Arthur Cravan

[HomicideHenry]

http://www.boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?hu ... &cat=boxer

^^^Boxrec must have Cravan's record wrong, because I found an old fight poster of an encounter between Johnson and Cravan, and Cravan is listed as being the European Heavyweight champion.

This is the link to the poster. Thanks!

http://www.rare-maps.com/details.cfm?ty ... key=100003

[Matt]

Georges Carpentier was the champion at the time, a poster like a lot of press back then, could be full of b.s.

[HomicideHenry]

1919-12-04 Joe Beckett 10-5-0
Holborn Stadium, Holborn, London, United Kingdom W KO 1 20x3
~ EBU (European) heavyweight title ~

1919-09-21 C Croissilles 0-0-0
San Sebastian, País Vasco, Spain W KO 2 10
1919-07-19 Dick Smith 3-7-0
Paris, Paris, France W KO 8 20
~ EBU (European) heavyweight title ~
~ IBU (1913 - 1946) light heavyweight title ~

1914-07-26 Kid Jackson 9-6-0
Bourdeaux, Drôme, France W DQ 4 10
1914-07-16 170 Gunboat Smith 182 48-8-5
Olympia, London, United Kingdom W DQ 6 20x3
~ referee: Eugene Corri ~
White Heavyweight Championship Of The World

The only title Carpentier had was the fictional 'white' heavyweight title, which is contested, considering it was Luther McCarty who truly was considered the 'white' heavywieght champion.

I think I left the case for Cravan still open, considering the Johnson fight went down in 1916, and Carpentier was inactive for almost five years.

[Matt]

Carpentier claimed the title before World War I, and did not fight during the war, and resumed claiming it after the war. Danahar, as of now doesn't even have a win in the database. Now I'm sure he won a fight, but it is unlikely that it was against a notable boxer.

[delisa]

Cravan had won an amateur tournament (I think he might have recieved all byes!) under his real name Fabian Avenarius Lloyd.

Other than that he had no claim to any European title.

[HomicideHenry]

Supposedly, from what I read, which may be more reputable, Cravan proclaimed he was the French heavyweight champion.

[SteveO]

The only title Carpentier had was the fictional 'white' heavyweight title, which is contested, considering it was Luther McCarty who truly was considered the 'white' heavywieght champion.

Luther McCarty had tragically died the year before Carpentier won the 'white' heavyweight title.

[delisa]

Ok -- I found my notes:

Craven indeed, as I recalled, in March 1910 entered the 8th Annual Boxing Championships for amateurs and soldiers, organized by the French federation of the Boxing Clubs. He won the lighheavy title by walkover from Pecqueriaux.

On May 10, Cravanis beaten with the second round by Cussot-Brien in Angouleme.

He next fights in 1914 in Greece, then moves to Barcelona in Dec 1915, joining his brother, Otho Lloyd, as an instructor at Real Club Maritimo. He also referees. In March he signs to face Johnson in April.