Joe Gans
Titles: lightweight champion 1902-1904, 1906-1908
Record: 120-8-10 with 18 no decisions
Born: November 25, 1874 in Baltimore, Maryland (USA)
Years active: 1891-1909
Nickname: The Old Master
Gans was the first African American to capture a world title and won world
wide recognition for his fluid boxing style. His defense was almost
flawless and he perfected head movement in the early days of boxing, his
offense was just as spectacular. Gans also studied his opponents often
going to their fights to study their styles and flaws, some still claim
Gans is the best lightweight ever. Gans got his start in boxing by
participating in battle royals where 6 youths were sent into the ring and
the last one in the ring after the free for all was the winner. His early
career his hard to track. Gans began his pro career at 17 and it is
reported that he only lost 3 of his first 70 bouts and those were shade
loses to say the least. One of those losses was to the famous Terry McGovern
was definitley a fixed fight and it caused the state of Illinois to ban
boxing. Gans did not fight for a world title until his 9th year in the sport
and had already fought over 100 bouts. The title bout was a strange fight,
Gans quit in the 12 round of his title bout with Frank Erne when he received
a bad cut over his eye lid. Some say death threats is what really kept Gans
on his stool. Any doubts to who was the better fighter was settled when Gans
knocked out Erne in 1 minute and 40 seconds the next time out and won the
world title. Over the next six years Gans made 14 title defenses with
relative ease but making weight began to take it's toll. Gans decided to
challenge the much bigger Joe Walcott for the welterweight crown in 1904
and managed to get a draw with his fellow legend. Gans also incredibly
challenged but lost to Sam Langford who made his name as one the best
fighters in the heavyweight division! In his 10 defense of the lightweight
title Gans fought toughman Battling Nelson/ On a very hot day after he was
forced to weigh in minutes before the bout not affording him time to
replenish himself with fluids. It didn't matter for the first 32 rounds but
then Gans broke his hand on Nelson's notoriously hard head. The rest of the
fight was all Nelson and Gans took such a pounding to the body he vomited
over the ropes at one point of the fight. Gans still frustrated his
challenger with his defensive skills and Nelson was disqualified for hitting
Gans low repeatedly in the 42nd round. 4 more title defenses followed but
each was less impressive as weight making difficulties drained him. Finally
Battling Nelson took the crown from Gans and a rematch saw Gans wining when
one big punch took him out in the 21st round. Gans fought on until 1909
before retiring. It was a shame that Gans only lived 1 year of his life not
fighting. Only 1 year after he retired he died of tuberculosis. When not
drained from making weight or sick from tuberculosis it is safe to say Gans
had no peers at his weight in his time or perhaps any other.
Joe Gans
Career record: 120 W, 8 L, 9 D, 18 ND (85 K.O's)
1891
Dave Armstrong Baltimore, Md KO 12
Arthur Coates Baltimore, Md KO 22
Tommy Harden Baltimore, Md KO 7
1892
George Evans Baltimore, Md KO 3
Dave Armstrong Baltimore, Md KO 3
Jack Daly Pittsburgh, Pa KO 11
1893
Dave Horn Baltimore, Md KO 2
Bud Brown Baltimore, Md KO 10
John Ball Baltimore, Md TKO 6
1894
