Jimmy Bivins
Encyclopedia
James Louis Bivins, is a former American
heavyweight
boxer
whose professional career ran from 1940 to 1955. He was born in Dry Branch, Georgia
. Although he was never given the opportunity to fight for a world title, despite at one point being the number one contender in both the light heavyweight
and heavyweight divisions, Bivins fought and defeated many of the great fighters of his era. In recognition of his achievements in the ring - among other things, he defeated eight of the eleven world champions he faced - Bivins was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame
in 1999. He was also the one-time husband of Dollree Mapp, the subject of prominent Supreme Court case regarding the rights of search and seizures.
for the entirety of his career. He made his professional debut on January 15, 1940, winning by knockout in the first round, and went on to win his first nineteen fights, all fought in 1940, before losing a split decision to Anton Christoforidis
, whom he had previously beaten. Bivins won his first four fights of 1941, including contests with Teddy Yarosz
and Curtis Sheppard
, but lost three of his other four contests that year, which included a points loss to Melio Bettina
. He began 1942 with wins against Billy Soose
and Gus Lesnevich
and a split-decision loss to Bob Pastor. After this loss, Bivins had a twenty-seven fight undefeated streak that lasted for four years; it was during this period that Bivins established himself as one of the great heavyweights of his era - a remarkable achievement given that, at 5' 9", he was often significantly smaller than his opponents.
Bivins first fight after losing to Pastor was a split-decision win against Joey Maxim
, a fellow Cleveland fighter who went on to become a member of the hall of fame. Bivins fought four more contests in 1942, including a rematch with Bob Pastor and a bout with Lee Savold
, and won them all. He began 1943 with a remarkable win against Ezzard Charles
, in which he recorded seven knockdowns against the future heavyweight world champion. On February 23, 1943 he defeated Anton Christoforidis on points for the duration light heavyweight title - as all the world titles had been frozen for the duration of World War II
, this was the closest he ever came to holding a world title. In the three years after this fight Bivins went on to defeat Tami Mauriello, Pat Valentino, Lloyd Marshall
, Melio Bettina, Curtis Sheppard and Archie Moore
, whom he knocked-down six times en route to a knockout victory. Bivins served with the United States Army
from March, 1944 until his honorable discharge in November of the same year - during 1944 he fought only one professional fight, a points victory over Lee Q. Murray.
On February 25, 1946 Bivins fought Jersey Joe Walcott
at the Cleveland Arena
. The fight was Bivins' first loss in four years, the split decision was interesting in that one official had the fight 6-4 to Bivins, the second had it 9-1 to Walcott and the last had it 5-4-1 to Bivins but gave the fight to Walcott because of a third round knockdown in his favour. After losing his long unbeaten streak, Bivins' record as a fighter became somewhat average. After his loss to Walcott, Bivins went on to lose his next two contests, against Lee Q. Murray and Ezzard Charles, before winning the following four. Bivins suffered a knockout loss to Ezzard Charles on March 10, 1947 and went on to lose a further two of his final seven fights that year, to Lee Q. Murray and Archie Moore. He went on to win six of his nine fights in 1948, losing only to Joey Maxim, Ezzard Charles and Archie Moore. In 1949 he won five of his eight fights, but lost to both Archie Moore and Harold Johnson
. He only fought twice in 1950, but returned to fighting regularly the following year. In 1951 he defeated Ted Lowry
on points, but was once again knocked-out by Archie Moore and lost by unanimous decision to both Joe Louis
and the undefeated Bob Baker. Bivins had a further eleven fights after his loss to Baker, and won eight of them. His only big-name opponent during these final fights was Ezzard Charles, who won by decision on November 26, 1952. Bivins retired following a victory over the journeyman Chubby Wright in June 1953, but returned for two final fights, both of which he won, a couple of years later.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
heavyweight
Heavyweight
Heavyweight is a division, or weight class, in boxing. Fighters who weigh over 200 pounds are considered heavyweights by the major professional boxing organizations: the International Boxing Federation, the World Boxing Association, the World Boxing Council, and the World Boxing...
