Aldo Spoldi was the only opponent to take him the full 10 rounds. Armstrong made his debut against Al Lovino at the age of 18 on July 27, 1931, losing to Lovino via 3rd round KO. WHAT MAKES A GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS TITLE? His mother died a year later, and he was raised by his grandmother. [1] In 2007, The Ring ranked Armstrong as the second-greatest fighter of the last 80 years. In 1931 Armstrong, accompanied by Harry Armstrong, hopped trains to Los Angeles to restart his amateur career. He also wrote the autobiographical God, Gloves, and Glory (1956). Corrections? Sims is 9-1 in his professional boxing career, with five knockouts in his nine wins. Armstrong knocked Sarron out in six rounds, becoming the World Featherweight Champion. Armstrong fought as an amateur from 1929 to 1932. With no money for college and the need to care for his family weighing heavily, Armstrong lied about his age, claiming he was 21 years old, in order to gain employment as a section hand on the Missouri Pacific Railroad. sensational; However, when he hit stride While attending Toussaint L'Ouverture Grammar School in St. Louis, Armstrong acquired the nickname "Red" due to his curly sandy hair with a reddish tint. Birth 10 December 1850 - Detroit City, . Ill prepared and undernourished, Armstrong lost his first professional fight by a knockout. When Cox sold his contract on Armstrong to Wirt Ross in 1932 for $250, Armstrong entered the professional ranks to stay. He finally did beat Zivic, by decision in 1942, but Zivic was no longer champ. He was the son of Henry Jackson Sr., a sharecropper of African American descent and America Jackson, said to be a "full-blooded" Iroquois. The Greatest Boxer of All Time - Henry Armstrong, Says Teddy Atlas - Here's Why He's The GOAT THE FIGHT with Teddy Atlas 280K subscribers Subscribe 1.6K Share 74K views 2 years ago. November 25, 1938: Armstrong successfully defends the NBA and The Ring welterweight titles against Ceferino Garcia, winning the fight via 15 round unanimous decision. His biggest hit was "Sweet Adeline", written in 1903 with Richard H. Gerard. 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). However, the date of retrieval is often important. Henry R Armstrong in 1940 United States Federal Census Henry R Armstrong was born circa 1887, at birth place, Connecticut, to John Birracase. However, since he already had two professional fights under the name Jackson, he told people that he was Harry's little brother, Henry Armstrong.Armstrong competed in the 1932 Olympic trials. navcontributecold.src = "/i/sportscentury/nav_contribute_cold.gif"; His preaching drew significant crowds to revivals and other meetings. Comments below may relate to previous holders of this record. His early childhood was spent on a plantation owned by Armstrong's grandfather, an Irishman who had married one of his slaves. He and Willa Mae Shony had one daughter, Lanetta. Referee Arthur Donovan took five rounds away from Armstrong for low blows. navathletesover.src = "/i/sportscentury/nav_athletes_over.gif"; In 1943, Armstrong lost a 10-round decision to an up-and-coming Sugar Ray Robinson, who had idolized the three-division champion. Professional boxer Armstrong retired from the ring in 1945. Henry J Armstrong is thirty-eight. [10], In 1936, Armstrong split his time among Los Angeles, Mexico City and St. Louis. 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. "Henry Jackson," Contemporary Authors Online, Gale Research, 1999. http://www.galenet.com(December 13, 2000). He is the only boxer to this day who simultaneously held three world boxing titles - in Featherweight, Lightweight, and welterweight champion in 1938. 60% MARRIED 60% of these people are married, and 40% are single. First of all, Ive got to thank Pearl Boxing Club, because without them this wouldnt be the possible or without God.. navclassiccold.src = "/i/sportscentury/nav_classic_cold.gif"; ever hold three undisputed titles at the same time. Definitely one of the goals I had in mind, so itll be a good time, to bring everybody out.. window.__mirage2 = {petok:"_9hAJy7CmJsKH07kPqMVqhJI9fwN_aHmPuAo7fcIZbM-86400-0"}; Henry Jackson Jr. (December 12, 1912 - October 24, 1988) was an American professional boxer and a world boxing champion who fought under the name Henry Armstrong.Armstrong was one of the few fighters to win in three or more different divisions: featherweight, lightweight, and welterweight. After several more amateur fights, Armstrong moved to Pittsburgh to pursue a professional career. After he retired, Armstrong overcame alcoholism. He defended his welterweight title a total of nineteen times. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Henry-Armstrong, African American Registry - Biography of Henry Armstrong, BlackPast.org - Biography of Henry Armstrong, International Boxing Hall of Fame - Biography of Henry Armstrong, Henry Armstrong - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). "In 1938, Armstrong defeated Barney Ross by a fifteen-round unanimous decision to win the World Welterweight Championship, and then defeated Lou Ambers by a fifteen-round split decision to win the World Lightweight Championship.Armstrong was the only boxer to hold world titles in three different weight divisions simultaneously, and all three titles were undisputed championships. Armstrong knocked out 100 of his 183 opponents. RECORD. 1913-1998 He played a boxer named Henry "Little Dynamite" Jackson.In 1940, Armstrong challenged Ceferino Garca for a portion of the World Middleweight Championship. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. After retiring from boxing in 1946, Armstrong briefly opened a Harlem nightclub, the Melody Room (named after his first nickname). He was managed by Wirt Ross, Eddie Mead, jazz singer Al Jolson and Hollywood actor George Raft. Henry Armstrong, who moved to St. Louis with his family as a youngster, was the only boxer ever to hold three world titles simultaneously. Armstrong starred in the feature film Keep Punching (1939) in 1939. Henry Armstrong is recognized by boxing historians as one of the greatest fighters. Armstrong had a 151-21-9 record in his 15-year professional career. In 1932, Armstrong moved to Los Angeles, where he lost two four-round decisions in a row to Eddie Trujillo and Al Greenfield. His biggest hit was "Sweet Adeline", written in 1903 with Richard Gerard . He was among the very best of his generation and is one of the pound-for-pound best boxers of all time. navgallerycold.src = "/i/sportscentury/nav_gallery_cold.gif"; But Garcia shut the challenger's left eye and gained a draw, enabling him to keep the title. The fight lasted 15 rounds. (February 23, 2023). For other people named Henry Armstrong, see, Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles, California, Civic Auditorium, San Francisco, California, Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, Municipal Auditorium, Kansas City, Missouri, Convention Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Memorial Auditorium, Sacramento, California, Billed as a World Middleweight Title fight recognized only by California, Municipal Audiotrium, Saint Louis, Missouri, Harringay Arena, Harringay, London, England, Municipal Audtiorium, Saint Louis, Missouri, Madison Square Garden Bowl, New York City, New York, International Amphitheatre, Chicago, Illinois, University of Detroit Stadium, Detroit, Michigan, Dexter Park Arena, Woodhaven, New York City, New York, Municipal Auditorium, Saint Louis, Missouri, Retained world featherweight title (CaliforniaMexico), Won world featherweight title (California-Mexico), Retained USA California State featherweight title, Civic Auditorium, Watsonville, California, Bakersfield Arena, Bakersfield, California, Pismo Beach Arena, Pismo Beach, California, Main Street Athletic Club, Los Angeles, California, Culver City Stadium, Culver City, California, Meyers Bowl, North Braddock, Pennsylvania, "BoxRec ratings: world, pound-for-pound, active and inactive", "Boxing Hall of Fame names first inductees", "IBRO All-Time Ratings - Pound For Pound Results", "IBRO All-Time Ratings - Featherweight Ratings", "IBRO All-Time Ratings - Welterweight Ratings", "IBRO All-Time Ratings - Lightweight Ratings", "Henry Armstrong: Goes for Four Divisions", "Ceferino Garcia vs. Henry Armstrong (2nd meeting) BoxRec", Armstrong, seated, posing with a title belt, National Boxing Association's Quarterly Ratings: 1938 BoxRec, National Boxing Association's Quarterly Ratings: 1939 BoxRec, National Boxing Association's Quarterly Ratings: 1940 BoxRec, The Ring Magazine's Annual Ratings: Lightweight--1930s BoxRec, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Henry_Armstrong&oldid=1135310555, World colored welterweight boxing champions, International Boxing Hall of Fame inductees, 20th-century African-American sportspeople, 20th-century Baptist ministers from the United States, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from September 2016, Pages with login required references or sources, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, In 1987, he was among those inductees from, In 1995, Armstrong was posthumously honored for his boxing career by being inducted into the, The story of his life is retold in the radio drama ", This page was last edited on 23 January 2023, at 22:13. A victory would have given Armstrong a fourth divisional title at a time when there were only eight weight divisions.Armstrong defended the World Welterweight Championship a division record 19 times. Henry Armstrong Record & Stats Last Updated: February 6, 2023 In a career spanning 13 years and 6 months, Henry Armstrong fought 183 times with 151 wins, 22 losses, and 10 draws. Henry Armstrong (1912-1988) became the first boxer in history to hold world titles in three separate weight classes at the same time. navclassicover.src = "/i/sportscentury/nav_classic_over.gif"; Henry held three world titles - Welterweight , Lightweight . As a child, Henry Jr. moved with his family to St. Louis, Missouri, during the early period of the Great Migration of African Americans from the rural South to industrial cities of the Midwest and North. While he was certainly a formidable boxer, he hadn't yet established himself as one of the all-time greats. Armstrong made his professional boxing debut at the age of 18 on July 27, 1931. He did manage to win his second fight on points; however, he decided to return to St. Louis. Ambers had Armstrong spitting blood from a torn bottom lip, and he cut the challenger's eyes as well. Most online reference entries and articles do not have page numbers. 