Boxing in History

Events in Sport

Events 1 - 100 of 284

  • 1681-01-06 First recorded boxing match is engineered by Christopher Monck, 2nd Duke of Albemarle; his butler vs his butcher
  • 1733-05-06 First international boxing match: Local fighter Bob Whittaker beats “The Venetian Gondolier”, Tito di Carni at James Figg's academy amphitheatre in Marylebone, London
  • 1743-08-16 Champion of England titleholder Jack Broughton publishes 'Rules of the Ring' - earliest boxing code
  • 1750-04-11 Jack Slack retains Champion of England boxing title, beats Frenchman Jean Petit in 7 rounds in Harlston, England; acknowledged as first international prize fight
  • 1751-07-29 1st international world title prize fight: Jack Stack of England, beats challenger M. Petit of France in 29 mins in England
  • 1810-12-10 English bare-knuckle boxer Tom Cribb beats African-American Tom Molineaux in 33rd of 40 round bout at Copthall Common, England; first interracial boxing match
  • 1818-10-08 Jack Broughton designed padded gloves first used in a competitive boxing match between 2 unnamed English boxers at Aix-la-Chapelle in France
  • 1841-09-09 Tom Hyer beats George McChester in 101 rounds at Caldwell's Landing, NY to become first American heavyweight boxing champion
  • 1853-10-12 John Morrissey wins boxing title, when Yankee Sullivan leaves ring after 36th round to slug Morrissey's fans

Police Halt Boxing Match

1860-04-17 Champion of England Tom Sayers and American John Heenan fight out brutal 2 hour, 27 minute draw near Farnborough, England; police stop fight acknowledged as first world title bout

  • 1863-05-05 Irish boxer Joe Coburn KOs American Mike McCoole in the 67th round in his first defense of Heavyweight C'ship of America in Charlestown, Maryland
  • 1865-01-02 Welterweight Con Orem & heavyweight Hugh O'Neill brawl for 185 rounds before darkness ends legendary bare knuckle boxing match in Virginia City, Montana
  • 1873-09-23 Tom Allen beats Mike McCale for Heavyweight Boxing title
  • 1876-03-16 Nelly Saunders & Rose Harland fight 1st female boxing match (NY)
  • 1884-07-30 Nonpareil Dempsey [John Edward Kelly] fights George Fulljames, possibly the 1st middleweight fight with boxing gloves

Heavyweight History

1885-08-29 Boxing's 1st heavyweight title fight with 3-oz gloves & 3-minute rounds fought between American boxers John L. Sullivan & Dominick McCaffrey in Cincinnati, Ohio

  • 1888-03-10 Heavyweight Boxing champ John L. Sullivan draws Charlie Mitchell in 30 rounds
  • 1888-12-22 Heavyweight boxing champ John L. Sullivan challenges Jake Kilrain
  • 1892-02-02 Longest boxing match under modern rules; 77 rounds in Nameoki, Illinois between Harry Sharpe & Frank Crosby
  • 1892-09-07 James Corbett KOs 4 to 1 favourite and defending champion John L. Sullivan in 21 rounds at the Olympic Club, New Orleans for world heavyweight boxing title; Sullivan's only defeat and his last fight

Corbett vs. Mitchell

1894-01-25 In his only successful title defense, James J Corbett KOs English champion Charley Mitchell in 3 rounds at the Duvall Athletic Club, Jacksonville, Florida for the world heavyweight boxing title

1st Boxing Match Film

1894-09-08 Employed by Thomas Edison, William K.L. Dickson films first boxing match at West Orange, New Jersey, an exhibition between world heavyweight champion James J. Corbett and Peter Courtney

Jeffries vs. Sharkey

1899-11-03 World heavyweight boxing champion James J. Jeffries retains title; beats Irishman Tom Sharkey on points in 25 rounds at Coney Island Athletic Club, Brooklyn, NYC

O'Brien vs. Fitzsimmons

1905-12-20 'Philadelphia' Jack O'Brien wins the World Light Heavyweight boxing title after defending champion Bob Fitzsimmons of England retires in round 13 of 20 in San Francisco

