Vintage boxing artwork
THE RING ALMANAC
THE RING ALMANAC
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Lightweight · Golden Age (1920–1959)

Joe Brown

"Old Bones"

104
Wins
44
Losses
13
Draws
47
KOs
45%
KO %
Born
1926
Died
1997
Nationality
USA
Career
1941–1970

Made 11 lightweight title defences.

Titles & Honours

Career Timeline

1941–1970
  1. Milestone

    First recorded professional bout

    vs George Bradford · D PTS

  2. Signature fight

    vs Jimmy Carter

    W PTS · Coliseum Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.. Archive selection: one of the first three wins over distinct fighters profiled here, not an expert-selected signature fight.

  3. Milestone

    25th recorded win

    vs Arthur King · UD. Newspaper decisions excluded.

  4. Milestone

    50th recorded win

    vs Tommy Campbell · KO. Newspaper decisions excluded.

  5. Title history

    Title reign begins

    World Lightweight Champion (1956–1962). Year from profile title history; exact title-winning bout not identified.

  6. Milestone

    100th recorded win

    vs Joey Parks · UD. Newspaper decisions excluded.

  7. Milestone

    Latest recorded bout

    vs Dave Oropeza · L UD. Not necessarily the retirement date.

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

Joe Brown · Associated Press · Public domain
Joe Brown · Associated Press · Public domain

1 archival photographs under their original licences.

