Heavyweight · Bare-Knuckle & Gloves (1880–1919)
Harry Wills
"The Black Panther"
Top 100 · #97 · 53.1 points65
Wins
8
Losses
2
Draws
47
KOs
72%
KO %
- Born
- 1889
- Died
- 1958
- Nationality
- USA
- Career
- 1911–1932
The top contender Jack Dempsey never fought.
Titles & Honours
- World Colored Heavyweight Champion
Career Timeline
1911–1932- Milestone
First recorded professional bout
vs Casey White · W KO
- Signature fight
vs Sam Langford
W NWS · Harlem S.C., New York City, New York, U.S.. Archive selection: one of the first three wins over distinct fighters profiled here, not an expert-selected signature fight.
- Milestone
25th recorded win
vs Jeff Clark · PTS. Newspaper decisions excluded.
- Milestone
50th recorded win
vs Bill Tate · TKO. Newspaper decisions excluded.
- Milestone
Latest recorded bout
vs Big John Glover · W KO. Not necessarily the retirement date.
Title wins · dates not yet documented
Derived from the current archive and profile honours. Title-reign years are not exact bout dates; title claims are not independently verified. Signature fights use existing profile selections, or clearly labelled wins over other archived fighters when no selections exist. Year-only dates retain their original precision.
Photo Archive
No freely licensed photographs of Harry Wills are available in this archive.
Fight-by-Fight Record
| Date | Result | Opponent | Method | Round | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1911-01-02 | W | Casey White | KO | 4 | Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| 1911-02-02 | W | Battling Taylor | KO | 4 | Rock Island, Illinois, U.S. |
| 1911-03-01 | W | Kid Navarro | KO | 1 | New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| 1911-10-25 | W | Nat Dewey | NWS | 10 | Louisiana A.C., New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| 1912-01-01 | W | Harry Brown | KO | 2 | New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| 1912-02-02 | W | Sam Collier | KO | 7 | New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| 1912-02-14 | L | George Kid Cotton | KO | 2 | Louisiana A.C., New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| 1912-04-04 | W | Ben Peden | KO | 3 | New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| 1912-05-05 | W | Kid Brown | KO | 6 | New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| 1912-11-20 | W | Jack Tholmer | KO | 5 | Northside A.C., New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| 1913-02-02 | W | Kid Brown | KO | 2 | New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| 1913-06-18 | D | Jeff Clark | PTS | 10 | New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| 1913-07-01 | D | Joe Jennette | PTS | 10 | Northside A.C., New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| 1913-10-03 | W | George Kid Cotton | KO | 3 | Pelican Stadium, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| 1913-12-09 | W | Jimmy Sullivan | KO | 1 | Northside A.C., New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| 1914-01-08 | W | George Kid Cotton | KO | 4 | Northside A.C., New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| 1914-02-07 | W | Rough House Ware | KO | 10 | New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| 1914-05-01 | D | Sam Langford | NWS | 10 | National Baseball Park, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| 1914-06-09 | D | Joe Jennette | NWS | 10 | National Baseball Park, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| 1914-07-04 | W | Soldier Elder | KO | 1 | El Paso, Texas, U.S. |
| 1914-08-02 | W | Mexican Pete Everett | KO | 2 | Sonora, Sonora, Mexico |
| 1914-08-21 | W | Battling Brandt | TKO | 4 | Pavilion Rink, San Francisco, California, U.S. |
| 1914-09-04 | W | Willie Meehan | PTS | 4 | Dreamland Rink, San Francisco, California, U.S. |
| 1914-09-18 | W | Charlie Miller | KO | 1 | Dreamland Rink, San Francisco, California, U.S. |
| 1914-10-09 | W | Charles "Sailor" Grande | PTS | 4 | Dreamland Rink, San Francisco, California, U.S. |
| 1914-10-16 | W | Charles Horn | KO | 1 | Dreamland Rink, San Francisco, California, U.S. |