Boxing Title Fight

1906-02-23 Tommy Burns beats Marvin Hart in 20 for heavyweight boxing title

  • 1906-10-02 Canadian world heavyweight boxing champion Tommy Burns KOs American challenger 'Fireman' Jim Flynn in 15 rounds to retain his title in Los Angeles, California
  • 1906-11-28 Canadian Tommy Burns retains his world heavyweight boxing title after being pushed to a 20-round draw by 'Philadelphia' Jack O'Brien in Los Angeles, California
  • 1907-01-01 Joe Gans lands a devastating right to the head of Canadian challenger Kid Herman to retain his world lightweight boxing title with an 8th round knockout in Tonopah, Nevada
  • 1907-05-08 Canadian Tommy Burns retains his world heavyweight boxing title after beating 'Philadelphia' Jack O'Brien on points in 20 rounds in Los Angeles, California
  • 1907-07-04 Canadian world heavyweight boxing champion Tommy Burns KOs Bill Squires of Australia in round 1 in Colma, California, his 6th title defense
  • 1907-12-02 Canadian world heavyweight boxing champion Tommy Burns retains his title; KOs Englishman Gunner Moir in 10th round at the National Sporting Club, Covent Garden, London
  • 1907-12-07 Eugene Corri becomes 1st referee in a boxing ring
  • 1908-02-10 Canadian world heavyweight boxing champion Tommy Burns KOs Englishman Jack Palmer in round 4 in London in his 8th title defense
  • 1908-03-17 Canadian champion Tommy Burns KOs Irish challenger Jem Roche in 1:28s of the 1st round at the Theatre Royal, Dublin; then quickest world heavyweight boxing title fight
  • 1908-04-18 Canadian champion Tommy Burns KOs Jewey Smith of England in 5th round at Neuilly Bowling Palace, Paris to retain his world heavyweight boxing title
  • 1908-06-13 Canadian champion Tommy Burns KOs Bill Squires of Australia in 8th round at Neuilly Bowling Palace, Paris to retain world heavyweight boxing title
  • 1908-08-24 Canadian champion Tommy Burns KOs Bill Squires in 13th round at the Sydney Stadium, Australia to retain world heavyweight boxing title; Burns' 3rd KO of Squires
  • 1908-09-03 Canadian world heavyweight boxing champion Tommy Burns KOs Australian Bill Lang in 6 rounds in Melbourne in a warmup fight for his famous title bout with Jack Johnson

Boxing Title Fight

1909-06-30 Jack Johnson fights Tony Ross to a no decision in 6 rounds at Duquesne Gardens, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to retain his heavyweight boxing title

  • 1909-09-09 Jack Johnson retains his heavyweight boxing title when he fights Al Kaufman to a no decision in 10 rounds at Coffroth's Arena, San Francisco, California
  • 1909-10-16 In his 4th title defense Jack Johnson KOs Stanley Ketchel in the 12th round at Mission St Arena, Colma, California to retain his heavyweight boxing crown
  • 1910-07-04 "Fight of the Century": Jack Johnson beats James J. Jeffries by TKO in 15 in Reno, Nevada to retain his world heavyweight boxing title
  • 1912-02-13 Olympic boxing gold medallist Johnny Douglas takes 5/46 as England cricket team regains Ashes with an innings and 225 run 4th Test win over Australia in Melbourne
  • 1912-07-04 Jack Johnson beats "Fireman" Jim Flynn by disqualification in 9 in Las Vegas to retain world heavyweight boxing title
  • 1913-12-19 Jack Johnson fights fellow African-American Jim Johnson to a draw in 10 rounds for the vacant world heavyweight boxing title in Paris, 1st time two black fighters compete for the title
  • 1914-06-27 Defending champion Jack Johnson beats fellow American Frank Moran on points in 20 rounds in Paris, France to retain his lineal heavyweight boxing title
  • 1915-04-05 Jess Willard KOs Jack Johnson after 26 rounds to win the heavyweight boxing title in front of 25,000 fans at Oriental Park Racetrack in Havana, Cuba
  • 1916-03-25 Jess Willard fights Frank Moran to no decision in 10 for heavyweight boxing title in NYC

Dempsey KOs Miske

1920-09-06 Jack Dempsey KOs Billy Miske in 3 for heavyweight boxing title 1st radio broadcast of a prizefight

