BoxRec

I came across this in an old boxing mag:
Who was the only man to referee a heavyweight title bout before fighting in one?

James Jeffries

Is it Tom "the sailor" Sharkey ??????

My answer is right, i'm pretty sure.

Jeffries was retired and reffed one of Burns' title fights, then after Burns lost to Johnson, Jeffries came out of retirement to fight Johnson, claiming that he could still whip Johnson because he was better than a negro, so he lost all this weight, got in the ring with Johnson and eventually lost, it was a huge event apparently, with a lot of racial tension.

Jeffries was 35 years old, or so, at the time, and that was his only loss, he had retired as champion, and was apparently very disturbed that his prestigious belt had fallen into the hands of a negro.

If i remember the story correctly

The answer is Georges Carpentier who referee'd the 1914 bout between Jack Johnson and Frank Moran, and of course he went on to fight Dempsey in 1921.

the question was who was the only man to referee a heavyweight title bout BEFORE fighting in one.

JEFFRIES HAD ALREADY FOUGHT IN HEAVYWEIGHT BOUTS and BEFORE REFFING.

BadBloof Wrote:

My answer is right, i'm pretty sure.

obviousely not sure enough.



I misread the question too or else i might have gotten it.

Yeah, i just realized i whiffed on that part of the question

The name is Bad Blood, you doufus