Real name Harry Wills Wins 79 Height 1.88 m Stance Orthodox stance Nationality American Role Boxer Total fights 103 | Rated at Heavyweight Name Harry Wills Division Heavyweight Nickname(s) The Black Panther Wins by KO 49 Martial art Boxing | |
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Born May 15, 1889
New Orleans ( 1889-05-15 ) Died December 21, 1958, New York City, New York, United States | ||
Harry wills the black panther vs firpo madden uzcundun newsreels and dempsey
Harry Wills (May 15, 1889 – December 21, 1958) was a heavyweight boxer who three times held the World Colored Heavyweight Championship. Many boxing historians consider Wills the most egregious victim of the "color line" drawn by white heavyweight champions. Wills fought for over twenty years (1911–1932), and was ranked as the number one challenger for the throne, but was denied the opportunity to fight for the title. Of all the black contenders between the heavyweight championship reigns of Jack Johnson and Joe Louis, Wills came closest to securing a title shot.
Contents
- Harry wills the black panther vs firpo madden uzcundun newsreels and dempsey
- Paolino uzcundon vs harry wills 1927 16mm transfer
- Boxing career
- Futile attempt at a heavyweight title match
- Retirement
- References
His managers included Jim Buckley and Paddy Mullins.
Paolino uzcundon vs harry wills 1927 16mm transfer
Boxing career
Wills fought many of the top heavyweights of his era. He defeated Willie Meehan, who had decisioned Jack Dempsey, Gunboat Smith and Charley Weinart. He also fought Luis Firpo in a match that ended in No Decision. Wills faced future heavyweight champion Jack Sharkey in 1926, and was being decisively beaten when he was disqualified. The next year, Wills was knocked out by heavyweight contender Paolino Uzcudun in a bout that signalled the end of his reign as a serious title contender. His final record was 75 wins (with 47 knockouts), 9 losses and 2 draws. In 2003, he was named to the Ring Magazine's list of 100 greatest punchers of all time.
The top black fighters of Wills' era were forced to continuously fight each other, as many white fighters also drew the "color line". As a result, Wills fought the redoubtable Sam Langford 22 times. His record against Langford was 6 wins, 2 losses and 14 No Decisions, although the two losses were by knockout. He beat Langford three times for the colored heavyweight title, with Langford winning it back twice. (He was forced to vacate his third title when he fought Jack Sharkey in 1926 and was lost the bout due to a disqualification.) Wills also defeated colored heavyweight champ Sam McVey three times and fought two No Decision bouts with Joe Jeanette.
Futile attempt at a heavyweight title match
Disagreement exists among boxing historians as to whether Dempsey avoided Wills, though Dempsey claimed he was willing to fight him. When he originally won the title, however, he had said he would no longer fight Black boxers. Instead, Dempsey met Gene Tunney, and was outpointed.
The Dempsey-Tunney match was held in Philadelphia, as the bout could not be held in New York, due to litigation filed by Wills over Dempsey's breach of contract and the barring of the bout by then New York State Athletic Commissioner James Farley, an early champion of African-American equal rights.
Retirement
Wills retired from boxing in 1932, and ran a successful real estate business in Harlem, New York. He was known for his yearly fast, in which, once a year, he would subsist on water for a month. Wills admitted that his biggest regret in life was never getting the opportunity to fight Dempsey for the title. Wills was confident that he would have won such a match.
Wills died at Jewish Memorial Hospital in New York City of complications from Diabetes on December 21, 1958.