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Boxing Facts & Trivia

 

In this section just scroll and enjoy some interesting facts and trivia about the 'sweet science.'

 

Fighters who had the most bouts
1. Len Wickwar 466----1928-47
2. Wildcat Monte 406----1923-37
3. Jack Britton 357----1904-30
4. Johnny Dundee 340----1910-32
5. Billy Bird 318----1920-48
6. George Marsden 311----1928-46
7. Duke Tramel 305----1922-36
8. Maxie Rosenbloom 300----1923-39
9. Harry Greb 299----1913-26
10. Sam Langford 298----1902-26

 

Most Championship rounds
1. Emille Griffith-----339
2. Abe Attell-----337
3. Hilario Zapata-----303
4. Ray Robinson-----288
5. Julios Cesar Chavez-----276
6. Muhammad Ali-----270
7. Larry Holmes-----266
7. Eusabio Pedroza----266
7. Miguel Canto-----266
10.Manuel Ortiz-----260

 


 

Most fights without a loss
Hal Bagwell(Great Britain)175 wins 5 draws 1938-48

Most knockouts
Archie Moore----131

Most consecutive knockouts
Lamar Clark----44 1958-60

Fighters that fought for titles in first pro bout
1. Pete Rademacher ko by 6 Floyd Patterson Aug 22 1957
2. Rafael Lovers ko by 4 Luis Estaba Sept 13 1975 (lt. flyweight)

Most Championship fights
Jack Briton-----39 
 

Longest span between winning titles
George Foreman----21 years, 10 months and 14 days

 


 

Most wins recorded

Len Wickwar 366-----1928-47

 

Most losses recorded

Len Wickwar 127-----1928-47

 

Youngest fighter to win a world title
Wilfred Benitez W15 Antonio Cervantes---17 years old-Jr.Welterweight(1976) 

 

Oldest to win a world title
George Foreman KO10 Michael Moorer---45 years old-Heavyweight(1994)

Oldest to fight for world title
Archie Moore W15 Glulio Rinaldi-47 years old, Light Heavyweight(1961) 

 

Southpaws that fought for the heavyweight title
1. Joe Hipp KO by 10 Bruce Seldon(1995)
2. Michael Moorer (only one to win title)W12 Evander Holyfield(1994)
3. Karl Mildenberger KO by 12 Muhammad Ali(1966)
4. Richard Dunn KO by 5 Muhammad Ali(1976) 
Longest unbeaten streak at beginning of career
Jimmy Wilde-----98 bouts(flyweight) 

 

 

 

Birth names of some greats
1. Walker Smith = Ray Robinson
2. Henry Jackson = Henry Armstrong
3. Anthony Zeski = Tony Zale
4. Rocco Barbella = Rocky Graziano
5. Stanislaus Keicel = Stanley Ketchel
6. Richard Ihetu = Dick Tiger
7. Arnold Cream = Jersey Joe Walcott
8. Joseph Barrow = Joe Louis
9. Rocco Marchegiano = Rocky Marciano
10. David Ritchie = Dave Sands
11. Barnett Rosofsky = Barney Ross
12. Gerardo Gonzalez = Kid Gavilan
13. Benjamin Leiner = Benny Leonard
14. Judah Bergman = Jackie (Kid) Berg
15. William Guiglermo Papaleo = Willie Pep
16. Okon Asuguo = Hogan Bassey
17. Nana Seadaoghob = Pone Kingpetch
18. Geuseppi Carrora = Johnny Dundee
19. Rocco Tozzo = Rocky Kansas
20. Eligio Sardinias Montalbo = Kid Chocolate
21. Aaron Lister Brown = Dixie Kid
22. Mario Severino = Marty Servo
23. Noah Brusso = Tommy Burns
24. Joseph Patrick Bamford = Jock McAvoy

 

 


 

Ancient Greek Rules

  • Opponents were selected by lot without regard to age or weight, sometimes pitting large men against smaller boys.

