Johnson knew what was expected of him; by his actions and speech he had to show that he was no longer a threat to white society. Repentance preceded acceptance. ibid.
Although almost 42, he felt sure he could whip Jack Dempsey. The public, he lectured, wanted that ‘draft dodger’ Dempsey defeated, and he was the only man who could do it. ibid.
Thousands of residents of Harlem celebrated his release and treated him like a ‘conquering hero’. There was even a parade, with Johnson leading the way in a flashy black suit with broad white stripes. He wore a straw hat at a ‘rakish angle’ and carried a silver-mounted cane. Clamped between his gold teeth was a cigar. He looked good, reporters agreed. More like a man of 25 than 42. He was on his way back to the top. He would win the heavyweight championship again. Or so he and they thought. ibid.
The year: 1908. Tommy Burns is heavyweight champion of the world … Right behind him is a man who casts a giant shadow … Johnson chases Burns all the way down to Australia. Jack Johnson, 1970
At 5’7’’ and 175 pounds Tommy Burns is the smallest champion in history. ibid.
December 26th 1908: At 6’1’’ and 212 lbs Johnson is lean and hard, a master-craftsman who loves to set his own pace. ibid.
At this moment the police shut off the cameras and stop the fight. ibid.
When Ketchel appears in the ring minus shoulder pads and cowboy pads the physical differences are startling. ibid.
Johnson wipes two of Ketchel’s teeth from his glove. ibid.
Jim Jeffries to meet Jack Johnson in San Francisco on 4th July 1910. The battle of the century! … The fight will be held in Reno. ibid.
Etta Terry Johnson commits suicide. ibid.
April 5th 1915 … 45 rounds … Willard keeps his distance … Johnson goes down … ‘Willard didn’t beat me; I decided to lay down.’ ibid.
[8.6] EARNIE SHAVERS 89-74(68)-14-1: Boxing News online - Daily Telegraph -
On this day in 1979 in Las Vegas, big-hitting heavyweight destroyer Earnie Shavers scored arguably the biggest win of his thrilling pro career. Halting former WBC heavyweight ruler Ken Norton inside a single round, the shaven-headed slugger earned himself a shot at the crown now held by the unbeaten Larry Holmes (who retained his WBC belt in the March 23rd main event, halting Ossie Ocasio in the 7th-round).
Norton, aged 35 and sporting a 41-5 record, was the betting favourite over the 34-year-old Shavers, who was 57-7-1 at the time. The odds were not to be obeyed, however, as a relentless Shavers made the most of his big chance. Having lost a close decision to Muhammad Ali, in a challenge for the world title in 1977, and then dropping a wide non-title decision to Holmes the following year, most experts felt Shavers’ best days had passed him by. Earnie had reeled off three straight wins since the loss to Holmes, yet he had beaten no-one of Norton’s class. Boxing News online
A close encounter with Shavers: Former heavyweight with a devastating punch hitting the after-dinner circuit: … In 1977, at Madison Square Garden, he had Muhammad Ali on the ropes in round two of the title fight for the heavyweight championship of the world. ‘The champion is hurt! Ali is in trouble!’ screams the commentary (it sounds like Howard Cossell) on wobbly black-and-white footage that Shavers carries around with him in video form.
‘I backed off,’ Shavers said ruefully, with the hindsight of 22 years …
This man is in demand. And not just by his five ex-wives …
Shavers is one of the lucky ones. He was barely in the ring long enough to get a scratch. By the time he fought Ali, he’d had 60 professional bouts. Of those, 52 were knockouts …
He fought for nearly 20 years, sprinkled with a few retirements. He won 74 of 88 fights, 67 of them by knockouts. After Ali, he fought Larry Holmes for the heavyweight title at the age of 35. He knocked the champion senseless once but Holmes admitted later that the force of hitting his head on the canvas woke him up again. ‘For seven seconds I was champion of the world,’ Shavers said. Daily Telegraph article 10th December 1999 Sue Mott
[8.6] RIDDICK BOWE 45-43(33)-1-0-1: Ringside Rivalries TV - Al Bernstein - Daily Mail -
At his peak this was a big man who had everything. Ringside Rivalries, ESPN
At his peak he was a very special fighter. One many thought was going to dominate the Heavyweight division for a while and that peak happened in his first fight with Evander Holyfield. Al Bernstein, boxing analyst
Bowe facing a life sentence if he fights on after jail term: Riddick Bowe is not on Death Row technically, just two-thirds of the way through his 13-month prison sentence.
