Boxing is not just a sport, it’s a culture with a rich history and deep philosophical meaning. In the history of Houston boxing, there have been several great boxers who have reached the world’s Olympus in this sport. Among them were champions in different weight categories and versions: WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO. Next on i-houston, we will tell you about the most famous heavyweight boxers from Houston.
The first black heavyweight champion of the world
Jack Johnson is known as the “Galveston Giant”. He owes his nickname to the city of Galveston, where he worked on the docks. His story of rising to the top of boxing is worthy of a movie. He was born into a family of former slaves in Houston on March 31, 1878. His excellent health and genetic heritage contributed to his truly gigantic size. Working as a dockworker in the port allowed him to turn his physical talents into a mountain of muscle.
The strong young man was seen by agents of underground promoters who organized so-called “battle royal” fights, slaughterhouses, sometimes with fatal results, for the entertainment of rich people. The uneducated boy was tempted by the offer, especially since it was a sum that exceeded his annual earnings by several times. That’s how J. Johnson’s career as a fighter began.
At first, the untrained boxer had a hard time in the ring. But over time, he managed to master the science and techniques of fighting. Gradually, he gained credibility and respect from the audience. It is not surprising that he was offered to move to professional boxing. This was a challenge for the society of the time, as African Americans were outcasts and segregation was in full swing. Despite these factors, the ambitious boxer challenged society by deliberately annoying whites with his performances and behavior.
The biggest slap in the face for all whites was the victory over Tommy Burns. Jack won this triumph in Australia in 1908, becoming the world heavyweight champion. The success of an African-American over a white man provoked racist sentiments in society. The organizers of the boxing association were forced to look for a white fighter who could overcome the newly minted champion. But the “great white hope” could not be found for a long time. In 1910, a fight took place that was predicted to be the “Fight of the Century.” J. Johnson and James Jeffries met in the ring. This time, the reigning world champion failed to be dethroned from the championship podium. This event sparked racial tensions across the US.
Foul play
Unable to counteract anything in the ring, they began to set traps for Jack in his private life, especially since he himself behaved provocatively and gave many reasons for condemnation and gossip from the press and society. He often visited dubious establishments. The guy was always with crowds of white girls. He often got into fights in bars and public places.
But he was arrested in 1913 for violating the so-called Mann Act, which was transportation of women to another state with immoral intentions. The charge was trumped up, but the sentence was real. It required J. Johnson to leave the country. There was no way to resist this at the time. So the boxer was forced to hang up his gloves and submit to his fate.
Upon his return a few years later, he served another prison sentence. After his release, the boxer tried to return to the sport. However, his age and long lack of practice did not allow him to reach the previous level. He was unable to reach the title fights.
Jack continued to lead a wild life. So one evening in 1946, Johnson got into a scandal in a cafe, and got behind the wheel in a rage. Alcohol, emotions and the wet autumn highway did the trick: Jack got into a car accident. There was no way to save him.
His achievements in the ring were recognized only in 1954, when his name was inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame. During his professional career, the boxer fought 73 fights, winning 55, losing 11 and drawing 7, including 35 by knockout. In the history of boxing, J. Johnson will remain the first black heavyweight world champion.
In 2018, President Donald Trump issued a posthumous pardon for Johnson, recognizing that his case was fabricated.
The oldest champion
Another legendary fighter from Houston is George Foreman. Although he was born in Marshall, he grew up and studied in Houston. At first, his passion for boxing was amateur, for fun and to keep fit. However, the young man did not give up his hobby, as his parents hoped. With his achievements, he was selected and qualified for the national team for the Olympic Games.
In 1968, in Mexico City, Foreman reached the final, where he managed to defeat Soviet boxer Jonas Čepulis. At the height of the Cold War, this was a big slap in the face for the USSR. With his victory at the Olympic Games, G. Foreman opened the door to professional boxing.
He was also lucky in the professional arena. In 1973, the boxer became the world heavyweight champion. To do this, he had to fight only two rounds, during which Foreman managed to knock out his opponent. That opponent was Joe Frazier, who had been undefeated until then. G. Foreman stayed at the top of his game for two years. In 1974, the legendary Rumble in the Jungle fight took place. During the title fight, the boxer lost the favor of fate and lost the duel to Muhammad Ali.
After this defeat, Foreman decided to quit boxing. He announced his retirement and switched to his own business. His business career was quite successful. He became famous for creating the George Foreman Grill, which brought him a considerable fortune. He owed the successful promotion of his invention to advertising. The man starred in commercials for his own products, which was an important part of his success.
It was a real sensation when G. Foreman announced his return to the professional ring in 1994. No one believed this statement to be true, but as a former champion, he could immediately claim the world championship belt. But Foreman wasn’t kidding, and despite being 45 years old, he took on the current champion, Michael Moorer, and to everyone’s surprise, he defeated him. This fight brought him not only the return of his belt but also a world record as the oldest heavyweight champion in the world. Foreman finished his career in 1997, having fought 76 fights, among which he won 71, 68 by knockout and 5 defeats.
Worthy of belts, but without them
Cleveland Williams was born and raised in Georgia, but he started his professional boxing career in Houston. With his excellent physical attributes, he started boxing in local clubs at the age of 14. When he won 4 out of 6 fights, promoters and the press began to take an interest in him. When they found out that he was only 14 years old, they banned him from continuing to fight until he came of age. That is why the young man moved to Houston.
Since 1951, Williams had been in professional boxing. He was gradually on his way to the championship. In 1960, he was the highest ranked boxer for the title. However, his desire to get a title fight was always thwarted. First, he lost both fights with Sonny Liston. Although the Big Cat, as he was called in boxing circles, broke his nose and knocked his opponent down, he was unable to win. More intermediate fights followed, in which Williams won. In 1966, he reached a new title fight for the championship. This time it was to be a fight with Muhammad Ali at Cleveland’s home arena, the Houston Astrodome, where Williams lost by TKO in the third round.
But this was preceded by tragic and life-changing events for the boxer. In 1964, Williams was stopped by a police officer for speeding. The boxer did not recognize this statement. An argument ensued, followed by resistance to the attempt to arrest him. During the fight, the officer’s revolver went off and the bullet hit Cleveland in the stomach.
Then 4 surgeries, extremely serious damage to internal organs, loss of the right kidney, a bullet stuck in the hip joint that was never removed, partial paralysis of the hip, nerve damage that led to atrophy of the left leg. These events took away 17 months of Cleveland’s full life, but not his desire to box. So the defeat of the legendary Ali just 2 years after those events is already perceived as a victory over himself.
Even in this condition, he was still engaged in professional boxing until 1972. His record looks like this: 78 wins, 13 losses and 1 draw, with 58 wins by knockout and 8 losses by knockout. A poll by The Ring magazine recognized him as one of the best boxers who have never won a title.