Sam Langford
Encyclopedia
Sam Langford was a Black Canadian
boxing standout of the early part of the 20th century. Called the "Greatest Fighter Nobody Knows," by ESPN
. He was rated #2 by The Ring
on their list of "100 greatest punchers of all time". Langford was originally from Weymouth Falls
, a small community in Nova Scotia
, Canada
. He was known as the "Boston Bonecrusher", "Boston Terror" or by his most infamous nickname the "Boston Tar Baby," Langford stood only 5 foot and weighed 185 lb (83.9 kg) in his prime.
division right up to the heavyweight
s, beating many champions in the process. However, he was never able to secure a world title for himself. The primary reason for this was that heavyweight champion Jack Johnson
, after winning their first match, repeatedly refused rematches against Langford, who was considered by some to be the most dangerous challenger for Johnson's crown, although Johnson cited Langford's inability to meet his $30,000 appearance fee. Despite the fact Langford never received his rightful chance at the heavyweight title because of Jack Johnson's refusal to risk his crown against Langford, Ring magazine founder Nat Fleischer rated Langford as one of the ten best heavyweights of all time.
Langford's most memorable fights were his numerous encounters against fellow Black boxers Sam McVey
, Battling Jim Johnson
and Joe Jeanette
, who all experienced similar barriers in their fighting careers. Langford fought Harry Wills
on 17 separate occasions. Langford defeated lightweight champion Joe Gans
in 1903, drew with welterweight champion Barbados Joe Walcott in 1904, lost to future world heavyweight champion Jack Johnson in 1906, and knocked out former light-heavyweight champion Philadelphia Jack O'Brien
in 1911, with scores of contender fights in between. His last fight was in 1926, when his failing eyesight finally forced him to retire.
In 1923, Sam Langford fought and won Boxing's last "fight to the finish" for the Mexican Heavyweight title.
Films exist of Langford fighting Fireman Jim Flynn
and Bill Lang
. One story characterizing his career involved Langford walking out for the 8th round and touching gloves with his opponent. "What's the matter, Sam, it ain't the last round!" said his mystified opponent. "Tis for you son," said Langford, who promptly knocked his opponent out.
, New York City. In 1944, a famous article was published about his plight and money was donated by fans to help Langford. Eventually funding was obtained to pay for successful eye surgery. Langford was enshrined in the Ring Boxing Hall of Fame
and Canada's Sports Hall of Fame
in 1955. He died a year later in Cambridge, Massachusetts
, where he had been living in a private nursing home
.
Black Canadian
'Black Canadians is a designation used for people of Black African descent, who are citizens or permanent residents of Canada. The term specifically refers to Canadians with Sub-Saharan African ancestry. The majority of Black Canadians are of Caribbean origin...
boxing standout of the early part of the 20th century. Called the "Greatest Fighter Nobody Knows," by ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
. He was rated #2 by The Ring
The Ring (magazine)
The Ring is an American boxing magazine that was first published in 1922 as a boxing and wrestling magazine. As the sporting legitimacy of professional wrestling came more into question, The Ring shifted to becoming exclusively a boxing oriented publication...
on their list of "100 greatest punchers of all time". Langford was originally from Weymouth Falls
Weymouth, Nova Scotia
-History:The area was settled in the 1760s by New England Planters after the Acadian Expulsion. The town was formally founded by Loyalists in 1783 . Current day Weymouth was once called Weymouth Bridge, and Weymouth North was called Weymouth...
, a small community in Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. He was known as the "Boston Bonecrusher", "Boston Terror" or by his most infamous nickname the "Boston Tar Baby," Langford stood only 5 foot and weighed 185 lb (83.9 kg) in his prime.
Professional career
Langford was a boxer who fought greats from the lightweightLightweight
Light-weight is a class of athletes in a particular sport, based on their weight.-Professional boxing:The lightweight division is over 130 pounds and up to 135 pounds weight class in the sport of boxing....
division right up to the 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...
s, beating many champions in the process. However, he was never able to secure a world title for himself. The primary reason for this was that heavyweight champion Jack Johnson
Jack Johnson (boxer)
John Arthur Johnson , nicknamed the “Galveston Giant,” was an American boxer. At the height of the Jim Crow era, Johnson became the first African American world heavyweight boxing champion...
