| Henry Armstrong | |
| Statistics | |
|---|---|
| Real name | Henry Melody Jackson Jr. |
| Nickname(s) | Homicide Hank |
| Rated at | Welterweight |
| Nationality |  American |
| Birth date | December 12, 1912 |
| Birth place | Columbus, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Death date | October 22, 1988 (aged 75) |
| Death place | Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 181 |
| Wins | 151 |
| Wins by KO | 101 |
| Losses | 8 |
| Draws | 9 |
Henry Jackson Jr. Welterweight is a Weight class division in combat sports Originally the term "welterweight" was used only in Boxing, but other combat sports like Kickboxing Events 627 - Battle of Nineveh: A Byzantine army under Emperor Heraclius defeats Emperor Khosrau II 's Persian Year 1912 ( MCMXII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year starting Columbus is a city in Lowndes County, Mississippi, United States on the Tombigbee River. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Events 202 BC - Hannibal Barca, leader of the Carthaginians, is defeated by the Roman legions under Scipio Africanus Year 1988 ( MCMLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar) Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West The United States of America —commonly referred to as the An Orthodox stance in combat sports such as boxing and karate refers to someone who boxes right-handed as opposed to a left-handed fighter who is referred to as a Southpaw. (December 12, 1912 - October 22, 1988) was a world boxing champion who fought under the name Henry Armstrong. Events 627 - Battle of Nineveh: A Byzantine army under Emperor Heraclius defeats Emperor Khosrau II 's Persian Year 1912 ( MCMXII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year starting Events 202 BC - Hannibal Barca, leader of the Carthaginians, is defeated by the Roman legions under Scipio Africanus Year 1988 ( MCMLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar) Boxing (sometimes also known as English boxing or pugilism) is a Combat sport in which two participants generally of similar weight,
The son of a sharecropper and America Armstrong, an Iroquois Indian, Henry Jr. Sharecropping is a system of agriculture or agricultural production in which a landowner allows a tenant to use the land in return for a share of the crop produced on the land (e The Iroquois Confederacy (also known as the "League of Peace and Power" the "Five Nations" the "Six Nations" or the "People of the Longhouse was a boxer who not only was a member of the exclusive group of fighters that have won boxing championships in three or more different divisions, but also has the distinction of being the only boxer to hold three world championships at the same time. He also defended the Welterweight championship more times than any other fighter.
In 2002, Ring Magazine ranked Armstrong as the 2nd greatest fighter of the last 80 years, behind only Sugar Ray Robinson. The Ring (often called Ring Magazine) is an American Boxing Magazine that was first published in 1922 as a boxing Sugar Ray Robinson' (born Walker Smith Jr, May 3 1921 – April 12 1989 was a professional boxer
Contents |
Biography
A native of Columbus, Mississippi, Armstrong moved as a youngster with his family to St. Louis, Missouri, where he was later inducted into the St. Louis Walk of Fame. Columbus is a city in Lowndes County, Mississippi, United States on the Tombigbee River. The St Louis Walk of Fame honors well-known people from St Louis Missouri who made contributions to Culture of the United States. Armstrong's two nicknames were Hurricane Henry, and Hammerin' Hank.
Armstrong started out as a professional on July 28, 1931, being knocked out by Al Sorvino in three rounds. Events 1540 - Thomas Cromwell is executed at the order of Henry VIII of England on charges of Treason. Year 1931 ( MCMXXXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1931 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Just like Alexis Arguello, Bernard Hopkins, and Wilfredo Vazquez in the future, Armstrong was one world champion who started off on the losing end. Pro career "The Explosive Thin Man" suffered an unavenged first round TKO loss in his 1968 professional debut but then won 36 of his next 38 bouts which then led him to Bernard "The Executioner" Hopkins (born January 15, 1965, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American boxer Wilfredo Vázquez (born 2 August 1960 is a boxer born in Bayamón, Puerto Rico. His first win came later that year, beating Sammy Burns by a decision in six. In 1932, Armstrong moved to Los Angeles, where he started out losing two four round decisions in a row, to Eddie Trujillo and Al Greenfield. Year 1932 ( MCMXXXII) was a Leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West But after that, he started a streak of 11 wins in a row, a streak which expanded to 1933, until he lost again, to Baby Manuel. Year 1933 ( MCMXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Then he went 22 straight fights without a defeat, going 17-0-5 in that span, including a win in a Sacramento rematch with Manuel, and five wins over Perfecto Lopez. After that, he moved to Mexico City, where in his first fight there, he lost to former world bantamweight champion Baby Arizmendi. Mexico City (in Spanish: Ciudad de México, México DF, México or simply Méjico) is the Capital city of Mexico Alberto Arizmendi, AKA Baby Arizmendi ( March 17, 1914 &ndash December 31, 1963) was a Featherweight and Welterweight He had four more fights there, going 2-2 and losing to Arizmendi in what was considered by Mexico and California a world title bout (thus Armstrong losing on his first championship try), and to Baby Casanova by a five round disqualification. The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America. California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. He then moved back to California, where he went 8-1-1 for the next ten bouts.
