All boxersJack Johnson
“Galveston Giant”
Boxing · Deceased69-11-10 (4 NC)RECORD
34WINS BY KO / TKO
35WINS BY DECISION
94PRO FIGHTS
Profile
| Full name | John Arthur Johnson |
|---|---|
| Nickname | Galveston Giant |
| Date of birth | 31 Mar 1878 |
| Died | 10 Jun 1946 |
| Nationality | American |
| Birthplace | Galveston, Texas, US |
| Based in | Not added yet |
| Weight classes | Heavyweight, Middleweight |
| Trainers | Not added yet |
| Height | Not added yet |
| Reach | Not added yet |
| Stance | Not added yet |
| Years active | 1897–1931 |
| Status | Deceased |
| Pro debut | 1 Nov 1897 |
| Last fight | Win vs Brad Simmons, 28 Apr 1931 |
Details on this page were compiled from public information on 11 Oct 2026 (the record is as of that date). Is this you? Claim this profile to correct anything and add your photo and bio. Claim this profile
Titles and honours
- World heavyweight champion (1908–1915)
- World colored heavyweight champion
- Texas State middleweight champion (1897)
Background
Johnson was the first Black world heavyweight champion, holding the title from 1908 until his loss to Jess Willard in 1915. His 1910 win over James J. Jeffries sparked race riots across the United States.
Fight history
94 professional fights. Newest first.
| Result | Opponent | Method | Round | Time | Date | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | Brad Simmons | KO | 2 | 28 Apr 1931 | Tulsa, Oklahoma, US | ||
| Loss | Brad Simmons | Decision (points) | 10 | 4 Mar 1931 | Tulsa, Oklahoma, US | ||
| Win | Rough House Wilson | Disqualification | 3 | 19 Jul 1928 | Douglas Park, Indianapolis, Indiana, US | ||
| Loss | Bill Hartwell | TKO (corner retirement) | 6 | 15 May 1928 | Memorial Hall, Kansas City, Kansas, US | ||
| Loss | Bearcat Wright | KO | 5 | 16 Apr 1928 | Topeka, Kansas, US | ||
| Loss | Brad Simmons | Decision (points) | 10 | 6 Sep 1926 | 101 Ranch Arena, Enid, Oklahoma, US | ||
| Loss | Bob Lawson | TKO (corner retirement) | 7 | 30 May 1926 | Coliseum, Ciudad Juarez, Mexico | ||
| Win | Pat Lester | Decision (points) | 15 | 2 May 1926 | Plaza de Toros, Nogales, Sonora, Mexico | ||
| Win | Homer Smith | Decision (points) | 10 | 22 Feb 1924 | Théâtre Saint-Denis, Montreal, Canada | ||
| Win | Jack Thompson | Decision (points) | 12 | 20 May 1923 | Havana, Cuba | Newspaper decision | |
| Win | Farmer Lodge | KO | 4 | 6 May 1923 | Havana, Cuba | ||
| Win | George Roberts | KO | 3 | 17 May 1920 | Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico | ||
| Win | Bob Wilson | KO | 3 | 18 Apr 1920 | Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico | ||
| Win | Marty Cutler | KO | 6 | 28 Sep 1919 | Mexico City, Mexico | ||
| No contest | Jerry Smith | No contest | 3 | 17 Aug 1919 | Cine Teatro Venecia, Tampico, Mexico | Police stopped the fight | |
| Win | Tom Cowler | Decision (points) | 15 | 10 Aug 1919 | Plaza de Toros, Mexico City, Mexico | ||
| Win | Bob Roper | Decision (points) | 10 | 22 Jun 1919 | Mexico City, Mexico | ||
| Win | Bill Flint | KO | 2 | 12 Feb 1919 | Teatro de la Gran Via, Madrid, Spain | ||
| Win | Blink McCloskey | TKO (corner retirement) | 6 | 5 Feb 1918 | Teatro Circo Price, Madrid, Spain | ||
| Win | Arthur Cravan | KO | 6 | 23 Apr 1916 | Plaza de Toros Monumental, Barcelona, Spain | ||
| Win | Frank Crozier | TKO | 7 | 23 Mar 1916 | Gran Teatro de Madrid, Madrid, Spain | ||
