1. Joe Gans was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990.
20 Facts About Joe Gans
1. 2.
Joe Gans was born as Joseph Gant on November 25,1874 in Baltimore, MD.
3.
Not backing down from a fight, Joe Gans accepted and outpointed Brown in a 10-round points decision.
4.
On March 3,1900, at the Broadway Athletic Club in New York City, Joe Gans quit with an eye injury in the twelfth round and lost via TKO while challenging lightweight champion Frank Erne in Joe Gans' first title fight.
5.
Joe Gans felt him out with a left shove to the face, drawing blood to nose.
6.
Erne seemed dazed, and Joe Gans rushed and exchanged, putting right plump on Erne's jaw.
7.
On January 6,1902, Joe Gans defeated the former world welterweight champion, Canadian-born Eddie Connolly, in a five-round bout at the Washington Sports Club in Philadelphia.
8.
Joe Gans defended his Lightweight World Title against other talented boxers such as Steve Crosby and Gus Gardiner.
9.
On September 15,1905, Joe Gans fought to a 15-round prearranged draw with future Welterweight World Championship claimant Mike "Twin" Sullivan.
10.
Joe Gans and Battling Nelson fought for the World Lightweight title twice in Colma, California: first on July 4 and again on September 9 of 1908.
11.
Joe Gans lost the first fight by knockout in the 17th round of 45, ending his multi-year reign as champion; he lost the rematch via KO in the 21st round of 45.
12.
Joe Gans had to weigh in at ringside at not more than 132 lbs fully dressed.
13.
Joe Gans died on August 10,1910, of tuberculosis, at the age of 35.
14.
Joe Gans is buried in Mount Auburn Cemetery in Baltimore.
15.
Joe Gans's monument is maintained by the International Boxing Commission and sits just to the left of the main entrance of the cemetery.
16.
Joe Gans had a final professional record of 145 wins with 100 knockouts, 10 losses, 16 draws, 6 no contests and 19 no decisions.
17.
Joe Gans was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990.
18.
Joe Gans' legendary fight with Battling Nelson on September 3,1906, was commemorated with a memorial located in Goldfield, Nevada, at the site of the fight.
19.
Joe Gans was the first African-American to win a World Boxing Championship and the first to win a Lightweight Boxing title.
20.
Joe Gans was rated the greatest Lightweight boxer of all-time by boxing historian and Ring Magazine founder Nat Fleischer.