Everett “Bigfoot” Martin wore like size 8 sneakers. The well-traveled journeyman heavyweight got his nickname because he didn’t shave his upper body and he was very hairy. Martin, btw, fought 15 world champions, including nine former world champs in a row at one point. Sightings of this Bigfoot weren’t rare in the 1990s when he was on TV (USA Network or ESPN) nearly every month it seemed like. Pernell Whitaker got his nickname because a newspaper reporter misunderstood a chant. Whitaker was fighting in a national amateur tournament in his hometown in Virginia and Pernell was known as Pete. The hometown crowd started chanting ‘Sweet Pete” during the final, and the reporter thought they were chanting “Sweet Pea,” so called him that in his story and it caught on. Deontay Wilder got the Bronze Bomber moniker because he won the bronze medal as the only U.S. medalist in the Beijing Olympics and he’s from Alabama, so it was a play on fellow Alabamian Joe Louis, who of course was known as the Brown Bomber. What are some other cool or unique or interesting nickname stories?
Jersey Joe Walcotts is obvious but with a final touch… Mr Barbados Walcott actually came and gave his blessing after a bout, told him of all the boys to have his name in boxing he was the most worthy.