boxer
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
whose professional career ran from 1940 to 1955. He was born in Dry Branch, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
. Although he was never given the opportunity to fight for a world title, despite at one point being the number one contender in both the light heavyweight
Light heavyweight
In boxing, the light heavyweight is a weight division above 168 pounds [12 Stone or 76.204 kilograms] and up to 175 pounds [12.5 stone or 79.38 kilograms]), falling between super middleweight and cruiserweight...
and heavyweight divisions, Bivins fought and defeated many of the great fighters of his era. In recognition of his achievements in the ring - among other things, he defeated eight of the eleven world champions he faced - Bivins was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame
International Boxing Hall of Fame
The modern International Boxing Hall of Fame is located in Canastota, New York, United States, within driving distance from the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown and the National Soccer Hall of Fame in Oneonta...
in 1999. He was also the one-time husband of Dollree Mapp, the subject of prominent Supreme Court case regarding the rights of search and seizures.
Boxing career
Although he was born in Georgia, Bivins fought out of Cleveland, OhioCleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
for the entirety of his career. He made his professional debut on January 15, 1940, winning by knockout in the first round, and went on to win his first nineteen fights, all fought in 1940, before losing a split decision to Anton Christoforidis
Anton Christoforidis
Anton Christoforidis was a Greek light heavyweight boxer.Christoforidis was born in Messenia prefecture, Greece. His first bout was against Francisco Garcia Lluch in Paris, France which he won by decision. He made his United States debut on January 5, 1940 in Madison Square Garden defeating...
, whom he had previously beaten. Bivins won his first four fights of 1941, including contests with Teddy Yarosz
Teddy Yarosz
Teddy Yarosz was an American athlete in boxing. He held the world middleweight boxing championship during 1934-1935.-Personal life:Yarosz was born in Monaca, Pennsylvania. His brother Tommy Yarosz also became a boxer....
and Curtis Sheppard
Curtis Sheppard
Curtis Sheppard is a former American boxer who was from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Sheppard was a popular fighter during the 1940s, especially when television technology arrived in his homeland during the late years of that decade...
, but lost three of his other four contests that year, which included a points loss to Melio Bettina
Melio Bettina
Melio Bettina was a professional boxer.-Amateur career:Bettina won the 1935 Intercity Golden Gloves at light-heavyweight by decision over Tony Zale.-Pro career:...
. He began 1942 with wins against Billy Soose
Billy Soose
Billy Soose was an American boxer who won the world middleweight championship in 1941.After a collegiate boxing career, Soose became a professional boxer in 1938. That same year he met Charley Burley, defeated Soose by a unanimous decision. In 1940 Soose defeated two future middleweight champions,...
and Gus Lesnevich
Gus Lesnevich
Gustav George Lesnevich was an American boxer. Lesnevich was born and raised in Cliffside Park, New Jersey....
and a split-decision loss to Bob Pastor. After this loss, Bivins had a twenty-seven fight undefeated streak that lasted for four years; it was during this period that Bivins established himself as one of the great heavyweights of his era - a remarkable achievement given that, at 5' 9", he was often significantly smaller than his opponents.
Bivins first fight after losing to Pastor was a split-decision win against Joey Maxim
Joey Maxim
Giuseppe Antonio Berardinelli was an American boxer. He was a light heavyweight champion of the world. He took the ring-name Joey Maxim from the Maxim gun, the world's first self-acting machine gun, based on his ability to rapidly throw a large number of left jabs.-Early career:Maxim was born in...
, a fellow Cleveland fighter who went on to become a member of the hall of fame. Bivins fought four more contests in 1942, including a rematch with Bob Pastor and a bout with Lee Savold
Lee Savold
Lee Savold was a heavyweight boxer who held the British and European version of the World Heavyweight championship between 1950 and 1951 and was a leading contender in the forties and early fifties....
