List of all African-American boxing champions (200+)

[TonyGe]

I can not agree with you more.

You've read me before and by now you have to know I like to babble. I will try to keep this short and sweet without missing points because it's important to me and I do hope you read it in full.

Firstly let me note, I am not black, I am white by skin tone and puerto rican by ethnicity. Ain't no pony in this race far as race is concerned. I am a history fan.


It is my opinion after having done research from 686 BC to the present that black boxing is the single hardest avenue of boxing history to get right and that is because the colorline knowingly and with malice tried vehemently to bury their history.

So I endorse black centric research in all its forms. Those who dwell in the well-knowns, like this list for example, serve the purpose of motivating others to look deeper.

It is no different from a list of short HWs or left handed boxers. People learn who Tua is through these means. I think hardcore or long term fans forget this and think these lists useless but they're actually great for lurkers.


In my opinion, Dark Ages boxing is difficult because the church went out of its way to demonize the sport and do away with it. So true record keeping sucks but we do have good church records. Russian, French, Veneto, and German boxing all fall into similar situations. Difficult, but, plenty enough information considering the age and atmosphere. In this period the hated has little voice but the hater speaks for them so we do get some story and narrative.

England has so much info on it most their stories conflict like the bible or some such. I guess in the 1700s no one gave a **** if they contradicted themselves a few pages later.

So it isn't as if the buried and lesser known history hasn't got it's challengers. Dark Ages European boxing is a heck of a challenge, but, black boxing is the hardest mug I ever tackled because the whites did not try so much to demonize it as much as ignore it and if not for Richard K Foxx, who was a racist, we'd have very little understanding of where the black boxer even came from.

It is why I have yet to make a post that proudly states I have listed all the important figures in boxing. I still find more everytime I take a peek into black boxing history.

I need help. I need folks like OP to become motivated or motivate others into researching the black boxing histories that are nearly lost, so, for me, I smiled when i seen this and reckon'd it good and valuable.

What needs to be done is more folks need to hit up news papers of the olden eras when newspapers mattered a ****load. NY Clipper, Police Gazette, that sort of ilk. the info is still in the papers we've just yet to have a historian organize and transcribe it to a readable text. The papers come in image form, usually PDF. Ye olden language mixed with poorly formed characters makes transcription a real pain....making us all ignorant to the history of black boxing around the world. edit- brough that home poorly. I'm trying to say guys like Kevin Smith who did write brilliant books that give you a huge leg up still have yet to actually transcribe their sources and make them easy for the public to handle. Someone has to do that before the public can be made aware of the information otherwise you have book readers simply telling non-book readers what is in their books with nothing to back it leaving the non-reader skeptical where there should be none.

I don't mean to argue sensibilities, just reckon'd you'd understand this and at minimal find some level of respect for his act.

**** me that's a babble...I'll leave her here then I reckon.

I was going to write a scathing post about how people on both sides have to let go of the past but then I read about what happened at the GM plant in Ohio. This is just a horrible situation. The fact that someone has to use the word sides to get their point across makes me uneasy. Then I'm wondering why I'm even writing this. Do I really believe it or I'm trying to score points and present myself as an enlightened one. Maybe at the GM plant the other non racist whites should have taken those guys into the parking lot and be eaten them to a pulp. Or maybe not. What a God damned mess racism is.

[Marchegiano]

I was going to write a scathing post about how people on both sides have to let go of the past but then I read about what happened at the GM plant in Ohio. This is just a horrible situation. The fact that someone has to use the word sides to get their point across makes me uneasy. Then I'm wondering why I'm even writing this. Do I really believe it or I'm trying to score points and present myself as an enlightened one. Maybe at the GM plant the other non racist whites should have taken those guys into the parking lot and be eaten them to a pulp. Or maybe not. What a God damned mess racism is.

Yeah, it is.

That's why I was sure to say I don't mean to speak to sensibilities. I probably should have worded it as race relations. I'm not that guy who means to claim any understanding of either "side". It's just frustrating that if you look into a boxer from the 18th or 19th century it's not hard to find info on them unless they're black....probably should have just said that instead of trying to explain why it's so difficult.

[travestyny]

It's not sad at all. People who think it is sad are sad halfwits.

Did grandpa forget to take his meds again?

[chrisJS]

Let's see your white list.

