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John Arthur Johnson (March 31, 1878 – June 10, 1946), nicknamed the " Galveston Giant ", was an American boxer who, at the height of the Jim Crow era, became the first black world heavyweight boxing champion (1908–1915). His 1910 fight against James J. Jeffries was dubbed the "fight of the century". [4]
Jul 3, 2020 · Johnson was the first African American to hold the world heavyweight boxing title when he beat Canadian Tommy Burns in Sydney, Australia.
Jack Johnson, the original Muhammad Ali. Join Rainy Day Boxing for an in depth career tribute to arguably the baddest man of all time, the ‘Galveston Giant’, Jack Johnson. ...more
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Jun 6, 2024 · Jack Johnson (born March 31, 1878, Galveston, Texas, U.S.—died June 10, 1946, Raleigh, N.C.) was an American boxer who was the first African American to become heavyweight champion. He is considered by many boxing observers to be one of the greatest heavyweights of all time.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Feb 22, 2022 · In 1908, Texan Jack Johnson (1878–1946) defeated Canadian Tommy Burns to become the first African American world heavyweight boxing champion. Admired for quick footwork and defensive...
Apr 2, 2014 · After 15 rounds, Johnson came away victorious, affirming his domain over boxing and further angering white boxing fans who hated seeing a Black man sit atop the sport.
A White boxer defeating a Black opponent reinforced ideas about white supremacy. But if the Black man won, it would contradict ideas about white superiority. For Johnson to have the championship crown amidst imperialism, Jim Crow, and global white supremacy, boxing fans deemed it unacceptable.