, after winning their first match, repeatedly refused rematches against Langford, who was considered by some to be the most dangerous challenger for Johnson's crown, although Johnson cited Langford's inability to meet his $30,000 appearance fee. Despite the fact Langford never received his rightful chance at the heavyweight title because of Jack Johnson's refusal to risk his crown against Langford, Ring magazine founder Nat Fleischer rated Langford as one of the ten best heavyweights of all time.
Langford's most memorable fights were his numerous encounters against fellow Black boxers Sam McVey
Sam McVey
Sam McVey or Sam McVea was a Hall of Fame heavyweight boxer during the early 20th century. He fought out of Oxnard, California. McVey ranked alongside Sam Langford and Joe Jeanette as one of the top black fighters during a famed career that took him across the globe...
, Battling Jim Johnson
Battling Jim Johnson
"Battling" Jim Johnson was an American boxer. Johnson was a contender in the heavyweight division during the 1910s, fighting the likes of Sam Langford, Joe Jeanette, Sam McVea, Harry Wills and Kid Norfolk on numerous occasions...
and Joe Jeanette
Joe Jeanette
Jeremiah "Joe" Jeannette is considered one of the best African-American heavyweight boxers of the early 20th century.-Early life and career:...
, who all experienced similar barriers in their fighting careers. Langford fought Harry Wills
Harry Wills
240px|rightHarry "The Black Panther" Wills was perhaps the most well known victim of the "color line" drawn by white heavyweight champions after the title reign of Jack Johnson...
on 17 separate occasions. Langford defeated lightweight champion Joe Gans
Joe Gans
Joe Gans was born in Baltimore, Maryland. Gans was rated as the greatest lightweight boxer of all time by boxing historian and Ring Magazine founder, Nat Fleischer and was known as the "Old Master". He fought from 1891 to 1909.Gans started boxing professionally about 1891 in Baltimore...
in 1903, drew with welterweight champion Barbados Joe Walcott in 1904, lost to future world heavyweight champion Jack Johnson in 1906, and knocked out former light-heavyweight champion Philadelphia Jack O'Brien
Philadelphia Jack O'Brien
Joseph Francis Hagan was light heavyweight boxing champion of the world.-Biography:...
in 1911, with scores of contender fights in between. His last fight was in 1926, when his failing eyesight finally forced him to retire.
In 1923, Sam Langford fought and won Boxing's last "fight to the finish" for the Mexican Heavyweight title.
Films exist of Langford fighting Fireman Jim Flynn
Fireman Jim Flynn
Andrew Chiariglione, usually known as Fireman Jim Flynn, was an American boxer of the early twentieth century.-Biography:...
and Bill Lang
Bill Lang
Bill Lang was an Australian professional boxer who held the national heavyweight title. He was also an Australian rules footballer who played with Richmond in the Victorian Football League ....
. One story characterizing his career involved Langford walking out for the 8th round and touching gloves with his opponent. "What's the matter, Sam, it ain't the last round!" said his mystified opponent. "Tis for you son," said Langford, who promptly knocked his opponent out.
Life after boxing
Langford eventually went completely blind and ended up penniless, living in HarlemHarlem
Harlem is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, which since the 1920s has been a major African-American residential, cultural and business center. Originally a Dutch village, formally organized in 1658, it is named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands...
, New York City. In 1944, a famous article was published about his plight and money was donated by fans to help Langford. Eventually funding was obtained to pay for successful eye surgery. Langford was enshrined in the Ring 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...
and Canada's Sports Hall of Fame
Canada's Sports Hall of Fame
Canada's Sports Hall of Fame is a hall of fame established in 1955 to "preserve the record of Canadian sports achievements and to promote a greater awareness of Canada's heritage of sport." It is located at Canada Olympic Park in Calgary, Alberta...
in 1955. He died a year later in Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders. Cambridge is home to two of the world's most prominent...
, where he had been living in a private nursing home
Nursing home
A nursing home, convalescent home, skilled nursing unit , care home, rest home, or old people's home provides a type of care of residents: it is a place of residence for people who require constant nursing care and have significant deficiencies with activities of daily living...
.