Jolson offered boxer Petey Sarron $15,000 to defend his featherweight title against Armstrong, and the two boxers met on October 29, 1937, at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Nonetheless, Armstrong had achieved his goal, becoming simultaneously the undisputed champion of the featherweight, lightweight, and welterweight divisions. December 12, 1912October 22, 1988 Born in Columbus, Mississippi, on December 12, 1912, boxer Henry Armstrong became the featherweight, welterweight and lightweight world champion in 1938. One of the first inductees when the Boxing Hall of Fame opened in 1954, Henry Armstrong is considered one of the top three boxers of all time. All records listed on our website are current and up-to-date. Professional Boxer. He was the son of Henry Jackson Sr., a sharecropper of African American descent and America Jackson, said to be a "full-blooded" Iroquois. Armstrong retired from the ring in 1945. We encourage you to research and examine these records to determine their accuracy. A few notable opponents of that year include Ritchie Fontaine, Baby Arizmendi, former world champion Juan Zurita, and Mike Belloise. Refer to each styles convention regarding the best way to format page numbers and retrieval dates. Armstrong lost the fight via 10 round PTS. He quit his job working for the Missouri-Pacific Railroad, figuring he could make his fortune fighting for pay. Referee Arthur Donovan took five rounds away from Armstrong for low blows. var navclassicover = new Image(); Two years later he was ordained as a Baptist minister at Morning Star Baptist Church. Armstrong had 22 losses. While successfully defending this welterweight title, Armstrong was also featherweight world champion and defeated Lou Ambers to become world lightweight champion. Houghton Mifflin Company, 1995. December 5, 1938: Armstrong successfully defends the NBA and The Ring welterweight titles against Al Manfredo, winning the fight via 3rd round TKO. Early in his career, he fought some fights under the ring name Melody Jackson. Joe Frazier had many moments in boxing history. Henry Armstrong, original name Henry Jackson, (born December 12, 1912, Columbus, Mississippi, U.S.died October 24, 1988, Los Angeles, California), American boxer, the only professional boxer to hold world championship titles in three weight divisions simultaneously. Encyclopedia of World Biography. He won 14 fights before bypassing the lightweight title and challenging welterweight champion Barney Ross for his crown on May 31, 1938. Armstrong sought to become the first boxer to win world titles in four different categories in a rematch with Garcia, already the World Middleweight Champion, but the fight ended in a ten-round draw. Omissions? Al Weill, Ambers' manager, was suspended four months for his unsportsmanlike behavior. Henry Armstrong (1912-1988) became the first boxer in history to hold world titles in three separate weight classes at the same time. Professional boxer, entertainer, businessman Background. When Cox sold his contract on Armstrong to Wirt Ross in 1932 for $250, Armstrong entered the professional ranks to stay. Info Share. Henry Irwin Armstrong. "I carried him the last four rounds," Armstrong said. Two local boxers fighting in inaugural Henry Armstrong Boxing Classic, The event will be held in Columbus on Saturday, Former wrestler tied to TANF scandal pleads guilty to conspiracy in federal court, 42K Mississippians without power after strong winds cause outages, JPD investigating after vehicle riddled with bullets on Maria Drive, Caver Ks 10, JSU baseball run-rules rival Alcorn State for 7th straight win, JSU footballs Blue and White game receives date, Tougaloo College to play Texas A&M Texarkana in first round of NAIA championship, Request a First Alert Weather School Visit. He died of heart failure on October 22, 1988 in Los Angeles. The fight lasted 15 rounds. navpostcardover.src = "/i/sportscentury/nav_postcard_over.gif"; With his aggressive attitude and incessant windmill style, he was all over opponents, as evidenced by his 101 knockouts and his nickname of Homicide Hank. [citation needed], In 1945, Armstrong retired from boxing. We encourage you to research and examine these records to determine their accuracy. His attempt to regain the welterweight championship on January 17, 1941, resulted in his knockout in the 12th round by Zivic. . Encyclopedia of World Biography. His mother, America, was half-Cherokee Indian. Soon after his fight with Ambers, Armstrong, unable to meet the 126-pound limit, relinquished his featherweight title. Then, copy and paste the text into your bibliography or works cited list. Armstrong