World Heavyweight
Boxing Champions
Slania had been a boxing fan for many years and in the early sixties he engraved a series of 23 portraits of heavyweight world champions in the form of postage stamps. The engravings were of boxing’s world heavyweight champions from 1889-1964. In the first engraving, of John L. Sullivan, the artist engraved his own hands instead of those of Sullivan.
John L. Sullivan 1892
Sullivan defeated Paddy Ryan in 1882 for the American bare knuckle championship. In the absence of any challengers from outside America he gradually became acknowledged as world bare knuckle champion. On August 29, 1885, he outpointed Dominic McCaffrey in Chester Park, Cincinnati, in a bout described as being ‘to decide the Marquess of Queensberry glove contest for the championship of the world’.
James J. Corbett 1897
James John "Gentleman Jim" Corbett (1866 – 1933) was an American professional boxer and a former World Heavyweight Champion, best known as the man who defeated the great John L. Sullivan. Despite a career spanning only 20 bouts, Corbett faced the best competition his era had to offer; squaring off with a total of 9 fighters who would later be enshrined alongside him in the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
Bob Fitzsimmons 1897
Robert James ‘Bob’ Fitzsimmons (1863 - 1917), a British-born New Zealand boxer, made boxing history as the sport's first three-division world champion. He also achieved fame for beating Gentleman Jim Corbett, the man who beat the great John L. Sullivan. Nicknamed Ruby Robert or The Freckled Wonder, he took pride in his lack of scars, and appeared in the ring wearing heavy woollen underwear to conceal the disparity between his trunk and leg-development.
James J. Jeffries 1899
James Jackson Jeffries (‘The Boilermaker’) (1875 – 1953) was a world heavyweight boxing champion.
Jeffries stood 6 ft 3 in tall and weighed 225 in his prime. Despite his bulk, Jeffries, who was a trained sprinter, could run the 100 yards in a little more than ten seconds. The world record in 1900 for the 100 yard sprint was a little under ten seconds. While working as a sparring partner for James J. Corbett, Jeffries consistently outsprinted Corbett. Corbett was an outstanding all around athlete and had never lost a footrace to any of his campmates. Jeffries was also nimble and could purportedly high jump over six feet.
Tommy Burns 1906
Tommy Burns (1881 – 1955), born Noah Brusso, was a Canadian world heavyweight champion boxer. Born in Chesley, Ontario, Brusso grew up in Hanover, Ontario and was a lacrosse player in Galt. From an impoverished family of thirteen children, he travelled to Detroit, Michigan where he began his prizefighting career in 1900. In June 1903, he was discovered playing lacrosse under an assumed name for a Detroit team that was playing in Chatham, Ontario.
After starting his boxing career under his real name, Brusso took the Irish-sounding name of Tommy Burns in 1904. Although only 5 feet 7 inches tall and about 175 pounds, size did not stop him from becoming the world heavyweight boxing champion. When Burns met Marvin Hart for the heavyweight championship of the world on February 23, 1906, Burns was a 2:1 underdog and the betting was 10:7 that he would not last ten rounds. Burns won, and would go on to defend his title eleven times within a period of less than two years
Jack Johnson 1908
Arthur John Johnson (1878 – 1946), better known as Jack Johnson and nicknamed the ‘Galveston Giant’, was an American boxer and arguably the best heavyweight of his generation. He was the first black Heavyweight Champion of the World (1908-1915). In a documentary about his life, Ken Burns notes: ‘For more than thirteen years, Jack Johnson was the most famous, and the most notorious African-American on Earth.’
Jess Willard 1915
Jess Willard (December 29, 1881 in the town of St. Clere, Pottawatomie County, Kansas – December 15, 1968 in Los Angeles, California) was a world Heavyweight boxing champion.
A working cowboy, he did not begin boxing until he was almost thirty years old.
Despite his late start, Jess Willard proved successful as a boxer, defeating top-ranked opponents to earn a chance to fight for the championship. On April 5, 1915 in front of a huge crowd at the Vedado Racetrack in Havana, Cuba, in the 26th round he knocked out champion Jack Johnson to win the World Heavyweight Boxing Championship.
Jack Dempsey 1919
William Harrison "Jack" Dempsey (1895 – 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,[1] Dempsey's aggressive fighting style and exceptional punching power made him one of the most popular boxers in history.[2][3] Many of his fights set financial and attendance records, including the first million-dollar gate. Dempsey is ranked as tenth on The Ring magazine's list of all-time heavyweights and seventh among its Top 100 Greatest Punchers, while in 1950 the Associated Press voted him as the greatest fighter of the past 50 years.He is a member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame, and was inducted into The Ring's Boxing Hall of Fame in 1951.
