Top 35 African American heavyweights 1930-1948

[BrocktonBlockbuster49]

Since the color line/racism was still effective in those days, I thought I would rank the top black heavyweights of this era. Some of these men were very talented fighters who for one reason or another(mainly due to the color of their skin), never received the big opportunities so they ended up not maximizing their potential.


1. Joe Louis- 6'2 200lb 76"
2. Jersey Joe Walcott- 6'0 195lb 73"
3. Ezzard Charles- 6'0 185lb 72"
4. Elmer Ray- 6'2 195 78"
5. Archie Moore- 5'11 185 76"
6. Jimmy Bivins- 5'9 185 76"
7. George Godfrey- 6'3 225lb 80"
8. Lee Q Murray- 6'4 210lb (?)
9. Lem Franklin- 6'2 200lb 76"
10. Roscoe Toles- 6'2 200lb
11. Larry Gains- 6'1 205 77"
12. Turkey Thompson- 5'8 210lb 73"
13. John Henry Lewis- 6'0 180lb 76"
14. Tiger Jack Fox- 5'11 175lb 75"
15. Obie Walker - 5'9 230lb
16. Harry Bobo- 6'4 220lb 78"
17. Eddie Blunt - 6'0 220lb
18. Hatchetman Sheppard- 5'11 180
19. Leroy Haynes - 6'1 210lb 76"
20. Jack Trammell- 6'6 185lb 80"
21. Ed Bearcat Wright - 6'1 210
22. Buddy Walker - 5'11 195
23. Al Hart- 6'1 225lb
24. Big Boy Bray- 6'1 215lb
25. Willie Reddish- 5'11 190
26. Johnny Haynes- 6'4 220
27. Sid Peaks- 6'3 215
28. Henry "Snow" Flakes- 6'0 195
29. Lou Brooks- 6'0 190lb
30. Clayton Worlds- 6'6 195
31. Big Boy Brown- 6'1 250lb
32. Lorenzo Pack- 5'11 200
33. Yancey Henry- 6' 195
34. Perk Daniels- 6'0 190
35. Tiger Ted Lowry- 5'10 180

HM: Otis Thomas- 5'11 205

[BrocktonBlockbuster49]

Bump

[Ezzard]

Hi old friend. I think you got 2 and 3 the wrong way round!

[barry]

It's good to see that you are still heavily into researching the 30s and 40s African-American heavyweights!

[dempseyfire]

Since the color line/racism was still effective in those days, I thought I would rank the top black heavyweights of this era. Some of these men were very talented fighters who for one reason or another(mainly due to the color of their skin), never received the big opportunities so they ended up not maximizing their potential.


1. Joe Louis- 6'2 200lb 76"
2. Jersey Joe Walcott- 6'0 195lb 73"
3. Ezzard Charles- 6'0 185lb 72"
4. Elmer Ray- 6'2 195 78"
5. Archie Moore- 5'11 185 76"
6. Jimmy Bivins- 5'9 185 76"
7. George Godfrey- 6'3 225lb 80"
8. Lee Q Murray- 6'4 210lb (?)
9. Lem Franklin- 6'2 200lb 76"
10. Roscoe Toles- 6'2 200lb
11. Larry Gains- 6'1 205 77"
12. Turkey Thompson- 5'8 210lb 73"
13. John Henry Lewis- 6'0 180lb 76"
14. Tiger Jack Fox- 5'11 175lb 75"
15. Obie Walker - 5'9 230lb
16. Harry Bobo- 6'4 220lb 78"
17. Eddie Blunt - 6'0 220lb
18. Hatchetman Sheppard- 5'11 180
19. Leroy Haynes - 6'1 210lb 76"
20. Jack Trammell- 6'6 185lb 80"
21. Ed Bearcat Wright - 6'1 210
22. Buddy Walker - 5'11 195
23. Al Hart- 6'1 225lb
24. Big Boy Bray- 6'1 215lb
25. Willie Reddish- 5'11 190
26. Johnny Haynes- 6'4 220
27. Sid Peaks- 6'3 215
28. Henry "Snow" Flakes- 6'0 195
29. Lou Brooks- 6'0 190lb
30. Clayton Worlds- 6'6 195
31. Big Boy Brown- 6'1 250lb
32. Lorenzo Pack- 5'11 200
33. Yancey Henry- 6' 195
34. Perk Daniels- 6'0 190
35. Tiger Ted Lowry- 5'10 180

HM: Otis Thomas- 5'11 205

I think Moore is way too high given the timeframe (Moore had barely fought any HWs by 1948 save a past-it Sheppard and Bivins), as is Godfrey (whose prime was the late 1920s=by 1930 he was regularly coming into fights overweight and disinterested). Bump up Bivins, Thompson, Walker, and Sheppard. I'd also rank Haynes lower-despite his Ws over Murray, I have film of him vs Godoy and he doesn't look good-crude and raw.

[Caractacus]

bumped this up for future referance.