Titles: Middleweight champion 1926 Record: 115-14-6 with 21 no decisions Born: August 5, 1895 in Camille, Georgia (USA) Years active: 1918-1927 Nickname: The Georgia Deacon Theodore Flowers was the first black middleweight champion who reigned as champion between Harry Greb and Mickey Walker. His demeanor could have been different from the two men either. A devoutly religious man was said to have lost faith after loosing the title to hard drinking Walker said "I'm puzzled and hurt as to how the lord could have let me down". Before every fight Flowers would repeat Psalm 144: "Blessed be the Lord my strength which teacheth my hand to war and my fingers to fight". Tiger was not a big puncher but he knew all the tricks of the game and was shifty, hard to hit and very tough in the clinches. Flowers was a southpaw and started to box in 1918 with a work rate that would characterize his career, in 1924 he had 36 fights alone. Like many other black men of his times he had to fight men who cross the color barrier which also meant he would have to fight much bigger men. Flowers even fought the legendary black heavyweight Sam Langford with a predictable knockout loss as the result. His first 25 fights saw him go undefeated but another legendary fighter Panama Joe Gans ended that streak also with a knockout. Flowers in fact did not have a great chin and some knockout losses dotted his record. But he also faced the best which can lead to losses. A unjust decision loss to former champion Mike McTigue provoked a outcry which got Flowers a deserved title shot. Now 8 years of fighting any man who would get in the ring with him Flowers finally got a title shot against Harry Greb. They met in a packed Madison Square Garden in New York City and a ugly foul plagued bout ensued after Flowers hurt Greb in the first round. Flowers battles through 2 bad cuts to win a unanimous decision win. A rematch 4 months later ended in the same fashion. In what was most likely a racially motivated decision Flowers lost the title to Mickey Walker that saw the Illinois Athletic Commission investigate the result. A rematch clause in the contract was ignored and for the next years Flowers fought on going undefeated in 26 of 27 fights without getting a rematch, including 2 draws with Maxie Rosenbloom. 4 days after knocking out heavyweight Leo Gates Flowers underwent eye surgery to remove scar tissue above them and died while under anesthesia.
