I was a sensation of my weight class.A champ in the making. But fate intervened and ended my life...Who was I ?
Jem Carney fits, so does Luther McCarty Actually I think it was McCarthy, as he lost his life in his next bout by a light punch.
You are of course right hh. The most promising "White Hope" was undefeated in 25 bouts and was hoping for a title shot at Lil Arthur. Many thought McCarty would whip Jack Johnson, so highly regarded he was held..But in the fight with big Arthur Pelkey,he was floored by a light punch as you inplied and died on the canvas in the first round...Medical studies revealed his death was caused by a fall off a horse a few days before,and the light blow caused a celebral hemorrhage, resulting in McCarty's death....Prior to boxing McCarty was a cowboy...
Tell you the truth, I had to go over all the deaths that happened in the ring today, so I do know. It was the Sportswriter Edward W. Smith The reason I had to go over that is that a 8 old year boy had an article about him boxing in the Newark Star Ledger. I was quoted in the article and now a TV station is interested in coming over my house to do an interview. I think they want to down grade the sport and I started doing my homework. Actually, I had this material for several years because when I was running for the NJ State Boxing Comm. position I had to know about this. Here's the article: http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/07/8-year-old_roseland_boy_domina.html
In Joe Williams TV boxing book he writes "back in the palmy days of the prize ring the great referees doubled in brass as boxing writers". Ed W. Smith of the Chicago Evening American was certainly included in this coterie. He was in fact one of the very great voices in the career of Harry Greb. His ringside observations of Greb and Depmsey in Benton Harbor are really the gold standard of that fabled encounter. His byline read If Ed W. Smith sez its so its so!
Luther McCarthy is the Ike Ibeabuchi of the early 20th century. He was at least as good as any other white contender when he died, and had considerable potential to get better.
Have you noticed that short clip of Harry Greb playing handball in 1925 , preparing for the Mickey Walker Fight.? How awaiting the ball, he is perpetual motion,bouncing on his toes to and froe...This is a GLIMPSE of his ability to make it so difficult to time Greb with a solid shot,as Tunney and others have declared...Like catching a fly in flight...A very revealing nugget I take from this only film of Harry Greb !!!