Fight-by-Fight Record

DateResultOpponentMethodRoundVenue
1941-10-06DGeorge BradfordPTS4Athletic Club, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, U.S.
1941-12-05LJohn L. RobertsonKO1Coliseum Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
1942-07-27WKid AlphonseKO3Legion Field, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, U.S.
1942-12-13WRinger ThompsonPTS6Victory Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
1943-01-15WRinger ThompsonPTS4Victory Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
1943-01-24WRichard GermaineKO3Victory Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
1943-02-19WKenneth HurstPTS6Victory Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
1943-03-26LMidget JonesPTS6Victory Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
1943-04-02WRichard GermaineTKO4Victory Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
1943-04-19WCharles WrightKO3Pelican Stadium, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
1943-08-01WLeonard CaesarPTS4Pelican Stadium, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
1943-09-03WLeonard CaesarPTS4Coliseum Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
1945-07-09LMelvin BartholomewKO3Coliseum Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
1946-01-13LLeonard CaesarPTS5Coliseum Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
1946-01-20WJohnny MonroePTS6Coliseum Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
1946-03-22DLeonard CaesarPTS6Coliseum Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
1946-03-29WLeonard CaesarPTS8Coliseum Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
1946-04-05WFrancis AdamsPTS6Coliseum Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
1946-05-03WArthur RossKO2Coliseum Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
1946-06-28WMidget JonesPTS8Pelican Stadium, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
1946-07-26LBuster TylerPTS10Pelican Stadium, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
1946-10-18WBob WeatherlyPTS8Pelican Stadium, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
1946-12-20WJanius WestPTS10Coliseum Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
1947-03-07DBuster TylerPTS10Coliseum Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
1947-03-28LMelvin BartholomewUD10Coliseum Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
1947-04-18WJimmy CarterPTS10Coliseum Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
1947-05-02LSandy SaddlerRTD2Coliseum Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
1947-05-18WLeonard CaesarDQ10Coliseum Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
1947-07-04WMelvin BartholomewUD10Pelican Stadium, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
1947-07-14WWalter StevensPTS6Meadowbrook Bowl, Newark, New Jersey, U.S.
1947-07-23WFreddie LatsonPTS6Crystal Arena, Norwalk, Connecticut, U.S.
1947-08-06WDanny WebbPTS10Exchange Stadium, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
1947-09-24WDanny RobinsonPTS10Jersey City Gardens, Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S.
1947-10-06WErnie ButlerKO5Laurel Garden, Newark, New Jersey, U.S.
1947-10-21WArthur KingUD8Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
1947-11-10LArthur KingSD8Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
1947-12-15WJoey BagnatoKO1Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
1948-02-28DBobby McQuillarPTS10Pelican Stadium, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
1948-05-07LBobby McQuillarPTS10Pelican Stadium, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
1948-07-25DLuther BurgessPTS10Pelican Stadium, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
1948-10-01LFreddie DawsonUD10Coliseum Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
1948-10-26WFrankie CockrellKO5Municipal Auditorium, San Antonio, Texas, U.S.
1948-10-31WArthur PersleyPTS8Coliseum Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
1948-12-03LJohnny BrattonKO4Coliseum Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
1949-01-21WLoisel IsadoreKO2Coliseum Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
1949-03-22WBooker T EllisPTS6Auditorium, Saint Paul, Minnesota, U.S.
1949-03-28WLuther RawlingsPTS10Marigold Gardens, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
1949-04-25WJoe SgroPTS8Marigold Gardens, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
1949-05-10WHugh SublettUD8Palais Royale, South Bend, Indiana, U.S.
1949-05-23DJohn L.aBroiPTS10Marigold Gardens, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
1949-05-27WLeroy WillisPTS10Coliseum Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
1949-06-06WWillie RussellUD10Parkway Arena, Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.
1949-07-01WCharley MilanUD10Coliseum Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
1949-12-05WIsaac JenkinsPTS6Convention Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
1950-01-20WMilton ScottTKO2Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
1950-02-06WDanny WomberUD8Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