  • 1920-12-14 Jack Dempsey KOs Bill Brennan in 12 for heavyweight boxing title in NYC
  • 1921-04-11 KDKA in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania broadcasts 1st radio sporting event, a boxing match between lightweights Johnny Ray and Johnny Dundee
  • 1921-07-02 In boxing's first million dollar gate ($1.7m), world heavyweight champion Jack Dempsey KOs Frenchman Georges Carpentier in round 4 of his 3rd title defens e; crowd 91,000 at Boyle's Thirty Acres in Jersey City, New Jersey
  • 1922-05-23 Future World Heavyweight boxing champion Gene Tunney suffers his only professional defeat in 15-round unanimous points decision against Harry Greb at Madison Square Garden, NY
  • 1922-11-01 In an all-American bout, Mickey Walker upsets defending champion Jack Britton in a 15-round points decision at Madison Square Garden, NYC; wins world welterweight boxing crown
  • 1923-07-04 Jack Dempsey beats Tommy Gibbons on points over 15 hard fought rounds in Shelby, Montana to retain world heavyweight boxing title
  • 1923-09-14 In his 4th heavyweight boxing title defence Jack Dempsey recovers after being sent through the ropes to KO Argentine challenger Luis Firpo in the 2nd round at the Polo Grounds, NYC
  • 1923-10-04 Young Stribling ostensibly beats Mike McTigue on points in Columbus, Georgia for world light-heavyweight boxing title; referee Harry Ertle later calls fight a draw, claims coerced by promoters to award fight to Stribling; McTigue retains title

AL Prohibits Boxing

1923-10-19 Ban Johnson persuades AL owners to prohibit boxing in their parks

  • 1924-11-04 California legalizes professional boxing (illegal since 1914)
  • 1926-09-23 "Upset of the Decade" - Gene Tunney beats defending champion Jack Dempsey by 10-round unanimous decision at Sesquicentennial Stadium (later known as JFK Stadium), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for world heavyweight boxing title
  • 1927-09-22 "The long count" - in a famous boxing rematch, Gene Tunney beats Jack Dempsey by 10-round unanimous decision at Soldiers Field, Chicago to retain world heavyweight title; crowd 104,943; gate $2,858,660
  • 1928-07-26 In only his second and final defense of his world heavyweight boxing title, Gene Tunney scores an 11-round TKO win over Tom Heeney at Yankee Stadium, NYC

Olympic Gold

1932-02-15 As a member of gold medal winning US 4-man bobsleigh team at Lake Placid, Eddie Eagan (boxing gold Antwerp 1920) becomes only Olympian to win gold medals at both summer & winter Games in different sports

Max Schmeling vs Jack Sharkey

1932-06-21 German champion Max Schmeling loses NYSAC, NBA and lineal heavyweight boxing titles in controversial split points decision to American Jack Sharkey in NYC, New York

  • 1933-08-23 First televised boxing match — 6-round exhibition at Broadcasting House in London between middleweights Archie Sexton and Lauri Raiteri; aired by BBC-TV

Boxing Title Fight

1935-06-13 10-to-1 underdog James J. Braddock upsets defending champion Max Baer in a 15 round unanimous points decision at Madison Square Garden, NYC for the world heavyweight boxing title

Boxing Title Fight

1935-06-25 Future world heavyweight boxing champion Joe Louis moves to 20-0 with 6th round KO of former champion Primo Carnera of Italy at Yankee Stadium, NYC

  • 1935-07-02 Great Britain amateur boxing team beats United States in the first International Golden Gloves tournament in NYC, New York
  • 1937-06-22 Challenger Joe Louis KOs James J. Braddock in the 8th round at Chicago's Comiskey Park for the world heavyweight boxing title
  • 1937-08-30 Joe Louis beats Tommy Farr in 15 for heavyweight boxing title

Casey vs. Thesz

1938-02-11 Steve Casey beats Lou Thesz in Boston to win the American Wrestling Association World Heavyweight Championship

  • 1938-02-23 Joe Louis retains his world heavyweight boxing title by knocking out Nathan Mann in round 3 at Madison Square Garden, New York; second defense by Louis
  • 1938-04-01 World heavyweight boxing champion Joe Louis KOs Harry Thomas in 5th round of their title bout in Chicago; 3rd defense by Louis
  • 1938-06-22 Joe Louis scores a stunning 1st round KO of German Max Schmeling at Yankee Stadium, NYC to retain his world heavyweight boxing title
  • 1938-08-17 Henry Armstrong wins his 3rd concurrent boxing championship
  • 1939-01-25 In only the second World Heavyweight C'ship fight between two black boxers, Joe Louis KOs John Henry Lewis in 1 at Madison Square Garden, NYC
  • 1939-02-23 Lou Thesz beats Everett Marshall in St Louis, to win the National Wrestling Association World Heavyweight C'ship for a 2nd time
  • 1939-04-17 In his 6th title defense, world heavyweight boxing champion Joe Louis KOs Jack Roper in 1 at Wrigley Field, Los Angeles, California