  • Boxers could be struck while down.

  • Bouts had no time limits. By agreement, boxers could be allowed time to recover before resuming the bout.

  • Bouts were fought completely naked except for "himantes", soft ox-hide wraps used to protect the hands and wrists.

  • Blows to the genital organs and holding were forbidden.

  • Bouts ended when one boxer was knocked out or admitted he was beaten by raising two fingers.

  • If a bout continued too long, the boxers could opt for "klimax" in which each boxer stood still and took alternating undefended blows from the other until one was unable to continue.

 


 

 

 

Trivia

  • Boxing traces its earliest origins to the Greek Island of Santorini where a fresco of two young boxers was discovered. The fresco dates to 1600 B.C.

  • Boxing as a sport dates back to ancient Greeks who made it part of Olympic games as early as 688 BC.

  • Onomastos Smyrnaios is the first winner in Olympic boxing of ancient Greek.

  • In Ancient Greek culture, the god, Apollo, was regarded as the inventor and guardian of the sport of boxing.

  • Ever wonder why they call them boxing "rings", even though they are square? In Ancient Rome, boxing rules were introduced and competitors were required to remain within a circular ring drawn on the arena floor. They have been known as "rings" ever since.

  • Amateur boxing has been an Olympic sport since its introduction in the 1904 Summer Olympic Games.

  • Boxing was not part of the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm, because Swedish law banned the sport at the time.

  • The 2008 Summer Olympics was the final games with boxing as a male only event.

 

 

Trivia

  • It has been a Commonwealth Games sport since the inaugural edition of the event's precursor, the 1930 British Empire Games.

  • The name "Golden Gloves" was born in 1923 when a Chicago Tribune sports editor, Arch Ward, originated an amateur boxing tournament designed to help youth and promote amateur competition. The award given to each winner was a tiny golden boxing glove.

  • In Newark, New Jersey, in 1942, Timmy Larkin entered the ring intensely focused on his bout with Tommy Cross ... so much so that Larkin took off his robe and found himself standing buck naked in the ring.

 

 


 

  • The first world title fight under the Queensbury rules took place in New York on July 30, 1884 when middleweights Jack Dempsey of Ireland and American George Fulljames went at it.

  • At seven feet tall and 328 lbs., Russian Nikolai Valuev is the tallest and heaviest boxer to ever hold a professional world title.

  • On Oct. 7th, 2006 Russian Nikolai Valuev (328 lbs.) outweighed his American opponent Monte Barret (222) by 106 lbs. This is the biggest weight advantage ever in modern day boxing. Valuev TKO’d Barret in the 11th round.

  • The longest reigning pro heavyweight champion was Joe Louis at 11 years and seven months.

  • American Rocky Marciano, at 49-0, with 43 KO’s was the only undefeated heavyweight champion in pro boxing history. Marciano died in a plane crash at the age of 45.

  • In the 1890s, Charles "Kid" McCoy used to trick his opponents into thinking he was ill or in trouble in the ring. Opponents weren’t sure if he was actually hurt or just faking it. This is how the expression "the real McCoy" was born.

  • French boxer Georges Carpentier reportedly started his career at the age of 14 as a flyweight and ended up as 32-year-old heavyweight. He fought in every weight class pro boxing had from 1908 to 1926.

  • Former pro heavyweight champion Max Baer was the father of Max Baer Jr., who played country bumpkin Jethro Bodine on the 60’s hit TV show The Beverly Hillbillies.

  • Actor and talk show host Tony Danza had a brief but successful pro boxing career as a middleweight from 1976 to 1979 with a record of 9-3, with 9 KO’s.

Great Boxing Quotations

  • Here is a conversation between George Foreman and Bob Arum in 1995 Foreman: "Bob, I cant chase these guys anymore"
    Arums Reply: "George, I cant put it in the contracts that they cant run"

  • "Yesterday I was Lying, today I am telling the truth." - Bob Arum's reply to a  reporters question.

