Did Johnson Fight Langford Twice?

[Russell]

I picked up a Boxing Encylopedia yesterday from a local antiques/consignment place and there's a lot of interesting tidbits in this almost 40 year old book.

It's funny how much is lost to time in boxing. As the men who were there die, so do their stories, their knowledge. A book from just 40 years ago has multiple references to things I never knew about, had never heard about. Hence why we're still digging up newspaper clipping from 1900 and before. Really, what else do we have?

Okay, the actual paragraph.

"The 220 pound, catfooted John Artur Johnson came about as close to being an unbeatable fighter as ever lived. Once on the same night, he met and walloped two tough punches, Joe Jeanette and Walter Johnson. Twice within 10 days he met the great Sam Langford and both times left Langford hanging on the ropes, limp and bloody. The so called "white hopes" fell apart when he struck - Fireman Jim Flynn with a cracked jaw, Bob Fitzsimmons glassy-eyed, Stanley Ketchel talking to himself and old Jim Jeffries, never before on the floor, blinding appealing to his cornermen to come rescue him.

In 1921, at the age of forty four, Johnson boxed the ears off of Luis Angel Firpo, 25, in two rounds and had him hanging. At almost fifty, he went 15 rounds with Pat Lester, a good heavyweight.

Jack Dempsey also said that he was the greatest punch catcher of all time, a combination of Jim Corbett and Joe Louis. That he was glad he didn't have to fight him. Said the same thing about Langford as well.

Now I knew about Johnson's constant exhibitions decades past his best, but I only knew of one 15 round match with a youngish Langford. Thoughts?

[dmt]

i think they only fought once. Not sure if they fought twice

Regardless Johnson refused to fight Langford between 1908-1915 and theres no question about it.

[Russell]

He refused to fight all black because it wasn't a money maker for him. You're aware he basically fought all of the most dangerous black fighters in the world during the early part of his career and just how money motivated a man Johnson was, right?

[janitor]

I know they fought an exhibition once that turned into a live fire fight.

That could be the cause of the confusion.

[GPater11093]

Russel if you find any more intresting stuff post it up. sounds a great book.

[Russell]

I know they fought an exhibition once that turned into a live fire fight.

That could be the cause of the confusion.

Well, what happened during the exhibition?

[SuzieQ49]

Johnson was just plain bigger and better than langford. Sam never would have beaten Jack.

[Russell]

Johnson was just plain bigger and better than langford. Sam never would have beaten Jack.

Better? Many feel Langford is P4P #1.

[mcvey]

Better? Many feel Langford is P4P #1.

I think Suzie means at Heavyweight.I would agree with him.

[Russell]

I think Suzie means at Heavyweight.I would agree with him.

Oh. Well, of course. But that didn't mean Langford didn't mean to beat some great heavyweights well past his best.

[mcvey]

Oh. Well, of course. But that didn't mean Langford didn't mean to beat some great heavyweights well past his best.

Indeed he did but at heavyweight Sam was often on the fat side ,his metier would probably have been as a Light Heavy.

[janitor]

Well, what happened during the exhibition?

Acounts vary but some say that Langford anounced at the outset that he wanted to make a real fight of it. The exhibition took place on a theatre stage and the exchanges became so heated that some of the scenery was knocked over by the fighters.

Some acounts paint it as a more tame afair.

Johnson talking about the event afterward said that he needed to utilise all his science to keep in the fight.

[dmt]

Johnson was just plain bigger and better than langford. Sam never would have beaten Jack.
so what suzie? , u criticise one fighter for drawing the colour line and yet fail to criticise Johnson at all. You know Langford beat better fighters then Johnson. An argument can be made of ranking Langford higher then Johnson

[mcvey]

Certainly a p4p argument can be made ,and one difficult to refute.

