124:
on April 17 of that year in Paris for a purse of $ 6,000 (equivalent to $ 203,000 in 2023). Sam
Langford subsequently claimed the title during Jeanette's reign after Johnson refused to defend the World Heavyweight Championship against him. Eighteen months later, Jeanrette lost the title to Langford.
123:
After
Johnson became the first African-American Heavyweight Champion of the World on December 26, 1908, his World Colored Heavyweight Championship was vacated. Jeanette fought Sam McVey for the title in Paris on February 20, 1909, and was beaten, but later took the title from McVey in a 49-round bout
127:
Johnson never again fought
Jeanette despite numerous challenges and avoided Langford, whom he had fought once while he was the colored champ and beaten him very severely on points in a 15-rounder. In August 1914, as Johnson neared the end of his troubled reign, there were reports that Johnson had
51:
Though not sanctioned by any governing body, the colored heavyweight title was publicly recognized due to the color bar in pro boxing in the 19th and early 20th centuries, when white champions drew the color line and would not defend the title against a black man. In the heavyweight division, the
71:
followed the same pattern. Since the white champs had fought black fighters as equals on their way up, the color bar undeniably was maintained due to racial prejudice. Since black boxers were being denied a shot at the world title solely due to their race, the general public gave credence to the
174:
attempted to create a similar championship in 2004 called the All
African World Championship, which would be open to boxers of African descent from any country as well as boxers of any race living in Africa. This proposal was met with worldwide criticism, and the World Boxing Council ultimately
120:). In their first match on 1905, they had fought to a draw, but in their second match on 25 November 1905, Johnson lost as he was disqualified in the second round of a scheduled six-round fight. Johnson continued to claim the title because of the disqualification.
138:, Johnson’s refusal to fight African-Americans offended the African-American community, since the opportunity to fight top white boxers was rare. Jeanette criticized Johnson, saying, "Jack forgot about his old friends after he became champion and drew the
1446:
774:
Jeanette beats McVey in a 49-round bout lasting 3½" hours, for a purse of $ 6,000. Subsequently, Sam
Langford claimed the title during Jeanette's reign after Jack Johnson refused to defend the World Heavyweight Championship against
115:
Jack
Johnson fought Joe Jeanette a total of seven times, all during his reign as colored champ before he became the world's heavyweight champion, winning four times and drawing twice (three of the victories and one draw were
103:(who was colored heavyweight champ during the last year of Johnson's reign as world's heavyweight champ). Blacks were not given a shot at the title allegedly because such top boxing promoters as
1454:
565:
Frank Childs defeated Bob
Armstrong on March 4, 1899 in Cincinnati, Ohio in a fight announced as being for the title, despite Childs' loss to Byers six months earlier.
91:
Once he was the world's heavyweight champ, Johnson (who relinquished the colored title) never fought black opponents, either. He denied matches to black heavyweights
27:
boxers in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. This was the only recognized heavyweight championship available to black boxers prior to
60:, the first modern heavyweight champ, who had fought black fighters on his way up to the title but would not defend it against a black man.
1405:
88:
won the world's heavyweight title in 1908, thus ensuring the colored title remained the ultimate prize for all other black boxers.
1528:
1415:
1410:
1425:
685:
32:
1172:
361:
139:
1656:
1420:
151:
131:
After losing his world heavyweight championship, Johnson never again fought for the colored heavyweight crown.
43:
against black heavyweights was enforced during and for a generation after Jack
Johnson's reign as world champ.
134:
Because great boxers of the era were barred from fighting for the heavyweight championship because of
1501:
223:
183:
Eighteen men were recognized as World
Colored Heavyweight Champion, combining for 28 total reigns.
1625:
1563:
1541:
1661:
1600:
349:
Fought Grant Morris 10 times while champ, compiling record of 8 wins, 1 loss, and 1 no decision
1447:"Native sons and daughters North Hudson native and 20th century boxing sensation Joe Jeanette"
1063:
594:
453:
408:
1587:
815:
Sam
Langford defends his claim to the title, beating Jeanette on points in a 15-round bout.
653:
537:
171:
128:
agreed to fight Langford for the world heavyweight title in Paris, but nothing came of it.