1918 Billy Hooper Brunswick, Ga KO 11 Kid Fox KO 2 "Battling" Henry Williams W 20 Battling Hazel KO 8 Rufus Cameron W 10 Battling Mims W 15 1919 Battling Mims W 10 Rough House Baker KO 3 Billy Hooper W 20 1920 Tiger Moore KO 2 Andy "Kid" Palmer KO 3 Sailor Darden W 15 Battling Mims W 10 1921 Billy Hooper W 10 Battling Mims W 10 "Mexican" Kid Brown KO 8 Battling Troupe KO 3 "Mexican" Kid Brown KO 2 Whitey Black KO 1 Battling Mims W 10 Kid Williams KO 3 "Mexican" Kid Brown KO 1 Oct 24 Whitey Black Memphis, Tn W 8 Oct Battling Gahee Atlanta, Ga W 10 Nov 7 Battling Gahee Memphis, Tn W 8 Dec 15 "Panama" Joe Gans Atlanta, Ga KOby 5 1922 "Evansville" Jack Ray KO 2 Kid Norfolk KOby 3 Feb 21 Gorilla Jones Juarez, Mx KO 4 Mar 7 Jim Barry Juarez, Mx D 15 Mar 21 "Mexican" Kid Brown Juarez, Mx KO 1 Mar 28 Jim Barry Juarez, Mx KO 5 Apr 11 Billy Britton Juarez, Mx W 15 May 9 Lee Anderson Juarez, Mx KOby 7 May 16 Frankie Murphy Juarez, Mx W 15 Jun 5 Sam Langford Atlanta, Ga KOby 2 Jul 26 Jamaica Kid Covington, Ky TKOby 2 Aug 22 Andy "Kid" Palmer Juarez, Mx W 15 Kid Paddy KO 1 Kid Davis KO 1 Battling Norfolk Memphis, Tn D 8 Battling Gahee Memphis, Tn W 8 Eddie Palmer Memphis, Tn W 8 Dec 13 Eddie Palmer New Orleans, La TKO 10 Dec 22 Frankie Carbone Juarez, Mx W D.Q 10 1923 Feb 21 Bob Lawson Nashville, Tn W 8 Feb 28 Battling Mims Nashville, Tn W 8 Mar 19 "Evansville" Jack Ray Nashville, Tn KO 3 Apr 20 Jamaica Kid Toledo, Oh ND 12 May 8 Kid Norfolk Springfield, Oh KOby 1 May 15 Tom King Juarez, Mx W 15 May 25 "Panama" Joe Gans Toledo, Oh ND 12 Jul 3 James "Tut" Jackson Atlanta, Ga W 12 Jul 18 James "Tut" Jackson Springfield, Oh ND 12 Jul 31 Whitey Black Detroit, Mi ND 10 Sep 3 Jamaica Kid Atlanta, Ga W 10 Sep 17 "Fireman" Jim Flynn Mexico City, Mx TKOby 5 Nov 27 George Robinson Atlanta, Ga D 12 Dec 6 Rufus Cameron Albany, NY KO 4 Dec 28 Sailor Darden Atlanta, Ga W 12 1924 Jan 23 Herbert Moore Nashville, Tn KO 2 Jan 30 Sam Goodrich San Antonio, Tx W 12 Feb 18 Bob Lawson Toledo, Oh TKO 10 Feb 24 Battling Gahee Barberton, Oh ND 12 Mar 3 Jamaica Kid Fremont, Oh ND 12 Mar 19 Bob Lawson Nashville, Tn KO 6 Mar 29 Lee Anderson New York, NY W 12 Apr 9 Dave Thornton Nashville, Tn KO 2 Apr 19 Jimmy Darcy New York, NY W 10 Apr 29 George Robinson Atlanta, Ga W 12 May 3 Ted Jamieson New York, NY W 12 May 14 Willie Walker New York, NY KO 7 Jun 14 Joe Lohman New York, NY W 12 Jun 20 Battling Gahee Fremont, Oh ND 10 Jun 27 Jamaica Kid Grand Rapids, Mi ND 10 Jul 3 Lee Anderson Atlanta, Ga W D.Q 11 Jul 21 Jamaica Kid Covington, Ky W D.Q 3 Aug 2 Jack Townsend New York, NY KO 11 Aug 12 Oscar Mortimer San Antonio, Tx KO 4 Aug 21 Harry Greb Fremont, Oh ND 10 Sep 1 James "Tut" Jackson Martin's Ferry, WV KO 8 Sep 15 Jamaica Kid Columbus, Oh ND 12 Sep 22 Lee Anderson Columbus, Oh ND 12 Sep 29 James "Tut" Jackson Canton, Oh KO 2 Sep 30 Battling Gahee Zanesville, Oh TKO 4 Oct 11 Jamaica Kid New York, NY TKO 9 Oct 21 Cleve Hawkins Atlanta, Ga KO 3 Oct 23 Joe Lohman Hamilton, Oh W D.Q 4 Nov 1 George Robinson New York, NY W 12 Nov 10 Jerry Hayes Philadelphia, Pa KO 2 Nov 10 Hughie Clemons