Top 35 African American Heavyweights 1930-1948

Number of Title Defenses By World Heavyweight Champions Vs. Black Challengers:

1. John L. Sullivan- 0
2. Jim Corbett- 0
3. Bob Fitzsimmons- 0
4. Jim Jeffries- 0
5. Marvin Hart- 0
6. Tommy Burns- 1 (Jack Johnson)
7. Jack Johnson- 1 (Battling Jim Johnson)
8. Jess Willard- 0
9. Jack Dempsey- 0
10. Gene Tunney- 0
11. Max Schmeling- 0
12. Jack Sharkey- 0
13. Primo Carnera- 0
14. Max Baer- 0
15. Jim Braddock- 1 (Joe Louis)
16. Joe Louis- 3 (John Henry Lewis, Jersey Joe Walcott- twice)

Note- Louis made as many title defenses against black challengers as all of the previous fifteen world heavyweight champions put together under the Marquis of Queensbury Rules. Something else to think about.....Louis fought in four of the first six world heavyweight bouts which involved black challengers.

- Chuck Johnston

 

I don't don't a lot about many of these guys but it looks like a serious list. Nice work. I'm gonna do some research.

 

I would say one or two, or possibly three for Jeffries.

1 ) Peter Jackson had the British Empire title.

2 ) As champion Jeffries defeated Hank Griffin in 1901. Yes, it was only four rounds, but if Griffin somehow won by knockout, he's the next champion. Griffin of course defeated Johnson in the same year, so how bad could he have been?

3 ) As a lineal champion who never lost, that title was on the line vs Johnson in 1910.

The champion who pretty much ended using the color line was Marcino.

Biggest culprits of using the color line during their reign were:

1 ) Jack Johnson, hands down.
2 ) Jack Dempsey
3 ) Joe Louis

 

Interesting defense of Jeffries. IMO he deserves more credit than the men before him regarding the color line.