The Life of Jack Johnson

The Life of Jack Johnson

  • Submitted By: liljay
  • Date Submitted: 02/12/2011 5:02 AM
  • Category: English
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The Life of Jack Johnson (Boxer)

John How many of you likes boxing? How much boxing do you watch? Every day? Sometimes? Never? How about the UFC?
Arthur ("Jack") Johnson (March 31, 1878 – June 10, 1946) nicknamed the “Galveston Giant”, was an American boxer, the first African American world heavyweight boxing champion (1908–1915). He was trained in the art of pugilism by the ageing Joe Choynski, who also became his friend and sparring partner.
Today I would like to tell you about Jack Johnson the boxer. I will tell about his life, bad and good.
Johnson was born in Galveston, Texas, the third child and first son of Henry and Tina "Tiny" Johnson, former slaves who worked at blue-collar jobs to raise six children and taught them how to read and write. He dropped out of school after just five or six years of education to get a job as a dock worker in Galveston.
Johnson's boxing style was very distinctive. He developed a more patient approach than was customary in that day: playing defensively, waiting for a mistake, and then capitalizing on it. Johnson always began a bout cautiously, slowly building up over the rounds into a more aggressive fighter. He often fought to punish his opponents rather than knock them out, endlessly avoiding their blows and striking with swift counters. He always gave the impression of having much more to offer and, if pushed, he could punch powerfully.
By 1902, Johnson had won at least 50 fights against both white and black opponents. Johnson won his first title on February 3, 1903, beating "Denver" Ed Martin over 20 rounds for the World Colored Heavyweight Championship. His efforts to win the full title were taken away, as world heavyweight champion James J. Jeffries refused to face him then. Black and white boxers could meet in other competitions, but the world heavyweight championship was off limits to them. However, Johnson did fight former champion Bob Fitzsimmons in July 1907, and...

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