Sports History

1939-06-01 First major boxing match on US television is the heavyweight bout from NY's Yankee Stadium between former world champion Max Baer and Lou Nova; Nova wins by TKO in 11th round

  • 1939-06-28 Joe Louis beats Tony Galento by TKO at 2:29 in round 4 at Yankee Stadium, NYC in his 7th heavyweight boxing title defense
  • 1939-09-20 Joe Louis puts Bob Pastor down 5 times before an 11th round KO at Briggs Stadium, Detroit in his 8th heavyweight boxing title defense
  • 1940-02-09 Joe Louis beats Arturo Godoy in 15 for heavyweight boxing title
  • 1940-03-29 American boxer Joe Louis KOs Johnny Paycheck in 2 rounds to retain heavyweight boxing title
  • 1940-06-20 Joe Louis TKOs Arturo Godoy in 8 for heavyweight boxing title
  • 1940-12-16 Joe Louis KOs Al McCoy in 6 for heavyweight boxing title in Chicago
  • 1941-01-31 In his 13th title defense Joe Louis KOs Red Burman in the 5th round at Madison Square Garden, New York to retain NYSAC heavyweight boxing crown
  • 1941-02-17 In his 14th title defense Joe Louis KOs Gus Dorazio in the 2nd round at the Convention Center, Philadelphia to retain NYSAC heavyweight boxing crown
  • 1941-03-21 In a hard fought 15th title defense Joe Louis KOs Abe Simon in the 13th round at Olympia Stadium, Detroit to retain NYSAC heavyweight boxing crown
  • 1941-04-08 In his 4th title defense in 9 weeks Joe Louis beats Tony Musto by TKO in the 9th round at the Arena, Saint Louis, Missouri to retain NYSAC heavyweight boxing crown
  • 1941-05-23 In his 20th World Heavyweight Boxing title defense Joe Louis knocks out Buddy Baer in round 1 at New York's Madison Square Garden
  • 1941-06-18 In his 18th world heavyweight title defence Joe Louis KOs Billy Conn in 13th round in front of a crowd of 54,487 at the Polo Grounds, NYC
  • 1941-09-29 Joe Louis TKOs Lou Nova in 6 for heavyweight boxing title
  • 1942-01-09 In his 20th title defense, Joe Louis KOs Buddy Baer in the 1st round of their rematch to retain his world heavyweight boxing title at New York’s Madison Square Garden
  • 1942-03-27 Joe Louis KOs Abe Simon in 6 to retain heavyweight boxing title (NYC)

Birthdays in Sport

  • 1704-07-05 Jack Broughton, English bare knuckle boxer (Champion of England 1736-50; published first boxing code), born in Cirencester, England (d. 1789)
  • 1843-02-12 John Graham Chambers, English athlete who wrote the Queensberry rules for boxing (d. 1883)
  • 1856-05-13 Tom O'Rourke, American boxing manager (George Dixon, Barbados Joe Walcott, George Gardner, Tom Sharkey), born in Boston, Massachusetts (d. 1938)

John L. Sullivan (1858-1918)

1858-10-15 American boxer (first heavyweight gloved champion, de facto 1882-92; last heavyweight bare-knuckle champion), born in Roxbury, Massachusetts