Jack McDonald Newark, NJ TKO 7
Dave Horn Baltimore, Md TKO 11
Johnny Van Heest Baltimore, Md TKO 9
1895
Feb 6 Fred Sweigert Baltimore, Md W 10
Mar 7 Sol English Baltimore, Md W 10
Mar 16 Howard Wilson Washington, DC W 10
Apr 2 Walter Edgerton Baltimore, Md TKO 7
Apr 25 Walter Edgerton Baltimore, Md TKO 6
May 4 Frank Peabody Baltimore, Md KO 3
May 20 Benny Peterson Baltimore, Md KO 17
Jul 15 George Siddons Baltimore, Md D 20
Oct 21 Joe Elliott Baltimore, Md KO 6
Nov 18 Young Griffo Baltimore, Md D 10
Nov 28 George Siddons Baltimore, Md KO 7
1896
Jan 11 Benny Peterson Philadelphia, Pa KO 3
Jan 17 Joe Eliiott Baltimore, Md KO 7
Jan 28 Howard Wilson Baltimore, Md TKO 8
Feb 22 Jimmy Kennard Boston, Ma KO 5
Jun 8 Jimmy Watson Paterson, NJ KO 9
Jun 29 Tommy Butler Brooklyn, NY W 12
Aug 20 Jack Williams Baltimore, Md TKO 2
Aug 31 Danny McBride Baltimore, Md D 20
Sep 28 John Ball Philadelphia, Pa W 4
Oct 6 Dal Hawkins New York, NY L 15
Oct 19 Jack Williams Baltimore, Md TKO 2
Nov 12 Jerry Marshall Baltimore, Md W 20
Dec 14 Charles Rochette San Francisco, Ca KO 12
1897
Apr 3 Howard Wilson New York, NY KO 9
May 19 Mike Leonard San Francisco, Ca W 20
Aug 30 Isadore Strauss Baltimore, Md KO 5
Sep 21 Young Griffo Philadelphia, Pa D 15
Sep 27 Bobby Dobbs Brooklyn, NY L 20
Nov 6 "Wilmington" Jack Daly Philadelphia, Pa ND 6
Nov 29 Stanton Abbott Baltimore, Md TKO 5
1898
Jan 3 Billy Young Baltimore, Md TKO 2
Jan 17 Frank Garrard Cleveland, Oh TKO 15
Mar 11 Tom Shortell Baltimore, Md KO 6
Apr 11 Young Starlight Baltimore, Md KO 3
May 11 Steve Crosby Louisville, Ky W 6
Jun 3 Joe "Kid" Robinson Chicago, Il W 6
Jul 1 Monk Brown Baltimore, Md TKO 6
Aug 8 Billy Ernst Brooklyn, NY TKO 11
Aug 26 Young Smyrna Baltimore, Md TKO 15
Aug 31 Tom Jackson Easton, Pa KO 3
Sep 26 Herman Miller Baltimore, Md TKO 4
Nov 4 William "Kid" McPartland New York, NY W 25
Dec 27 "Wilmington" Jack Daly New York, NY W 25
1899
Jan 13 Young Smyrna Baltimore, Md KO 2
Jan 28 Martin Judge Toronto, Ont, Can W 20
Feb 6 Billy Ernst Buffalo, NY W D.Q 10
Apr 14 George "Elbows" McFadden New York, NY KOby 23
Jul 24 Jack Dobbs Ocean City, NJ TKO 4
Jul 28 George "Elbows" McFadden New York, NY D 25
Sep 1 Eugene Bezenah New York, NY TKO 10
Sep 15 Martin Judge Baltimore, Md W 12
Oct 3 Spider Kelly New York, NY W 25
Oct 7 "Wilmington" Jack Daly Philadelphia, Pa ND 6
Oct 11 Martin Judge Baltimore, Md W 20
Oct 31 George "Elbows" McFadden New York, NY W 25
Nov 24 Steve Crosby Chicago, Il W 6
Dec 11 Geoge "Kid" Ashe Cincinnati, Oh W 15
Dec 22 William "Kid" McPartland Chicago, Il D 6
1900
Feb 9 Willliam "Spike" Sullivan New York, NY TKO 14
Mar 23 Frank Erne New York, NY TKOby 12
Apr 2 "Chicago" Jack Daly Philadelphia, Pa TKO 5
May 25 Dal Hawkins New York, NY KO 2
Jun 26 Barney Furey Cincinnati, Oh KO 9
Jul 10 Young Griffo Brooklyn, NY TKO 8
Jul 12 Whitey Lester Baltimore, Md KO 4
Aug 31 Dal Hawkins New York, NY KO 3
Sep 7 George "Elbows" McFadden Philadelphia, Pa ND 6
Oct 1 George "Elbows" McFadden Denver, Co D 10
Oct 6 Joe Youngs Denver, Co W 10
Oct 16 Otto Sieloff Denver, Co KO 9
Oct 19 Spider Kelly Denver, Co KO 8
Nov 16 William "Kid" Parker Denver, Co KO 4
Dec 13 Terry McGovern Chicago, Il KOby 2
1901
Feb 13 "Wilmington" Jack Daly Baltimore, Md W D.Q 6
Apr 1 Martin Flaherty Baltimore, Md TKO 4
May 31 Bobby Dobbs Baltimore, Md KO 7
Jul 15 Harry Berger Baltimore, Md ND 6
Jul 15 Jack Donahue Baltimore, Md TKO 2
Jul 15 Kid Thomas Baltimore, Md ND 6
