George Dixon
Titles: bantamweight champion 1890, featherweight champion 1891-1897
and 1898-1900
Record: 50-26-44 with 7 ND
Born: July 29, 1870 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Years active: 1886-1906
Nickname: Little Chocolate
Dixon was a very stylish fighter for the era he boxed in and also the
first black man to win a world championship when he stopped Nunc Wallace
in 18 rounds to win the Bantamweight crown in 1890. He was simbly one of
the all-time ring greats; He had fast hands and was quick on his feet
like a cat; On offense, he hit with both hands but mostly utilized a long,
straight left accompanied by a stiff right. On defense, he guarded himself
well; His quickness and ducking ability made him a difficult target. His
record can be a bit misleading since he did not win 43 of his last 53
fights. When he could not find fights he would be in exhibitions and his
manger thought he was involved in over 800 fights. Dixon is also credited
for initiating many training methods, the most common being "shadow boxing".
Born in Halifax Nova Scotia his boxing skills took him to Boston at the age
of 16 where a year after his arrival he fought a epic 70 round fight with
Cal McCarthy that earned him a title shot in England against Nunc Wallace
whom he defeated in 18 easy rounds. This won him the bantamweight title. A
return to America and the defeat of Johnny Murphy gained him almost
universal recognition. A move up in weight to the featherweight class
resulted in Dixon dominating Fred Johnson over 14 rounds before knocking
him out and winning the featherweight title. Dixon fought and beat the best
of his day including Young Griffo, Billy Plimmer and Pedlar Palmer. Of
course he also lost some fights but all were avenged. Solly Smith and Frank
Erne both defeated him but were not regarded as champions since there were
weight differences and the title was not on the line. His reign on top was
ended by the great Terry McGovern and it also ended his stay at the top of
his boxing skills. He fought for 6 more years after loosing the title never
again fighting for a title and retiring at the age of 36. Dixon had 33
championship prize fights during his career, more than any other fighter of
his generation. Only 2 years after his retirement Dixon had squandered and
literally just dropped dead from a unknown ailment. In his prime Dixon was
thought to be flawless.
George Dixon
Career Record: 50 W, 26 L, 44 D, 7 ND (27 K.O's)
1886
Nov 1 Young Johnson Halifax, NS, Can KO 3
1887
Sep 21 Elias Hamilton Boston, Ma W 8
Young Mack Boston, Ma KO 3
1888
Jan 2 Jack Lyman Boston, Ma KO 5
Jan 20 Charles Parton Boston, Ma KO 6
Feb 17 Barney Finnegan Boston, Ma KO 7
Mar 10 Ned Morris Boston, Ma KO 3
Mar 21 Patrick Kelly Boston, Ma D 15
Apr 27 Tommy Doherty Boston, Ma D 8
May 10 Tommy "Spider" Kelly Boston, Ma D 9
Jun 13 Jimmy Brackett Boston, Ma KO 5
Jun 21 Hank Brennan Boston, Ma NC 14
Dec 14 Hank Brennan Boston, Ma NC 9
Dec 28 Hank Brennan Boston, Ma D 15
1889
