Langford's Record Against Opponents his Own Size

he ko'd an older philly jack o'brien who was close to his size and jack blackburn gave sam trouble in a few fights early in his career. clay moyle is on these boards and no one would know more than him. it's almost unbelievable to look at langford's record. sam is #1 in my book.

 

He splattered Kid Norfolk, who at the time was really surging.

If you asked the average boxiing writer in the 1920s who the greatest fighters from lightweight on up to heavyweight were most would have Gans as the no. 1 Lightweight. Walcott as the 1 or 2 Welter. Ketchel as the 1 or 2 Middle. Philly Jack O'Brien as the 1 or 2 Light Heavy and Jack Johnson as a top 5 Heavy(and rising).

Sam Langford fought every single one of these men.

Pretty mind boggling. Almost tantamount to a modern fighter tangling with Roberto Duran at LW. Ray Leonard at Welter. Marvin Hagler at Middle. Victor Galindez(or John Conteh) and Light Heavy and Muhammad Ali at Heavy.

 

I am not an expert, so do not qualify for this debate ,but one question .

What was Langford's optimum weight?

 

Sam Langfords deeds boggles the mind !
Fitz,Langfords and Greb's records can never be duplicated.
They broke the mould...

 

When did Langford beat Walcott? They only fought once and that fight went to a draw. The reports make it clear that while Langford scored more points Walcott was given credit for his aggressiveness in making the fight. We have seen this many times where one man is scoring a lot of points but the guy making the fight is given a lot credit. An extreme example of this is Ali-Frazier 1. After the fight Ali claimed he won because he was scoring three punches for every one Frazier threw. He was probably right that he was outscoring Frazier but Frazier was kicking that ass. Now the articles dont give the impression that Walcott was having the same monumental success as Frazier but still...

The Ketchel fight is also arguable as to who won. It was a no decision bout and papers were split and thats even if you accept that the fight wasnt at least partially faked by both fighters to drum up interest in a larger fight.

 

Hi Steve. I agree with the latter theory. From what I've read Sam wasn't even throwing his deadly right hand and was mostly content with just jabbing and clinching. Carrying Stanley is the only sane explanation for this bout going the distance and Sam not once hitting a wide-open target like Ketchel with one of his heavyweight-stopping bombs during the entire fight.

From the reports I've read Ketchel didn't land any major bombs either. So basically you have two big bombers NOT landing any bombs. Fishy.

 

Here's a couple views on the Langford - Walcott bout:

An article written by Arthur Lumley, editor of the New York Illustrated News, a leading sports authority of the day, who was at ringside read as follows:

“Joe Walcott, world welterweight champion and Sam Langford of Cambridge, Massachusetts, fought a vicious fifteen round draw at the Coliseum. The fight was witnessed by a fair-sized gathering. The spectators were much displeased by the decision, as the rounds story was one clearly in favor of Langford. He had earned that right and should have gotten the decision. That, at least, was the general opinion and was voiced freely after the fight.

After a fine even opening round, the honors were all in Langford’s favor from then on through the seventh. Sam shot his left hand jab regularly to Walcott’s face, and despite the crouching tactics employed by Walcott, Langford had no difficulty in reaching his face often, and shooting in terrific right hand uppercuts and swings to the body.

In the eighth, Walcott, urged on by his manager, set said in great style to overcome the handicap. He was told that he had to fight at top speed if he wanted to win and he gave the spectators a thrill by obeying the command. He hit Langford often and tried to beat him down, but Sam showed much cleverness and avoided the traps, though he was severely punished about the body.

Although Walcott carried the fight to Langford from the seventh to the finish, Sam’s counter blows counted heavily, and he even outboxed Joe. Seldom was there a close exchange of punches, each being satisfied to box and toss blows at long range. Langford received two hard rights to the chin in the thirteenth round that jarred him and one under the heart that almost took him off his feet.

Those punches were the hardest struck in the fight and had the most telling effect. But Langford came out for the fourteenth round with an abundance of confidence, and acted as if he had not even been hit in the previous session. He leaped forth at the clang of the gong and caught Walcott with a beautiful right hand swing that landed with a crash against Joe’s body, and followed with two straight lefts to the mouth that brought the claret and a right uppercut jolt that struck with a thud. Those punches seemed to have angered the champion, for from then to the finish of the round, he forced the milling and for the first time in the fight the spectators were treated to a thrilling encounter.

When the bell sounded for the final session, Walcott’s anger was still with him, for he refused to shake hands and was razzed for his poor sportmanship. The round was hectic, with honors about even. Each landed often and hit hard, but Langford’s straight lefts had such sting to them that they showed their work when the end of hostilities were announced.

