Gypsy Joe Harris

Ambling Alp · Post by **Ambling Alp** » 13 Jul 2006, 13:54

A while back someone (expug I believe) mentioned Gypsy Joe Harris.
He was 24-1,with his only loss to Emile Griffith and he had beat Curtis Cokes. Then he quit at the age of 22.
Does expug or anyone else know more about him?
What his style was, how good you think he was, and why he quit so early?

HomicideHenry · Post by **HomicideHenry** » 13 Jul 2006, 14:22

Kinda resembles the career of Heavyweight title challenger Zelijko Mavrovic who was undefeated 27-0 before losing to Lennox Lewis, but he gave the champion one helluva time in the ring---his career was cut short though by a muscle/tissue disease of some kind.

As far as Gypsey Harris is concerned, I don't know much about him.

Matt · Post by **Matt** » 13 Jul 2006, 15:27

Actually Gypsy Joe Harris was blind in one eye, and failed a physical and was forced to retire.

Expug · Post by **Expug** » 13 Jul 2006, 17:37

Yes Alp .I mentioned Gypsy Joe a couple times. He is one of my all time favorites along with some of the other philly greats from the 60s and 70s.Bad Bennie, Cyclone Hart , and the rest.
harris was quite a charachter . Flashy boxer unreal skill but he was a shooting star forced to quit by the commision after they "discovered that he was blind in one eye and had been since he was a kid. He was known to spend much more time in the pool hall then the gym. He would literaly waltz into the gym shortly before a fight for some frenzied sparring to get ready.
He had some nice wins including over Cokes in a non title go, but he wasnt able to get past Emile Griffith .
After he was forced to hang em up he drited a bit and died in his early thirties.
He was one of the most colorful boxing carachters of all time.

Expug · Post by **Expug** » 13 Jul 2006, 18:52

Some other stuff about Gypsy Joe: The fight that established him was a stoppage of rival Kitten Hayward . No easy feat. His only fight at Madison square Garden was the domination over Cokes. Perhaps his finest hour.After that fight he was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated . The first fighter who wasnt a champ or heavyweight to recieve that honor.
He was a huge draw and his match with Emile Griffith drew almost 14000 fans setting a Philadelphia Spectrum record that was broken finally by Briscoe - Hagler.
When his liscense was pulled it was really tragic for Joe. He was lost. Booze and drugs probably helped along the four heart attacks that he had and on March 6 1990 at Temple University Hospital he passed away.

Jaclem · Post by **Jaclem** » 15 Jul 2006, 01:11

...when joe frazier was asked who he thought was the all-time greatest fighter he'd ever seen, he laways said gypsy joe harris. very tricky unorthodox style...lord knows how good he would have been if he hadn't fought so often with vision in just one eye.

granberry · Post by **granberry** » 15 Jul 2006, 13:02

Gypsy Joe Harris was stopped from fighting by the powers that be in Phildadelphia after he didn't show up for a weigh-in and the entire fight card had to be cancelled. (Not the first time).

They were fed up with him and this is how they hit back.

They knew for years that he had a bad eye and let him fight---until this happened.

Ambling Alp · Post by **Ambling Alp** » 26 Jul 2006, 13:16

Thnaks for everyone that responded to this. Too bad that Harris wasn't able to have a full career. Let me know if you think of anything else about him.

Expug · Post by **Expug** » 06 Aug 2006, 10:40

Aug 6 1968. Gypsy Joe dropped a 12 rounder to Emile Griffith at the Spectrum on this date.
It was the last time he ever laced em up as the commision "discovered " he was blind in one eye at the physical for his next bout.
Things went downhill after this.

KOJOE90 · Post by **KOJOE90** » 06 Aug 2006, 10:56

http://www.thesweetscience.com/images/3 ... 072805.jpg

BoxBuzz · Post by **BoxBuzz** » 06 Aug 2006, 11:01

Anybody know or Did Joe ever fess up as to when he actually lost vision in one eye? How many fights did he fight in that condition? If he managed wins with virtually no depth perception that is an achievment of astounding proportions in and of itself.

Close one eye...you'll see what I mean.....depth perception dissapears..though the brain will eventually compensate with a manufactured "illusion" of depth.

Expug · Post by **Expug** » 06 Aug 2006, 11:04

BoxBuzz wrote:Anybody know or Did Joe ever fess up as to when he actually lost vision in one eye? How many fights did he fight in that condition? If he managed wins with virtually no depth perception that is an achievment of astounding proportions in and of itself.

Close one eye...you'll see what I mean.....depth perception dissapears..though the brain will eventually compensate with a manufactured "illusion" of depth.

Joe claimed he was injured in a fight as a kid. A streetfight.
He fought his whole career like that.

BoxBuzz · Post by **BoxBuzz** » 06 Aug 2006, 12:05

expug wrote:
BoxBuzz wrote:Anybody know or Did Joe ever fess up as to when he actually lost vision in one eye? How many fights did he fight in that condition? If he managed wins with virtually no depth perception that is an achievment of astounding proportions in and of itself.

Close one eye...you'll see what I mean.....depth perception dissapears..though the brain will eventually compensate with a manufactured "illusion" of depth.
Joe claimed he was injured in a fight as a kid. A streetfight.
He fought his whole career like that.

Hmm maybe we should have the "Gypsy Joe" tournament where everyone is required to wear a patch over one eye and compete. You watch and see how friggin clumsy people will look in that condition. It would be a "Keystone Kops" moment. HOWEVER if you practice like that for a long time, (I can speak to this with some authority as I have seriously compromised vision in one eye since birth) You can regain some poise and grace, but typically you would not be able to compete with the best of the best.

I can see why Frazier held him in high regard since Joe had a bit of compromised vision in one eye himself as I understand it. And it speaks volumes as to just how great he was.

silkov · Post by **silkov** » 06 Aug 2006, 18:05

BoxBuzz wrote:
expug wrote:
BoxBuzz wrote:Anybody know or Did Joe ever fess up as to when he actually lost vision in one eye? How many fights did he fight in that condition? If he managed wins with virtually no depth perception that is an achievment of astounding proportions in and of itself.

Close one eye...you'll see what I mean.....depth perception dissapears..though the brain will eventually compensate with a manufactured "illusion" of depth.
Joe claimed he was injured in a fight as a kid. A streetfight.
He fought his whole career like that.

Hmm maybe we should have the "Gypsy Joe" tournament where everyone is required to wear a patch over one eye and compete. You watch and see how friggin clumsy people will look in that condition. It would be a "Keystone Kops" moment. HOWEVER if you practice like that for a long time, (I can speak to this with some authority as I have seriously compromised vision in one eye since birth) You can regain some poise and grace, but typically you would not be able to compete with the best of the best.

I can see why Frazier held him in high regard since Joe had a bit of compromised vision in one eye himself as I understand it. And it speaks volumes as to just how great he was.

I can understand that you could adjust to having one eye if it was from an early age, but it still makes Joes talent all the more impressive... from what I've read he used to fight from all strange kinds of angles and do odd little moves etc... anyone here ever seen any film of him?...... I'd just love to have him on film.
Also this makes you think about Harry Greb, who lost the sight in one eye in about 1919... yet carried on fighting regardless.... what an amazing man... I cant imagine Harry asking for thumbless gloves!...