Joe Gans

Statistics
Real name	Joseph Gant
Nickname(s)	Old Master
Rated at	Lightweight
Nationality	USA
Birth date	1874-11-25
Birth place	Baltimore, Maryland
Death date	August 10, 1910 (aged 35)
Stance	Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights	188
Wins	138
Wins by KO	96
Losses	10
Draws	15
No contests	25

Joe Gans (November 25, 1874 - August 10, 1910) was born Joseph Gant in Baltimore, Maryland. Gans was rated as the greatest lightweight boxer of all time by boxing historian and Ring Magazine founder, Nat Fleischer and was known as the "Old Master". He fought from 1891 to 1909.

Gans started boxing professionally about 1891 in Baltimore. In 1900, Gans quit with an eye cut in the twelfth round of the world lightweight title bout against champion Frank Erne. In their rematch two years later, Gans knocked Erne out in one round to capture the lightweight title.

Gans reigned as champion from 1902 to 1908. In an important title defense he defeated the "Durable Dane", Oscar "Battling" Nelson on a foul in 42 rounds on September 3, 1906 in Goldfield, Nevada by promoter Tex Rickard. When they fought again two years later Gans lost by a knockout. He died in August 1910, of tuberculosis and is buried in Mount Auburn Cemetery in Baltimore. His monument is maintained by the IBC (International Boxing Commission) and sits just to the left of the main entrance of the cemetery. Gans is generally considered to be one of the greatest boxers of all time, pound-for-pound.

[edit] Notes

• The notion that Gans' real name was Joseph S. Butts is wrong. In his memoirs, published on May 23, 1910, in Arizona Democrat (Phoenix, AZ), Joe writes:

"I was born in the city of Baltimore in the year 1874, and it might be well to state at this time that my right name is Joseph Gant, not Gans. However, when I became an object of newspaper publicity, some reporter made a mistake and my name appeared as Joe Gans, and as Joe Gans it remained ever since."

This is confirmed by primary sources, such as The Sun (Baltimore, MD) on October 24, 1893 - "Joseph Gant and Buck Myers, colored"; The Sun (Baltimore, MD) on November 28, 1893 - "A six-round sparring match between Wm. Jones and Joseph Gant, colored light-weights", etc.

[edit] References

• Enshrinees (1999). http://www.ibhof.com/pages/about/inductees/oldtimer/gans.html .
• Miles, J. H., Davis, J. J., Ferguson-Roberts, S. E., and Giles, R. G. (2001). Almanac of African American Heritage. Paramus, NJ: Prentice Hall Press.
• Potter, J. (2002). African American Firsts. New York, NY: Kensington Publishing Corp.
• Aycock, Colleen and Mark Scott (2008), Joe Gans: A Biography of the First African American World Boxing Champion. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Co.

[edit] External links

• Reno Gazette-Journal piece on Gans vs. Nelson
• boxrec.com
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