The decision of a draw was not well received, and safe it is to say that Walcott’s retention of his welterweight championship hung by a thread. My personal opinion is that Langford was entitled to the verdict. Watch this well built Negro! He looks like a sure thing to win either the welterweight or middleweight championship, though he may outgrow both divisions before he reaches his peak!”

Another to follow

 

‘The Union’ newspaper account of the Walcott-Langford fight. Courtesy of NH State Library:
“LAKE FIGHT WAS A DRAW.
Walcott and Langford in Fifteen Found Mixup
They Weighed In At 142

Champion Was Outpointed by His Adversary – But Carried the Fighting to Langford – The Preliminary Was a Burlesque and Spotty Coyne. Gave a Tiresome Exhibition

One of the main sporting events of Labor day was pulled off at the Coliseum before upwards of 2,000 people, when Joe Walcott and Sam Langford fought fifteen rounds for championship honors. The fight ended in a draw, Langford outpointed the title holder from the start, ____ _____ the ____ Walcott was forced to carry the fighting to him. Owen Kenney officiated the bout, and his decision appeared to meet with general approval, although it was unquestionable a Langford (______?).

((Can’t make out much of the 2nd paragraph, which is about the preliminary bout))

Third paragraph:
I can’t make out the first three words of the first sentence, but after that it looks like it says: “was started on time” and then: “Walcott was the first to enter the ring. He was accompanied by “Honey” Melody, Peter Walker, Harry R_____?, and John (Breslin?), all of Boston. The champion wore an American flag about his belt. Langford was seconded by James Welsh, Ed Keevin, and B____ J_____ all of Boston.”

Fourth paragraph:
“Before calling time Referee Kenney announced that both men had weighed in at 142 pounds - Walcott appeared heavier – and would fight fifteen rounds for a decision, the fighters to protect themselves at all times and break on command of the referee.”

Fifth paragraph:
“The first round started in lively, although it was mostly sparring for an opening. Walcott appeared to be playing for the body and Langford for the head. In the second round Langford was in and out and all over the ring.

Walcott reached home with a good left swing to the jaw in the third and the fighting warmed up as the round progressed. Langford drove several stiff rights to the jaw toward the last of the round, and the bell sounded with the fighting in Langford’s favor.

Honors were about even in the fourth.

In the fifth, Walcott drove a left to Langford’s jaw. Langford returned the blow with a left to the jaw and the fighters mixed up. This was also Langford’s round.

The sixth was a general slam-bank contest, Langford driving left and right to jaw and body. The blows appeared to have little effect on the champion, however, and he kept chaffing Langford, a trick of his when his opponent is getting in some telling blows.

Walcott forced the fighting continuously in the seventh.

In the eighth Walcott started in as if to end the bout then and there. As he would plant a stiff left on Langford’s ribs he would say: “I’ve got ‘im Billy, just wait, I’ve got ‘im.” Langford put a sudden stop to the chaffing, however, with a right hook to the jaw that sent the champion reeling. This he followed up with a couple of uppers cuts and a left drive to the jaw. The fighting in this was the fastest of any round.

The next four rounds as far as points were concerned were easily Langford’s, although in each he hung back and let Walcott force him.

In the thirteenth Walcott got an upper cut that made his teeth rattle and started him to bleeding at the mouth. He drove a vicious right swing to Langford’s jaw before the round ended.

Walcott came up the fresher of the two in the fourteenth and landed left and right on Langford’s wind and jaw. Langford drove a heavy right to the jaw, but the heavy body blows that he had been taking appeared to have winded him.

In the fifteenth and last round both men came up fresh. Walcott refused to shake hands and Langford went in to make him pay for it. This round was fast and furious, although neither lost his generalship. The bell sounded with both men on their feet and honors about even.

Referee Kenney’s decision of a draw was greeted with applause.

 

View on Ketchel-Langford contest:

The research I did, and comments from Langford and his manager, made it pretty clear to me that they were much more interested in a longer fight on the West Coast for the title, and Langford was intent on making sure nothing happened in their six-round no-contest bout in Philadelphia. Langford claims he carried Ketchel early on, but he also admits underestimating Ketchel and having to uncuff himself toward the end in order to survive Ketchel's furious attack. Many observers commented that Langford wasn't throwing any right hands, but at least one person suggested that may have been because he was too busy using it for defensive purposes. The reviews of the fight were all over the board. Too bad that Ketchel was killed before there was an opportunity to try and put the longer fight out west together.