  • "You fight that Fucking monster yourself, I'm not" - Al Certo's (Buddy McGirts manager) reply to a possible McGirt vs Quartey fight on HBO.

  • Speaking of Buddy McGirt when he was asked by Gil Clancy on air who would win the up-comming fight between Maurice Blocker and Glenwood.  Brown he replied "the black guy."

  • Don King was quoted as making this comment on a possible Julio Cesar Chavez vs. Terry Norris in 1993. "Man O'War was a great racehorse, but if I put a extra 20 pounds on him they would say I was cruel to the animal. So dont ask me to do that to Chavez."

  • Lennox Lewis was asked why he did not sign a contract with Don King after won the Olympic Gold medal, his responce "How can you trust a man who can talk for 5 minutes and you cant understand a sentence of it?."

  • Another loving comment by Bob Arum after HIS fighter Iran Barkley beat Darrian Van Horn.  "If you think Barkley was mad before the fight, wait until he sees how many people are taking part of his purse."

  • Jim Watt fromer WBC lightweight champions when asked about his "white complexion" by a reporter said, "I'm like a bottle of milk with gloves."

  • Ali upstaged? Ali was on a plane when a stewardess asked him to fasten his seat belt, Ali told the lady "Superman dont need no seat belt". The
    stewardess told the champ "Superman dont need no plane!"

  • Sugar Ray Leonard was asked on the Johnny Carson show, "when do the wounds from the fight heal", his reply "when the cheque clears."

 

Trivia

  • The most recorded bare-knuckle rounds numbered 276 (four hours and 30 minutes in 1825). A round ended when one boxer was knocked down.

  • If the great Featherweight champion Sandy Saddler and Rocky Marciano where to fight, Saddler would have a 2 inch reach advantage, 70 inches to Marciano's 68. by the way Marciano had the shortest reach of any heavyweight champion

  • Did you know 1997 Hall of Fame inductee Albert "chalky" Wright, died when he drowned in a bathtub.

  • Floyd Patterson was knocked down more than any other modern Heavyweight champion, 20 times!

  • Famous western figure Wyatt Earp was more than just a Sheriff, he also refereed a fight between Bob Fitzsimmons and Tom Sharkey. He ended up disqualifying Fitzsimmons.

  • British fighter Nel Tarleton was known to go the distance in many of his fights. He had 12 title fights (British, Europeand and world) which went the distance. This is not a extraordinary feat if it wasnt for the fact that he only had one lung!

  • Ever here the phrase "He is no rocket scientist"? Well the inventor of the rocket George Stephenson used to box and even took part in prize fights. I guess this proves boxers are smarter than most give them credit for.

 

 

The first southpaw champions:
Heavyweight:               Michael Moorer
Cruiserweight:             Marvin Camel
Light heavyweight:      George Nichols
Super Middleweight:  Graciano Roccigiani
Middleweight:              Al McCoy
Jr. Middleweight:         Maurice Hope
Welterweight:              Young Corbett III
Jr. Welterweight:         Sandro Lopopolo
Lightweight:                 Juan Zurita
Jr. Lightweight:            Flash Elorde
Featherweight:            Freddie Miller
Jr. Featherweight:        Sergio Palma
Bantamweight:             Jimmy Carruthers
Jr. Bantamweight:        Jiro Watanabe
Flyweight:                     Hiroyuki Eibihara
Jr. Flyweight:                Yoko Gushiken
Strawweight:                Ratanapol Sowvoraphin

 

 

Trivia

  • Famous western figure Wyatt Earp was more than just a Sheriff, he also refereed a fight between Bob Fitzsimmons and Tom Sharkey. He ended up disqualifying Fitzsimmons.

  • British fighter Nel Tarleton was known to go the distance in many of his fights. He had 12 title fights (British, Europeand and world) which went the distance. This is not a extraordinary feat if it wasnt for the fact that he only had one lung!