85:
28:
8:
1141:
53:
1476:
117:
1237:
1194:
1044:
641:
Childs continued to claim the title until losing to Jack Johnson on October 21, 1902.
614:
68:
334:
286:
155:
81:
64:
57:
24:
1450:
135:
1506:
311:
1650:
427:
387:
338:
330:
290:
282:
1337:
1333:
1157:
787:
746:
493:
263:
159:
107:
believed that a fight between two black boxers would not draw at the gate.
96:
92:
1314:
1299:
1218:
920:
901:
672:
104:
100:
431:
1389:
1373:
1103:
924:
848:
700:
40:
36:
1590:
Ron Flatter: Johnson boxed, lived on own terms, accessed Sep 2, 2010
1067:
598:
516:
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1283:
1279:
512:
1629:
1604:
1567:
1287:
1258:
1145:
844:
723:
383:
251:
Smith claimed the title and offered to take on all challengers.
1156:
The title was vacated after Wills lost by disqualification to
1171:
719:
360:
52:
color bar was adamantly defended by "The Boston Strong Boy",
162:, a two-time holder of the World Colored Heavyweight title.
1365:
1325:
1271:
1229:
1186:
1133:
1095:
1055:
1020:
987:
954:
912:
875:
836:
798:
757:
711:
664:
624:
586:
548:
504:
464:
419:
375:
322:
299:
Lost title to Charles Hadley on points in four-round bout
274:
234:
35:
in 1908. The title continued to exist until the reign of
1085:
1010:
944:
865:
576:
310:
99:(who beat Jeanette for the colored title) and the young
1355:
1123:
977:
452:
407:
222:
786:
745:
652:
536:
492:
262:
165:
1313:
1217:
900:
826:
1477:"WBC Press Release: All Africa World Championships"
1043:
699:
110:
1392:won the World Heavyweight title on June 22, 1937.
145:
95:(his successor as colored heavyweight champ) and
1648:
1406:World Colored Light Heavyweight Championship
684:The title was vacated after Johnson won the
75:
1382:
1360:
1350:
1320:
1308:
1292:
1266:
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1200:
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728:
706:
694:
678:
659:
647:
635:
619:
581:
571:
559:
543:
531:
522:
499:
487:
475:
459:
447:
414:
402:
393:
370:
355:
343:
317:
305:
269:
257:
229:
217:
80:The color bar remained in force even after
242:
1529:Lineage of the coloured heavyweight title
46:
39:as universally recognized champ, as the
1416:World Colored Welterweight Championship
1411:World Colored Middleweight Championship
1649:
21:World Colored Heavyweight Championship
1426:World White Heavyweight Championship
178:
63:Succeeding white heavyweight champs
166:Proposed World Boxing Council title
154:was a title in pretense claimed by
13:
1444:
14:
1673:
111:Johnson, Jeanette & Langford
1618:
1593:
1581:
1556:
1534:
1521:
1502:"Johnson finally gets a break"
1494:
1469:
1438:
1421:Black Heavyweight Championship
686:World Heavyweight Championship
441:The title was vacated in 1896.
152:Black Heavyweight Championship
146:Black Heavyweight Championship
1:
1431:
962:Los Angeles, California, USA
472:New York City, New York, USA
1247:The title was later vacated.
1028:New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
995:New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
185:
7:
1399:
1388:Title became extinct after
806:Boston, Massachusetts, USA
72:colored heavyweight title.
10:
1678:
1386:
1296:
1245:
1204:
1154:
813:
772:
732:
682:
639:
563:
479:
439:
347:
297:
249:
211:
205:
197:
191:
142:against his own people."
84:heavyweight title holder
76:Maintaining the color bar
481:Defeated Charley Strong.
208:
200:
194:
188:
632:Chicago, Illinois, USA
556:Chicago, Illinois, USA
33:world heavyweight title
23:was a title awarded to
1601:"Jack Johnson - Boxer"
1564:"Frank Childs - Boxer"
1206:Defeated Larry Gaines.
734:Defeated Joe Jeanette.
