Vintage boxing artwork
THE RING ALMANAC
THE RING ALMANAC
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Heavyweight · Bare-Knuckle & Gloves (1880–1919)

Jack Johnson

"The Galveston Giant"

Top 100 · #20 · 66.4 points
56
Wins
11
Losses
8
Draws
35
KOs
63%
KO %
Born
1878
Died
1946
Nationality
USA
Career
1897–1938

The first Black world heavyweight champion, Johnson was a defensive genius who defied the racism of his era in and out of the ring.

Titles & Honours

Career Timeline

1897–1938
  1. Milestone

    First recorded professional bout

    vs Charley Brooks · W KO

    View fight record
  2. Milestone

    25th recorded win

    vs Joe Jennette · PTS. Newspaper decisions excluded.

    View fight record
  3. Title history

    Title reign begins

    World Heavyweight Champion (1908–1915). Year from profile title history; exact title-winning bout not identified.

    View title / honour details
  4. Signature fight

    vs Tommy Burns

    W KO14 Tommy Burns (1908) · Sydney Stadium, Sydney, Australia

    View fight record
  5. Signature fight

    vs James J. Jeffries

    W KO15 James J. Jeffries (1910) – 'Fight of the Century' · Reno, Nevada, U.S.

    View fight record
  6. Signature fight

    vs Jess Willard

    L KO26 Jess Willard (1915) · Oriental Park, Havana, Cuba

    View fight record
  7. Milestone

    50th recorded win

    vs Farmer Lodge · KO. Newspaper decisions excluded.

    View fight record
  8. Milestone

    Latest recorded bout

    vs Brad Simmons · W KO. Not necessarily the retirement date.

    View fight record

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

Panorama of Jess Willard - Jack Johnson (boxer) fight, Havana, Cuba.
Panorama of Jess Willard - Jack Johnson (boxer) fight, Havana, Cuba.
Political cartoon noting the explosiveness of the African-American boxer Jack Johnson's 1910 victory over white fighter Jim Jeffries, a win that set off race riots in many parts of the United States.
Political cartoon noting the explosiveness of the African-American boxer Jack Johnson's 1910 victory over white fighter Jim Jeffries, a win that set off race riots in many parts of the United States.
Full-length group portrait of Jack Johnson, African American pugilist, standing behind pugilist Joe Choynski in front of a light-colored backdrop in a room in Chicago, Illinois. Both Johnson and Choyn
Full-length group portrait of Jack Johnson, African American pugilist, standing behind pugilist Joe Choynski in front of a light-colored backdrop in a room in Chicago, Illinois. Both Johnson and Choyn
Grave of boxer Jack Johnson, Graceland Cemetery, Chicago
Grave of boxer Jack Johnson, Graceland Cemetery, Chicago
Jack Johnson, American boxer
Jack Johnson, American boxer
Jack Johnson, American boxer.
Jack Johnson, American boxer.
Title: Jack Johnson and wife, Lucille Cameron
Title: Jack Johnson and wife, Lucille Cameron
Title: Jack Johnson and his wife Etta, full-length portrait, standing, wearing winter coats Abstract/medium: 1 photographic print : gelatin silver ; on mount 13 x 10 1/8 in.
Title: Jack Johnson and his wife Etta, full-length portrait, standing, wearing winter coats Abstract/medium: 1 photographic print : gelatin silver ; on mount 13 x 10 1/8 in.
Galveston native Arthur John "Jack" Johnson (1878-1946) was the first African American World Heavyweight Boxing Champion. He grew up in Galveston's East End and honed his fighting skills working on th
Galveston native Arthur John "Jack" Johnson (1878-1946) was the first African American World Heavyweight Boxing Champion. He grew up in Galveston's East End and honed his fighting skills working on th
Jack Johnson arriving in Vancouver BC on the 9th of march 1909 as World Heavyweight Champion
Jack Johnson arriving in Vancouver BC on the 9th of march 1909 as World Heavyweight Champion
This statue is in Jack Johnson Park in Galveston
This statue is in Jack Johnson Park in Galveston
Jack Johnson, African-American boxer and world heavyweight champion, Sydney, c.1908, Ted Hood Portrait Collection, State Library of New South Wales, PXA 584 15
Jack Johnson, African-American boxer and world heavyweight champion, Sydney, c.1908, Ted Hood Portrait Collection, State Library of New South Wales, PXA 584 15

12 archival photographs under their original licences.

