Standing no more than 5' 7" tall, Sam Langford was one of the 20th century's greatest fighters. In 1951, the great featherweight champion Abe Attell was asked if Sugar Ray Robinson was the best of all time, either as a welterweight or middleweight. He named Stanley Ketchel as the greatest welterweight he'd ever seen and said that, as for the middleweights, he'd take Sam Langford, "the greatest of them all at that poundage." Remarkably, the man Attell felt was the greatest middleweight fighter in history fought and defeated ...
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Standing no more than 5' 7" tall, Sam Langford was one of the 20th century's greatest fighters. In 1951, the great featherweight champion Abe Attell was asked if Sugar Ray Robinson was the best of all time, either as a welterweight or middleweight. He named Stanley Ketchel as the greatest welterweight he'd ever seen and said that, as for the middleweights, he'd take Sam Langford, "the greatest of them all at that poundage." Remarkably, the man Attell felt was the greatest middleweight fighter in history fought and defeated many of the leading heavyweight contenders of his day. Over time, he matured physically and grew into a light heavyweight, then began fighting heavyweights on a regular basis, but he was almost always the much smaller of the two combatants. Nat Fleischer, founding editor of The Ring magazine, called Sam one of the hardest punchers of all time, and ranked the little man seventh among his personal all-time favorites "Sam was endowed with everything. He possessed strength, agility, cleverness, hitting power, a good thinking cap, and an abundance of courage He feared no one. But he had the fatal gift of being too good, and that's why he often had to give away weight in early days and make agreements with opponents. Many of those who agreed to fight him, especially of his own race, wanted an assurance that he would be merciful or insisted on a bout of not more than six rounds." Other leading sportswriters of that era had even higher opinions of Sam. Hype Igoe, well known boxing writer for the New York Journal, proclaimed Sam the greatest fighter, pound-for-pound, who ever lived. Joe Williams, respected sports columnist of the New York World Telegram wrote that Langford was probably the best the ring ever saw, and the great Grantland Rice described Sam as "about the best fighting man I've ever watched." At the time of Sam's induction into the Boxing Hall of Fame (October 1955) he was the only non-champion accorded the honor. Many ring experts considered Sam the greatest pound-for-pound fighter in the history of boxing Under different circumstances he might have been a champion at five different weights: lightweight; welterweight, middleweight; light heavyweight; and heavyweight. Blind and penniless at the end of his life, Sam lived quietly in a private nursing home But when one visitor expressed sympathy for his circumstances, Sam replied, "Don't nobody need to feel sorry for old Sam. I had plenty of good times. I been all over the world. I fought maybe 600 fights, and every one was a pleasure!" With 98 photographs and illustrations, primarily from private collections.
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Add this copy of Sam Langford: Boxing's Greatest Uncrowned Champion to cart. $33.69, very good condition, Sold by BADBOOKS rated 3.0 out of 5 stars, ships from ORLANDO, FL, UNITED STATES, published 2013 by Bennett & Hastings Publishing.
Add this copy of Sam Langford: Boxing's Greatest Uncrowned Champion to cart. $45.00, very good condition, Sold by Sequitur Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Boonsboro, MD, UNITED STATES, published 2008 by Bennett & Hastings.
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Seller's Description:
Very Good. Size: 6x2x9; [The Boston Bonecrusher] Hardcover and dust jacket. Good binding and cover. Shelf wear. Some foxing to edges. Pages unmarked. Sam Langford was one of the greatest fighters in boxing history. Born in Weymouth Falls, Nova Scotia on March 4, 1886, the 5' 7" dynamo migrated to Boston, Massachusetts, and engaged in close to 300 officially recorded professional contests from 1902 to 1926. He was an exceptionally courageous and intelligent fighter with long arms and an impressive upper torso. He also packed a tremendous wallop in both hands and knocked out many of the much larger and talented boxers of his day. In 2003, Ring Magazine's writers listed him second on their list of the 100 greatest pound for pound punchers of all-time. Despite his obvious qualifications Langford never received an opportunity to fight for a world championship. There were two reasons for this, first he was black and it was convenient for many of the top white contenders to draw the 'color line' to avoid facing him, and second he was too good to risk one's crown against. Time after time after becoming the first black heavyweight champion, Jack Johnson refused to fight Sam, eventually admitting that he had no wish to risk his title against Sam.
Add this copy of Sam Langford: Boxing's Greatest Uncrowned Champion to cart. $46.50, good condition, Sold by Bonita rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Newport Coast, CA, UNITED STATES, published 2012 by Bennett & Hastings Publishing.
Add this copy of Sam Langford: Boxing's Greatest Uncrowned Champion to cart. $80.23, very good condition, Sold by Paul Brown Books rated 2.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Ramsgate, UNITED KINGDOM, published 2013 by -Bennett & Hastings (2008)-.
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Seller's Description:
Second printing with revisions 2008. iv+430 pages. Illustrated. Cloth. Near fine in dustjacket. At the time of Sam Langford? s induction into the Boxing Hall of Fame (October 1955) he was the only non-champion accorded the honor. This detailed biography tells Langford? s life story and helps explain the circumstances behind that unique entry into the Hall of Fame. Many ring experts considered Sam the greatest pound-for-pound fighter in the history of boxing, but he was fighting in an era when? the color line? could be drawn to prevent a fight between men of differing races. His was the era of? The Great White Hope? , and his biography brings into focus how other societal fights were being fought outside the ring during that era. Under different circumstances Langford might have been a champion at five different weights: lightweight, welterweight, middleweight, light heavyweight, and heavyweight. Although he stood no more than 5? 7? tall and weighed between 170-180 pounds in his prime, Langford often fought and defeated bigger and heavier men. During Langford? s lifetime, Jack Johnson won the heavyweight championship, the first black man to do so. Langford then pursued the title for several years, goading Jack Johnson in as many ways possible but never successfully booking Johnson into a fight for the title. In the meanwhile, Langford was a prodigious fighter, taking part in over 600 bouts. He travelled the world as a prizefighter, earning reputations as a top competitor and, remarkably given the challenges he faced, a playful and generous man. His biography is rich with lively stories and humor. In 1999 Sam Langford was voted Nova Scotia? s top male athlete of the twentieth century. Many boxing titles in stock, please ask for our list, or link.
Add this copy of Sam Langford: Boxing's Greatest Uncrowned Champion to cart. $88.97, good condition, Sold by Bonita rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Newport Coast, CA, UNITED STATES, published 2008 by Bennett & Hastings Pub.