, and won them all. He began 1943 with a remarkable win against Ezzard Charles
Ezzard Charles
Ezzard Mack Charles was an African-American professional boxer and former world heavyweight champion. He holds wins over numerous Hall of Fame fighters in three different weight classes. Charles retired with a record of 93 wins, 25 losses and 1 draw.-Career:He was born in Lawrenceville, Georgia,...
, in which he recorded seven knockdowns against the future heavyweight world champion. On February 23, 1943 he defeated Anton Christoforidis on points for the duration light heavyweight title - as all the world titles had been frozen for the duration of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, this was the closest he ever came to holding a world title. In the three years after this fight Bivins went on to defeat Tami Mauriello, Pat Valentino, Lloyd Marshall
Lloyd Marshall
Lloyd Marshall was a light heavyweight boxer who was inducted posthumously into the International Boxing Hall of Fame on June 2010.-Pro career:...
, Melio Bettina, Curtis Sheppard and Archie Moore
Archie Moore
Archie Moore, born Archibald Lee Wright , was light heavyweight world boxing champion who had one of the longest professional careers in the history of that sport....
, whom he knocked-down six times en route to a knockout victory. Bivins served with the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
from March, 1944 until his honorable discharge in November of the same year - during 1944 he fought only one professional fight, a points victory over Lee Q. Murray.
On February 25, 1946 Bivins fought Jersey Joe Walcott
Jersey Joe Walcott
Arnold Raymond Cream , better known as Jersey Joe Walcott, was a world heavyweight boxing champion. He broke the world's record for the oldest man to win the world's Heavyweight title when he earned it at the age of , a record that would be broken on November 5, 1994, by George Foreman, who...
at the Cleveland Arena
Cleveland Arena
Cleveland Arena was an arena in Cleveland, Ohio. It was built and privately financed by local businessman Albert C. Sutphin during the height of the Great Depression in 1937 as a playing site for Sutphin's AHL team, the Cleveland Barons. Later it hosted Sutphin's BAA's Cleveland Rebels and Nick...
. The fight was Bivins' first loss in four years, the split decision was interesting in that one official had the fight 6-4 to Bivins, the second had it 9-1 to Walcott and the last had it 5-4-1 to Bivins but gave the fight to Walcott because of a third round knockdown in his favour. After losing his long unbeaten streak, Bivins' record as a fighter became somewhat average. After his loss to Walcott, Bivins went on to lose his next two contests, against Lee Q. Murray and Ezzard Charles, before winning the following four. Bivins suffered a knockout loss to Ezzard Charles on March 10, 1947 and went on to lose a further two of his final seven fights that year, to Lee Q. Murray and Archie Moore. He went on to win six of his nine fights in 1948, losing only to Joey Maxim, Ezzard Charles and Archie Moore. In 1949 he won five of his eight fights, but lost to both Archie Moore and Harold Johnson
Harold Johnson (boxer)
Harold Johnson , is a former professional boxer.Johnson was born in Roxborough, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He won his first twenty-four fights before losing a ten round decision to Archie Moore, who would be Johnson's biggest career rival...
. He only fought twice in 1950, but returned to fighting regularly the following year. In 1951 he defeated Ted Lowry
Ted Lowry
Tiger' Ted Lowry , was an American boxer.- Boxing career :Ted Lowry's career started out strong, with 8 successful fights , before losing to Sam Shumway, whom he had previously beaten before, and would defeat again in their next fight. Afterwards, he fought regularly, winning some and losing some...
on points, but was once again knocked-out by Archie Moore and lost by unanimous decision to both Joe Louis
Joe Louis
Joseph Louis Barrow , better known as Joe Louis, was the world heavyweight boxing champion from 1937 to 1949. He is considered to be one of the greatest heavyweights of all time...
and the undefeated Bob Baker. Bivins had a further eleven fights after his loss to Baker, and won eight of them. His only big-name opponent during these final fights was Ezzard Charles, who won by decision on November 26, 1952. Bivins retired following a victory over the journeyman Chubby Wright in June 1953, but returned for two final fights, both of which he won, a couple of years later.