first married in 1934. What makes a Guinness World Records title? [10] Armstrong was given his first world title fight, for the title in the 126-pound weight class against World Featherweight Champion Petey Sarron at Madison Square Garden. His next fight was four days later, and he won a six-round decision. It was one of only two knockouts Armstrong would suffer in his career. edited by Melanie Parry, Larousse Kingfisher Chambers Inc., 1997. Name: Henry Armstrong Alias: Homicide Hank Birth Name: Henry Jackson Hometown: Los Angeles, California, USA Birthplace: Columbus, Mississippi, USA Died: 1988-10-23 (Age:78) Stance: Orthodox Height: 166cm Reach: 170cm Promoter: Record Referee: Record Pro Boxer: Record Amateur Boxer: Record Research genealogy for Henry Armstrong of Newcastle Upon Tyne, Northumberland, England, as well as other members of the Armstrong family, on Ancestry. Two boxers from the Pearl Boxing Club will be fighting in the event: Chown Chop Chop Sims, and Keshaun Big Baby Davis. See an An Overview of Records at the National Archives Relating to Military . Over the course of his career, Armstrong earned more than $1 million. Chambers Biographical Dictionary. The event is named after the late Mississippi boxer, Henry Armstrong, who, in 1938, became the first boxer to ever hold three world titles at the same time. Ambers had Armstrong spitting blood from a torn bottom lip, and he cut the challenger's eyes as well. Henry Armstrong, born Henry Jackson, decided to become a boxer after reading in a St. Louis newspaper that Kid Chocolate had beaten Al Singer at the Polo Grounds in New York and was paid a purse of $75,000. Lightweight, Featherweight - in a period when only eight weight divisions Henry Armstrong is a boxer from Mississippi and a world phenomenon in boxing. ", Ten weeks later, Armstrong's fight with Ambers was a war. Hes fighting on the card, and he was the first person in Mississippi to win a title [since 1988], Higginbottom said. Armstrong's mother died of consumption in 1918, leaving the six-year-old under the care of his paternal grandmother. Ill prepared and undernourished, Armstrong lost his first professional fight by a knockout. Alternate titles: Henry Jackson, Melody Jackson. Henry Armstrong. Historical Person Search Search Search Results Results Henry Irwin Armstrong (1850 - 1935) Try FREE for 14 days Try FREE for 14 days. Continue with Recommended Cookies, The most consecutive boxing world welterweight title defences is 18 by Henry Armstrong (USA) from 25 November 1938 to 23 September 1940.Advertisementsif(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'guinnessworldrecords_com-box-3','ezslot_2',108,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-guinnessworldrecords_com-box-3-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'guinnessworldrecords_com-box-3','ezslot_3',108,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-guinnessworldrecords_com-box-3-0_1');.box-3-multi-108{border:none!important;display:block!important;float:none!important;line-height:0;margin-bottom:7px!important;margin-left:auto!important;margin-right:auto!important;margin-top:7px!important;max-width:100%!important;min-height:50px;padding-bottom:20px!important;padding-top:20px!important;text-align:center!important}. Hickok, Ralph. While he was certainly a formidable boxer, he hadn't yet established himself as one of the all-time greats. navcontributeover.src = "/i/sportscentury/nav_contribute_over.gif"; He had fulfilled his goal -- he reigned as champion over three divisions. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990. Armstrong made his debut against Al Lovino at the age of 18 on July 27, 1931, losing to Lovino via 3rd round KO. Copyright 2023 WLBT. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Henry W. "Harry" Armstrong (July 22, 1879 - February 28, 1951). var navathletesover = new Image(); On March 1, 1940, Armstrong attempted to win from Ceferino Garcia the New York State version of the middleweight (160-pound) title, which was then in dispute, but the decision was a draw, permitting Garcia to retain the championship. "If you spit any more blood on that floor," referee Billy Cavanaugh told Armstrong, "I'm going to stop this fight.". (WLBT) - The inaugural Henry Armstrong Boxing Classic will be held in Columbus on Saturday. He graduated as an honor student from Vashon High School in St. Louis[9] Later he took the surname Armstrong as his fighting name. On November 25, 1938 Henry Armstrong defeated Filipino boxer Ceferino Garcia via 15 round unanimous decision. Floyd Patterson was born on January 4, 1935 in Waco, North Carolinathe third of 11 children. Facing