Aug 23 Steve Crosby Louisville, Ky D 20
Sep 20 Steve Crosby Baltimore, Md W D.Q 12
Sep 30 Joe Handler Baltimore, Md KO 1
Oct 4 Dan McConnell Baltimore, Md KO 3
Nov 15 Jack Hanlon Baltimore, Md KO 2
Nov 22 Billy Moore Baltimore, Md KO 3
Dec 13 Bobby Dobbs Baltimore, Md TKO 14
Dec 30 Joe Youngs Philadelphia, Pa TKO 4
1902
Jan 3 Tom Broderick Baltimore, Md KO 6
Jan 6 Eddie Connolly Philadelphia, Pa TKO 5
Feb 17 George "Elbows" McFadden Philadelphia, Pa ND 6
Mar 7 Jack Ryan Allentown, Pa TKO 3
Mar 27 Jack Bennett Baltimore, Md KO 5
May 12 Frank Erne Fort Erie, Ont, Can KO 1
-Lightweight Championship of the World
Jun 27 George "Elbows" McFadden San Francisco, Ca TKO 3
-Lightweight Championship of the World
Jul 24 Rufus Turner Oakland, Ca KO 15
-Lightweight Championship of the World
Sep 17 Gus Gardner Baltimore, Md KO 5
-Lightweight Championship of the World
Sep 22 Jack Bennett Philadelphia, Pa KO 2
Oct 13 William "Kid" McPartland Fort Erie, Ont, Can KO 5
-Lightweight Championship of the World
Oct 14 Dave Holly Lancaster, Pa ND 10
Nov 14 Charley Seiger Baltimore, Md KO 14
Dec 19 Howard Wilson Providence, RI KO 3
Dec 31 Charley Seiger Boston, Ma W 10
1903
Jan 1 Gus Gardner New Britain, Ct W D.Q 11
-Lightweight Championship of the World
Jan 31 Jack Donahue Toronto, Ont, Can ND 6
Mar 11 Steve Crosby Hot Springs, Ar TKO 11
-Lightweight Championship of the World
Mar 23 Jack Bennett Allegheny, Pa TKO 5
May 13 Tom Tracey Portland, Or TKO 9
May 29 Willie Fitzgerald San Francisco, Ca KO 10
-Lightweight Championship of the World
Jul 4 Frank "Buddy" King Butte, Mt KO 4
-Lightweight Championship of the World
Oct 18 Joe Grim Philadelphia, Pa ND 6
Oct 20 Eddie Kennedy Philadelphia, Pa ND 6
Oct 23 Dave Holly Philadelphia, Pa ND 6
Nov 2 Jack Blackburn Philadelphia, Pa ND 6
Dec 7 Dave Holly Philadelphia, Pa ND 6
Dec 8 Sam Langford Boston, Ma L 15
1904
Jan 12 Willie Fitzgerald Detroit, Mi W 10
Jan 19 Clarence Connors Mount Clemens, Mi TKO 2
Jan 22 Joe Grim Baltimore, Md W 10
Feb 2 Mike Ward Detroit, Mi W 10
Mar 25 Jack Blackburn Baltimore, Md W 15
Mar 28 Gus Gardner Saginaw, Mi W 10
Apr 21 Sam Bolen Baltimore, Md W 15
May 27 Jewey Cooke Baltimore, Md TKO 8
Jun 3 Kid Griffo (Harry Cohen) Baltimore, Md TKO 7
Jun 13 Sammy Smith Philadelphia, Pa TKO 4
Jun 27 Dave Holly Philadelphia, Pa ND 6
Sep 30 Joe Walcott San Francisco, Ca D 20
Oct 31 Jimmy Britt San Francisco, Ca W D.Q 5
1905
Mar 27 Rufus Turner Philadelphia, Pa ND 6
Sep 15 Mike "Twin" Sullivan Baltimore, Md D 15
1906
Jan 19 Mike "Twin" Sullivan San Francisco, Ca KO 15
Mar 17 Mike "Twin" Sullvian Los Angeles, Ca TKO 10
May 18 Willie Lewis New York, NY ND 6
Jun 15 Harry Lewis Philadelphia, Pa ND 6
Jun 29 Jack Blackburn Philadelphia, Pa ND 6
Jul 23 Dave Holly Seattle, Wa W 20
Sep 3 Oscar "Battling" Nelson Goldfield, Nv W D.Q 42
1907
Jan 1 "Kid Herman" Landfield Tonopah, Nv KO 8
Sep 9 Jimmy Britt San Francisco, Ca TKO 6
-Lightweight Championship of the World
Sep 27 George Memsic Los Angeles, Ca W 20
-Lightweight Championship of the World
1908
Jan 3 Bart Blackburn Baltimore, Md KO 3
Apr 1 Frank "Spike" Robson Philadelphia, Pa KO 3
May 14 Rudy Unholz San Francisco, Ca TKO 11
-Lightweight Championship of the World
Jul 4 Oscar "Battling" Nelson Colma, Ca KOby 17
-Lightweight Championship of the World
Sep 9 Oscar "Battling" Nelson Colma, Ca KOby 21
-Lightweight Championship of the World
1909
Mar 12 Jabez White New York, NY ND 10