World from April 1908 to March 1911. He defeated ""Young Joseph"", the reigning Welterweight Champion of England in London on June 27, 1910, but was not credited with the British Welterweight championship as the fight was sanctioned as a World, and not English title. Boxing writer Nat Fleischer rated Lewis the sixth-greatest welterweight of all time. He was inducted into the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 2002, and into the International"
"in Carr Cemetery in Marcy, New York. James Red Herring James Bryan Herring, also known as Red Herring, was an American boxer, who claimed the world light welterweight championship in 1925. Herring was born on March 19, 1896, in Paducah, Kentucky, and began boxing in 1913 when he won a bout as a featherweight by knockout on a benefit card for striking railroad workers in Paducah. He was a Sergeant in the U.S. Army during World War I, and was stationed at both Camp Pike, Arkansas and Camp Shelby, Mississippi where he served as boxing instructor. He claimed to have"
"the International Boxing Hall of Fame. Willard and a dispute he had with Harry Houdini is the topic of Andy Duncan's Nebula Award nominated novella ""The Pottawatomie Giant."" Jess Willard Jess Myron Willard (December 29, 1881 – December 15, 1968) was a world heavyweight boxing champion known as the Pottawatomie Giant who knocked out Jack Johnson in April 1915 for the heavyweight title. He was known for his great strength and ability to absorb tremendous punishment, although today he is also known for his title loss to Jack Dempsey. Willard held the championship for more than four years. Today his"
"the wrestler Giant Haystacks and the Irish footballer Kevin Kilbane. His family was originally from Achill, County Mayo, Ireland. He died on May 31, 1957 in Cleveland, Ohio. Johnny Kilbane John Patrick ""Johnny"" Kilbane (April 9, 1889 – May 31, 1957) was a featherweight boxer in the early part of the 20th century. He held the World Featherweight title from 1912 to 1923, the longest period in the division's history. He is the second longest world title holder in boxing history behind Joe Louis. Statistical boxing website BoxRec lists Kilbane as the #2 ranked featherweight of all-time, while ""The Ring"
"Max Schmeling Maximillian Adolph Otto Siegfried Schmeling (; 28 September 1905 – 2 February 2005) was a German boxer who was heavyweight champion of the world between 1930 and 1932. His two fights with Joe Louis in 1936 and 1938 were worldwide cultural events because of their national associations. Starting his professional career in 1924, Schmeling went to the United States in 1928 and, after a ninth-round technical knockout of Johnny Risko, became a sensation. He became the first to win the heavyweight championship (at that time vacant) by disqualification in 1930, after opponent Jack Sharkey knocked him down with"
"Ronald Rawson Ronald Rawson Rawson MC & Two Bars (17 June 1892 – 30 March 1952) was an English heavyweight professional boxer, who won a gold medal in Boxing at the 1920 Summer Olympics for Great Britain. He was the ABA Heavyweight Champion of Great Britain in 1920 and 1921. In 1920 he won the Olympic Gold Medal in Antwerp in the heavyweight division (from 1920 to 1936 this was 79.38 kg/175 lb+), defeating Danish boxer Søren Petersen in the final. Although he only boxed as an Amateur, he did meet the professional boxer Jack Bloomfield in a ""supposed 'exhibition'"
"Pete Latzo Pete Latzo (August 1, 1902 – July 7, 1968) was an American boxer who held the World Welterweight Championship from 1926 to 1927. Latzo was born on August 1, 1902 in Coloraine, Pennsylvania, near the heart of coal-mining county. By several accounts, Latzo spent some of his early years mining, and working as a ""breaker boy"" whose primary job was to pick slate and other impurities from anthracite coal. His brother Steve preceded him as a boxer in local rings with some success, once losing to Mickey Walker by knockout. His older brother Joe also boxed briefly in"
"Jess Willard Jess Myron Willard (December 29, 1881 – December 15, 1968) was a world heavyweight boxing champion known as the Pottawatomie Giant who knocked out Jack Johnson in April 1915 for the heavyweight title. He was known for his great strength and ability to absorb tremendous punishment, although today he is also known for his title loss to Jack Dempsey. Willard held the championship for more than four years. Today his reign is considered the 11th longest in the heavyweight division. He lost the title to Jack Dempsey in 1919 in one of the most severe beatings ever in"
