His first title came in 1937 when he wrested the Featherweight Championship from Petey Sarron via 6th round. But 1938 was an even better year for Armstrong, as he took the two more championships. Henry has been found in 17 states including Virginia, North Carolina, Missouri, Kansas, California. function inact(imgName) { This fight is the second best . The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. The 23-year-old boxer was raised in Pearl, but is from Columbus. Referee Arthur Donovan took five rounds away from Armstrong for low blows. 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. When Cox sold his contract on Armstrong to Wirt Ross in 1932 for $250, Armstrong entered the professional ranks to stay. During his final years, Armstrong suffered from numerous illnesses, including cataracts and dementia, commonly attributed to the punishment he took as a boxer. 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. Historian Bert Sugar also ranked Armstrong as the second-greatest fighter of all time. "Henry Armstrong," Notable Black American Men, Gale Research, 1998. http://www.galenet.com(December 13, 2000). African-American Sports Greats: A Biographical Dictionary. edited by Melanie Parry, Larousse Kingfisher Chambers Inc., 1997. His biggest hit was "Sweet Adeline", written in 1903 with Richard Gerard . He continued to box actively until announcing his retirement in 1945 at the age of 32. Davis, who has been training at the Pearl Boxing Club, is undefeated so far in his professional career at 4-0, with four knockouts. compiled a 59-1-1 record (51 KOs) competing against the best in the After retiring from boxing, Armstrong became an ordained Baptist minister, working with disadvantaged youth. He was elected class president and selected poet laureate of his class, which provided him the opportunity to read a valedictory poem at his graduation ceremony. Small in stature, he was often the target for teasing. After a brief third marriage, Armstrong married his fourth wife, Gussie Henry, in 1978. Armstrong, however, displayed no interest in fulfilling these wishes. What makes a Guinness World Records title? . Ambers opened a cut on Armstrong's lower lip, and Armstrong, afraid the referee would stop the fight, swallowed the blood throughout the fight and succeeded in winning on points. After his death, his heart was found to be one-third larger than average. Ambers had Armstrong spitting blood from a torn bottom lip, and he cut the challenger's eyes as well. Twenty-six of the bouts were ended by a knockout, including that of Sarron in their 126-pound fight. Armstrong was one of the few fighters to win in three or more different divisions: featherweight, lightweight, and welterweight. During the fight Armstrong suffered an eye injury that required surgery. Info Share. Born Henry Jackson, Jr., on December 12, 1912, in Columbus, Mississippi, Armstrong was the eleventh of the family's 15 children. All records listed on our website are current and up-to-date. However, upon his retirement he found the vast majority of his money had been lost to bad investments, management fees, and extravagant spending habits. December 11, 1939: Armstrong successfully defends the NBA and The Ring welterweight titles against Jimmy Garrison, winning the fight via 7th round KO. He also taught young fighters how to box. In 1932, Armstrong moved to Los Angeles, where he lost two four-round decisions in a row to Eddie Trujillo and Al Greenfield. navcontributeover.src = "/i/sportscentury/nav_contribute_over.gif"; Armstrong knocked down the champ in the fifth and sixth rounds, but Ambers cut him severely. Armstrong's streak of 27 knockout wins in a row qualifies as one of the longest knockout win streaks in the history of boxing, according to The Ring magazine. "Latsios spent most of the time retreating before Henry." (Lethbridge Herald) "Nick fought a remarkable fight with his flicking left, back-stepping, hit and run method.Henry was disgusted with his inability to catch the elusive Latsios.In the final frame Armstrong almost scored a knockdown but the wily Nick regained his balance after landing against the ropes." On October 29, 1937, Armstrong returned to the featherweight division and challenged Petey Sarron for the . 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. 26 of those wins came via knockouts. 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 final professional record stood at 174 recorded bouts, 145 wins with 98 by knockout. He officially turned pro a year later after failing to make the 1932 Olympic team, and he lost his first two fights, both four-round decisions in Los Angeles in 1932. Through 1937 Armstrong entered the ring 27 times, winning every fight and knocking out all but one of his opponents. He defeated Sarron via 6th round KO to become the featherweight champion of the world. 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 and his managers realized that they needed to attract attention away from the rising fame of boxer Joe Louis. 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. 