| 1914-10-30 | W | Jim Cameron | PTS | 4 | Dreamland Rink, San Francisco, California, U.S. |
| 1914-11-26 | L | Sam Langford | KO | 14 | Arena, Vernon, California, U.S. |
| 1914-12-20 | L | Sam McVea | PTS | 20 | McDonoghville Park, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| 1915-03-12 | W | John Lester Johnson | PTS | 20 | Tommy Burns Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| 1915-05-19 | L | Sam McVea | NWS | 10 | St. Nicholas Arena, New York City, New York, U.S. |
| 1915-07-05 | W | Battling Jim Johnson | NWS | 10 | Sacandaga Park, Gloversville, New York, U.S. |
| 1915-09-07 | W | Sam McVea | PTS | 12 | Atlas A.A., Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| 1915-12-03 | W | Sam Langford | NWS | 10 | Harlem S.C., New York City, New York, U.S. |
| 1916-01-03 | W | Sam Langford | PTS | 20 | Tulane A.C., New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| 1916-02-11 | L | Sam Langford | KO | 19 | Tommy Burns Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| 1916-03-07 | W | Sam Langford | NWS | 10 | Broadway Arena, New York City, New York, U.S. |
| 1916-04-07 | W | John Lester Johnson | NWS | 10 | Harlem S.C., New York City, New York, U.S. |
| 1916-04-25 | W | Sam Langford | NWS | 8 | Coliseum, Saint Louis, Missouri, U.S. |
| 1916-05-19 | W | Jeff Clark | PTS | 20 | Louisiana Auditorium, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| 1916-06-03 | W | George Kid Cotton | TKO | 4 | Clermont Avenue Rink, New York City, New York, U.S. |
| 1916-10-13 | W | George Kid Cotton | TKO | 4 | Harlem S.C., New York City, New York, U.S. |
| 1916-11-11 | W | Bill Tate | NWS | 10 | Clermont Avenue Rink, New York City, New York, U.S. |
| 1916-11-18 | W | Jack Thompson | KO | 8 | Fairmont A.C., New York City, New York, U.S. |
| 1916-11-28 | W | Jack Thompson | NWS | 10 | Clermont Avenue Rink, New York City, New York, U.S. |
| 1917-02-07 | L | Battling Jim Johnson | TKO | 2 | Future City A.C., Saint Louis, Missouri, U.S. |
| 1917-04-30 | W | Jack Thompson | NWS | 10 | Vanderbilt A.C., New York City, New York, U.S. |
| 1917-05-11 | W | Sam Langford | NWS | 6 | Cambria A.C., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| 1917-06-01 | W | Battling Jim Johnson | NWS | 10 | Harlem S.C., New York City, New York, U.S. |
| 1917-09-20 | W | Sam Langford | NWS | 10 | Clermont Avenue Rink, New York City, New York, U.S. |
| 1917-11-12 | D | Sam Langford | NWS | 12 | Coliseum, Toledo, Ohio, U.S. |
| 1917-12-16 | W | Jeff Clark | TKO | 5 | Plaza de Toros Vista Alegre, Panama City, Panama |
| 1918-02-17 | W | Sam McVea | KO | 5 | Plaza de Toros Vista Alegre, Panama City, Panama |
| 1918-04-14 | W | Sam Langford | KO | 6 | Plaza de Toros Vista Alegre, Panama City, Panama |
| 1918-05-19 | W | Sam Langford | TKO | 8 | Plaza de Toros Vista Alegre, Panama City, Panama |
| 1918-06-16 | W | Sam McVea | PTS | 20 | Plaza de Toros Vista Alegre, Panama City, Panama |
| 1918-08-19 | W | Jeff Clark | TKO | 5 | Atlantic City S.C., Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. |
| 1918-09-14 | W | Jack Thompson | NWS | 6 | National A.C., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| 1918-11-15 | D | Jack Thompson | NWS | 8 | Atlantic City S.C., Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. |
| 1919-06-10 | W | John Lester Johnson | NWS | 8 | Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S. |
| 1919-07-04 | W | Sam Langford | NWS | 8 | Sportsman's Park, Saint Louis, Missouri, U.S. |
| 1919-08-18 | W | Jeff Clark | TKO | 4 | Arena, Syracuse, New York, U.S. |
| 1919-09-30 | W | Sam Langford | NWS | 10 | Arena, Syracuse, New York, U.S. |
| 1919-10-20 | W | Joe Jennette | NWS | 8 | 4th Regiment Armory, Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S. |
| 1919-11-05 | W | Sam Langford | PTS | 15 | Convention Hall, Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S. |
| 1919-11-20 | W | Edward K.O. Kruvosky | TKO | 1 | Coliseum, San Francisco, California, U.S. |
| 1919-12-04 | W | Ole Anderson | TKO | 3 | Coliseum, San Francisco, California, U.S. |
