Sam Langford went from Featherweight to Heavyweight

[StarshipTrooper]

Why is this not mentioned?dude fought half blind and was ducked by Jack Johnson and Jack Dempsey at heavyweight,was only 5'6..that is a damn impressive feat


Sam Langford is regarded as one of the best boxers of all-time and arguably the greatest boxer to never win a world title. White champions drew the color line and Jack Johnson claimed a title defense against Langford wouldn't draw.

After Jack Johnson won the World Heavyweight Championship in 1908, Langford claimed the World Colored Heavyweight Championship. With Johnson choosing to defend against white challengers, the top black fighters fought each other repeatedly. Langford fought Joe Jeannette 13 times, Sam McVea 13 times, and Harry Wills 18 times.

In the early 1920s, when Langford was half-blind, he went to Jack Kearns, the manager of World Heavyweight Champion Jack Dempsey, and asked for a shot at the title. Kearns said, "Sam, we were looking for somebody easier."

In his autobiography, Dempsey wrote, “There was one man . . . I wouldn’t fight because I knew he would flatten me. I was afraid of Sam Langford.”

By the end of his career, Langford could barely see. His eyes failing, Langford would fight on the inside so he could feel his opponent and know where his arms were. At the end of a round, he'd use the ropes to feel his way back to his corner. Doctors twice tried to restore his sight, but by the mid-1930s, Langford was totally blind.

In 1944, Al Laney of the "New York Herald Tribune" decided to write a story about Langford, but he had trouble finding him. Several people suggested that Langford was probably dead, but Laney persisted and finally found Langford living at a rooming house on 139th Street in New York City. Langford had 20 cents in his pocket and was subsisting on a few dollars he received each month from a foundation for the blind.

Shortly after Laney's story was published, a fund was set up for Langford. As a result, he lived relatively comfortably for the rest of his days. Langford passed away on January 12, 1956 at a private nursing home in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Welcome to the History Section side of the tracks Larry :allhail9: :cool9:

[edgarg]

Why is this not mentioned?dude fought half blind and was ducked by Jack Johnson and Jack Dempsey at heavyweight,was only 5'6..that is a damn impressive feat


Sam Langford is regarded as one of the best boxers of all-time and arguably the greatest boxer to never win a world title. White champions drew the color line and Jack Johnson claimed a title defense against Langford wouldn't draw.

After Jack Johnson won the World Heavyweight Championship in 1908, Langford claimed the World Colored Heavyweight Championship. With Johnson choosing to defend against white challengers, the top black fighters fought each other repeatedly. Langford fought Joe Jeannette 13 times, Sam McVea 13 times, and Harry Wills 18 times.

In the early 1920s, when Langford was half-blind, he went to Jack Kearns, the manager of World Heavyweight Champion Jack Dempsey, and asked for a shot at the title. Kearns said, "Sam, we were looking for somebody easier."

In his autobiography, Dempsey wrote, “There was one man . . . I wouldn’t fight because I knew he would flatten me. I was afraid of Sam Langford.”

By the end of his career, Langford could barely see. His eyes failing, Langford would fight on the inside so he could feel his opponent and know where his arms were. At the end of a round, he'd use the ropes to feel his way back to his corner. Doctors twice tried to restore his sight, but by the mid-1930s, Langford was totally blind.

In 1944, Al Laney of the "New York Herald Tribune" decided to write a story about Langford, but he had trouble finding him. Several people suggested that Langford was probably dead, but Laney persisted and finally found Langford living at a rooming house on 139th Street in New York City. Langford had 20 cents in his pocket and was subsisting on a few dollars he received each month from a foundation for the blind.

Shortly after Laney's story was published, a fund was set up for Langford. As a result, he lived relatively comfortably for the rest of his days. Langford passed away on January 12, 1956 at a private nursing home in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

I sometimes find myself posting in answer to your silly statements, which people who do not know the truth often believe. Sorry.

Langford seems to have gone from welterweight to heavyweight, which weights today would have been light welterweight to just over light-heavyweight, although he has weighed as much as today's cruiserweight. He was at his best circa 175 lbs.

Langford is recorded as having had his first fight when aged 20 at 137 lbs. I've read several books which recorded this same fact, as well as having seen it in other reports. It was well known. He was by then fully grown and just needed to fill out...which he did, almost from fight to fight. Recorda are scattered and very dubious about his early days. A pharmacist named Joe Woodman was his manager for many years.

In his fight with Jack Johnson, all (I mean every one) of the existing accounts of the fight say that Johnson gave him a very bad beating knocking him down once. Books have said that Johnson held him up a few times when he was about to go down, and in fact the existing film shows this very fact. Johnson often did this, which shows how clever he really was. It must be said that Langford was outweighed by 30 or more pounds.

Yes Langford fought Harry Wills many times, but of the last 13 times, he was badly beaten in most. He lost 12 of the 13, including 10 in a row.

I'm not saying that Langford does not deserve what you say about him, just straightening it out a bit. The stuff about Jack Dempsey was pure Dempsey being nice to poor old Sam. Langford was over 40 then, and half blind, with hudreds of fights behind him, and not any kind of draw. Hadn't been for about 7-8 years.

