A closer look at Jersey Joe

[GJC]

My other trivia fact re Walcott is he beat Harold Johnson and his father Phil years before can't be too many who have beaten father any son

[cotto16]

Walcott was cute, slick, crafty, full of tricks and could punch. Walcott didn't copy moves, he invented them. He was eccentric tecnician.

Like most fighters from around that time, Jersey Joe Walcott wasn't his real name. His real name was Arnold Raymond Cream. But he took the name Joe Walcott, after the legendary Welterweight. He was hoping the name change would gain him some much needed attention, it didn't.

Walcott was a family man. Growing up he was one of 12 sibilings. He ramained close to them all growing up, mainly his six sisters.

Walcott had a wife called Lydia and six children who in 1953 aged from seven to ninteen. Walcott was a devoted family man and religious man.

It made for a nice story Walcott being a family and religious man, and the pressed jumped all over it. Do Walcott was somehwhat ambivalent about making his religious beliefs a public matter. ''People will think I go to church for publicity''

He once instructed IBC publicist Harry Mendel ''Don't put it in the paper'' ''Write up the workout instead''

Virtually all thought Walcott was much older than he was. The first time he met Marciano he claimed to be 38 years of age. Most didn't belive him. Some maintained, he was at least forty, and even as old as 42 or 44 years of age.

Most of the press at the time made joked about Joe's age.

But nothing was easy for Walcott in his Boxing career. In the early part of his career no one paid attention to him, even with the name change. He often fought for small purses at short notice.

But in 1930's Walcott came close to getting his break on several occasions.

One being the year 1934. Walcott was working in Philadelphia under the guidance of trainer Jackie Blackburn. When Blackburn decided to move to Chicago to train a young Heavyweight called Joe Louis, he offered to take Walcott with him to train Louis.

But Walcott came down with a case of typhoid fever and had to decline the chance. Two years later, when Louis was fighting in big fights and earning huge purses, Walcott was still in the same position he had been in the previous two years.

Blackburn then remembered his former pupil and called him up to spar Louis. In the sparring session Walcott licked Louis. In one of the sessions he knocked Louis down and was let go from the camp.

Walcott continued to fight for buttons and get no attention. Like most black fighters of that time fighters, Walcott had difficulty getting financial backing from managers and promoters for being to good for there own good and due to the colour of there skin.

This ment they rarley if ever fought in big money fights or title fights. Due to the lack of financial resources, this ment not only cound't Walcott get big money fights, he was struggiling to feed his family.

Due to this he had to work many jobs as well as his boxing career.

Walcott later claimed he was literally hungry for more than a decade. ''I had the ability to succeed in the ring, but you can't do it with a gnawing at the pit of your stomach''

Most of Walcott's losses were down to lack of food and taking the bouts at short notice. In 1940 after getting knocked out by giant Heavyweight Abe Simon he retired, he had retired a few times in his career out of frustration, but this time he was serious.

In the next five years Walcott fought few to none bouts, and mainly focused on his day jobs.

But this would all change. After meeting Felix Bocchicchio, Walcott decided to return to the ring full time under the management of Bocchicchio.Who helped Walcott with small loans.

By late 1946 and 1947 Walcott was near the big time. He had been mixing it up and beating the likes of Joey Maxim and feared puncher Elmer Ray. In that time had also defeated the great Jimmy Bivins.

Bivins at that time was on the best form of his career and was on a incredible streak without a loss. Wins included Archie Moore, Ezzard Charles, Lloyd Marshall, and Oakland Billy Smith. Walcott took it on a razor thin decision.

He then was matched up with Joe Louis. Few give Walcott a chance going into the fight that he could defeat the great Joe Louis.

But he nearly did. Most of the ringside observers and boxing fans today think Walcott put on one of the best displays of his life, but was robbed out of a decision victory.

He would lose the rematch to Louis in 1948, getting stopped in 10. But Walcott didn't stop there. Walcott fought then Heavyweight Champion Ezzard Charles for the HW Title.

He would lose the first two attempts, but would carry on to get a shot at the title due to his solid performances and the fact that there weren't much else around at that time in the Heavyweight division.

Then on July 1951 Jersey Joe realized his dream. He knocked out Charles in 7 rounds with a picture perfect punch. Jersey Joe was Heavyweight Champiom of the world. He was a true Cinderella Man story.

It didn't last long, after defending the Title against Charles, Walcott was then matched up with the unbeaten Rocky Marciano. The fight took place at Municipal Stadium, Philadelphia 1952.

And in of the boxing best remembered bouts, Walcott was knocked out in the 13th round, when leading on the scorecards and having already dropped Marciano in the 1st round.

He was then stopped in a rematch by Marciano, when he failed to meet the count of 10 made by the ref in the 1st round. This would be his last fight.

I would like a movie done on Walcott. He come through so much and all the odds seemed to be against him. But he managed to prevail, and proved sometimes good guys do finish first.....

top post man

[cooper5]

This is a great thread, Jersey Joe was a ATG IMO

[JAB5239]

Felix Bocchicchio, the man who is credited with saving the career of Walcott, was also quite a character to say the least. Walcott once called him my angel. He was anything but.......

In his past Bocchicchio had served time in jail, he like to gamble, and reportedly had ties with the Mob, some sources even indicate that there were even su****ion of murder, jailbreak, and larceny.

But him and Walcott were as close as brothers. ''We've been so close, that I'll do most anything for Joe and he'll do most anything for me''

Bocchicchio would say years later ''Joe and I are more than just manager and fighter''

Pictures of the two.......Bocchicchio is the one in the middle on the first picture.

Great info. Thank you.

[JAB5239]

Any opinions or comments?

[TBear]

Great bit and timeline on Jersey Joe JAB5239!

[IronDanHamza]

Jersey Walcott was a great talent and a great fighter. One of my all time favourites.

I see a very strong arugment for him being a Top 20 ATG HW and I haven't done a top 20 in a while but I'm sure Walcott would feature in there.

I don't need to repeat what he did, you have all done a great job in doing so. But to repeat, he was throwback fighter, fight anybody, be competitive with some of the all time greats. And has some very very good wins too as been mentioned.

People only ever look at the beautiful KO punch Rocky dished out to knock him out, but in recent years people tend to forget what happened before that. Walcott was genuinely making Rocky look silly at times, which is a great feat.

Walcott was a great fighter who sadly seems to be getting forgotten in recent years.

[$Bullsfam$]

Awesome ass thread. Learned alot right here. That man was a pioneer for that crazy style he had. I'm shocked the only time we here him is when people want to call out Rocky, Louis, or Charles great wins yet they won't give the man individual credit. Easily one of my one of my favorite heavyweights to watch.

[Wild Blue Yonda]

Walcott was a little before my time, but he was still talked about quite regularly when I was growing up, & remained in the spotlight as a referee as well. He had a way of transcending the colour issue with a lot of people. Whites, blacks, they were fans of Walcott's, & you could never hear about how well-received Walcott was without simultaneously hearing a bad word about his old rival, Charles. I just have never understood the widespread disdain for Charles, though.

[Scott9945]

Walcott was a little before my time, but he was still talked about quite regularly when I was growing up, & remained in the spotlight as a referee as well. He had a way of transcending the colour issue with a lot of people. Whites, blacks, they were fans of Walcott's, & you could never hear about how well-received Walcott was without simultaneously hearing a bad word about his old rival, Charles. I just have never understood the widespread disdain for Charles, though.

Well we know for sure that Walcott was a better fighter than a referee. He deserves a lot of blame for the Ali-Liston II travesty.

On a positive note he was fun to watch act in a major part in "The Harder They Fall"