  • 1861-07-03 Peter Jackson, Australian heavyweight boxer (International Boxing Hall of Fame), born in Christiansted, US Virgin Islands (d. 1901)
  • 1866-03-24 Jack McAuliffe, Irish-American boxer and undefeated World Lightweight champion (1886-93), born in Cork, Ireland, United Kingdom (d. 1937)
  • 1870-01-02 Tex Rickard, American boxing promoter and entrepreneur (founder NHL New York Rangers; builder third incarnation of Madison Square Garden, NYC), born in Kansas City, Missouri (d. 1929)
  • 1874-11-25 Joe Gans, American boxer (world lightweight champion 1902–08; International Boxing HOF), born in Baltimore, Maryland (d. 1910)
  • 1876-05-26 Jack Root, Czech-American boxer (First world light heavyweight champion 1903), born in Frahelž, Bohemia, Czech Republic (d. 1963)
  • 1880-03-10 Mike Jacobs, American boxing promoter (Twentieth Century Sporting Club - Joe Louis' promoter; 3 x $1m fights), born in New York City (d. 1953)
  • 1884-02-22 Abe Attell, American boxer known as "The Little Hebrew" and World Featherweight Champion (1906-12), born in San Francisco, California (d. 1970)
  • 1887-09-14 Stanley Ketchel [The Michigan Assassin], Polish-American heavyweight boxing champion (1908-10), born in Grand Rapids, Michigan (d. 1910)
  • 1887-11-03 Nat Fleischer, American boxing writer (established Ring Magazine), born in New York City, NY (d. 1972)
  • 1889-04-18 John Kilbane, American featherweight boxer and World Featherweight Champion (1912-23), born in Cleveland, Ohio (d. 1957)
  • 1896-04-07 Benny Leonard, American boxer (world lightweight title 1917-25), born in New York City (d. 1947)
  • 1898-05-25 Gene Tunney, American boxer (world heavyweight champion 1926-30), born in New York City (d. 1978)
  • 1901-08-01 Pancho Villa [Francisco Guilledo], Filipino world boxing champion, born in Ilog, Negros Occidental, Philippine Islands (d. 1925)
  • 1907-09-26 Bep [Lambertus] van Klaveren, Dutch boxing champ (Olympic gold 1928), born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 1992)
  • 1908-01-17 Cus D'Amato, American boxing manager (d. 1985)

Max Baer (1909-1959)

1909-02-11 American heavyweight boxing champion (1934-35), born in Omaha, Nebraska

  • 1909-12-23 Barney Ross, American Welterweight Boxing Champ (1934), born in New York City (d. 1967)
  • 1911-08-09 Eddie Futch, American boxing trainer, born in Hillsboro, Mississippi (d. 2001)
  • 1912-12-22 Henry Armstrong, American boxer (world featherweight, lightweight, welterweight [19 x title defences] champion), born in Columbus, Mississippi (d. 1988)

Archie Moore (1913-1998)

1913-12-13 American light-heavyweight boxing champion (1952-60), born in Benoit, Mississippi,

Jersey Joe Walcott (1914-1994)

1914-01-31 American boxer (NYSAC, NBA, The Ring heavyweight titles 1951-52), county sheriff, and state athletic commissioner, born in Merchantville, New Jersey

Joe Louis (1914-1981)

1914-05-13 American boxer (world heavyweight champion 1937-49), born in Lafayette, Alabama

  • 1915-02-22 Gus Lesnevich, American light heavyweight boxing champ (1947 fighter of year), born in Cliffside Park, New Jersey (d. 1964)
  • 1920-04-09 F. Don Miller, American sports executive (executive director USOC 1973-85; President US Olympic Foundation 1985-96), born in Racine, Wisconsin (d. 1996)

Ezzard Charles (1921-1975)

1921-07-07 American world heavyweight boxing champion (1949-51), born in Lawrenceville, Georgia

  • 1921-08-30 Angelo Dundee, American boxing trainer and cornerman (Muhammad Ali 1960–81 & 15 other world boxing champions), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 2012)
  • 1922-05-28 Lou Duva, American boxing trainer, born in New York City (d. 2017)
  • 1923-10-12 Goody Petronelli, American boxing trainer and manager, born in Brockton, Massachusetts (d. 2012)
  • 1926-05-04 Pascual Pérez, Argentine boxer (World flyweight champion 1954-60; Olympic gold Flyweight 1948), born in Mendoza, Argentina (d. 1977)
  • 1927-01-28 Don Fraser, American boxing promoter (LA venues; Sugar Ray Robinson, Ruben Olivares, George Foreman; known for colourful wardrobe, offbeat PR gimmicks), born in Blythe, California (d. 2019)
  • 1927-04-13 George Washington, American boxing trainer (Riddick Bowe and Mark Breland), born in Birmingham, Alabama (d. 2006)
  • 1927-08-15 Wesley Mouzon, American boxing trainer (Roy Jones Jr., Dwight Muhammad Qawi), born in Kingstree, South Carolina (d. 2003)
  • 1927-12-08 Ferdie Pacheco, American physician (cornerman for Mohammad Ali) and boxing analyst (NBC, Showtime), born in Tampa, Florida (d. 2017)
  • 1928-06-05 Don Chargin, American boxing promoter (IBHOF; Bobby Chacon, Tony "The Tiger" Lopez, Loreto Garza), born in Santa Clara, California (d. 2018)
  • 1930-12-04 Lorraine Chargin, American boxing promoter (Bobby Chacon, Tony "The Tiger" Lopez, Loreto Garza), born in New Haven, Connecticut (d. 2010)
  • 1931-02-11 Larry Merchant, American boxing author and analyst (International Boxing Hall of Fame; HBO, Showtime), born in Brooklyn, New York
  • 1931-08-20 Don King, American boxing promoter best known for his association with Mike Tyson and for his unusual hairstyles, born in Cleveland, Ohio

