Henry Armstrong At Welterweight?

[Bronson66]

Great fighter,19 defences?
Mostly against unranked challengers,with not one black challenger amongst them.
Why?

$$$$$$$?

[DeeMoney]

Without specific evidence as it being such, I always just assumed this was a product of being in the heart of the Great Depression and Armstrong looking to make money the best way he could. Traveling around the country (and even outside) taking on whoever offered him a chance to make a quick buck.

I mean those 19 defenses took place within about a year-and-a-half span, and sure you had parts like his October of 1939, where he fought 5 times against mostly lower ranking opponents. But he also fought some good fighters in that stretch.

[The D3vil]

Dude, judging fighters from the segregation era by today's standards is ridiculous.

Guys had virtually no autonomy back then.

They didn't get to "let fights marinate" or take "low risk/high reward" fights.

They were kept broke, in debt, & often had to contend with crooked refs & judges.

[JAB5239]

He beat the wheels off Barney Ross in Ross' last fight. Last fight sounds ominous but Ross was on a 21 fight win streak and is an all time great himself.

[NotIron]

Top 3 minimum.

[SouthpawRight]

He beat the wheels off Barney Ross in Ross' last fight. Last fight sounds ominous but Ross was on a 21 fight win streak and is an all time great himself.

Barney an exceptional individual

killed 20 Japanese soldiers overnight solo

volunteered for the Marines and insisted on a combat role

what a man

if you ever wondered if a great fighter could make for a great soldier

[Bronson66]

Without specific evidence as it being such, I always just assumed this was a product of being in the heart of the Great Depression and Armstrong looking to make money the best way he could. Traveling around the country (and even outside) taking on whoever offered him a chance to make a quick buck.

I mean those 19 defenses took place within about a year-and-a-half span, and sure you had parts like his October of 1939, where he fought 5 times against mostly lower ranking opponents. But he also fought some good fighters in that stretch.

But not Burley,Williams, or Cocoa Kid.

How many of his white challengers were ranked in the top ten?

[Bronson66]

Barney an exceptional individual

killed 20 Japanese soldiers overnight solo

volunteered for the Marines and insisted on a combat role

what a man

if you ever wondered if a great fighter could make for a great soldier

Was wounded and acquired an addiction to morphine as a result.

[Bronson66]

He beat the wheels off Barney Ross in Ross' last fight. Last fight sounds ominous but Ross was on a 21 fight win streak and is an all time great himself.

Yes,it's said he carried Ross,but it wasn't a defence.

[Bronson66]

Dude, judging fighters from the segregation era by today's standards is ridiculous.

Guys had virtually no autonomy back then.

They didn't get to "let fights marinate" or take "low risk/high reward" fights.

They were kept broke, in debt, & often had to contend with crooked refs & judges.

I'm not judging him, I'm pointing out the majority of his defences were against journeymen,which imo ,should be taken into account when assessing him at147lbs