Gene Tunney 1926
James Joseph ‘Gene’ Tunney (May 25, 1897 – November 7, 1978) was the heavyweight boxing champion from 1926-1928 who defeated Jack Dempsey twice, first in 1926 and then in 1927. Tunney's successful title defence against Dempsey is one of the most famous bouts in boxing history and is known as The Long Count Fight. Tunney retired as a heavyweight after his victory over Tom Heeney in 1928
Max Schmeling 1930
Maximillian Adolph Otto Siegfried Schmeling (1905 – 2005) was a German boxer who was heavyweight champion of the world between 1930 and 1932. His two fights with Joe Louis in the late 1930s transcended boxing and became worldwide social events because of their national associations.
Jack Sharkey 1932
Jack Sharkey (October 26, 1902, in Binghamton, New York – August 17, 1994, in Beverly, Massachusetts) was a heavyweight boxing champion of Lithuanian descent.
In 1929, in a fight held in Yankee Stadium, Jack Sharkey knocked out the former light-heavyweight champion, Tommy Loughran to win the United States heavyweight title. His victory earned him the opportunity to fight for the vacant world title against the German contender, Max Schmeling. In their June 12, 1930, championship fight, Sharkey was disqualified in the fourth round after delivering a punch that landed below Schmeling's belt. This is the only occasion in boxing history when the heavyweight championship was won by disqualification.
In October of 1931, Sharkey defeated Italian heavyweight, Primo Carnera, and was then given another chance to fight for the title. On June 21, 1932 at the Madison Square Garden Bowl in Long Island City, New York, Jack Sharkey defeated Max Schmeling in their rematch to win the World Heavyweight Boxing Championship in a very controversial split decision.
Primo Carnera 1933
Born in Sequals, near Udine, Italy, Carnera was a remarkable individual almost 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) tall and weighed 265 pounds (120 kg), at a time when the average height was approximately 5 ft 5 in.
1933 was one of the most important years in Carnera's life. On February 10, he knocked out Ernie Schaaf in thirteen rounds in New York. Schaaf died two days later and Carnera had to go through what most boxers wish they did not have to, the death of an opponent. For his next fight, Carnera faced the world Heavyweight champion Sharkey, with the crown on the line. The championship date was June 29th, at the Madison Square Garden's bowl at Long Island. Carnera became world champion by knocking out Sharkey in round six.
Max Baer 1934
Maximilian Adelbert ‘Madcap Maxie’ Baer (February 11, 1909 – November 21, 1959) was an American boxer of the 1930s, one-time Heavyweight Champion of the World, actor and entertainer.
In late 1934 the International Boxing Union ordered world champion Max Baer to defend his title against the reigning European champion, Pierre Charles of Belgium. When Baer instead opted to fight James J. Braddock they withdrew recognition of him as champion. The IBU matched Charles with the American heavyweight George Godfrey for their version of the title with the fight taking place in Brussels, Belgium on 2 October 1935. Godfrey won a fifteen round points decision but did not press any claim to the championship and was inactive for the next two years. The IBU then recognized Baer's successor, James J. Braddock, as champion.
Walter Braddock (1905 – 1974) was an American heavyweight boxing champion.
Fighting under the name James J. Braddock (ostensibly to follow the pattern set by two prior champions, James J. Corbett and James J. Jeffries), his amazing comeback from a floundering career, which saw him lose several bouts before struggling to support his family by working on the docks during the Great Depression, earned him the nickname ‘The Cinderella Man’ from Damon Runyon.
Joe Louis 1937
Joseph Louis Barrow (1914 – 1981), best known as Joe Louis and nicknamed The Brown Bomber, a long-time resident of Detroit, Michigan, is considered to be one of the greatest heavyweight boxing champions who has ever lived. He was praised and loved by America, until the day of his death. He held the title for over 11 years, recording 25 successful defences of the title. In 2003, Ring Magazine rated Joe Louis No. 1 on the list of 100 greatest punchers of all time. In 2005, Louis was named the greatest heavyweight of all time by the International Boxing Research Organization.[1] He participated in 27 heavyweight championship fights, a record which still stands.
Ezzard Charles 1949
Ezzard Mack Charles (July 7, 1921 – May 28, 1975) was an African-American professional boxer and former Heavyweight Champion of the world.
On the retirement of Joe Louis the European Boxing Union announced that a fight in May 1949 between Lee Savold of the USA and British champion Bruce Woodcock would determine their version of the world heavyweight title. However the fight was postponed for over a year due to injuries Woodcock had suffered in a car crash. When it eventually took place Savold defeated Woodcock in four rounds. Savold lost the recognition he had as ‘world’ champion in Europe and the British Commonwealth when he lost to Joe Louis in a non-title fight in June 1951. The EBU immediately transferred their recognition to Ezzard Charles.