| 1920-01-12 | W | Jack Thompson | PTS | 15 | Convention Hall, Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S. |
| 1920-03-17 | W | Andy Johnson | KO | 1 | Auditorium, Saint Paul, Minnesota, U.S. |
| 1920-04-23 | W | Sam Langford | PTS | 15 | Stockyards Stadium, Denver, Colorado, U.S. |
| 1920-06-01 | W | Ray Bennett | TKO | 1 | Armory A.A. Hall, Bridgeport, Connecticut, U.S. |
| 1920-07-26 | W | Fred Fulton | KO | 3 | 1st Regiment Armory, Newark, New Jersey, U.S. |
| 1920-09-15 | W | Jeff Clark | TKO | 4 | Municipal Auditorium, Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. |
| 1921-01-17 | W | Bill Tate | KO | 2 | Broadway Auditorium, Buffalo, New York, U.S. |
| 1921-02-11 | W | Jeff Clark | TKO | 2 | Bob Wright's Coliseum, Highlandtown, Maryland, U.S. |
| 1921-04-08 | W | Jack Thompson | NWS | 8 | Odeon Theater, Saint Louis, Missouri, U.S. |
| 1921-05-27 | W | Andy Johnson | KO | 1 | Broadway Arena, New York City, New York, U.S. |
| 1921-06-03 | W | Battling Jim McCreary | KO | 7 | Arena, Syracuse, New York, U.S. |
| 1921-06-04 | W | Ray Bennett | KO | 1 | Queensboro Stadium, New York City, New York, U.S. |
| 1921-07-02 | W | Bill Tate | TKO | 6 | Queensboro Stadium, New York City, New York, U.S. |
| 1921-10-10 | W | Edward "Gunboat" Smith | KO | 1 | Stadium, Havana, Cuba |
| 1921-11-10 | W | Clem Johnson | TKO | 6 | Riverside Arena, Covington, Kentucky, U.S. |
| 1921-11-18 | W | Denver Ed Martin | KO | 1 | Arena, Milwaukie, Oregon, U.S. |
| 1921-12-08 | W | Bill Tate | PTS | 12 | Stockyards Stadium, Denver, Colorado, U.S. |
| 1922-01-02 | L | Bill Tate | DQ | 1 | Arena, Milwaukie, Oregon, U.S. |
| 1922-01-06 | D | Bill Tate | PTS | 10 | Arena, Milwaukie, Oregon, U.S. |
| 1922-01-17 | W | Sam Langford | PTS | 10 | Arena, Milwaukie, Oregon, U.S. |
| 1922-03-02 | W | Kid Norfolk | KO | 2 | Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S. |
| 1922-06-30 | W | Jeff Clark | TKO | 2 | Trenton, New Jersey, U.S. |
| 1922-07-17 | W | Jeff Clark | KO | 3 | Amphitheatre Rink, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada |
| 1922-08-21 | W | Buddy Jackson | KO | 2 | Broad A.C., Newark, New Jersey, U.S. |
| 1922-08-29 | W | Tut Jackson | KO | 3 | Ebbets Field, New York City, New York, U.S. |
| 1922-09-29 | W | Clem Johnson | TKO | 12 | Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S. |
| 1923-10-11 | W | Homer Smith | KO | 2 | Queensboro Stadium, New York City, New York, U.S. |
| 1923-11-05 | W | Jack Thompson | TKO | 4 | 1st Regiment Armory, Newark, New Jersey, U.S. |
| 1924-06-09 | W | Bartley Madden | PTS | 15 | Queensboro Stadium, New York City, New York, U.S. |
| 1924-09-11 | W | Luis Ángel Firpo | NWS | 12 | Boyle's Thirty Acres, Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S. |
| 1925-07-02 | W | Charley Weinert | KO | 2 | Polo Grounds, New York City, New York, U.S. |
| 1925-10-26 | W | Floyd Johnson | TKO | 1 | 1st Regiment Armory, Newark, New Jersey, U.S. |
| 1926-10-12 | L | Jack Sharkey | DQ | 13 | Ebbets Field, New York City, New York, U.S. |
| 1927-07-13 | L | Paulino Uzcudun | KO | 4 | Ebbets Field, New York City, New York, U.S. |
| 1929-09-14 | L | Andres Castano | DQ | 1 | El Toreo de Cuatro Caminos, Mexico City, Mexico |
| 1929-12-11 | W | Andres Castano | KO | 3 | New York Coliseum, New York City, New York, U.S. |
| 1931-02-11 | W | Jack Rose | KO | 6 | Coliseum Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| 1932-08-04 | W | Vinko Jakasa | KO | 1 | Fort Hamilton Arena, New York City, New York, U.S. |
| 1932-10-19 | W | Big John Glover | KO | 1 | Municipal Auditorium, Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. |
Showing 106 of 106 recorded fights · last updated 2026-10-15. Imported record tables are not independently verified and may be incomplete. Early-era logs include newspaper decisions (NWS), which are not counted in the official totals above.
Record notes
Fight record last retrieved: 2026-10-11. Title histories remain subject to archival review.
Historical-era totals differ between record-keeping conventions (newspaper decisions, exhibitions).
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