[Cmoyle]

Excerprt from 'Sam Langford, boxing's Greatest Uncrowned Champion'

He did however, face him in an exhibition that was
arranged to benefit the April 18th San Francisco earthquake
Tackling the Big Fellows
•59•
survivors. The day after the fight with Johnson, Sam was
asked if he’d be willing to appear in an exhibition that coming
Saturday night at the Hub Theatre. When he accepted, they
asked if there was anyone special he’d like to box, and he told
them it didn’t matter but if they could get Jack Johnson he’d
be much obliged. And that’s exactly who they lined up.
The exhibition against Johnson was just one of many that
had been arranged for the benefit, and it was reported on the
morning of the 28th that based upon advance sales the theatre
probably would be unable to accommodate all who wished
to attend.
The program included twenty-one boxing bouts, two wrestling
bouts and six vaudeville acts. All of the bouts were reportedly
lively and evoked considerable applause from the
crowd. There were no ropes and no ring; the boxers simply
exhibited their skills on a theatre stage.
The exhibition proceedings were briefly halted while Johnson
was presented with a watch and chain, supposedly given
by some admirers. A short acceptance speech by Johnson followed.
Sam claimed to know the watch wasn’t from anybody
but Johnson himself, and that Johnson had staged this little
event in an effort to make himself appear popular. This annoyed
Sam, who was also angered because he had heard that
the day after their fight Johnson had issued a statement saying
that he had taken it easy on Sam during their match.
Sam claimed that when the first exhibition round began,
he made it a point to get Jack into a clinch and let him know
it wasn’t going to be an exhibition. This was going to be a real
fight.15
As soon as he broke loose of the clinch Sam went after
Johnson, slinging leather fast and furious. Johnson tried to
hold off the onslaught as Sam rushed him across the stage,
punching all the while. Quickly realizing Sam was serious,
Johnson started to respond in kind.
The pair fought from one side of the stage to the other,
back to the curtains and forward towards the front of the
stage, each determined to knock the other out. Before the
round concluded they had knocked over their water buckets,
Sam Langford
•60•
chairs and anything else in their path. The referee became the
invisible man.
Midway through the second round Sam drove Johnson
into the stage scenery, and they clinched as they fell into it. A
second later the scenery fell upon them, splitting the canvas
where their bodies poked out of it. Pushing the scenery to the
floor, the pair emerged to resume fighting as furiously as ever!
The crowd was in an uproar at the sight before them.
They continued to battle this way into the third round,
maneuvering their way around a cluttered floor. At one point
they clinched and tried to toss one another. When that failed,
they went back to brawling until someone called time, and the
so-called “exhibition of the art of boxing” came to an end.
That was Sam’s version of the exhibition. The next day’s
coverage of the event by local area newspapers reported that a
number of the matches were very lively but failed to confirm
Sam’s version. The Boston Post wrote that Johnson was careful
not to do further damage to Sam’s eye, which had been
closed during their match only two days earlier.16 The Boston
American reported:
Big Jack Johnson and his late opponent Sam Langford,
just to show there wasn’t any hard feelings over their last
encounter, squared off and showed the fans some clever
boxing.17
In any event the benefit was a huge financial success.

[Cmoyle]

Another excerpt from 'Sam Langford, Boxing's Greatest Uncrowned Champion'. This was a quote from Australian promoter Hugh McIntosh:

“Boxing will never see another Sam Langford. There will
never be another like the Boston Tar Baby, with his
incredibly long gorilla like arms, his grotesque, top-heavy
body, coal-black and squat, his wide, engaging smile
perpetually splitting his broad countenance, and his
inevitable cigar. And more’s the pity. For Langford, beyond
all shadow of doubt, was one of the miracle men of boxing.
Something of a fistic freak, if you like, but a fighter
nevertheless, and a remarkable personality.

What an amazing glove fighter Langford was. No more
than a light-heavyweight, and so short that the majority of
his opponents towered over him by six inches or more. Yet
he was invincible. His physique was astounding. He was so
hugely proportioned above the waist that, at first glance, he
appeared almost as broad as he was long. His colossal
shoulders and back, smooth and shining, suggested a wall of
coal. His chest was so deep and barrel-like. And the length of
his arms was something to marvel at. His speed and
punching powers were alike phenomenal, and so it was
small wonder that even the great Jack Johnson, having once
fought fifteen anxious rounds with the ‘Tar Baby’, carefully
side-stepped another encounter with him.

Johnson was not afraid of a hiding, but he did not want
to risk his title. I spent months trying to persuade Johnson
to agree to a match with Langford, but he obstinately refused
and one day he frankly told me the reason.

‘Say, Mister Mac,’ he drawled, ‘you’re only wasting your
time talking to me. I don’t want to fight that little smoke.
He’s got a chance against anyone in the world. I’m the first
black champion and I’m going to be the last.’ ”5