"Boxing Hall of Fame. Jack Dempsey vs. Georges Carpentier Jack Dempsey versus Georges Carpentier was a boxing fight between world heavyweight champion Jack Dempsey and world light-heavyweight champion Georges Carpentier, which was one of the fights named the ""Fight of the Century"". The bout took place in the United States on Saturday, July 2, 1921, at Boyle's Thirty Acres in Jersey City, New Jersey. Jack Dempsey was the world Heavyweight champion since he beat Jess Willard by a fourth round knockout in 1919. The challenge by Carpentier would be his third title defense, after retaining the championship against Billy Miske"
"Max Baer (boxer) Maximilian Adelbert Baer (February 11, 1909 – November 21, 1959) was an American boxer who was the World Heavyweight Champion from 14 June 1934 to 13 June 1935. His fights were twice (1933 win over Max Schmeling, 1935 loss to James J. Braddock) rated Fight of the Year by ""The Ring Magazine"". Baer was also a boxing referee, and had an occasional role on film or television. He was the brother of heavyweight boxing contender Buddy Baer and father of actor Max Baer Jr.. Baer is rated #22 on Ring Magazine's list of 100 greatest punchers of"
"bout at a charity show at the Brighton Pavilion"", where he suffered a knockout defeat in round three. Ronald Rawson Ronald Rawson Rawson MC & Two Bars (17 June 1892 – 30 March 1952) was an English heavyweight professional boxer, who won a gold medal in Boxing at the 1920 Summer Olympics for Great Britain. He was the ABA Heavyweight Champion of Great Britain in 1920 and 1921. In 1920 he won the Olympic Gold Medal in Antwerp in the heavyweight division (from 1920 to 1936 this was 79.38 kg/175 lb+), defeating Danish boxer Søren Petersen in the final. Although"
"draw after 15 rounds. The second match with Farr in December 1935 ended in Moody's defeat in the fourth round. Moody ended his boxing career in 1936, losing by technical knockout to Frank Hough. Frank Moody Frank Moody (27 August 1900 – 29 July 1963) was a Welsh boxer who fought between 1914 and 1936. He is most notable for winning the British and Empire middleweight boxing championship in 1927 and 1928 and the light-heavyweight title from 1927 to 1929. Moody was born in Pontypridd and came from a large family, and was one of seven brothers to fight in"
"Harry Greb Edward Henry Greb (June 6, 1894 – October 22, 1926) was an American professional boxer. Nicknamed ""The Pittsburgh Windmill"", he was the American light heavyweight champion from 1922 to 1923 and world middleweight champion from 1923 to 1926. He fought a recorded 298 times in his 13 year-career, which began at around 140 pounds. He fought against the best opposition the talent-rich 1910s and 20s could provide him, frequently squaring off against light heavyweights and even heavyweights. Greb had a highly aggressive, very fast, swarming style of fighting and buried his opponents under a blizzard of punches. He"
"Maxie Rosenbloom Max Everitt Rosenbloom (November 1, 1907 – March 6, 1976) was an American boxer, world boxing champion among light heavyweight champions of 1930-1934, member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame, actor, and television personality. Born in Leonard Bridge, Connecticut, Rosenbloom was nicknamed ""Slapsie Maxie"" by a journalist due to his open-gloved style of boxing. In 1930, he won the New York light heavyweight title. In 1932, he won the World Light Heavyweight Championship. He held and defended the title until November 1934, when he lost it to Bob Olin. As a professional boxer, Rosenbloom relied on hitting"
"James J. Braddock James Walter Braddock (June 8, 1905 – November 29, 1974) was an American boxer who was the world heavyweight champion from 1935 to 1937. Fighting under the name James J. Braddock (ostensibly to follow the pattern set by two prior world boxing champions, James J. Corbett and James J. Jeffries), Braddock was known for his spoiling, counterpunching style, powerful right hand and his iron chin. He had lost several bouts due to chronic hand injuries and was forced to work on the docks and collect social assistance to feed his family during the Great Depression. He made"
"John Henry Lewis John Henry Lewis (May 1, 1914 – April 18, 1974) was a hall of fame American boxer and held the World Light Heavyweight Boxing Title from 1935 to 1938. ""The Ring"" boxing magazine named Lewis the 16th greatest light heavyweight of all-time. His trainer was Larry Amadee, and his managers included Ernie Lira, Larry White, Frank Schuler, and Gus Greenlee. Lewis was born in Los Angeles in on May 4, 1914 to Mattie Drake Foster and John Edward Lewis. The family settled in Phoenix, Arizona, where he grew up and was taught to box at an early"