I actually have in my possession an old newspaper cutting with his photograph, which was taken when Laney and his friends found him. He is sitting on the steps of his tenement building, dressed on very shabby old black clothes, with the jacket held closed by a single button. He is smiling, and wearing a pair of small metal rimmed spectacles. It's a sad sight. I can see this picture in my mind this minute.

Nat Fleischer held him in the highest regard and had him at # 5-6 in the heavyweight class, I think.

[Hougigo]

Using today's logic, he was on peds

[edgarg]

I forgot to mention that Bill Stribling, who was called Young Stribling, went from flyweight to heavyweight, and actually should have beaten Schmeling in his only heavyweight title fight. He and his parents had a vaudeville act and toured to country with it, I think it was a boixing act. Paw was his manager and Maw was his trainer and often used to spar with him.

Today this would be incredible.

[hectari]

Why is this not mentioned?dude fought half blind and was ducked by Jack Johnson and Jack Dempsey at heavyweight,was only 5'6..that is a damn impressive feat


Sam Langford is regarded as one of the best boxers of all-time and arguably the greatest boxer to never win a world title. White champions drew the color line and Jack Johnson claimed a title defense against Langford wouldn't draw.

After Jack Johnson won the World Heavyweight Championship in 1908, Langford claimed the World Colored Heavyweight Championship. With Johnson choosing to defend against white challengers, the top black fighters fought each other repeatedly. Langford fought Joe Jeannette 13 times, Sam McVea 13 times, and Harry Wills 18 times.

In the early 1920s, when Langford was half-blind, he went to Jack Kearns, the manager of World Heavyweight Champion Jack Dempsey, and asked for a shot at the title. Kearns said, "Sam, we were looking for somebody easier."

In his autobiography, Dempsey wrote, “There was one man . . . I wouldn’t fight because I knew he would flatten me. I was afraid of Sam Langford.”

By the end of his career, Langford could barely see. His eyes failing, Langford would fight on the inside so he could feel his opponent and know where his arms were. At the end of a round, he'd use the ropes to feel his way back to his corner. Doctors twice tried to restore his sight, but by the mid-1930s, Langford was totally blind.

In 1944, Al Laney of the "New York Herald Tribune" decided to write a story about Langford, but he had trouble finding him. Several people suggested that Langford was probably dead, but Laney persisted and finally found Langford living at a rooming house on 139th Street in New York City. Langford had 20 cents in his pocket and was subsisting on a few dollars he received each month from a foundation for the blind.

Shortly after Laney's story was published, a fund was set up for Langford. As a result, he lived relatively comfortably for the rest of his days. Langford passed away on January 12, 1956 at a private nursing home in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Tell that to Mr. knowitall boxing historian Roger Mayweather who keeps insisting that no one in boxing history has done what Pacman has done, and has to be on A side meth.

[Larry the boss]

I forgot to mention that Bill Stribling, who was called Young Stribling, went from flyweight to heavyweight, and actually should have beaten Schmeling in his only heavyweight title fight. He and his parents had a vaudeville act and toured to country with it, I think it was a boixing act. Paw was his manager and Maw was his trainer and often used to spar with him.

Today this would be incredible.

amazing,simply amazing

[StarshipTrooper]

I forgot to mention that Bill Stribling, who was called Young Stribling, went from flyweight to heavyweight, and actually should have beaten Schmeling in his only heavyweight title fight. He and his parents had a vaudeville act and toured to country with it, I think it was a boixing act. Paw was his manager and Maw was his trainer and often used to spar with him.

Today this would be incredible.

Learned something new. I wasn't aware Stribling fought as low as Flyweight.

Poet

[sdcluser]

Why is this not mentioned?dude fought half blind and was ducked by Jack Johnson and Jack Dempsey at heavyweight,was only 5'6..that is a damn impressive feat


Sam Langford is regarded as one of the best boxers of all-time and arguably the greatest boxer to never win a world title. White champions drew the color line and Jack Johnson claimed a title defense against Langford wouldn't draw.

After Jack Johnson won the World Heavyweight Championship in 1908, Langford claimed the World Colored Heavyweight Championship. With Johnson choosing to defend against white challengers, the top black fighters fought each other repeatedly. Langford fought Joe Jeannette 13 times, Sam McVea 13 times, and Harry Wills 18 times.

In the early 1920s, when Langford was half-blind, he went to Jack Kearns, the manager of World Heavyweight Champion Jack Dempsey, and asked for a shot at the title. Kearns said, "Sam, we were looking for somebody easier."

In his autobiography, Dempsey wrote, “There was one man . . . I wouldn’t fight because I knew he would flatten me. I was afraid of Sam Langford.”

By the end of his career, Langford could barely see. His eyes failing, Langford would fight on the inside so he could feel his opponent and know where his arms were. At the end of a round, he'd use the ropes to feel his way back to his corner. Doctors twice tried to restore his sight, but by the mid-1930s, Langford was totally blind.

In 1944, Al Laney of the "New York Herald Tribune" decided to write a story about Langford, but he had trouble finding him. Several people suggested that Langford was probably dead, but Laney persisted and finally found Langford living at a rooming house on 139th Street in New York City. Langford had 20 cents in his pocket and was subsisting on a few dollars he received each month from a foundation for the blind.

Shortly after Laney's story was published, a fund was set up for Langford. As a result, he lived relatively comfortably for the rest of his days. Langford passed away on January 12, 1956 at a private nursing home in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Are you this bald dude or related to him?