47:Drawing the color line
1657:Defunct boxing titles
1626:"Harry Wills - Boxer"
688:on December 26, 1908.
1531:" eastsideboxing.com
1160:on October 12, 1926.
175:abandoned the idea.
172:World Boxing Council
118:newspaper decisions
54:bare-knuckle boxing
883:Sydney, Australia
675:, California, USA
549:September 14, 1898
1445:Rosero, Jessica.
1397:
1396:
1021:February 11, 1916
955:November 26, 1914
837:December 26, 1911
799:September 6, 1910
712:February 20, 1909
625:February 24, 1902
465:December 21, 1896
376:February 23, 1883
179:List of champions
69:James J. Jeffries
1669:
1641:
1640:
1638:
1636:
1622:
1616:
1615:
1613:
1611:
1597:
1591:
1585:
1579:
1578:
1576:
1574:
1560:
1554:
1553:
1551:
1549:
1538:
1532:
1525:
1519:
1518:
1516:
1515:
1498:
1492:
1491:
1489:
1488:
1481:Hard Core Boxing
1473:
1467:
1466:
1464:
1462:
1453:. Archived from
1442:
1393:
1384:
1367:
1362:
1357:
1352:
1327:
1322:
1317:
1310:
1303:
1294:
1273:
1268:
1263:
1262:
1255:
1248:
1240:, New York, USA
1231:
1226:
1221:
1214:
1207:
1202:
1197:, New York, USA
1188:
1187:November 8, 1926
1183:
1178:
1176:
1168:
1161:
1152:
1135:
1130:
1125:
1120:
1111:
1106:, Missouri, USA
1097:
1092:
1087:
1082:
1057:
1056:January 25, 1917
1052:
1047:
1040:
1022:
1017:
1012:
1007:
989:
984:
979:
974:
956:
951:
946:
941:
932:
914:
909:
904:
897:
888:
877:
872:
867:
862:
838:
833:
828:
823:
816:
811:
800:
795:
790:
783:
776:
770:
759:
754:
749:
742:
735:
730:
713:
708:
703:
696:
689:
680:
666:
665:February 5, 1903
661:
656:
649:
642:
637:
626:
621:
588:
583:
578:
573:
566:
561:
550:
545:
540:
533:
524:
506:
505:January 29, 1898
501:
496:
489:
482:
477:
466:
461:
456:
449:
442:
421:
416:
411:
404:
395:
377:
372:
367:
365:
357:
350:
345:
324:
323:January 14, 1881
319:
314:
307:
300:
276:
271:
266:
259:
252:
244:
236:
231:
226:
224:Charles C. Smith
219:
186:
82:African-American
58:John L. Sullivan
1677:
1676:
1672:
1671:
1670:
1668:
1667:
1666:
1647:
1646:
1645:
1644:
1634:
1632:
1624:
1623:
1619:
1609:
1607:
1599:
1598:
1594:
1586:
1582:
1572:
1570:
1562:
1561:
1557:
1547:
1545:
1540:
1539:
1535:
1526:
1522:
1513:
1511:
1500:
1499:
1495:
1486:
1484:
1475:
1474:
1470:
1460:
1458:
1457:on 9 April 2016
1451:Hudson Reporter
1443:
1439:
1434:
1402:
1387:
1326:October 9, 1933
1297:
1272:August 24, 1931
1260:
1259:George Godfrey
1246:
1230:August 15, 1928
1205:
1174:
1173:George Godfrey
1155:
988:January 3, 1916
814:
773:
733:
683:
640:
564:
480:
440:
420:August 24, 1888
363:
362:George Godfrey
348:
298:
250:
202:
181:
168:
156:Klondike Haynes
148:
113:
78:
49:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1675:
1665:
1664:
1659:
1643:
1642:
1617:
1592:
1580:
1555:
1542:"Morris Grant"
1533:
1520:
1507:The Trentonian
1493:
1468:
1436:
1435:
1433:
1430:
1429:
1428:
1423:
1418:
1413:
1408:
1401:
1398:
1395:
1394:
1385:
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1368:
1363:
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1353:
1347:
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1344:
1341:
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1328:
1323:
1318:
1311:
1305:
1304:
1295:
1290:
1277:
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1269:
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1256:
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1241:
1235:
1232:
1227:
1222:
1215:
1209:
1208:
1203:
1198:
1192:
1189:
1184:
1179:
1169:
1163:
1162:
1153:
1148:
1139:
1136:
1134:April 14, 1918
1131:
1126:
1121:
1115:
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1112:
1107:
1101:
1098:
1093:
1088:
1083:
1077:
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824:
