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Michael Carter Sports Editor The rise of Jack Johnson In 1910, Jack Johnson sat atop the highest pillar of pugilism. Crashing the color barrier, he was the first black heavyweight boxing champion. Though beloved by many blacks and some whites, he was hated by those who considered him a threat to the establishment of racial and class division; thus sparking desire to find a "Great White Hope" to return the pinnacle of boxing glory back to the Caucasians.
In 1897, Johnson turned pro, knocking out his first opponent. During a boxing match in 1901, he and his opponent were arrested - fighting was illegal in Texas at that time. While in jail, his foe taught him the science of the ring, and when Johnson was released, he took his new skills away from Galveston for good. In 1903, he defeated Denver Ed Martin for the black heavyweight title and stood out as a contender by knocking out the former champion, Bob Fitzsimmons. Boxing politics would foil Johnson's initial attempts to fight the top heavyweights. Although mingling with races was tolerated in boxing at first, the sport became increasingly segregated. White fighters and their managers avoided black boxers. As in other sports, a so-called "Negro Circuit" was developed. Ring champions of the day rarely, if ever, fought against black fighters due to the symbolism and prestige associated with the heavyweight title. There was pressure to keep the championship white. The unwritten policy came to a crashing halt when Johnson destroyed then-champion Tommy Burns to claim the heavyweight title. Many whites pinned their hopes on middleweight kingpin Stanley Ketchel. In their historic battle, Johnson battered his lighter challenger from one end of the ring to the other. In the later rounds, Ketchel surprised everyone when he floored Johnson with one punch. Enraged, Jack staggered to his feet and landed a barrage of blows that left the middleweight champ unconscious for nearly 10 minutes. As Ketchel received the 10 count, Johnson nonchalantly wiped away two of his opponent's teeth which had stuck into his fighting mitts. Jack Johnson's anti-establishment attitude raised many an eyebrow. He drove fast cars, lived the high life and married a white woman. As the heavyweight champion, he aggravated racial tensions in America, and after his victory over Ketchel the boxing community began searching for a "Great White Hope." The 'Great White Hope' and beyond In a search for the man who could take the title away from Johnson, it was decided that Jim Jeffries, the former undefeated champion, would have the best shot at beating the Galveston native. While negotiating the condition under which to accept the fight, Jeffries said that he was responding to "that portion of the white race that has been looking to me to defend its athletic superiority." The fight date was set for July 4, 1910, in Reno, Nevada. During the fight, Johnson, using his complete mastery of the sport, dissected "The Great White Hope" for 14 rounds. After dishing out a severe beating, the champion decided to halt the one-sided affair and drove home three mammoth shots, sending Jeffries to the canvas for the first time in his career. After knocking his man down several more times, the fight was stopped when Jeffries' corner man threw a sponge into the ring, saving the former champion from a further mauling. The crowd was stunned and maintained a strange funereal-like silence. Across the country, rioting broke out over the result of the bout, as whites against blacks who were celebrating the victory.
What Johnson meant to boxing After retiring from competitive boxing and serving a light prison term upon returning to the United States, Johnson worked as a business man, wrote and appeared in exhibitions. Although his career was over, his presence left a clear message that black boxers were in the sport for good. Upon receiving his racial hazing from the whites at the turn of the century, he made it easier for other black boxers. Jack Johnson pioneered the way for future generations, including Joe Lewis, Archie Moore, Ezzard Charles, Sandy Saddler, Dick Tiger, Sugar Ray Robinson, Muhammad Ali and countless others. Although his name is largely unheard of today, Jack Johnson was a warrior in and out of the ring whose impact has been felt for nearly 100 years. For more information on Jack Johnson and other boxing greats, read Nat Fleischer and Sam Collins' book, "An Illustrated History of Boxing." © 2003 Shoreline Community College™ |