Ingemar Johansson (1932-2009)

1932-09-22 Swedish world heavyweight boxing champion, born in Gothenburg, Sweden

  • 1934-03-14 Mogens Palle, Danish boxing promoter (International Boxing Hall of Fame 2008) and manager (European manager Sonny Liston), born in Copenhagen, Denmark (d. 2022)
  • 1936-03-26 Éder Jofre, Brazilian boxer (WBA, WBC & The Ring Bantamweight, WBC Featherweight titles; International Boxing HOF), born in São Paulo, Brazil (d. 2022)
  • 1936-05-09 Terry Downes, British middleweight boxing champion (1961-62), born in London (d. 2017)
  • 1937-11-12 Mills Lane, American boxing referee (Evander Holyfield vs. Mike Tyson II 1997; International Boxing HOF) and television personality ('Judge Mills Lane'), born in Savannah, Georgia (d. 2022)
  • 1939-06-08 Bob Goodman, American International Boxing HOF promoter (VP & Matchmaker Madison Square Garden 1985-94; Don King Productions; Garden State Boxing), born in New York City (d. 2023)
  • 1940-01-26 Harold Lederman, American boxing judge, analyst (HBO), born in New York City (d. 2019)
  • 1940-02-24 Jimmy Ellis, American boxer (WBA heavyweight title 1968-70), born in Louisville, Kentucky, (d. 2014)

Ken Norton (1943-2013)

1943-08-09 American boxer (WBC heavyweight champion 1978; famous Muhammad Ali trilogy; International Boxing HOF), born in Jacksonville, Illinois

  • 1944-04-02 Bob Sheridan, American boxing and MMA broadcaster (WGBS "Rumble in the Jungle", "Thrilla in Manila"; bodogFIGHT), born in Boston, Massachusetts (d. 2023)
  • 1947-11-16 Ebby Thust, German boxing promoter and writer, born in Frankfurt-Sossenheim, Germany
  • 1948-10-06 Tim Pickup, Australian rugby league five eighth (11 Tests; North Sydney, Canterbury), RL executive (Adelaide Rams) and boxing manager (Jeff Harding), born in Sydney, Australia (d. 2021)
  • 1949-08-09 Brie Howard-Darling, American musician (Boxing Gandhis; Fanny), artist and cake designer, born in Stockton, California
  • 1949-10-03 Dan Goossen, American boxing promoter (Michael Nunn, Terry Norris, James Toney), born in Los Angeles, California (d. 2014)
  • 1950-08-15 Steve Smoger, American boxing referee (200+ title bouts; International Boxing HOF), born in Norfolk, Virginia (d. 2022)
  • 1951-11-07 Dan Duva, American boxing promoter and producer (Howard Stern New Years Party), born in Paterson, New Jersey (d. 1996)

Leon Spinks (1953-2021)

1953-07-11 American boxer (WBC, WBA heavyweight champion 1978; Olympic gold light heavyweight 1976), born in St. Louis, Missouri

  • 1955-10-20 Aaron Pryor, American welterweight boxing champion, born in Cincinnati, Ohio (d. 2016)
  • 1956-07-29 Teddy Atlas, American boxing trainer and commentator
  • 1957-02-15 Steve Farhood, American boxing historian and analyst
  • 1960-04-22 Lloyd Honeyghan, British boxer (undisputed world welterweight champion 1986-87; W 43, L 5), born in Saint Elizabeth, Jamaica
  • 1960-05-17 Lou DiBella, American boxing promoter
  • 1966-05-03 M-16 [Ernest Mateen], American cruiserweight boxing champion, born in Brooklyn, New York (d. 2012)