In 1936, Armstrong split time campaigning between Los Angeles, Mexico City and St. Year 1936 ( MCMXXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Louis. Some opponents of note that year were Ritchie Fontaine, against whom he lost by decision and then won by decision in the rematch, Arizmendi, whom he finally beat by a ten round decision, former world champion Juan Zurita and former champ Mike Belloise, who also lost a decision to Armstrong.
Armstrong started out 1937 by winning 22 bouts in a row, 21 by knockout. Year 1937 ( MCMXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. He beat Casanova in three, Belloise in four, Joe Rivers in three, former world champion Frankie Klick in four and former world champion Benny Bass in four. Benny Bass, known as "Little Fish" ( December 15, 1904, in Kiev, Ukraine; immigrated to the United States in 1906 – June 25 After those 22 wins in a row, the inevitable happened: Armstrong was given his first world title try, for the 126 pounds title, Featherweight world champion Petey Sarron defending it against him at the Madison Square Garden. Petey Sarron ( 1906-11-21 in Birmingham AL &ndash 1994-07-03) was a member of the Olympic Team at flyweight in Boxing for the United States Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG, and known colloquially as The Garden, has been the name of four Arenas in New York City. Armstrong became world's Featherweight champion knocking out Sarron in six, and closed the year with four more knockout wins.
In 1938, Armstrong started with seven more knockouts in a row, including one over future world champion Chalky Wright. Year 1938 ( MCMXXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Chalky Wright was an Mexican-American Featherweight boxer and world champion The streak finally ended when Arizmendi lasted ten rounds before losing a decision to Armstrong in their fourth fight. His streak of 27 knockout wins in a row qualifies as one of the longest knockout win streaks in the history of boxing, according to Ring Magazine. The Ring (often called Ring Magazine) is an American Boxing Magazine that was first published in 1922 as a boxing After the fourth bout with Arizmendi was a bout with Fritzie Zivic's brother, Eddie Zivic, resulting in another Armstrong knockout win, and after one more bout, Armstrong, the 126 pound division world champion, challenged a fellow member of the three division champions' club, Barney Ross, then world Welterweight champion, for the title. Fritzie Zivic ( May 8, 1913, Lawrenceville, Pittsburgh Pennsylvania &mdash May 16, 1984) born as Ferdinand A hero in the ring and outside of it the life of one of the world's greatest boxers Barney Ross born Dov-Ber Rasofsky (December 23 1909&ndashJanuary 17 1967 is a drama of epic proportion Armstrong, 126, beat Ross, 147, by unanimous decision, adding the world Welterweight championship to his Featherweight belt. Then, he went down in weight, and challenged world Lightweight champion Lou Ambers. Luigi Giuseppe d'Ambrosio, AKA Lou Ambers ( November 8, 1913 &ndash April 24, 1995) was a lightweight boxer who fought from 1932 to In a history making night, Armstrong became the first boxer ever to have world championships in three different divisions at the same time, by beating Ambers on points. A few days later, he decided he couldn't make the 126 pounds weight anymore, and left the Featherweight crown vacant.