Fight-by-Fight Record

DateResultOpponentMethodRoundVenue
1897-11-01WCharley BrooksKO2Prof. Bernau's Gymnasium, Galveston, Texas, U.S.
1897-11-20WEd JohnsonKO5Convention Hall, Galveston, Texas, U.S.
1898-07-24WCherokeeKO0Kansas City, Kansas, U.S.
1899-05-06LKlondike HaynesTKO5Howard Theatre, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
1900-03-21NDJim McCormickND15Galveston Athletic Club, Galveston, Texas, U.S.
1900-04-09NDWilliam McNeillND4Galveston Athletic Club, Galveston, Texas, U.S.
1900-04-20WJim McCormickDQ6Galveston Athletic Club, Galveston, Texas, U.S.
1900-06-25DKlondike HaynesPTS20Galveston Athletic Club, Galveston, Texas, U.S.
1900-12-27WKlondike HaynesTKO4Phoenix Athletic Club, Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
1901-01-14DJim ScanlonPTS7Galveston Athletic Club, Galveston, Texas, U.S.
1901-02-25LJoe ChoynskiKO3Harmony Hall, Galveston, Texas, U.S.
1901-04-26DBilly StiftPTS10Colorado Athletic Club, Denver, Colorado, U.S.
1901-08-14DMexican Pete EverettPTS20Gold Coin Club, Victor, Colorado, U.S.
1901-11-04LHank GriffinPTS20Armory Hall, Bakersfield, California, U.S.
1901-12-27DHank GriffinPTS15Reliance Athletic Club, Oakland, California, U.S.
1902-03-07WJoe KennedyKO4Reliance Athletic Club, Oakland, California, U.S.
1902-05-16WJack JeffriesKO5Hazard's Pavilion, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
1902-06-20DHank GriffinPTS20Hazard's Pavilion, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
1902-10-21WFrank ChildsTKO12Hazard's Pavilion, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
1902-10-31WGeorge GardinerPTS20Woodward's Pavilion, San Francisco, California, U.S.
1902-12-04WFred RussellDQ8Hazard's Pavilion, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
1903-02-05WDenver Ed MartinPTS20Hazard's Pavilion, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
1903-02-26WSam McVeyPTS20Hazard's Pavilion, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
1903-04-16WSandy FergusonPTS10Essex Athletic Club, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
1903-05-11WJoe ButlerKO3Washington Sports Club, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
1903-07-31WSandy FergusonNWS6Penn Art Club, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
1903-10-27WSam McVeyPTS20Hazard's Pavilion, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
1903-12-11WSandy FergusonPTS20Colma, California, U.S.
1904-02-06NCSandy FergusonNC5National Athletic Club, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
1904-02-15WBlack BillNWS6Lenox Athletic Club, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
1904-04-22WSam McVeyKO20Mechanic's Pavilion, San Francisco, California, U.S.
1904-06-02WFrank ChildsPTS6Apollo Hall, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
1904-10-10WDenver Ed MartinKO2Hazard's Pavilion, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
1905-03-28LMarvin HartPTS20Woodward's Pavilion, San Francisco, California, U.S.
1905-04-25WJim JeffordsKO4Knickerbocker Athletic Club, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
1905-05-02WBlack BillTKO4Knickerbocker Athletic Club, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
1905-05-09WWalter JohnsonKO3Knickerbocker Athletic Club, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
1905-05-09WJoe JennetteNWS3Knickerbocker Athletic Club, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
1905-06-26WJack MunroeNWS6National Athletic Club, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
1905-07-13WMorris HarrisKO1Broadway Athletic Club, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
1905-07-13WBlack BillNWS3Broadway Athletic Club, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
1905-07-18WSandy FergusonDQ7Douglas Athletic Club, Chelsea, Massachusetts, U.S.
1905-07-24WJoe GrimNWS6National Athletic Club, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
