Sam Langford (011023)

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For 22 years Sam fought all comers. Because Jack Johnson feared him like no other, Sam never got the title shot he deserved, despite a previously unheard of offer of 6,000 English pounds by the National Sporting Club. While Johnson boxed the likes of Al Kaufmann and Tony Ross in meaningless exhibitions, Langford travelled the world beating every top notch heavyweight who would dare get in the ring with him. Had there been a Pound-for-pound category in his day, Sam Langford would have been the unanimous choice of sportswriters as Number One. Amazingly enough, he started out as a featherweight and fought his way through every division. He outboxed the great Old Master himself, Joe Gans, and fought all the great black fighters of his day many times, including meeting Harry Wills 22 times! 137-23-31 59 n.d. 99 k.o. a total of 252 recorded bouts! Even down to this day, many experts consider Sam Langford to have been the best professional ring artist of all time.

Langford stood 5' 8" tall, at his peak fighting heavyweights, tipped the scales at around 180 pounds, and had a reach of 77 inches.