Riddick Bowe (56 years old)

1967-08-10 American heavyweight boxing champion (Olympic silver 1988), born in Brooklyn, New York

Michael Moorer (56 years old)

1967-11-12 American boxing heavyweight champ (defeated Holyfield-1994), born in Brooklyn, New York

  • 1970-10-25 Peter Aerts, Dutch kickboxer and martial artist (International Kick Boxing Federation's Heavyweight C'ship 1990; 3 x K-1 World Grand Prix), born in Eindhoven, Netherlands
  • 1972-03-23 Joe Calzaghe, Welsh boxer, (unified & lineal world super-middleweight title 2007; Ring magazine light-heavyweight title 2008), born in Hammersmith, London, England

Weddings in Sport

Jack Dempsey

1916-10-09 Heavyweight boxing champ Jack Dempsey (21) weds Maxine Gates in Farmington, Utah

  • 1925-02-07 Heavyweight boxing champ Jack Dempsey (29) weds actress Estelle Taylor (30)
  • 1933-07-18 American heavyweight boxing champ Jack Dempsey (38) weds American Broadway singer and actress Hannah Williams (22); divorce in 1943

Sugar Ray Robinson

1944-05-29 Boxing champion Sugar Ray Robinson (23) weds Edna Mae Holly

Rocky Marciano

1950-12-31 World heavyweight boxing champion Rocky Marciano (27) weds Barbara Cousins in Brockton, Massachusetts

Archie Moore

1956-08-21 Boxing champ Archie Moore (42) weds model Joan Hardy in Ensenada, Mexico

Sonny Liston

1957-09-03 Future world heavyweight boxing champion Sonny Liston (27) weds Geraldine Clark in St. Louis, Missouri

Muhammad Ali

1986-11-19 Hall of Fame boxing champ Muhammad Ali (44) weds Yolanda Williams

Mike Tyson & Robin Givens

1988-02-07 Heavyweight boxing champ Mike Tyson marries actress Robin Givens


Divorces in Sport

Jack Dempsey

1919-04-02 American world heavyweight boxing champion Jack Dempsey (23) divorces Maxine Gates after 2 years of marriage

  • 1943-07-07 Heavyweight boxing champ Jack Dempsey (48) divorces broadway singer Hannah Williams (32) after 10 years of marriage

Deaths in Sport

  • 1789-01-08 Jack Broughton, English bare knuckle boxer (Champion of England 1736-50; published first boxing code), dies at 85
  • 1833-06-02 Simon Byrne, Irish bare-knuckle boxer (Irish heavyweight champion), dies as a result of boxing match injuries at 27
  • 1901-07-13 Peter Jackson, Australian heavyweight boxer (International Boxing Hall of Fame), dies from tuberculosis at 40
  • 1910-08-10 Joe Gans, American boxer (world lightweight champion 1902–08; International Boxing HOF), dies of tuberculosis at 35
  • 1910-10-15 Stanley Ketchel [The Michigan Assassin], Polish-American heavyweight boxing champion (1908-10), murdered at a ranch in Missouri at 24

John L. Sullivan (1858-1918)

1918-02-02 American boxer (first heavyweight gloved champion, de facto 1882-92; last heavyweight bare-knuckle champion), dies at 59

  • 1925-07-14 Pancho Villa [Francisco Guilledo], Filipino world boxing champion, dies at 23
  • 1929-01-06 Tex Rickard, American boxing promoter and entrepreneur (founder NHL New York Rangers; builder third incarnation of Madison Square Garden, NYC), dies of complications from an appendectomy at 59
  • 1936-06-19 Tom O'Rourke, American boxing manager (George Dixon, Barbados Joe Walcott, George Gardner, Tom Sharkey), dies at 80

Jack Johnson (1878-1946)

1946-06-10 American boxer (1st African-American world heavyweight champion 1908-15), dies in a car accident aged 68

  • 1947-04-18 Benny Leonard, American boxer (world lightweight title 1917-25), dies from a heart attack at 51
  • 1953-01-24 Mike Jacobs, American boxing promoter (Twentieth Century Sporting Club - Joe Louis' promoter; 3 x $1m fights), dies at 72
  • 1954-11-22 Roderick McMahon, Professional Wrestling/Boxing Booker (b. 1882)

Max Baer (1909-1959)

1959-11-21 American heavyweight boxing champion (1934-35), dies of a heart attack at 50