1950-02-22WDave MarshPTS4Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
1950-06-16LJohn L. DavisUD10Legion Stadium, Hollywood, California, U.S.
1950-09-22WJack HassenKO8West Melbourne Stadium, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
1950-10-30WCharley WilliamsKO1Sydney Stadium, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
1950-12-14WBernie HallKO11Broken Hill, New South Wales, Australia
1951-02-20LTommy CampbellMD10Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
1951-03-19WBaby Neff OrtizKO2Ocean Park Arena, Santa Monica, California, U.S.
1951-04-13WTeddy DavisUD10Coliseum Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
1951-04-27WLester FeltonSD10Coliseum Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
1951-05-11WHoneychile JohnsonUD10Coliseum Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
1951-05-25WVirgil AkinsUD10Coliseum Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
1951-07-06WVirgil AkinsPTS10Coliseum Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
1951-08-31WTommy CampbellKO1Coliseum Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
1951-09-28WStonewall JacksonTKO5Coliseum Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
1951-12-06LVirgil AkinsUD10Kiel Auditorium, Saint Louis, Missouri, U.S.
1952-02-04DWalter HainesPTS6Miami Stadium, Miami, Florida, U.S.
1952-02-15DWalter HainesPTS10Coliseum Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
1952-03-14WWalter HainesSD10Coliseum Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
1952-03-28WCalvin SmithTKO7Coliseum Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
1952-06-10WJerry TurnerTKO5Fort Homer Hesterly Armory, Tampa, Florida, U.S.
1952-07-11WMelvin BartholomewPTS10Coliseum Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
1952-07-18WMarshall ClaytonRTD8Coliseum Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
1952-08-22WJimmy TaylorSD10Coliseum Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
1952-10-10LGeorge AraujoKO7St. Nicholas Arena, New York City, New York, U.S.
1952-12-10WDon BowmanKO1Arena, Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
1953-01-07WJoey GreenwoodUD10Arena, Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
1953-04-22DOrlando ZuluetaPTS10Coliseum, Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
1953-06-09DLuther RawlingsPTS10Auditorium, Miami Beach, Florida, U.S.
1953-11-10WErnie HallTKO3Fort Homer Hesterly Armory, Tampa, Florida, U.S.
1953-12-29WCliff DyesTKO9Auditorium, Miami Beach, Florida, U.S.
1954-02-08LCharlie SmithDQ6Arcadia Ballroom, Providence, Rhode Island, U.S.
1954-03-24WIsaac LogartUD10Auditorium, Miami Beach, Florida, U.S.
1954-04-05WJimmy LouisUD6Front Street Arena, Columbus, Ohio, U.S.
1954-04-13WLittle DavidTKO9Fort Homer Hesterly Armory, Tampa, Florida, U.S.
1954-05-18WElvis MatthewsTKO7Fort Homer Hesterly Armory, Tampa, Florida, U.S.
1954-06-20WFederico PlummerTKO9Arena de Colon, Colon City, Panama
1954-07-25WWilfrdo BrownKO4Arena de Colon, Colon City, Panama
1954-08-31WNat JacksonKO4Coliseum Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
1954-09-28LCarl CoatesSD10Coliseum Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
1954-12-29LTony ArmenterosPTS6Dinner Key Auditorium, Coconut Grove, Florida, U.S.
1955-01-18WTony ArmenterosTKO8Coliseum Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
1955-01-30WTito DespaigneKO4Arena de Colon, Colon City, Panama
1955-03-06WBobby RosadoUD10Arena de Colon, Colon City, Panama
1955-03-20WTony ArmenterosPTS10Arena de Colon, Colon City, Panama
1955-06-16WJunius WestKO3Arena de Colon, Colon City, Panama
1955-08-01LArthur PersleyUD12Coliseum Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
1955-10-01WJimmy HackneyUD10Coliseum Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
1955-11-08WRay RiojasRTD7City Auditorium, Houston, Texas, U.S.
1955-12-13WRay PortillaTKO5Auditorium, Houston, Texas, U.S.
1956-02-06WArthur PersleyKO9Coliseum Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
1956-05-02WWallace "Bud" SmithUD10Sam Houston Coliseum, Houston, Texas, U.S.
1956-06-06WEddie BrantTKO3Sportatorium, Beaumont, Texas, U.S.
1956-08-24WWallace "Bud" SmithSD15Municipal Auditorium, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
1957-02-13WWallace "Bud" SmithTKO11Auditorium, Miami Beach, Florida, U.S.
1957-03-12WArmand SavoieSD10Houston, Texas, U.S.
1957-06-19WOrlando ZuluetaTKO15Coliseum, Denver, Colorado, U.S.
1957-07-30WGilberto HolguinUD10Municipal Auditorium, San Antonio, Texas, U.S.
1957-08-21DJoey LopesMD10Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
1957-11-12WKid CentellaUD10Houston, Texas, U.S.
1957-12-04WJoey LopesTKO11Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
1958-01-24WErnie WilliamsTKO5Capitol Arena, Washington, D.C., U.S.
1958-02-26WOrlando EchevarriaKO1Palacio de Deportes, Havana, Cuba
1958-05-07WRalph DupasTKO8Sam Houston Coliseum, Houston, Texas, U.S.
1958-07-23WKenny LaneUD15Sam Houston Coliseum, Houston, Texas, U.S.
1958-11-05LJohnny BussoUD10Exhibition Hall, Miami Beach, Florida, U.S.