There are more "white" boxers in the international boxing hall of fame (gloved era only) by quite some distance but not sure how many champions overall. It appears there are 129 out of 284 IBHOF members that are "white", with around 46 Latino, 53 African American and 46 other (Afro-Euro, African, Asian, Caribbean etc.

There's an incredible amount of great fighters with Irish, Jewish and Italian backgrounds. They are lesser today but the number of Eastern European and Asian boxers doing big things is getting larger than at any point.

The sport has a very diverse past and present yet go to NSB and it's full of racists who can't tolerate any diversity and don't look at the fighters for what they are but use them for racial reasons.

[The Old LefHook]

Did grandpa forget to take his meds again?

I am not a camp follower like you who has to jump on every bandwagon. Your lack of talent is a joke around here, in case you didn't know.

[travestyny]

I am not a camp follower like you who has to jump on every bandwagon. Your lack of talent is a joke around here, in case you didn't know.

Grandpa, have you really forgotten your meds? I've no idea what the hell you are even talking about. Camp follower? What camp would that be? lol. Lack of talent?


Do you need help? Like professional help?


Weren't you recently freaking the fvvck out over e-points being confiscated or something like that? You are seeming more and more unstable lately. Sort your life out, mate.

[chrisJS]

I can not agree with you more.

You've read me before and by now you have to know I like to babble. I will try to keep this short and sweet without missing points because it's important to me and I do hope you read it in full.

Firstly let me note, I am not black, I am white by skin tone and puerto rican by ethnicity. Ain't no pony in this race far as race is concerned. I am a history fan.


It is my opinion after having done research from 686 BC to the present that black boxing is the single hardest avenue of boxing history to get right and that is because the colorline knowingly and with malice tried vehemently to bury their history.

So I endorse black centric research in all its forms. Those who dwell in the well-knowns, like this list for example, serve the purpose of motivating others to look deeper.

It is no different from a list of short HWs or left handed boxers. People learn who Tua is through these means. I think hardcore or long term fans forget this and think these lists useless but they're actually great for lurkers.


In my opinion, Dark Ages boxing is difficult because the church went out of its way to demonize the sport and do away with it. So true record keeping sucks but we do have good church records. Russian, French, Veneto, and German boxing all fall into similar situations. Difficult, but, plenty enough information considering the age and atmosphere. In this period the hated has little voice but the hater speaks for them so we do get some story and narrative.

England has so much info on it most their stories conflict like the bible or some such. I guess in the 1700s no one gave a **** if they contradicted themselves a few pages later.

So it isn't as if the buried and lesser known history hasn't got it's challengers. Dark Ages European boxing is a heck of a challenge, but, black boxing is the hardest mug I ever tackled because the whites did not try so much to demonize it as much as ignore it and if not for Richard K Foxx, who was a racist, we'd have very little understanding of where the black boxer even came from.

It is why I have yet to make a post that proudly states I have listed all the important figures in boxing. I still find more everytime I take a peek into black boxing history.

I need help. I need folks like OP to become motivated or motivate others into researching the black boxing histories that are nearly lost, so, for me, I smiled when i seen this and reckon'd it good and valuable.

What needs to be done is more folks need to hit up news papers of the olden eras when newspapers mattered a ****load. NY Clipper, Police Gazette, that sort of ilk. the info is still in the papers we've just yet to have a historian organize and transcribe it to a readable text. The papers come in image form, usually PDF. Ye olden language mixed with poorly formed characters makes transcription a real pain....making us all ignorant to the history of black boxing around the world. edit- brough that home poorly. I'm trying to say guys like Kevin Smith who did write brilliant books that give you a huge leg up still have yet to actually transcribe their sources and make them easy for the public to handle. Someone has to do that before the public can be made aware of the information otherwise you have book readers simply telling non-book readers what is in their books with nothing to back it leaving the non-reader skeptical where there should be none.

I don't mean to argue sensibilities, just reckon'd you'd understand this and at minimal find some level of respect for his act.

**** me that's a babble...I'll leave her here then I reckon.

Yeah, if you really do research you'll find great information. Everybody knows about the greatness of uncrowned champions like Sam Langford, Charley Burley, guys that were recognized by the IBHOF when it opened but only years later after some diligent research and fair minded folk did truly great fighters like Eddie Booker, Jimmy Bivins, Holman Williams, Lloyd Marshall, Cocoa Kid get their recognition. Some of these fighters were better than the type of guys fans have worshiped in modern times.

