The first Black boxing champions : essays on fighters of the 1800s to the 1920s

"This volume presents fifteen chapters of biography of African American and black champions and challengers of the early prize ring. They range from Tom Molineaux, a slave who won freedom and fame in the ring in the early 1800s; to Joe Gans, the first African American world champion; to the flamboyant Jack Johnson, deemed such a threat to white society that film of his defeat of former champion and "Great White Hope" Jim Jeffries was banned across much of the country. Photographs, period drawings, cartoons, and fight posters enhance the biographies. Round-by-round coverage of select historic fights is included, as is a foreword by Hall-of-Fame boxing announcer Al Bernstein"--Page 4 of cover Content: Tom Molineaux: from slave to American heavyweight champion / Bill Calogero -- George Godfrey: first colored heavyweight champion / Tony Triem -- Peter Jackson: heavyweight champion of Australia / Bob Petersen -- George Dixon: world bantamweight and featherweight champion / Mike Glenn -- Bobby Dobbs: lightweight challenger and father of boxing in Germany / Kevin Smith -- Joe Gans: world lightweight champion / Colleen Aycock-- Dave Holly: "challenger of the world" / Douglas Cavanaugh -- Joe Walcott, the Barbados demon: world welterweight champion / Cathy Van Ingen -- Jack Blackburn: from lightweight challanger to trainer of heavyweight champions / Joseph Bourelly -- Sam Langord: heavyweight champion of Australia, Canada, England, and Mexico / Clay Moyle -- Joe Jennette and Sam McVey: colored heavyweight champions / Alexander Pierpaoli -- Jack Johnson: world heavyweight champion / Mark Scott -- Speedball Hayden: U.S. Army middleweight champion / Chris Cozzone -- Battling Siki: world light-heavyweight champion / Peter Benson. 1. Tom Molineaux: From Slave to American Heavyweight Champion / Bill Calogero 2. George Godfrey: First Colored Heavyweight Campion / Tony Triem 3. Peter Jackson: Heavyweight Champion of Australia / Bob Petersen 4. George Dixon: World Bantamweight and Featherweight Champion / Mike Glenn 5. Bobby Dobbs: Lightweight Challenger and Father of Boxing in Germany / Kevin Smith 6. Joe Gans: World Lightweight Champion 7. Dave Holly: "Challenger of the World" / Douglas Cavanaugh 8. Joe Walcott, the Barbados Demon: World Welterweight Champion / Cathy Van Ingen 10. Jack Blackburn: From Lightweight Challanger to Trainer of Heavyweight Champions / Joseph Bourelly 11. Sam Langord: Heavyweight Champion of Australia, Canada, England, and Mexico / Clay Moyle 12. Joe Jennette and Sam McVey: Colored Heavyweight Champions / Alexander Pierpaoli 13. Jack Johnson: World Heavyweight Champion / mark Scott 14. Speedball Hayden: U.S. Army Middleweight Champion / Chris Cozzone 15. Battling Siki: World Light-Heavyweight Champion / Peter Benson This volume presents fifteen chapters of biography of African American and black champions and challengers of the early prize ring. They range from Tom Molineaux, a slave who won freedom and fame in the ring in the early 1800s; to Joe Gans, the first African American world champion; to the flamboyant Jack Johnson, deemed such a threat to white society that film of his defeat of former champion and "Great White Hope" Jim Jeffries was banned across much of the country. Photographs, period drawings, cartoons, and fight posters enhance the biographies. Round-by-round coverage of select historic fights is included, as is a foreword by Hall-of-Fame boxing announcer Al Bernstein. - Publisher. "Biographies: from Tom Molineaux, a slave who won freedom and fame in the ring in the early 1800s; to Joe Gans, the first African American world champion; to the flamboyant Jack Johnson (film of his defeat of former champion and "Great White Hope" Jim Jeffries was banned across U.S.); round-by-round coverage of historic fights"--Provided by publisher.