Jersey Joe Walcott 1951
Arnold Raymond Cream (1914 – 1994), best known as Jersey Joe Walcott, was an American professional boxer who competed from 1930 to 1953. He held the world heavyweight title from 1951 to 1952, and broke the record for the oldest man to win the title, at the age of 37. That record would eventually be broken in 1994 by 45-year-old George Foreman.
After retiring from boxing, Walcott did some acting, playing small parts in a few movies and television shows. He also refereed several boxing matches, but after the controversial ending to the second fight between Muhammad Ali and Sonny Liston, Walcott was not asked to referee again. From 1971 to 1974, Walcott held the elected position of Camden County, New Jersey, sheriff, the first African-American to do so. From 1975 to 1984, he was the chairman of the New Jersey State Athletic Commission.
Rocky Marciano 1952
Rocky Marciano (1923 – 1969), born Rocco Francis Marchegiano, was the heavyweight champion of the world from 1952 to 1956. Marciano, with forty-three knockouts to his credit (87.8% knockout rate), remains the only heavyweight champion in boxing history to retire having won every fight in his professional career. Marciano is considered by some experts to be the strongest of all the heavyweights and the hardest hitter.
Rocky was a small heavyweight in statue but a big heavyweight in punching power; He was muscular and stocky, struck brutal blows with each fist and was rough, tough and durable; He was one of only nine men to retire unbeaten over his entire career.
Floyd Patterson 1956 and 1960
Floyd Patterson (1935 – 2006) was an American heavyweight boxing champion. At 21, Patterson became the youngest man to win the world heavyweight championship. He had a record of 55 wins 8 losses and 1 draw, with 40 wins by knockout. Patterson was a light heavyweight-cruiserweight who was good enough to compete with the big boys and actually win the Heavyweight Championship of the World; As an amateur, he won the New York Golden Gloves and Eastern Golden Gloves Middleweight Championships and Light Heavyweight Championships; He also won the Olympic Middleweight Championship
Patterson is most famous for his three bout series with Ingemar Johansson of Sweden; During his career, he defeated such men as Johansson, Archie Moore, Eddie Machen, George Chuvalo, Henry Cooper, Oscar ‘Ringo’ Bonavena, Brian London, Roy Harris, Yvon Durelle, Sante Amonti, Tommy Harrison, Tommy ‘Hurricane’ Jackson, Willie Troy, Jimmy Slade, Esau Ferdinand, Dick Wagner and Alvin Williams
Ingemar Johansson 1960
He defeated Floyd Patterson to win the World Heavyweight Championship. As a result, Johansson won the Hickok Belt as top professional athlete of the year in 1959 and was named the Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year and Sports Illustrated magazine's ‘Sportsman of the Year’.
Johansson's introduction to the sport's limelight was inauspicious. He was disqualified for running from the eventual Olympic gold medalist, Ed Sanders during the final of the 1952 Helsinki heavyweight competition. Johansson maintained he was not fleeing Sanders, but rather was trying to tire his huge opponent for a planned third round onslaught. Nevertheless, his silver medal was withheld for this poor performance, but he was presented with the medal in 1982.
Sonny Liston 1962
Charles L. ‘Sonny’ Liston (1932– 1970) was a formidable boxer who became world heavyweight champion in 1962 by knocking out Floyd Patterson in the first round. Liston was one of the most powerful punchers in the history of the heavyweight division. Liston was an unbelievably strong man who could take very powerful blows without blinking; His reach was long and his jab was strong; His left hook was awesome; It was a mistake to meet him head-on and trade punches with him early in a fight; The best chance against Liston was to stay away, box him and wait until the later rounds to confront him, when he was tired and somewhat ponderous
Cassius Clay 1964
Muhammad Ali (born Cassius Marcellus 1942—2016) was a three-time World Heavyweight Champion and winner of an Olympic Light-heavyweight gold medal. In 1999, Ali was crowned ‘Sportsman of the Century’ by Sports Illustrated and the BBC.
Ali was born in Louisville, Kentucky. He was named after his father, Cassius Marcellus Clay Sr., who was named for the 19th century abolitionist and politician Cassius Clay. Ali changed his name after joining the Nation of Islam in 1964, subsequently converted to Sunni Islam in 1975 and then Sufism.
Clay/Ali was one of the smoothest and most natural boxers of all time; His hands were lightning fast and he was practically impossible to hit cleanly during his early career; Later, when he was heavier and stronger, he proved he could still prevail; Clay/Ali won the Heavyweight Championship three times.
As a boxer, he made mistakes but with his unbelievable speed was able to still win, primarily with jabs and combinations which took their toll; He could judge distances within an inch, was game, had a great chin and
could take punishment.
When he first hit the scene, he called himself ‘The Greatest’ and people scoffed; Today, the majority of boxing fans consider him to be ‘The Greatest’ .
