Athletes - Joe Gans

Home > Listing Index > Athletes > Joe Gans

	Athletes - Joe Gans

Joe Gans (November 25, 1874 - August 10, 1910) was born Joseph Gaines in Baltimore, Maryland. Gans was rated as the greatest lightweight boxer of all time by boxing historian and Ring Magazine editor, Nat Fleischer. He fought from 1891 to 1909, and is believed to have contracted tuberculosis in 1908. His final record included 131 wins (88 KOs) 9 losses and 13 draws.

Gans won the lightweight championship by knocking out Frank Erne on May 12, 1902, Erne had successfully defended the title against Gans earlier, when Gans was forced to quit due to a serious eye injury.

There is some dispute as to whether Gans relinquished the crown in November of 1904. According to the Ring Record Book, compiled by Nat Fleischer, Gans relinquished the crown after winning a fight on a foul from Jimmy Britt. Britt was battering Gans, who claimed weakness from having to make weight, but Britt was disqualified when he struck Gans when Gans was down. Fleischer claims Gans stated he could no longer fight effectively at the lightweight limit and gave up the crown. According to this version of history, Gans later regained the title on September 3, 1906 by defeating Battling Nelson on a foul after 42 rounds.

British boxing historian Gilbert Odd, lists Gans as champion from 1902-1908. There is no corroborating evidence of Gans' abdication of the title, and Gans continued to fight as a lightweight; thereby casting doubt on his attributed stated reason for surrendering the crown. Whatever the true facts may be, he was defeated by Battling Nelson by KO in 17 rounds on July 4, 1908, thereby eliminating any further claim to the title by Gans.

Gans fought many great fighters during his career. He drew with the original Joe Walcott who Nat Fleischer ranked as the greatest welterweight ever. He also fought and defeated Jack Blackburn, and lost on a decision to Sam Langford. Gans is listed among the Ring Magazine's list of 100 greatest punchers of all time.

Gans,Joe Gans,Joe Gans,Joe Gans, Joe

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for Joe Gans ]

This page is based on the copyrighted Wikipedia article Joe Gans; it is used under the GNU Free Documentation License. You may redistribute it, verbatim or modified, providing that you comply with the terms of the GFDL.

Athletes - Joe Gans

Searches on eBay

Related searches on eBay