Little-Known Black History Fact: Sam Langford
(EURWEB) Canadian boxer Sam Langford developed a reputation of being one of the most hard-hitting and punishing boxers in history, though he never placed as a an American champion. In his first two years of professional boxing, Langford would defeat the great lightweight boxer, Joe Gans. His strategy was using solid jabs and straight punches. Langford had been called the “greatest fighter that nobody knows” by ESPN, and he was ranked among the 100 greatest punchers of all time. But none of those titles compared to his most famous: the Boston Bonecrusher or Boston Terror – and even the Boston Tar Baby.
Standing 5 feet, 6 inches tall, Langford was known to have unusually long arms. Once he moved up to the heavyweight division, he would defeat champions, though he never took the title. Many said that this was due to Jack Johnson’s unwillingness for a belt rematch. Johnson stated that Langford couldn’t meet his $30,000 appearance fee, but others said that Langford was Johnson’s biggest threat.
Langford fought the best in boxing: Sam McVey, Battling Jim Johnson, Joe Jeanette, Harry Wills, Barbados Joe Walcott and Philadelphia Jack O’Brien. When he was hot, Langford would walk up to his opponent in the eighth round and touch gloves with him as if the fight was over. When his opponent said, “It ain’t the last round,” Langford would answer, “’Tis for you, son.” And the moment would be followed out by a knockout.
Langford won the 1923 Mexican Heavyweight title in a “fight to the finish” match. He quit boxing three years later after he began losing his sight. After going broke, fans took up a collection in New York to help restore his sight. He died in 1926, and was memorialized in the Ring Boxing Hall of Fame and Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame.