Philadelphia, Pa KO 2 -The previous 2 bouts were held the same date Nov 27 Clem Johnson Canton, Oh ND 12 Dec 1 Battling Gahee Columbus, Oh KO 2 Dec 9 Johnny Wilson New York, NY TKO 3 Dec 15 Jack Townsend New York, NY KO 5 Dec 26 Frankie Schoell Buffalo, NY D 6 1925 Jan 1 Joe Lohman Brooklyn, NY TKO 3 Jan 5 Billy Britton Boston, Ma TKO 4 Jan 7 Dan O'Dowd Providence, RI TKO 6 Jan 16 Jack Delaney New York, NY KOby 2 Jan 28 Tommy Robson Boston, Ma TKO 8 Jan 29 Bill Savage Providence, RI KO 1 Feb 2 Ted Moore Newark, NJ ND 12 Feb 5 Jamaica Kid Dayton, Oh KO 10 Feb 14 Jackie Clark New York, NY TKO 5 Feb 16 Lou Bogash Boston, Ma L D.Q 3 Feb 26 Jack Delaney New York, NY KOby 4 Mar 16 Sailor Darden Toledo, Oh ND 12 Mar 20 Lou Bogash Boston, Ma W 10 Apr 29 Sailor Darden Savannah, Ga KO 5 May 4 Battling Mims Macon, Ga KO 5 May 18 Pal Reed Boston, Ma W 10 May 26 Lou Bogash Bridgeport, Ct W 10 Jun 4 Jock Malone East Chicago, In ND 10 Jun 8 Lee Anderson Philadelphia, Pa W 10 Jun 20 Lee Anderson New York, NY W D.Q 3 Jun 26 Jack Stone Elizabeth, NJ KO 4 Jul 20 Pat McCarthy Boston, Ma W 10 Jul 24 Lou Bogash Aurora, Il ND 10 Aug 21 "Allentown" Joe Gans Grand Rapids, Mi ND 10 Aug 28 Jock Malone Boston, Ma W 10 Sep 7 Ted Moore Cleveland, Oh NC 6 -The referee stopped the fight Oct 23 Jock Malone St. Paul, Mn ND 10 Oct 28 Chuck Wiggins East Chicago, In ND 10 Nov 30 Benny Ross Buffalo, NY W 6 Dec 10 Frank Moody Boston, Ma W 10 Dec 23 Mike McTigue New York, NY L 10 1926 Feb 26 Harry Greb New York, NY W 15 -Middleweight Championship of the World Apr 16 "Allentown" Joe Gans Wilkes-Barre, Pa W 10 Jun 18 "Young" Bob Fitzsimmons Jersey City, NJ ND 10 Jun 28 Ray Neuman Boston, Ma W 10 Jul 11 Lee Anderson Juarez, Mx KO 2 Jul 24 Eddie Huffman Los Angeles, Ca W 10 Aug 10 Battling McCreary Atlanta, Ga W D.Q 3 Aug 19 Harry Greb New York, NY W 15 -Middleweight Championship of the World Sep 16 Happy Hunter Memphis, Tn KO 3 Oct 15 Maxie Rosenbloom Boston, Ma L D.Q 9 Nov 22 Eddie Huffman Chicago, Il W 10 Dec 3 Mickey Walker Chicago, Il L 10 -Middleweight Championship of the World 1927 Jan 3 James "Tut" Jackson Grand Rapids, Mi KO 10 Jan 22 Leo Lomski Los Angeles, Ca L 10 Jan 24 Lee Anderson Denver, Co W 4 Feb 18 Lou Bogash Boston, Ma W 10 Mar 29 George "Soldier" Jones Atlanta, Ga KO 1 Apr 29 Chuck Wiggins Buffalo, NY W 10 May 13 Chuck Wiggins Grand Rapids, Mi ND 10 May 27 Eddie Huffman Boston, Ma W 10 Jun 17 Bob Sage Detroit, Mi W 10 Jul 4 Maxie Rosenbloom Chicago, Il D 10 Jul 28 Bing Conley Norwalk, Ct W 10 Aug 11 Harry Dillon Portland, Or W 10 Aug 16 Jock Malone Seattle, Wa W 6 Sep 1 Joe Anderson New York, NY W 10 Sep 30 Pete Latzo Wilkes-Barre, Pa W 10 Oct 17 Joe Lohman Canton, Oh W 10 Nov 9 Maxie Rosenbloom Detroit, Mi D 10 Nov 12 Leo Gates New York, NY TKO 4