Jan 27 Patrick Kelly Boston, Ma W 10
Mar Frank Maguire Putnam, Ct D 10
May Billy James Haverhill, Ma KO 3
Jun 3 George Wright Boston, Ma L D.Q 1
Oct 14 Hank Brennan Boston, Ma NC 26
Dec 11 Mike Sullivan New Bedford, Ma W 6
Dec 27 Eugene Hornbacher New York, NY KO 2
1890
Feb 7 Charles "Cal" McCarthy Boston, Ma D 70
Jun 27 Nunc Wallace London, Eng KO 18
-Featherweight Championship of the World;
Oct 23 Johnny Murphy Providence, RI KO 40
1891
Mar 31 Charles "Cal" McCarthy Troy, NY KO 22
-Featherweight Championship of the World;
Apr 20 Martin Flaherty Chicago, Il W 6
Jul 28 Abe Willis San Francisco, Ca KO 5
-Featherweight Championship of the World;
1892
Jun 27 Fred Johnson Brooklyn, NY KO 14
-Featherweight Championship of the World
Sep 6 Jack Skelly New Orleans, La KO 8
-Featherweight Championship of the World
Oct 29 Kentucky Rosebud Philadelphia, Pa D 4
Nov 11 Kentucky Rosebud Philadelphia, Pa D 4
Nov 18 Billy Ross New York, NY ND 4
Dec 29 Jim Keeley Harlem, NY KO 3
1893
Feb 6 Young Byrnes New York, NY W 4
Feb 7 Dick Mills New York, NY KO 1
Feb 10 Buck Leary New York, NY KO 1
Feb 21 Joe Reilly Philadelphia, Pa W
Feb 22 Al Wright Philadelphia, Pa TKO 1
Feb 23 Whitey Chadwick Philadelphia, Pa TKO 2
Feb 24 Leo Dobbins Philadelphia, Pa TKO 2
Mar 20 George Siddons Brooklyn, NY D 12
May 2 Billy Nally Washington, DC TKO 1
Jun 30 Kentucky Rosebud Philadelphia, Pa W 4
Jul 1 Kentucky Rosebud Philadelphia, Pa ND 4
Aug 7 Eddie Pierce Brooklyn, NY TKO 3
Aug 22 Billy Plimmer New York, NY L 4
Sep 25 Solly Smith Brooklyn, NY KO 7
-Featherweight Championship of the World;
Dec 15 "Torpedo" Billy Murphy Paterson, NJ W D.Q 3
1894
Jun 29 Young Griffo Boston, Ma D 20
1895
Jan 19 Young Griffo Brooklyn, NY D 25
Jul 31 Tommy Connelly Boston, Ma KO 4
Aug 27 Johnny Griffin Boston, Ma W 25
-Featherweight Championship of the World
Oct 28 Young Griffo New York, NY D 10
Dec 5 Frank Erne New York, NY D 10
1896
Jan 30 Thomas "Pedlar" Palmer New York, NY D 6
Mar 17 Jerry Marshall Boston, Ma KO 7
Jun 16 Martin Flaherty Boston, Ma D 20
Sep 25 Tommy White New York, NY D 20
Nov 27 Frank Erne New York, NY L 20
1897
Jan 22 "Torpedo" Billy Murphy New York, NY KO 6
Feb 15 Jack Downey New York, NY D 20
Mar 24 Frank Erne New York, NY W 25
Apr 26 Johnny Griffin New York, NY W 20
Jun 21 Kentucky Rosebud Philadelphia, Pa ND 6
Jul 23 Dal Hawkins San Francisco, Ca D 20
Oct 4 Solly Smith San Francisco, Ca L 20
-Featherweight Championship of the World
1898
Mar 31 Tommy White Syracuse, NY D 20
Jun 6 Eddie Santry New York, NY W 20
-This bout was promoted as a Featherweight Championship
Jul 1 Ben Jordan New York, NY L 25
-This bout was promoted as a Featherweight Championship
Aug 29 Jimmy Dunn Fall River, Ma ND 6
Sep 5 Joe Bernstein Philadelphia, Pa ND 6
Nov 11 Dave Sullivan New York, NY W D.Q 10
-Featherweight Championship of the World
Nov 29 Oscar Gardner New York, NY W 25
-Featherweight Championship of the World
1899
Jan 17 Young Pluto New York, NY KO 10
-Featherweight Championship of the World