Arizmendi once more in August 1936, Armstrong secured his first title as the new featherweight champion, beating Arizmendi so badly that he was forced to take six months off. In 1936, entertainer Al Jolson and actor George Raft underwrote the purchase of Armstrong's managerial contract from Edward Mead.Armstrong knocked out Petey Sarron in six rounds in 1937 to win the World Featherweight Championship, and was named "The Ring Fighter of the Year in 1937. Star Info Other Info Madison Square Garden Bowl, Long Island City, Queens, California-Mexico World Featherweight Title. He graduated as an honor student from Vashon High School in St. Louis Later he took the surname Armstrong as his fighting name.Armstrong began his professional career on July 28, 1931, in a fight with Al Iovino, in which Armstrong was knocked out in three rounds. Armstrong defended the World Welterweight Championship a division record 19 times. On March 1, 1940, in Los Angeles, Armstrong sought to become the first-ever four-division champion when he attempted to wrest the middleweight crown from Ceferino Garcia, whom he had decisioned in a welterweight defense in 1938. PEARL, Miss. Armstrong had a 151-21-9 record in his 15-year professional career. Aldo Spoldi was the only opponent to take him the full 10 rounds. Skip Ancestry main menu Main Menu. The Ring magazine named him Fighter of the Year in 1937. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. "Henry Armstrong Please be sure to subscribe! Upon his return, he became a boxing manager for a time, but his increasing use of alcohol led to his arrest in Los Angeles. Of his total 151 wins, 100 of them were via KO (66.2%). 60% MARRIED 60% of these people are married, and 40% are single. He also taught young fighters how to box. March 4, 1939: Armstrong successfully defends the NBA and The Ring welterweight titles against Bobby Pacho, winning the fight via 4th round TKO. He became a born-again Christian and an ordained Baptist minister and youth advocate, helping to run the Herbert Hoover Boys Club. For United States nationwide collections, go to the United States Online Genealogy Records page. navclassiccold.src = "/i/sportscentury/nav_classic_cold.gif"; Other honors include his being ranked 2nd on "The Ring's 2002 list of the 80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years." The Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA) named him Fighter of the Year in 1940. Pulled from our recent Q\u0026A with Teddy Atlas, Teddy shares why Henry Armstrong is the greatest boxer of all time. Therefore, that information is unavailable for most Encyclopedia.com content. Desiring to help at-risk youth, he created the Henry Armstrong Youth Foundation and funded the organization from the profits of two books he wrote: Twenty Years of Poem, Moods, and Mediations (1954) and his autobiography, Gloves, Glory, and God (1956). Armstrong worked on his athletic abilities, often running the eight miles to school. ." The Ring, a boxing magazine, named Armstrong Boxer of the Year for 1938. Within the Cite this article tool, pick a style to see how all available information looks when formatted according to that style. Henry Armstrong. navgalleryover.src = "/i/sportscentury/nav_gallery_over.gif"; He became known for his whirlwind combination of constant movement and knockout punches, earning him numerous new nicknames, including Homicide Hank, Perpetual Motion, and Hurricane Henry. Later a fellow member of the three division champions' club, Ross was then World Welterweight Champion. Fritzie Zivic, a veteran journeyman best known for questionable tactics, worked Armstrong's eyes, which were scarred and vulnerable to cutting, and took a unanimous decision. Upon meeting fight manager Tom Cox at a local gym, Armstrong introduced himself as Harry Armstrong's brother, after which he became known by the name Henry Armstrong. Henry Jackson was born in Columbus, MS. We collect and match historical records that Ancestry users have contributed to their family trees to create each person's profile. Herb Goldman ranked Armstrong as the #4 All-Time Lightweight; He was inducted into the Ring Boxing In the same year, he fought for an unprecedented fourth title in the middleweight division, but lost to Ceferina Garcia in a controversial decision. When the promoters postponed the bout for 10 days, Armstrong accepted Joe Louis's invitation to train at Pompton Lakes, New Jersey, with Louis paying for all expenses. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF) in 1990. After 152 victories in 14 years, Armstrong retired in 1945. December 11, 1939: Armstrong successfully defends the NBA and The Ring welterweight titles against Jimmy Garrison, winning the fight via 7th round KO. When Sims won the title in 20, he was the first Mississippi boxer to hold a title in more than 30 years, according to his coach, Bombay Higginbottom. Small in stature, he was often the target for teasing. Taking the name Melody Jackson, Armstrong won his first amateur fight at the St. Louis Coliseum in 1929, by a knockout in the second round. Early in his career, he boxed under Melody Jackson. His 1905 song "Nellie Dean" became the signature song of the British music hall singer Gertie Gitana , and a popular British pub song. October 13, 1939: Armstrong successfully defends the NBA and The Ring welterweight titles against Howard Scott, winning the fight via 2nd round KO. Want more WLBT news in your inbox? In the days when there were only 8 weight classes, Henry Armstrong held championship belts in three of them at the same time. Garcia was recognized as champion only by New York and California. Hall of Fame in 1954 and the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990. His first title came in 1937 when he wrested the Featherweight Championship from Petey Sarron via 6th round. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. Armstrong's purses had totaled between $500,000 and $1 million, but most of the money was gone when the Hall of Famer retired at age 32. Although Armstrong was outweighed by at least 15 pounds by Ross, he dominated their fight in Madison Square Garden, pounding the champion unmercifully for 11 rounds. First of all, Ive got to thank Pearl Boxing Club, because without them this wouldnt be the possible or without God.. Henry Armstrong had a total of 22 losses in his professional boxing career three of them in title bouts and 19 in non-title bouts. The Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA) named him Fighter of the Year in 1940. Of 26 title fights, Armstrong won all but four (three losses and a draw). } In 1943, Armstrong lost a 10-round decision to an up-and-coming Sugar Ray Robinson, who had idolized the three-division champion. https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/henry-armstrong, "Henry Armstrong He was the son of Henry Jackson Sr., a sharecropper of African American descent and America Jackson, said to be a "full-blooded" Iroquois. Armstrong dedicated the next two years to defending the welterweight crown, beating, among others, Ceferino Garcia, a future World Middleweight Champion, and Bobby Pacho. Armstrong was dynamite in a small A few notable opponents of that year include Ritchie Fontaine, Baby Arizmendi, former world champion Juan Zurita, and Mike Belloise. Securing a contract with Cox for three dollars, he had almost 100 amateur fights, in which he won more than half by knockout and lost none. His father, also named Henry, was a mix of Indian, Irish and black blood. "Henry Jackson," Contemporary Authors Online, Gale Research, 1999. http://www.galenet.com(December 13, 2000). He gained fame in 1938 when he reigned as featherweight, lightweight and welterweight champion. Despite losing three rounds on fouls, having both eyes cut and swollen, and needing 37 stitches later to close the wound inside his mouth, Armstrong won a split decision. May 31, 1938: Armstrong wins the NBA and The Ring welterweight titles from Barney Ross, by beating Ross via 15 round unanimous decision. Reading that a boxer named Kid Chocolate received $75,000 for one bout, Armstrong quickly abandoned his railroad job to pursue a career as a boxer. Encyclopedia.com. ESPN ranked Armstrong as number 3 on their list of the 50 greatest boxers of all time. he had 72 victories on his ring record. After he retired, Armstrong overcame alcoholism. After taking 16 months off, he came back and stayed around until 1945, fighting 49 times although he had lost most of his skill. He was 27-0 with 26 knockouts in 1937, 14-0 with 10 knockouts in 1938, and 59-1-1 with 51 knockouts from December 1936 to October 1940. Henry Armstrong's professional boxing career spanned more than 13 years from 1931 to 1945. Armstrong, however, displayed no interest in fulfilling these wishes. edited by David Crystal, Second edition. We encourage you to research and examine these records to determine their accuracy. A Who's Who of Sports Champions: Their Stories and Records. Click here to subscribe to our newsletter. The 23-year-old boxer was raised in Pearl, but is from Columbus. Robinson, Sugar Ray 19211989 When Ross demanded the full amount as publicized, entertainer George Raft put up the additional funds and became the third member of Armstrong's management team.
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