1959-02-11WJohnny BussoUD15Sam Houston Coliseum, Houston, Texas, U.S.
1959-06-03WPaolo RosiTKO9Uline Arena, Washington, D.C., U.S.
1959-08-27WSantiago RamirezKO8Memorial Stadium, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, U.S.
1959-09-09WGale KerwinTKO4Fairgrounds Coliseum, Columbus, Ohio, U.S.
1959-09-25DJoey ParksPTS10State Fair Coliseum, Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S
1959-12-02WDave CharnleyTKO6Sam Houston Coliseum, Houston, Texas, U.S.
1959-12-14WJoey ParksUD10Coliseum Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
1960-03-21LRay PortillaTKO6Municipal Auditorium, San Antonio, Texas, U.S.
1960-08-25WHarlow IrwinTKO5Auditorium, Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
1960-10-04WRaymundo TorresKO4Sam Houston Coliseum, Houston, Texas, U.S.
1960-10-28WCisco AndradeUD15Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
1960-12-07LGiordano CampariPTS10Palazzo dello Sport (Pad. 3 Fiera), Milan, Lombardia, Italy
1961-03-07WJoey ParksUD10Houston, Texas, U.S.
1961-04-18WDave CharnleyPTS15Earls Court Arena, Kensington, London, England
1961-10-28WBert SomodioUD15Araneta Coliseum, Barangay Cubao, Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines
1962-04-21LCarlos OrtizUD15Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
1962-08-24LLuis MolinaUD10Municipal Stadium, San Jose, California, U.S.
1963-01-22WTony NoriegaKO6City Auditorium, Houston, Texas, U.S.
1963-02-25LDave CharnleyKO6King's Hall, Belle Vue, Manchester, Lancashire, England
1963-04-20WManuel AlvarezKO8Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico
1963-05-21WJoey LopesRTD7Memorial Auditorium, Sacramento, California, U.S.
1963-06-22LAlfredo UrbinaUD10Arena Coliseo, Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico
1963-08-10LNicolino LoccheUD10Estadio Luna Park, Buenos Aires, Distrito Federal, Argentina
1963-09-14WPedro GalassoTKO5Auditório da TV-Excelsior, Río de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
1963-11-11LCarlos Morocho HernándezKO3Maracaibo, Venezuela
1964-04-02LManuel GonzalezUD10Ector County Coliseum, Odessa, Texas, U.S.
1964-04-28LPaul ArmsteadSD10Memorial Auditorium, Sacramento, California, U.S.
1964-05-05WTony PerezPTS10San Jose, California, U.S.
1964-05-25LPaul ArmsteadUD10Kezar Pavilion, San Francisco, California, U.S.
1964-06-21WEsteban SantamariaSD10Arena de Colon, Colon City, Panama
1964-08-25LRicardo MedranoDQ10City Coliseum, Austin, Texas, U.S.
1964-09-14WHector DiazKO8City Auditorium, Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.
1964-10-03LPercy HaylesPTS10National Stadium, Kingston, Jamaica
1964-11-21WLevi MadiPTS10Orlando Stadium, Johannesburg, Gauteng, Union of South Africa
1964-12-19WJoas Kangaroo MaotoKO6Orlando Stadium, Johannesburg, Gauteng, Union of South Africa
1965-02-09WLevi MadiPTS10Green Point Track, Cape Town, Western Cape, Union of South Africa
1965-02-27LJoe N'GidiPTS10Wembley Stadium, Johannesburg, Gauteng, Union of South Africa
1965-03-09LVic AndreettiTKO5Royal Albert Hall, Kensington, London, England
1965-05-18LJoey OlguinUD10Memorial Auditorium, Sacramento, California, U.S.
1965-06-30WBlackie ZamoraUD10Memorial Coliseum, Corpus Christi, Texas, U.S.
1965-08-26LAntonio HerreraUD10Cali, Colombia
1965-10-02LMario RossitoPTS10Coliseo Humberto Perea, Barranquilla, Colombia
1965-11-13LFrankie NarvaezUD10Hiram Bithorn Stadium, San Juan, Puerto Rico
1966-03-11LBruno ArcariPTS10Roma, Lazio, Italy
1966-04-15DJarmo BerglöfMD10Helsinki, Finland
1966-05-14WJosiah NakediKO9Bochabela Arena, Bloemfontein, Free State, Union of South Africa
1966-06-04WEnoch NhlapoPTS10Orlando Stadium, Johannesburg, Gauteng, Union of South Africa
1966-06-25LJoe NgidiPTS10Curries Fountain, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, Union of South Africa
1966-07-30LJoe N'GidiPTS10Orlando Stadium, Johannesburg, Gauteng, Union of South Africa
1966-08-27WRodwell LeKayPTS10Praça de Touros Monumental, Maputo, Mozambique
1967-06-16WBlackie ZamoraTKO8Teamsters Hall, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, U.S.
1967-06-26WJoe BarrientesMD10Municipal Auditorium, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
1967-08-01LPercy PughUD10Municipal Auditorium, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
1967-09-11WBenito JuarezUD10Municipal Auditorium, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
1967-12-13WNat JacksonTKO6National Guard Armory, Pensacola, Florida, U.S.
1968-04-23WVic GraffioTKO8Sam's Sports Palace, Beaumont, Texas, U.S.
1968-06-08LChango CarmonaTKO4Arena Mexico, Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico
1968-09-10LRicardo MedranoUD10Sam's Sports Palace, Beaumont, Texas, U.S.
1968-11-06LChucho GarciaTKO9Sam's Sports Palace, Beaumont, Texas, U.S.
1969-08-12DSteve FreemanPTS10Houston, Texas, U.S.
1970-04-24WRamon FloresUD10Sports Center, Tucson, Arizona, U.S.
1970-08-24LDave OropezaUD10Riverside Ballroom Arena, Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.

Showing 183 of 183 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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