May 15 Kid Broad Chicago, Il W 20
-Featherweight Championship of the World
Jun 2 Joe Bernstein New York, NY W 25
-Featherweight Championship of the World
Jul 3 Sam Bolen Louisville, Ky KO 3
Jul 11 Tommy White Denver, Co W 20
-Featherweight Championship of the World
Jul 14 Eddie Santry Chicago, Il W 6
Aug 11 Eddie Santry New York, NY D 20
-Featherweight Championship of the World
Oct 13 Tim Callahan Philadelphia, Pa ND 6
Nov 2 Will Curley New York, NY W 25
-Featherweight Championship of the World
Nov 21 Eddie Lenny New York, NY W 25
-Featherweight Championship of the World
1900
Jan 9 Terry McGovern New York, NY TKO by 8
-Featherweight Championship of the World
Jun 4 Tim Callahan Philadelphia, Pa ND 6
Jun 12 Benny Yanger Chicago, Il D 6
Jun 23 Terry McGovern Chicago, Il L 6
Jul 31 Tommy Sullivan Brooklyn, NY KO by 7
1901
Feb 8 Harry Lyons Baltimore, Md D 20
Aug 16 Young Corbett Denver, Co L 10
Aug 24 Abe Attell Denver, Co D 10
Sep 26 Benny Yanger St. Louis, Mo L 15
Oct 20 Abe Attell Cripple Creek, Co D 20
Oct 28 Abe Attell St. Louis, Mo L 15
Dec 19 Austin Rice New London, Ct L 20
1902
Jan 17 Joe Tipman Baltimore, Md D 20
Jan 24 Eddie Lenny Baltimore, Md LK 9
Feb 13 Chick Tucker New Britain, Ct W 20
May 16 Billy Ryan Ottawa, Ont, Can D 15
May 27 Dan Dougherty Philadelphia, Pa ND 6
Jun 6 Eddie Lenny Chester, Pa D 6
Jun 10 Biz Mackey Findlay, Oh LK 5
Jun 30 Tim Callahan Philadelphia, Pa ND 6
Sep 8 Thomas "Pedlar" Palmer Glasgow, Scot L 15
Sep 29 Will Curley Gateshead, Eng D 15
1903
Jan 24 Jem Driscoll London, Eng D 6
Feb 9 Harry Ware Northampton, Eng D 20
Feb Dave Wallace Birmingham, Eng D 6
Mar 7 Fred Delaney Woolwich, Eng L 6
Apr 6 Jack Pearson Liverpool, Eng KO 8
Apr 16 George Phalin Liverpool, Eng D 15
Apr 25 Frank "Spike" Robson Newcastle, Eng L 20
May 2 Ben Jordan London, Eng L 6
May Harry Paul D 6
May 16 Frank "Spike" Robson Newcastle, Eng L 20
May 25 George Phalin Birmingham, Eng D 15
Jun 27 Thomas "Pedlar" Palmer London, Eng L 8
Aug 1 George "Digger" Stanley London, Eng W 6
Aug 29 Harry Ware London, Eng W 6
Sep 13 Charles Lampey London, Eng D 6
Sep 24 Billy Barrett Liverpool, Eng D 10
Sep 29 Charles Lampey London, Eng D 6
Oct 10 Jim Williams London, Eng KO 4
Oct 12 George "Digger" Stanley London, Eng L 6
Nov 9 Thomas "Pedlar" Palmer Newcastle, Eng W 20
Dec 7 Cockney Cohen Newcastle, Eng W 15
Dec 20 Dai Morgan Newcastle, Eng D 15
1904
Jan 16 Cockney Cohen Newcastle, Eng W 20
Feb 23 Harry Mansfield Newcastle, Eng D 20
Mar 7 Cockney Cohen Leeds, Eng L 15
Mar 19 Frank "Spike" Robson Newcastle, Eng KO 11
Apr 7 Billy Barrett London, Eng KO 12
Apr 9 George Moore London, Eng D 6
Apr 21 Tommy Burns Liverpool, Eng L 20
Oct 17 Owen Moran London, Eng L 6
Nov 24 Boss Edwards London, Eng D 15
1905
Jan 6 Johnny Hughes Ashford, Eng D 8
Apr 6 Jack Foy London, Eng D 15
Sep 20 Tommy Murphy Philadelphia, Pa TKO by 2
1906
Jan 4 Harry Shea New York, NY KO 3
Jan 11 Muldoon's Pickaninny New York, NY ND 3
May 21 Billy Ryan Gloucester, Ma D 12
Dec 10 Monk "the Newsboy" Providence, RI L 15