  • 1964-02-28 Gus Lesnevich, American light heavyweight boxing champ (1947 fighter of year), dies at 49
  • 1967-01-17 Barney Ross, American welterweight Boxing Champ (1934), dies at 57
  • 1968-12-15 Jess Willard, American boxer (World heavyweight champion 1915-19), dies from heart failure at 86
  • 1972-06-25 Nat Fleischer, American boxing writer (established Ring Magazine), dies at 84

Ezzard Charles (1921-1975)

1975-05-27 American world heavyweight boxing champion (1949-51), dies of ALS at 53

  • 1978-11-07 Gene Tunney, American boxer (world heavyweight champion 1926-28), dies at 80

Joe Louis (1914-1981)

1981-04-12 American boxer (world heavyweight champion 1937-49), dies of cardiac arrest at 66

  • 1992-02-12 Bep [Lambertus] van Klaveren, Dutch boxing champ (Olympic gold 1928), dies

Jersey Joe Walcott (1914-1994)

1994-02-25 American boxer (NYSAC, NBA, The Ring heavyweight titles 1951-52), county sheriff, and state athletic commissioner, dies at 80

  • 1994-07-24 Wangila Napunyi, Kenyan welterweight boxer (Olympic gold 1988), dies after a boxing match at 26
  • 2003-07-01 Wesley Mouzon, American boxing trainer (Roy Jones Jr., Dwight Muhammad Qawi), dies of kidney cancer at 75

Ken Norton (1943-2013)

2013-09-18 American boxer (WBC heavyweight champion 1978; famous Muhammad Ali trilogy; International Boxing HOF), dies at 70

  • 2014-09-29 Dan Goossen, American boxing promoter (Michael Nunn, Terry Norris, James Toney), dies of liver cancer at 64
  • 2016-10-09 Aaron Pryor, American welterweight boxing champion, dies of heart disease at 60
  • 2017-10-06 Terry Downes, British middleweight boxing champion (1961-62), dies at 81
  • 2017-11-16 Ferdie Pacheco, American physician (cornerman for Mohammad Ali) and boxing analyst (NBC, Showtime), dies at 89
  • 2018-09-28 Don Chargin, American boxing promoter (IBHOF; Bobby Chacon, Tony "The Tiger" Lopez, Loreto Garza), dies from brain cancer at 90
  • 2019-05-11 Harold Lederman, American boxing judge & analyst (HBO), dies of cancer at 79
  • 2019-10-30 Don Fraser, American boxing promoter (LA venues; Sugar Ray Robinson, Ruben Olivares, George Foreman; known for colourful wardrobe, offbeat PR gimmicks), dies at 92
  • 2020-07-24 Naazim Richardson, American boxing trainer (Bernard Hopkins, "Sugar" Shane Mosley), dies of stroke complications at 55
  • 2021-06-07 Tim Pickup, Australian rugby league five eighth (11 Tests; North Sydney, Canterbury), RL executive (Adelaide Rams) and boxing manager (Jeff Harding), dies from dementia at 72
  • 2022-08-27 Mogens Palle, Danish boxing promoter (International Boxing Hall of Fame 2008) and manager (European manager Sonny Liston), dies at 88
  • 2022-10-02 Éder Jofre, Brazilian boxer (WBA, WBC & The Ring Bantamweight, WBC Featherweight titles; International Boxing HOF), dies from chronic traumatic encephalopathy at 86
  • 2022-12-06 Mills Lane, American boxing referee (Evander Holyfield vs. Mike Tyson II 1997; International Boxing HOF) and television personality ('Judge Mills Lane'), dies at 85
  • 2022-12-19 Steve Smoger, American boxing referee (200+ title bouts; International Boxing HOF), dies at 72
  • 2023-03-05 Bob Goodman, American International Boxing HOF promoter (VP & Matchmaker Madison Square Garden 1985-94; Don King Productions; Garden State Boxing), dies at 83
  • 2023-09-27 Bob Sheridan, American boxing and MMA broadcaster (WGBS "Rumble in the Jungle", "Thrilla in Manila"; bodogFIGHT), dies at 79
  • 2024-01-02 Cameron Dunkin, American boxing manager (Diego Corrales, Terence Crawford, Johnny Tapia, Kelly Pavlik, Timothy Bradley, Mikey Garcia), dies of pancreatic cancer at 67