It is what he proposes to do when he comes out of jail next spring which makes it less certain that he will live to celebrate his 37th birthday.
Remember Riddick? He is the giant American who took the undisputed world heavyweight title from Evander Holyfield, then threw the WBC belt into a London dustbin rather than fight Britain’s Lennox Lewis …
The self-inflicted financial ruin of Mike Tyson is a matter of mind-boggling record. Riddick Bowe, one of 13 brothers and sisters who survived childhood in a Brooklyn crack house, may not be heading back to Skid Row but he will need an income when he is released. Daily Mail article 3rd November 2003
32) Evander Holyfield ***** Points 12: US Fight Commentary TV -
v Riddick Bowe I 13 November 1992 WBA WBC IBF Heavyweight Nevada [r1] … Both men throwing jabs … Left hook to the body from Holyfield and a left hook to the jaw … the right hand lead … scoring a combination … left-right … Bowe lands the right hand for the first time … [r2] Right hand lead again [Holyfield] … They brawl in the centre of the ring … Right hand over the top by Bowe … and the left hook from Holyfield … left hook from Bowe … uppercut again … Left hook by Holyfield … Good right hand by Riddick Bowe … [r3] … Holyfield firing the left twice … long right hand … Bowe comes right back … all Bowe punches … Holyfield seemingly in trouble … Left hook by Holyfield … and another … wobbled Bowe … Furious give and take … [r4] … Bowe lands the right hand … Left hook inside by Holyfield … Right hand shot [Bowe] … Holyfield with a right hand … [r5] … These are solid shots [Bowe] … Holyfield with a right and a left … [r6] … They trade right hands … Uppercut inside by Holyfield … [r7] … Bowe lands the right hand over the top … Evander is reeling … Another right hand over the top … Bowe beginning to box again … Holyfield right hands … [r8] … Blood on the left eye [Holyfield] … Holyfield with another left hook … Both coming back with right hands … Holyfield twice lands the left … takes a right hand in return … [r9] … Bowe pounding away … Riddick’s right eye is closing … Trading right hands … Right uppercut by Holyfield … [r10] … Three good combinations … The champion struggles to stay on his feet … Holyfield weathers the storm … Look at Holyfield: what a warrior! … A right hand by Holyfield … and another … [r11] … Holyfied in serious trouble … and he’s got to go down … Holyfield still fighting … uppercut … [r12] … [Holyfield] does not seem to have the ammunition … An extraordinary battle … [115-112 117-110 117-110] US fight commentary
34) Evander Holyfield II Lost MD Points: US Fight Commentary TV --
Evander Holyfield II 6 November 1993 WBA IBF Heavyweight Nevada [r1] … Bowe cops Holyfield with two overhand rights … a hard right … [Holyfield] left to the side of the head … Bowe lands a jab and a right hand … Trading punches … [r2] … Bowe is back on track … sticking the jab … Holyfield lands a right and takes one … left hook … another … Bowe landed the right hand … [r3] … Right hand over the top by Bowe … right to the body … [Holyfield] lands a right in close … throws combinations … Right hand by Bowe … [r4] … Left hook [Bowe] … Left hook [Holyfield] … They trade leather at close quarters … Holyfield lands a right … Two cuts [Bowe] … [r5] … [Bowe] came in a little too big [Foreman’s co-commentary] … Bowe is hurt! … Stuns Bowe again … [r6] … Holyfield commanding with the jab … great combination … and another … right hand landed flush … [Bowe] right hand … Uppercut by Evander … [r7] … Right hand [Holyfield] … and Bowe comes back fighting … [r8] … And a parachute has just landed on the edge of the ring! … The most bizarre thing I’ve seen in a prize fight [Lederman] … [r9] … Hand right hand and Holyfield wobbles … the right hand again … Left/right combination [Holyfield] … [Lederman 86-85 Bowe] … [r10] … In-fighting … Right hand by Holyfield … Trading and trading … Right hand by Holyfield … left hook … [r11] … Holyfield delivers another right hand … left hook inside … Counter right hand … got him again … [r12] … Hit Bowe with the biggest right hand of the night. Riddick came back … Bowe lands an uppercut … Right hand by Holyfield … [Lederman 114-114] [114-114, 115-114, 115-13 Holyfield] (Boxers: Holyfield & Boxers: Bowe) US fight commentary