1905-11-25LJoe JennetteDQ2National Athletic Club, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
1905-12-01WYoung Peter JacksonNWS12Germania Maennerchor Hall, Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
1905-12-02WJoe JennetteNWS6National Athletic Club, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
1906-01-16WJoe JennetteNWS3Sharkey Athletic Club, New York City, New York, U.S.
1906-03-14WJoe JennettePTS15Germania Maennerchor Hall, Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
1906-04-16WBlack BillKO7Peerless Athletic Club, Pittston, Pennsylvania, U.S.
1906-04-26WSam LangfordPTS15Lincoln Athletic Club, Chelsea, Massachusetts, U.S.
1906-06-16WCharlie HagheyKO2Gloucester Athletic Club, Gloucester, Massachusetts, U.S.
1906-09-03DBilly DunningPTS10Millinocket, Maine, U.S.
1906-09-20WJoe JennetteNWS6Broadway Athletic Club, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
1906-11-08WJim JeffordsNWS6Lancaster Athletic Club, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, U.S.
1906-11-26DJoe JennetteNWS10Auditorium, Portland, Maine, U.S.
1907-02-19WPeter FelixKO1Gaiety Athletic Hall, Sydney, Australia
1907-03-04WBill LangTKO9Richmond Race Course, Melbourne, Australia
1907-07-17WBob FitzsimmonsKO2Washington Sports Club, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
1907-08-28WCharles CutlerKO1Lauer's Park, Reading, Pennsylvania, U.S.
1907-09-12WSailor BurkeNWS6Smith's Theater, Bridgeport, Connecticut, U.S.
1907-11-02WFireman Jim FlynnKO11Coffroth's Arena, San Francisco, California, U.S.
1908-07-31WBen TaylorTKO8Cosmopolitan Gymnasium, Plymouth, England
1908-12-26WTommy BurnsTKO14Sydney Stadium, Sydney, Australia
1909-05-19DPhiladelphia Jack O'BrienNWS6National Athletic Club, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
1909-06-30WTony RossNWS6Duquesne Garden, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
1909-09-09WAl KaufmanNWS10Coffroth's Arena, San Francisco, California, U.S.
1909-10-16WStanley KetchelKO12Mission Street Arena, Colma, California, U.S.
1910-07-04WJames J. JeffriesTKO15Reno, Nevada, U.S.
1912-07-04WFireman Jim FlynnDQ9East Las Vegas, Las Vegas, New Mexico, U.S.
1913-12-19DBattling Jim JohnsonPTS10Élysée Montmartre, Paris, France
1914-06-27WFrank MoranPTS20Vélodrome d'Hiver, Paris, France
1915-01-10WJack MurrayKO3Sociedad Sportiva Argentina, Buenos Aires, Argentina
1915-04-05LJess WillardKO26Oriental Park, Havana, Cuba
1916-03-23WFrank CrozierTKO7Gran Teatro de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
1916-04-23WArthur CravanKO6Plaza de Toros Monumental, Barcelona, Spain
1918-02-05WBlink McCloskeyRTD6Teatro Circo Price, Madrid, Spain
1919-02-12WBill FlintKO2Teatro de la Gran Via, Madrid, Spain
1919-06-22WBob RoperPTS10Mexico City, Mexico
1919-08-10WTom CowlerPTS15Plaza de Toros, Mexico City, Mexico
1919-08-17NCJerry SmithNC3Cine Teatro Venecia, Tampico, Mexico
1919-09-28WMarty CutlerKO6Mexico City, Mexico
1920-04-18WBob WilsonKO3Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico
1920-05-17WGeorge RobertsKO3Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico
1923-05-06WFarmer LodgeKO4Havana, Cuba
1923-05-20WJack ThompsonNWS12Havana, Cuba
1924-02-22WHomer SmithPTS10Théâtre Saint-Denis, Montreal, Canada
1926-05-02WPat LesterPTS15Plaza de Toros, Nogales, Sonora, Mexico
1926-05-30LBob LawsonRTD7Coliseum, Ciudad Juarez, Mexico
1926-09-06LBrad SimmonsPTS10101 Ranch Arena, Enid, Oklahoma, U.S.
1928-04-16LBearcat WrightKO5Topeka, Kansas, U.S.
1928-05-15LBill HartwellRTD6Memorial Hall, Kansas City, Kansas, U.S.
1928-07-19WRough House WilsonDQ3Douglass Park, Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.
1931-03-04LBrad SimmonsPTS10Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S.
1931-04-28WBrad SimmonsKO2Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S.

Showing 94 of 94 recorded fights · last updated 2026-10-11. 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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