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. [3] He was posthumously inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in the inaugural class of 1990. GET IN TOUCH WITH A RECORD SPECIALIST (Opens in a new window), How to set or break a Guinness World Records title. His 1905 song "Nellie Dean" became the signature song of the British music hall singer Gertie Gitana , and a popular British pub song. function act(imgName) { Hometown: Columbus, MS. Year Induction: 2010. His mother died a year later, and he was raised by his grandmother. "Henry Armstrong," Newsmakers 1989, Issue 4. American boxer Having competed as a featherweight at 126 pounds, Armstrong had to increase his weight to 138 pounds in order to qualify to fight in the welterweight division. Despite almost blacking out in the 15th round, Armstrong won a split decision to make history. Henry died on October 23, 1988 . 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. "I carried him the last four rounds," Armstrong said. His early childhood was spent on a plantation owned by Armstrong's grandfather, an Irishman who had married one of his slaves. Robinson, Sugar Ray 19211989 November 25, 1938: Armstrong successfully defends the NBA and The Ring welterweight titles against Ceferino Garcia, winning the fight via 15 round 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. William Henry Armstrong. First, he knocked out featherweight champion Petey Sarron in the sixth round on Oct. 29, 1937. That was the last time Armstrong would fight for a championship. Armstrong was the only boxer to hold world titles in three different weight divisions simultaneously, and all three titles were . Background. if (document.images) "Latsios spent most of the time retreating before Henry." (Lethbridge Herald) "Nick fought a remarkable fight with his flicking left, back-stepping, hit and run method.Henry was disgusted with his inability to catch the elusive Latsios.In the final frame Armstrong almost scored a knockdown but the wily Nick regained his balance after landing against the ropes." She died on the way to the hospital in Armstrong's arms, having suffered chest pains. The former fighter, who for. Refer to each styles convention regarding the best way to format page numbers and retrieval dates. 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. But he was learning how to harness his natural physical gifts; strength, quickness, stamina, and the ability to take a punch. document[imgName].src = eval(imgName + 'cold.src'); After losing at the trials, he returned to the professional ranks. Armstrong was in many ways the complete prototype of a pressure. 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. Standing five feet five and one half inches tall, Armstrong fought in the featherweight class. Aldo Spoldi was the only opponent to take him the full 10 rounds. Armstrong fared even worse in their rematch in 1941, suffering a 12th-round TKO. Up to 1937, Armstrong compiled a record of 52-10. ESPN ranked Armstrong as number 3 on their list of the 50 greatest boxers of all time. Deceased : October 22, 1988. His mother, America (Armstrong) Jackson was an Iroquois Indian. 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. WHAT MAKES A GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS TITLE? Henry Armstrong (1912-1988) became the first boxer in history to hold world titles in three separate weight classes at the same time. With his aggressive attitude and incessant windmill style, he was all over opponents, as evidenced by his 101 knockouts and. Some of Armstrong's best fights and notable victories include wins over 11 Hall-of-Famers (Sammy Angott, Lew Jenkins, Fritzie Zivic, Pedro Montanez, Baby Arizmendi, Lou Ambers, Barney Ross, Chalky Wright, Petey Sarron, Benny Bass, and Midget Wolgast), Ceferino Garcia, Al Manfredo, Bobby Pacho, Lew Feldman, Howard Scott, and Richie Fontaine. Henry Armstrong is recognized by boxing historians as one of the greatest fighters. henry armstrong "homicide hank" 150 Wins 21 Losses 10 Draws 55.8% Stance: Orthodox Age: 113 Date Of Birth: 12 Dec 1909 Height: 5.45 ft (1.66 m) Reach: 66.93 inches (170 cm) Country: United States Universal ID : 8194 edit details henry armstrong opponents PTS Chester Slider (37-18-12) Wed, 14 Feb - 1945 round 10 of 10 . Therefore, that information is unavailable for most Encyclopedia.com content. December 5, 1938: Armstrong successfully defends the NBA and The Ring welterweight titles against Al Manfredo, winning the fight via 3rd round TKO. But Garcia shut the challenger's left eye and gained a draw, enabling him to keep the title. But the tides turned later in the year when he won against former flyweight champion Midget Wolgast. While successfully defending this welterweight title, Armstrong was also featherweight world champion and defeated Lou Ambers to become world lightweight champion. Armstrong was knocked out in the 12-round fight. He became a born-again Christian and an ordained Baptist minister and youth advocate, helping to run the Herbert Hoover Boys Club. So, its just a coincidence that all this is coming together like that.. 1716-1914: New York State Religious Records at Findmypast; images only ($) 1809-1850: 10,000 Vital Records of Western New York at Ancestry; index & images, ($) 1875-1916: New York, Yonkers, Birth and Death Registration and Indexes at FamilySearch . That fight, before 29,088 fans at Yankee Stadium, was another brawl as the fighters pounded each other for 15 rounds. Garcia was 32 years old with a record of 101-24-12 (60 KOs). By the time Armstrong graduated from high school at the age of 17, the Great Depression had arrived. Armstrong was penalized five rounds for low punches, and that cost him the fight as two officials had Ambers winning by only an 8-7 margin. Armstrong went on to win his last 12 fights in 1936. ever hold three undisputed titles at the same time. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Encyclopedia.com. However, the fight was so brutal that Armstrong blacked out at the end and could later recall very little of what happened. We collect and match historical records that Ancestry users have contributed to their family trees to create each person's profile. Fleischer ranked him as the #8 All-Time Welterweight; The Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA) named him Fighter of the Year in 1940. His outstanding ring record was 151 wins, 21 defeats, and 9 draws with 101 knockouts. Then, copy and paste the text into your bibliography or works cited list. . Armstrong won the fight, knocking out Sarron in the sixth round, thus earning his first world title as the Featherweight Champion of the World. (You will need to register / login for access). He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF) in 1990. He teamed up with -- and took the surname of -- a trainer and former boxer named Henry Armstrong. been; During 1937, he was 27-0 with 26 knockouts; In 1938, he was 14-0 Its my first time in front of all my friends and family, so Im excited, he said. When Armstrong was 4, the family moved to St. Louis. Because the fight was scheduled for just ten rounds, the fight was recognized as a title fight only by California. In 1949 Armstrong experienced a religious conversion and turned his life around. Armstrong moved to Los Angeles, where he resumed his amateur status. #GreatestOfAllTime#HenryArmstrong#TeddyAtlas Later a fellow member of the three division champions' club, Ross was then World Welterweight Champion. He voluntarily relinquished his featherweight crown, and the next August he lost the lightweight title back to Ambers on a unanimous decision. October 30, 1939: Armstrong successfully defends the NBA and The Ring welterweight titles against Bobby Pacho, winning the fight via 4th round TKO. worldCharley Rose ranked Armstrong as the #6 All-Time Welterweight; Nat He gained fame in 1938 when he reigned as featherweight, lightweight and welterweight champion. Garraty, John A. and Mark C. Carnes, American National Biography, Volume 1. Vashon High School (St. Louis, MO) . Guinness World Records Kids (opens in a new window), GWR Merchandise Store (opens in a new window), Corporate Social Responsibility activities & fundraising ideas, Community engagement & tourism marketing activities. https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/henry-armstrong, "Henry Armstrong Armstrong fought as an amateur from 1929 to 1932. 100% CAUCASIAN Our ethnicity data indicates the majority is Caucasian. Armstrong had a 151-21-9 record in his 15-year professional career. (February 23, 2023). His official record was 152 wins, 21 losses and 9 draws, with 101 knockout wins.[10]. Armstrong was one of the few fighters to win in three or more different divisions: featherweight, lightweight, and welterweight. Armstrong knocked out 100 of his 183 opponents. var navcontributecold = new Image(); ." Seven months later, a fading Armstrong finally lost his welterweight title after the 19 successful defenses, including six in 1940. He also wrote the autobiographical God, Gloves, and Glory (1956). ", Ten weeks later, Armstrong's fight with Ambers was a war. October 20, 1939: Armstrong successfully defends the NBA and The Ring welterweight titles against Richie Fontaine, winning the fight via 3rd round TKO. Armstrong's attempt to win a world title in a fourth division was frustrated. The Cambridge Biographical Encyclopedia. While successfully defending this welterweight title, Armstrong was also featherweight world champion and defeated Lou Ambers to become world lightweight champion. He is considered to be one of the greatest boxers who lived on Earth. Armstrong, at 133+12 pounds, beat Ross, at 142 pounds, by unanimous decision, adding the World Welterweight Championship to his belt. Armstrong began his professional career on July 28, 1931, in a fight with Al Iovino, in which Armstrong was knocked out in three rounds. He defeated sixteen world champions. Henry Armstrong's professional boxing career spanned more than 13 years from 1931 to 1945. He died on October 24, 1988 at the age of 75 years. Birth 22 Sep 1768 . We encourage you to research and examine these records to determine their accuracy. PEARL, Miss. navcontributecold.src = "/i/sportscentury/nav_contribute_cold.gif"; Henry Armstrong, who moved to St. Louis with his family as a youngster, was the only boxer ever to hold three world titles simultaneously. After three amateur fights, he turned professional in 1931 under the name "Melody Jackson." . Early in his career he boxed under the name Melody Jackson. He was the first champion, Im going to be the next champion, Davis said. Manage Settings He suffered his first loss in his professional debut against Al Lovino via 3rd round KO. var navathletesover = new Image(); 2019Encyclopedia.com | All rights reserved. Armstrong is a Hall of Famer. Two years later he was ordained as a Baptist minister at Morning Star Baptist Church. 23 Feb. 2023