He dedicated the next two years to defending the welterweight crown, beating, among others, future world middleweight champion Ceferino Garcia, Al Manfredo and Bobby Pacho, before defending his Lightweight belt in a rematch with Ambers, which he lost on a 15 round decision. Ceferino Garcia ( August 26, 1912 — January 1, 1981) was a champion boxer born in the Tondo, Manila, Philippines Bobby Pacho was an American boxer from Yuma Arizona. He fought many well known fighters during his career including Barney Ross, and Henry After that, he concentrated once again on defending the world Welterweight title, and made eight defenses in a row, the last of which was a nine round knockout win over Puerto Rico's Pedro Montanez. Puerto Rico (ˌpwertoˈriko officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ("Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico" {{lang-en|"Associated Free State of Puerto Rico"}} Pedro Montañez, ( April 24, 1914 - June 26, 1996) was a boxer from Cayey Puerto Rico. Then, he tried to make history once again by becoming the first boxer to win world titles in four different categories in a rematch with Garcia, already world Middleweight champion, but the fight ended in a ten round draw, Armstrong's attempt to win a fourth division's world title being frustrated. According to boxing historian Bert Sugar, many felt Armstrong deserved the decision in this fight. Bert Randolph Sugar (born June 7 1936, in Washington DC) is a well known Boxing writer
He went back to Welterweight and retained the title five more times, until Fritzie Zivic was able to avenge his brother Eddie's defeat by taking the world title away from Armstrong with a 15 round decision. With this loss, Armstrong's reign as Welterweight champion came to an end, leaving Armstrong's successful defense streak at eighteen, the most defenses by a champion ever in Welterweight history. In 1941, they boxed a rematch, this time, Zivic stopping Armstrong in 12 rounds. Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar.
1942 saw Armstrong go 13-1, including wins over world champions (Fritzie) Zivic in a ten round non title bout, Jenkins and Zurita. Year 1942 ( MCMXLII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar of the Gregorian calendar.
1943 saw him go 10-3, with wins over world champions Tippy Larkin and Sammy Angott in ten round bouts, and losses to world champions Beau Jack and Sugar Ray Robinson, also in ten round bouts. Year 1943 ( MCMXLIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Sammy Angott (born January 17, 1915 &ndash died October 22, 1980) was born Samuel Engotti in Pennsylvania. Sidney Walker, better known as Beau Jack, ( April 1 1921 &ndash February 9 2000) was an American Lightweight Sugar Ray Robinson' (born Walker Smith Jr, May 3 1921 – April 12 1989 was a professional boxer
1944 saw Henry go 14-2-1 in 17 bouts, among those, another win over Belloise. Year 1944 ( MCMXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.
After winning one fight, losing one and drawing one in 1945, Armstrong decided to retire from boxing. Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar Apart from the ceremonies and galas that he attended afterwards, he led a relatively quiet life for the rest of his life. He became a born-again Christian and an ordained pastor, and he taught young, upcoming fighters how to box. A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth
Armstrong registered an official record of 150 wins, 21 losses and 9 draws, with 100 knockout wins. His exact record, however, isn't really known, because it is said he fought some pay fights under the nickname of Melody Jackson.
Armstrong became a member of the International Boxing Hall Of Fame. The modern International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF is located in Canastota, New York, United States, within driving distance from the Baseball Hall
After retiring from boxing, Henry Armstrong became a Baptist minister. Baptist is a term describing individuals belonging to a Baptist church or a Baptist denomination.
On his passing in 1988, he was interred in the Rosedale Cemetery in Los Angeles, California. Angelus-Rosedale Cemetery is a Cemetery located at 1831 West Washington Boulevard Los Angeles California, in the historic West Adams District a short distance Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West
Record
- Professional boxing:181 Fights 151 Wins 101 KOs 21 Loses 9 Draws
Career
- World Featherweight champion
- World Lightweight champion
- World Welterweight champion
Trivia
- Cousin of Billie Holiday
- Attributed his astonishing stamina to an abnormal heartbeat. Boxing (sometimes also known as English boxing or pugilism) is a Combat sport in which two participants generally of similar weight, Billie Holiday (born Eleanora Fagan; April 7 1915 – July 17 1959 was an American Jazz singer and songwriter In fact, he stated that it took him over two hours to warm-up for a fifteen round fight. A warmup is usually performed before participating in (technical Sports or exercising The ComBat was an Aluminium Cricket bat and the subject of an incident that occurred at the WACA cricket ground in Perth in December 1979.
See also
External links
- The Official Henry Armstrong Web Site
- Henry Armstrong Foundation Web Site
- http://www.boxrec.com/boxer_display.php?boxer_id=009018
- Biographical sketch for Henry Armstrong on the International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF) web site
- Profile page for Henry "Hurricane Hank" Armstrong on the Find A Grave web site
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