  • In the 1917 title fight between Benny Leonard and Freddie Welsh insult was added to injury. It turned out that Welsh's manager his entire purse on Welsh to win. So Freddie returned home without his title or money.

  • Speaking of BIG the greatest combined weight of two fighters had to be when Jimmy Black (360 pounds) fought Claude McBride (340 pounds) in 1971.

  • You think George Foreman is tough??? Herbert Odom was 46 years old in 1979 when he boxed his FIRST pro fight and won in two rounds!

  • What crime was Heavyweight champion Jack Johnson convicted of ?  Violating the "White Slave Traffic Act"  by "transporting a white woman (aka his wife) across a state line."

  • Hollywood actor Mickey Rourke went 6-0-2, with 5 KO’s between 1991-1994.

  • Former heavyweight champions Bob Fitzsimmons and Jack Johnson were both 50 when they fought their last pro fights.

  • Sam Langford and Harry Wills fought each other as professionals 17 times.

  • The first boxing stadium, Figgs Amphitheatre, was built in London, England in 1917.

  • The first pro fight broadcast over the radio was Jack Dempsey vs. Jess Willard in 1919.

  • The first televised fight was between Benny Leonard and Mickey Walker in 1931.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trivia

  • Heavyweights Sonny Liston and Floyd Patterson earned the first million dollar paydays when Liston KO’d Patterson in 1963.

  • Bob Fitzsimmons was the first pro fighter to win world titles in three different weight divisions: middleweight (1891), heavyweight (1897), light heavyweight (1903).

  • Michael Spinks was the first light heavyweight to win the heavyweight title as he defeated Larry Holmes in 1985.

  • All time boxing great Muhammad Ali was once asked by a flight attendant to fasten his seat belt. Ali replied, "Superman don’t need no seat belt." The witty attendant answered back, "Superman don’t need no airplane!"

  • The first mouth piece was used in 1915 in a pro bout between Ted "Kid" Lewis and Jack Britton.

  • In 1926 every world champion was American.

  • The longest bare-knuckle fight was six hours and 15 minutes long, as James Kelly and Jonathan Smith battled it out in 1855.

  • Ever here the phrase "He is no rocket scientist"? Well the inventor of the rocket George Stephenson used to box and even took part in prize fights. I guess this proves boxers are smarter than most give them credit for.

  • What do Gabe Ruelas, Johnny Tapia, Jack Dempsey, Wilfredo Gomez and Buddy McGirt have in common?
    They all started their careers with a draw.

  • I wonder how many people are aware that the great Alexis Arguello lost his first fight BY KNOCKOUT in the first round?

  • Benny Leonard, Ted "kid" Lewis, Henry Armstrong, Billy Conn, and Manuel Ortiz are Hall of Famers. What else do they have in common???
    THEY ALL LOST THEIR FIRST PRO FIGHTS! by the way so did Miguel Canto and two heavyweight champs Bonecrusher Smith and Mike Weaver.

  • By the way Fritzie Zivic holds the record for the most defeats in a carrer by a champion with 65.

  • African American fighters have often been the victim of racism and not been allowed to fight for a title bouts (in the early part of this century). But did you know that Frank "The Harlem Coffee Cooler" Craig fought for the world middleweight title in 1899, but lost to Tommy Ryan by K.O.

 

Youngest pro debut by a fighter.
1. Baby Arizmendi age 10
2. Teddy Baldock age 14
3. Al McCoy age 14
4. Battling Nelson age 14
5. Georges Carpentier age 14
 

Largest boxing crowd

Boxings 3 largest "live gate crowds".
1. Tony Zale vs. Billy Pryor 135,132
2. Julio Cesar Chavez vs. Greg Haugen 132,274
3. Gene Tunney vs. Jack Dempsey 120,757

 


 

Most first round knockouts in a career:
1.Young Otto (42)
2. Tiger Jack Fox (30)
3. Jack Dempsey (26)
4. Sean O'Grady (24)
5. Buddy Baer (23)
 

Keith Donald's Greatest Boxers of All Time

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