Daniel Cann

Joe Gans (real name Joseph Gant) was born in Baltimore, Maryland on 25th November 1874 and was simply a master craftsman and stylist decades ahead of his time. Unfortunately for him when he turned professional in 1891 it was in an era where black boxers (especially exceptionally gifted and talented ones) had to box to ‘orders’ meaning they had to lose to or ‘carry’ opponents. This vile state of affairs that existed in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century meant that Gans record contains many dubious defeats. That he emerged as the World Lightweight Champion beating the best of his era under these circumstances is testament to his undeniable talent and greatness.

Respected former Editor of ‘The Ring Magazine’ Nat Fleischer rated Gans as ‘the Greatest Lightweight in history’ praise indeed. The ‘San Francisco Chronicle’ commented, ‘Those who have watched Gans go through his work every day are amazed at his wonderful agility, his speed and his clean hitting ability.’ And the ‘Boston Globe’ described Gans as ‘one of the most wonderful fighters from a scientific view that the world has ever known. There is not a trick or point that he does not know, and he has a terrific punch with either hand. His wallops travel only a short distance and are better than the far-reaching ones. Gans has a beautiful left (jab) and can do great execution with it.’

Three weight World Champion and all time great Bob Fitzsimmons said of him ‘Gans is the cleverest fighter, big or little that ever put on the gloves. He is also a hard hitter. He uses one hand as equally well as the other and can score a knockout with either.’ Former World Featherweight Champion Abe Attell also gave his opinion that ‘Joe Gans was the greatest lightweight that ever entered a ring. In his prime no fighter of his weight was his equal.’ It was no wonder then that Gans was known as ‘The Old Master.’ Had he fought today he would undoubtedly have been a superstar. This is his story.

Gans tough apprenticeship in the ring began in the boxing clubs at the tender age of seventeen. It was here that he learned his craft, learning to punch with unerring accuracy and with devastating force, to dodge, block, duck, feint, weave and dance. According to newspaper accounts and by his contemporaries his footwork was second to none, leading World heavyweight Champion Jack Johnson to comment ‘Joe moved around like he was on wheels.’ Coming from Johnson who was himself an awesome puncher and defensive master just goes to show the high esteem Gans was held in.

After a few years of this circuit it was clear that Gans was developing into a formidable fighting machine. Photos of him show a perfectly proportioned athlete with broad shoulders and chest, washboard ‘six pack’ abdominal muscles and tree trunk legs. That he was also teak tough with vast reserves of stamina who could deliver blisteringly fast combinations with pin point accuracy soon gained notice despite some very dubious decisions he conceded. His raw, instinctive talent would not go unnoticed or be denied.

Yet it would take nine years of grafting, learning and rising up the ranks before he would finally get his World title shot against Champion Frank Erne on 23 March 1900 in New York. Gans was more than holding his own against the Champion when an (alleged) accidental head butt from the Erne resulted in a horrific eye injury and Gans had no option but to retire. Accounts vary as to the severity of this injury and the circumstances of the defeat. Some allege that Gans was told to take a ‘dive’ others contend it was a legitimate defeat and had he continued Gans’ sight would have been at risk. Whatever the truth was it was a set back for the talented young boxer.

Undeterred he continued his career scoring impressive wins before facing the reigning World Featherweight Champion ‘Terrible Terry’ McGovern the popular Irish American. This contest was almost certainly a fix when Gans was ‘counted out’ in the second round in Chicago after going down several times from unconvincing punches. The stink was so bad that the scandal surrounding the outcome killed boxing in Illinois for over twenty years. To substantiate claims of fight fixing and boxing to orders Gans attempted to leave his crooked manager Al Herford on many occasions from 1898 onwards. It was on his pure and undeniable talent that the authorities realized he was World class and something was clearly amiss for him to drop some of the decisions that he did.

When on 12 May 1902 Gans challenged Frank Erne again for the World Lightweight title at Fort Erie in Canada he put everything beyond doubt with one devastating knockout blow in the first round. Notice had been served that the best boxer in the World was and had always been Joe Gans and no governing body, boxing commission or crooked manager could deny it.

Gans famously marked his World title victory by letting his impoverished family know they could now afford to eat luxury food. He sent his loving mother the following telegram ‘I am bringing home the bacon.’

Several successful title defences followed and on 8 December 1903 he fought all time great and much avoided boxer Sam Langford. Langford was the larger of the two being a natural Welterweight at the time of their encounter. What is astonishing is that this bout in Boston was fought the day after Gans had fought a no decision bout with another welterweight Dave Holly in Philadelphia (Gans won the newspaper decision). This meant that Gans had to travel by train from Philadelphia to Boston for a fight the very next day! Gans admitted that fighting two days in a row and making the trip had sapped his stamina. No kidding! This would never happen today and again is testament to Gans greatness and bravery that he would accept a contest with such a dangerous and feared opponent as Langford.

Despite the extraordinary background of his preparation and trip to the arena, Gans fought masterfully in the early rounds dominating the action until, unsurprisingly he faded in the later rounds eventually dropping a close decision in what would today be described as a ‘Chess match’ between two master technicians.