I have been meaning to get that recent book by Springs Toledo, "Murderers row". His other books, "Gods of war" and "In the cheap seats" were awesome. There was a great book written "The first black boxing champions" written by folks who wrote a book on Joe Gans. Highly recommended. Joe Gans' story is incredible and also sad. I also highly recommend Clay Moyle's book on Sam Langford. It's incredibly well researched.

[Marchegiano]

Yeah, if you really do research you'll find great information. Everybody knows about the greatness of uncrowned champions like Sam Langford, Charley Burley, guys that were recognized by the IBHOF when it opened but only years later after some diligent research and fair minded folk did truly great fighters like Eddie Booker, Jimmy Bivins, Holman Williams, Lloyd Marshall, Cocoa Kid get their recognition. Some of these fighters were better than the type of guys fans have worshiped in modern times.

I have been meaning to get that recent book by Springs Toledo, "Murderers row". His other books, "Gods of war" and "In the cheap seats" were awesome. There was a great book written "The first black boxing champions" written by folks who wrote a book on Joe Gans. Highly recommended. Joe Gans' story is incredible and also sad. I also highly recommend Clay Moyle's book on Sam Langford. It's incredibly well researched.

Thanks for the recommendations! I'll be looking for them, I reckon the only one I have presently that you named is The first black boxing champions.

I dunno if anyone else falls into this, but, I've fallen into a cycle of picking up books that are basically just repeat information. I have for example Colleen Ay****'s The First Black Boxing Champions: Essays on Fighters of the 1800s to the 1920s which I reckon is the book you mentioned? It is great, but, also it repeats a lot of the info found in Sundowners, which I already owned.

I'm spending quite a bit of money picking up these books and don't have much to show for it recently.

I'd really like to see more info on Dan (Don maybe?) Knox from NY, the fella said to be the first man on record ever called the colored champion when he beat a gut called Butch Mack. And more on CAC Thunderbolt Smith.

With Smith, a member of the IBRO forwarded me their sources, I have set to transcribing, but, that's taken over a year and I'm not near finished.

That said, I'm open to as many sources as any can recommend.

[chrisJS]

Thanks for the recommendations! I'll be looking for them, I reckon the only one I have presently that you named is The first black boxing champions.

I dunno if anyone else falls into this, but, I've fallen into a cycle of picking up books that are basically just repeat information. I have for example Colleen Ay****'s The First Black Boxing Champions: Essays on Fighters of the 1800s to the 1920s which I reckon is the book you mentioned? It is great, but, also it repeats a lot of the info found in Sundowners, which I already owned.

I'm spending quite a bit of money picking up these books and don't have much to show for it recently.

I'd really like to see more info on Dan (Don maybe?) Knox from NY, the fella said to be the first man on record ever called the colored champion when he beat a gut called Butch Mack. And more on CAC Thunderbolt Smith.

With Smith, a member of the IBRO forwarded me their sources, I have set to transcribing, but, that's taken over a year and I'm not near finished.

That said, I'm open to as many sources as any can recommend.

I haven’t read sundowners but I get where you’re coming from regarding repeat information. That’s how I got Ali’d out when I first starting reading about the sport. “Murderers Row” I’m intrigued by because Toledo has such a brilliant way of writing and bringing the pages to life. Like I said his other two books were masterpieces.

It’s a different subject but a book I was recently blown away by was Stephen Compton’s book on Harry Greb. Live fast, die young. Holy **** he did insane levels of research and not just repeat stuff. I’ve read Greb before and this book was refreshingly objective with all kinds of new information. It took him 12 years to put together. It’s lne of the finest books I own.

[Marchegiano]

I haven’t read sundowners but I get where you’re coming from regarding repeat information. That’s how I got Ali’d out when I first starting reading about the sport. “Murderers Row” I’m intrigued by because Toledo has such a brilliant way of writing and bringing the pages to life. Like I said his other two books were masterpieces.

It’s a different subject but a book I was recently blown away by was Stephen Compton’s book on Harry Greb. Live fast, die young. Holy **** he did insane levels of research and not just repeat stuff. I’ve read Greb before and this book was refreshingly objective with all kinds of new information. It took him 12 years to put together. It’s lne of the finest books I own.

Once again, thank you sir. You're a saint.