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.. Father Charles Godfrey Armstrong. We encourage you to research and examine these records to determine their accuracy. He died of heart failure on October 22, 1988 in Los Angeles. Henry Armstrong. Armstrong defended his Lightweight belt in a rematch with Ambers, which he lost on a 15-round decision. compiled a 59-1-1 record (51 KOs) competing against the best in the The final title bout of his career was a failed attempt to regain the lightweight title in a rematch with Zivic on January 17, 1941. In 1949 Armstrong experienced a religious conversion and turned his life around. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Henry Armstrong (1912-1988) became the first boxer in history to hold world titles in three separate weight classes at the same time. 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. 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. His first win came later that year, beating Sammy Burns by a decision in six. 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. During the final years of the 1940s he traveled to China, Burma, and India with Raft as part of a group sent to entertain soldiers. Henry Jackson was born in Columbus, MS. The streak finally ended when Arizmendi lasted ten rounds before losing a decision to Armstrong in their fourth fight. Of his total 151 wins, 100 of them were via KO (66.2%). Chester Slider, John Thomas, Sugar Ray Robinson, Beau Jack, and Willie Joyce are some of the boxers who have beaten Armstrong. To this day, he is the only boxer to simultaneously hold three world titles in different weight divisions. As a youngster, he got into neighborhood street fights. Mother Ellen Lawrance. 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 is considered to be one of the greatest boxers who lived on Earth. But there was a sensitive side, too, as he showed at his high school graduation when he read an original poem. For all the details about Armstrong's world title wins and defenses refer to "Henry Armstrong World Titles". Six years later he moved back to Los Angeles. After retirement, he became an ordained minister. Born Henry Jackson on Dec. 12, 1912, in Columbus, Miss., he was the 11th of 15 children. To this day, he is the only boxer to . Background. Ross was favored by odds makers three to one over Armstrong; however, when the two met in Long Island City on May 31, 1938, Armstrong won convincingly on points in 15 rounds, earning his second title, Welterweight Champion of the World. DISCLAIMER: Data may be outdated or incorrect, use at your own discretion. (You will need to register / login for access). Early in his career, he boxed under Melody Jackson. Armstrong successfully defended his NBA and Ring Magazine welterweight titles. October 30, 1939: Armstrong successfully defends the NBA and The Ring welterweight titles against Bobby Pacho, winning the fight via 4th round TKO. Im defending my belt, I think this is about my fourth time to defend this title, and it just means so much for me, Sims said. Archie Moore was one of the most colorful and respected figures in the modern history of boxing. if (document.images) His mother, America (Armstrong) Jackson was an Iroquois Indian. document[imgName].src = eval(imgName + 'over.src'); He had fulfilled his goal -- he reigned as champion over three divisions. He had fought 26 world title fights and from 1931 to 1945 had fought 175 bouts, winning 97 by knockouts. Upon his return, he became a boxing manager for a time, but his increasing use of alcohol led to his arrest in Los Angeles. William Henry Armstrong. 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. var navclassicover = new Image(); Switch to interactive mode 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}. After losing at the trials, he returned to the professional ranks. Garcia retained the title with a draw, but most at ringside felt that Armstrong had won. His father, suffering from rheumatism, struggled to provide for the family. $57k AVERAGE INCOME Our wealth data indicates income average is $57k. First, he knocked out featherweight champion Petey Sarron in the sixth round on Oct. 29, 1937. His attempt to regain the welterweight championship on January 17, 1941, resulted in his knockout in the 12th round by Zivic.