More successful defenses of his World Lightweight title followed until on 30th September 1904 Gans moved up in weight to challenge the great World Welterweight Champion ‘The Barbados Demon’ Joe Walcott renowned for his strength, punching power and ability to withstand punishment. In a torrid contest Gans fought the formidable Champion to a draw over twenty closely contested rounds. This fight was a thriller on a par with the rivalry between Ali and Frazier. It was a case of the smooth skills and footwork of Gans versus the strength and rugged power of Walcott. Their styles blended to form a perfect match up that in the words of Nat Fleischer ‘took the house by storm.’

In 1905 and through 1906 Gans engaged in three battles with respected and highly ranked World Welterweight contender Mike ‘Twin’ Sullivan, a naturally larger man than Gans. In their first contest Gans managed to knock Sullivan down in the first round before eventually boxing to a draw. The second contest saw Gans score a sensational knockout victory in the fifteenth round for the World Welterweight title. In their rubber match Gans again knocked Sullivan out this time in the tenth round. These results are even more impressive when you consider that Sullivan outweighed Gans by up to thirteen pounds!

Later in 1906 Gans clearly outpointed another great Lightweight boxer (and future manager of Heavyweight sensation Joe Louis) Jack Blackburn. On 3rd September 1906 at Goldfield, Nevada came the first of three epic battles with the great Danish boxer ‘Battling’ Nelson. The first contest lasted an incredible 42 rounds in the blazing afternoon desert sun. Gans won on a disqualification after being well in control and his tough opponent’s face was a mess testament to Gans accuracy. The desperate Dane fouled causing ringside eyewitness and former Bantamweight Champion Frankie Neil to comment ‘It looks as though Nelson, who was a very badly beaten man, took an easy way to quit.’

After an impressive eighth round knockout of the rock chinned Kid Herman (until he met Gans!) and a six round TKO of top contender Jimmy Britt among others Gans met Nelson again this time on 4th July 1908 in San Francisco this time the title changed hands when Nelson knocked out the exhausted Gans out in the seventeenth round. Had they fought under today’s championship distance of twelve rounds there would be little doubt that Gans would have retained his title as he was considered to be well ahead on points at the time of the knockout. The San Francisco Chronicle described Gans appearance as “weakened and dull in the eyes” and continued, 'It was clear that it was a different Gans than the one who had fought at Goldfield.'

Gans was forced to fight at unnaturally low weights for much of his career. Even though he was the Champion he often had to follow the wishes of his white opponents and the white boxing commissioners. Gans had trouble making the Lightweight limit on several occasions. This resulted in him being severely dehydrated and drained in many important contests. If he were boxing in the early twenty first century Gans would be a natural Light Welterweight. The problem was that back in the early twentieth century the Light-Welterweight limit did not exist and the authorities were not very accommodating to non-white fighters.

The weight making difficulties that dogged the later stages of his career may have contributed to Gans contracting Tuberculosis, which was one of the major causes of death in that day. Tuberculosis is a disease that affects the lungs causing difficulty in breathing with common symptoms such as weakness, fatigue, chills, chest pain and of course coughing up blood. To train and to fight under these circumstances is unthinkable but somehow Gans managed to battle on with this debilitating impediment.

In the third and final match against Nelson on 9th September 1908 at the Mission Street Arena, Colma, California a mere two months after the second contest Gans through sheer courage and willpower managed to last into the twenty first round before being knocked out, weakened by the distance and Nelson’s body blows. Again, if this contest were fought today with the championship distance of twelve rounds Gans would have amazingly won as accounts at the time again gave him the better of the earlier rounds. Even Nelson admitted ‘Gans gave me a tougher fight this time. Gans was certainly a game boy and took a lot of a beating.’

The three contests with Nelson were among the most spectacular ever seen in the Lightweight class but they took their toll. Unsurprisingly Gans had only one more contest winning a newspaper decision over former British Champion Jabez White. He knocked White down four times in the ten round contest with White being saved by the bell.

The ending is a sad one as Gans lingered on until 10th August 1910 dying in his mother’s arms of tuberculosis. He was only thirty-five years old. Reports claim the once formidable Champion weighed only 84 pounds (6 stone). Boxing fans and experts should remember him as ‘The Old Master’ a ring legend and the first Black American World Champion at any weight. He was also far more than that, boxers like Sugar Ray Robinson, Muhammad Ali, Pernell Whittaker, Roy Jones Jr and Floyd Mayweather Jr all owe Joe Gans a debt. He laid the blueprint down for others to follow and carried himself with great dignity in a terribly racist and openly hostile society. If he failed to do as he was instructed he would not have been paid.

Had he fought in today’s era there is no doubt in my mind that he would have dominated in the Lightweight and Light-Welterweight classes. In the greater scheme of things he is perhaps the greatest Lightweight of all time above other Lightweight greats such as Benny Leonard, Henry Armstrong, Roberto Duran and Pernell Whittaker. He deserves to be remembered, venerated and embraced by new fans. Highlights of a few of his fights can be seen on Youtube; these jumpy, grainy images can only marginally attest to his greatness. Coupled with newspaper reports, eyewitness accounts and most importantly the accolades from his contemporaries like John L Sullivan, Bob Fitzsimmons and Jack Johnson you have to conclude he was very special indeed.

World Lightweight Champion 1902 – 1908

Fights 188 Wins 138 KOs 96 Lost 10 Drew 15 No Contests 25