"the sixth longest reigning world heavyweight champion in history behind Bruno Sammartino, Jim Londos, Lou Thesz, Verne Gagne (who all held their world titles for over seven years) and Bob Backlund (who held his for nearly six years). Joe Stecher defeated American Heavyweight Champion Charlie Cutler to become the first widely recognized world heavyweight champion after the retirement of Frank Gotch. On April 15, 1925, Stanislaus Zbyszko defeated previous champion Wayne Munn to win the championship. However, Munn continued to be recognized as the World Heavyweight Champion in Michigan and in Illinois. Ed Lewis defeated Wayne Munn on February 2,"
"Gene Tunney James Joseph ""Gene"" Tunney (May 25, 1897 – November 7, 1978) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1915 to 1928. He held the world heavyweight title from 1926 to 1928, and the American light heavyweight title twice between 1922 and 1923. A highly technical boxer, Tunney had a five-fight rivalry with Harry Greb in which he won three, drew once, and lost once. He also knocked out Georges Carpentier and defeated Jack Dempsey twice; first in 1926 and again in 1927. Tunney's successful title defense against Dempsey remains one of the most famous bouts in boxing"
"Commission, a position he held until 1961. Ritchie was a 1962 inductee to ""The Ring"" magazine's Boxing Hall of Fame (disbanded in 1987), and a 2004 inductee to the International Boxing Hall of Fame. He died in Burlingame, California in 1975. Willie Ritchie Willie Ritchie (born Gerhardt Anthony Steffen, February 13, 1891 – March 24, 1975), was the World lightweight champion from 1912 to 1914. Gerhardt Anthony Steffen was born in San Francisco, California on February 13, 1891. He began his boxing career in 1907 under the name of ""Willie Ritchie"" so that his mother wouldn't be aware of his"
"Jack Johnson (boxer) John Arthur Johnson (March 31, 1878 – June 10, 1946), nicknamed the Galveston Giant, was an American boxer who, at the height of the Jim Crow era, became the first African American world heavyweight boxing champion (1908–1915). Among the period's most dominant champions, Johnson remains a boxing legend, with his 1910 fight against James J. Jeffries dubbed the ""fight of the century"". According to filmmaker Ken Burns, ""for more than thirteen years, Jack Johnson was the most famous and the most notorious African-American on Earth"". Transcending boxing, he became part of the culture and the history of"
"refereed the championship fight on July 3, 1905 in Reno, Nevada. Hart knocked out Jack Root in the 12th round to win the vacant championship. After one successful exhibition match, Hart lost his championship to Canadian Tommy Burns on February 23, 1906 in Los Angeles, California. Burns won the 20-round fight by decision. Hart died the day after his 55th birthday of an enlarged liver and high blood pressure. He was interred in the Resthaven Memorial Park, in Louisville, Kentucky. Marvin Hart Marvin Hart (September 16, 1876 – September 17, 1931) was the World Heavyweight Boxing Champion from July 3,"
"with Gene Tunney..."", In the 1932 boxing film ""Winner Take All"", James Cagney's character Jimmy Kane—a has-been former champion trying to get educated—laments that William Shakespeare was ""the one who ruined Gene Tunney."" Gene Tunney James Joseph ""Gene"" Tunney (May 25, 1897 – November 7, 1978) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1915 to 1928. He held the world heavyweight title from 1926 to 1928, and the American light heavyweight title twice between 1922 and 1923. A highly technical boxer, Tunney had a five-fight rivalry with Harry Greb in which he won three, drew once, and lost once."
"Battling Levinsky Barney Lebrowitz (June 10, 1891 – February 12, 1949), better known as Battling Levinsky, was the world light heavyweight champion from 1916 to 1920. Statistical boxing website BoxRec lists Levinsky as the #12 ranked light heavyweight of all-time, while ""The Ring Magazine"" founder Nat Fleischer placed him at #9. The International Boxing Research Organization rates Levinsky as the 20th best light heavyweight ever. He was inducted into the Ring Magazine Hall of Fame in 1966, the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame 1982, and the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2000. Born in Philadelphia on June 10,"
"light heavy and heavyweight divisions in his era. Norfolk died in 1968. Norfolk was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2007. Kid Norfolk Kid Norfolk (10 July 1893 – 15 April 1968) was an African American boxer who fought as a light heavyweight and heavyweight from 1910 through 1926. Norfolk holds wins over many notable boxers of his day, including Joe Jeanette, Billy Miske, Jack Blackburn, Harry Greb, Tiger Flowers, Battling Siki, and Gunboat Smith. Born William Ward in Belmont, Virginia, Norfolk moved with his family to Panama as a youngster. He made his professional boxing debut"