Larry Gains was one of the last fighters to hold Black Heavyweight Championship, before Joe Louis put an end to the split title. I know dreadfully little about him I'm dumping a load of video links I saw on YouTube, mostly for me, but maybe someone else wants to see them. Phil Scott This content is protected This content is protected This content is protected Primo Carnera This content is protected Len Harvey This content is protected
Jack Peterson This content is protected This content is protected Tommy Farr This content is protected Jack London This content is protected
I think very highly of him but my knowledge of him comes pretty much exclusively from Kevin R Smith and some other authors like Colleen Aycock who more of less repackage Kevin's same info with their own spin.
I may be misremembering Larry's story and getting it mixed up with another's because I had a moment to grab Sundowners and flip to Larry's section. Kevin has no narrative on Larry, just a record. I might have just misremembered what book and author to look at. Until I track it down all I have is memory which I already know is flawed so...grain of salt. I think that is because Larry fought a lot of fixed fights and the majority of what was filmed he was showing up to make a show of it.
I think for the Farr and London fights he was just way past it. Apparently he turned up pretty out of shape against Harvey.
He is ultimately difficult to rate, because he was not able to make the big fights, which would have answered the question decisively. He was obviously a very capable world class heavyweight, but it is hard to say how he compares to the best of the era.
Absolutey love this guy. Wins over Schmeling, Godfrey and Carnera. I will be the forth of fifth guy to say it: too bad the footage isn't there.
Definitely had a class style....maybe some of the experts here know more about him..heard he was a sparring partner for Dempsey and mentioned that when Dempsey was in a bad mood it was like waiting to get executed