818:
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812:
807:
804:
801:
796:
791:
784:
778:
777:
771:
766:
765:Paris, France
763:
760:
758:April 17, 1909
755:
750:
743:
737:
736:
731:
726:
717:
714:
709:
704:
697:
691:
690:
681:
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644:
643:
638:
633:
630:
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617:
612:
608:
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605:
602:
592:
589:
587:March 16, 1901
584:
579:
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568:
567:
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557:
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546:
541:
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417:
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405:
399:
398:
396:
391:
381:
378:
373:
368:
358:
352:
351:
346:
341:
328:
325:
320:
315:
312:Charles Hadley
308:
302:
301:
296:
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280:
277:
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267:
260:
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180:
177:
167:
164:
147:
144:
112:
109:
77:
74:
48:
45:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1674:
1663:
1662:Black culture
1660:
1658:
1655:
1654:
1652:
1631:
1627:
1621:
1606:
1602:
1596:
1589:
1584:
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1509:
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1437:
1427:
1424:
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1412:
1409:
1407:
1404:
1403:
1391:
1381:
1379:
1375:
1372:
1369:
1366:July 20, 1935
1364:
1359:
1354:
1349:
1348:
1345:
1342:
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1291:
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1252:
1251:
1242:
1239:
1236:
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1228:
1223:
1220:
1216:
1211:
1210:
1199:
1196:
1193:
1190:
1185:
1180:
1177:
1170:
1165:
1164:
1159:
1149:
1147:
1143:
1140:
1137:
1132:
1127:
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1117:
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1108:
1105:
1102:
1099:
1094:
1089:
1084:
1079:
1078:
1075:
1072:
1069:
1065:
1062:
1059:
1054:
1049:
1046:
1042:
1037:
1036:
1033:
1030:
1027:
1024:
1019:
1014:
1009:
1004:
1003:
1000:
997:
994:
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986:
981:
976:
971:
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967:
964:
961:
958:
953:
948:
943:
938:
937:
934:
929:
926:
922:
919:
916:
911:
906:
903:
899:
894:
893:
890:
885:
882:
879:
876:April 8, 1912
874:
869:
864:
859:
858:
855:
852:
850:
846:
843:
840:
835:
830:
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820:
819:
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805:
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792:
789:
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780:
779:
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764:
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748:
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739:
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721:
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702:
698:
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687:
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623:
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569:
558:
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547:
542:
539:
535:
530:
529:
526:
521:
518:
514:
511:
508:
503:
498:
495:
491:
486:
485:
474:
471:
468:
463:
458:
455:
454:Bob Armstrong
451:
446:
445:
436:
433:
429:
428:San Francisco
426:
423:
418:
413:
410:
409:Peter Jackson
406:
401:
400:
397:
392:
389:
388:Massachusetts
385:
382:
379:
374:
369:
366:
359:
354:
353:
342:
340:
336:
332:
331:New York City
329:
326:
321:
316:
313:
309:
304:
303:
294:
292:
288:
284:
283:New York City
281:
278:
273:
268:
265:
261:
256:
255:
246:
241:
238:
233:
228:
225:
221:
216:
215:
187:
184:
176:
173:
163:
161:
158:and later by
157:
153:
143:
141:
137:
132:
129:
125:
121:
119:
108:
106:
102:
98:
94:
89:
87:
83:
73:
70:
66:
65:James Corbett
61:
59:
55:
44:
42:
38:
34:
30:
26:
22:
1633:. Retrieved
1620:
1608:. Retrieved
1595:
1583:
1571:. Retrieved
1558:
1546:. Retrieved
1536:
1523:
1512:. Retrieved
1510:. 2004-12-26
1505:
1496:
1485:. Retrieved
1483:. 2004-12-04
1480:
1471:
1459:. Retrieved
1455:the original
1440:
1338:Pennsylvania
1334:Philadelphia
1158:Jack Sharkey
1086:Sam Langford
1011:Sam Langford
945:Sam Langford
866:Sam Langford
788:Sam Langford
747:Joe Jeanette
654:Jack Johnson
577:Frank Childs
538:George Byers
494:Frank Childs
264:Morris Grant
182:
169:
160:Frank Childs
149:
133:
130:
126:
122:
114:
97:Sam Langford
93:Joe Jeanette
90:
86:Jack Johnson
79:
62:
50:
31:winning the
29:Jack Johnson
20:
18:
16:Boxing title
1356:Larry Gains
1315:Obie Walker
1300:Seal Harris
1219:Larry Gains
1142:Panama City
1124:Harry Wills
1096:May 2, 1917
1064:Kansas City
978:Harry Wills
921:New Orleans
913:May 1, 1914
902:Harry Wills
673:Los Angeles
595:Hot Springs
105:Tex Rickard
101:Harry Wills
1651:Categories
1635:August 23,
1610:August 23,
1573:August 23,
1514:2016-12-11
1487:2016-12-11
1432:References
432:California
140:color line
1390:Joe Louis
1374:Leicester
1298:Defeated
1261:(b. 1897)
1175:(b. 1897)
1104:St. Louis
1045:Bill Tate
925:Louisiana
849:Australia
827:Sam McVea
701:Sam McVea
615:Ed Martin
364:(b. 1853)
209:Defenses
206:Location
41:color bar
37:Joe Louis
1544:. BoxRec
1400:See also
1370:Unknown
1234:Unknown
1068:Missouri
599:Arkansas
517:Illinois
335:New York
287:New York
279:Unknown
239:Unknown
1378:England
1284:Ontario
1280:Toronto
1238:Buffalo
1195:Buffalo
513:Chicago
243:—
1630:BoxRec
1605:BoxRec
1568:BoxRec
1548:20 May
1461:20 May
1340:, USA
1288:Canada
1146:Panama
1070:, USA
927:, USA
845:Sydney
724:France
601:, USA
519:, USA
434:, USA
390:, USA
384:Boston
212:Notes
195:Reign
136:racism
56:champ
1138:3103
720:Paris
669:2151
424:3041
380:2009
203:held
198:Date
192:Name
25:black
1637:2011
1612:2011
1588:ESPN
1575:2011
1550:2012
1463:2012
1330:649
1276:777
1191:628
1100:347
1025:349
959:403
917:209
880:753
841:104
803:476
775:him.
762:507
629:346
591:345
553:913
509:228
469:404
327:770
275:1878
235:1876
201:Days
170:The
150:The
67:and
19:The
1060:97
992:39
716:56
611:10
339:USA
291:USA
1653::
1628:.
1603:.
1566:.
1504:.
1479:.
1449:.
1376:,
1351:28
1336:,
1309:27
1286:,
1282:,
1254:26
1243:0
1213:25
1167:24
1151:25
1144:,
1119:23
1081:22
1066:,
1039:21
1006:20
973:19
940:18
923:,
896:17
861:16
847:,
822:15
782:14
741:13
722:,
695:12
679:12
648:11
597:,
515:,
437:0
430:,
386:,
337:,
333:,
295:1
289:,
285:,
247:0
189:#
1639:.
1614:.
1577:.
1552:.
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1517:.
1490:.
1465:.
1383:0
1361:2
1343:0
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1302:.
1293:3
1267:2
1225:1
1201:3
1182:1
1129:3
1110:1
1091:5
1073:0
1051:1
1031:0
1016:4
998:0
983:2
965:0
950:3
931:1
908:1
887:2
871:2
853:0
832:2
810:3
794:1
769:1
753:1
729:1
707:1
660:1
636:2
620:1
604:0
582:2
572:9
560:4
544:1
532:8
523:2
500:1
488:7
476:1
460:1
448:6
415:1
403:5
394:2
371:1
356:4
344:3
318:1
306:3
270:1
258:2
230:1
218:1
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