| Loss | Jess Willard | KO | 26 | 2:20 | 5 Apr 1915 | Oriental Park, Havana, Cuba | Lost NYSAC heavyweight title |
| Win | Jack Murray | KO | 3 | 10 Jan 1915 | Sociedad Sportiva Argentina, Buenos Aires, Argentina | ||
| Win | Frank Moran | Decision (points) | 20 | 27 Jun 1914 | Vélodrome d'Hiver, Paris, France | Retained NYSAC heavyweight title | |
| Draw | Battling Jim Johnson | Decision (points) | 10 | 19 Dec 1913 | Élysée Montmartre, Paris, France | Retained NYSAC heavyweight title | |
| Win | Fireman Jim Flynn | Disqualification | 9 | 4 Jul 1912 | East Las Vegas, Las Vegas, New Mexico, US | Retained NYSAC heavyweight title | |
| Win | James J. Jeffries | TKO | 15 | 2:20 | 4 Jul 1910 | Reno, Nevada, US | Retained world heavyweight title |
| Win | Stanley Ketchel | KO | 12 | 16 Oct 1909 | Mission Street Arena, Colma, California, US | Retained world heavyweight title | |
| Win | Al Kaufman | Decision (points) | 10 | 9 Sep 1909 | Coffroth's Arena, San Francisco, California, US | World heavyweight title at stake; Newspaper decision | |
| Win | Tony Ross | Decision (points) | 6 | 30 Jun 1909 | Duquesne Garden, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, US | Newspaper decision | |
| Draw | Philadelphia Jack O'Brien | Decision (points) | 6 | 19 May 1909 | National Athletic Club, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US | World heavyweight title at stake; Newspaper decision | |
| Win | Tommy Burns | Decision (points) | 14 | 26 Dec 1908 | Sydney Stadium, Sydney, Australia | Won world heavyweight title | |
| Win | Ben Taylor | TKO | 8 | 31 Jul 1908 | Cosmopolitan Gymnasium, Plymouth, England | ||
| Win | Fireman Jim Flynn | KO | 11 | 1:30 | 2 Nov 1907 | Coffroth's Arena, San Francisco, California, US | |
| Win | Sailor Burke | Decision (points) | 6 | 12 Sep 1907 | Smith's Theater, Bridgeport, Connecticut, US | Newspaper decision | |
| Win | Charles Cutler | KO | 1 | 28 Aug 1907 | Lauer's Park, Reading, Pennsylvania, US | ||
| Win | Bob Fitzsimmons | KO | 2 | 17 Jul 1907 | Washington Sports Club, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US | ||
| Win | Bill Lang | TKO | 9 | 4 Mar 1907 | Richmond Race Course, Melbourne, Australia | ||
| Win | Peter Felix | KO | 1 | 2:20 | 19 Feb 1907 | Gaiety Athletic Hall, Sydney, Australia | Retained world colored heavyweight title |
| Draw | Joe Jennette | Decision (points) | 10 | 26 Nov 1906 | Auditorium, Portland, Maine, US | World colored heavyweight title at stake; Newspaper decision | |
| Win | Jim Jeffords | Decision (points) | 6 | 8 Nov 1906 | Lancaster Athletic Club, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, US | Newspaper decision | |
| Win | Joe Jennette | Decision (points) | 6 | 20 Sep 1906 | Broadway Athletic Club, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US | Newspaper decision | |
| Draw | Billy Dunning | Decision (points) | 10 | 3 Sep 1906 | Millinocket, Maine, US | Newspaper decision | |
| Win | Charlie Haghey | KO | 2 | 16 Jun 1906 | Gloucester Athletic Club, Gloucester, Massachusetts, US | ||
| Win | Sam Langford | Decision (points) | 15 | 26 Apr 1906 | Lincoln Athletic Club, Chelsea, Massachusetts, US | Retained world colored heavyweight title | |
| Win | Black Bill | KO | 7 | 16 Apr 1906 | Peerless Athletic Club, Pittston, Pennsylvania, US | ||
| Win | Joe Jennette | Decision (points) | 15 | 14 Mar 1906 | Germania Maennerchor Hall, Baltimore, Maryland, US | Retained world colored heavyweight title | |
| Win | Joe Jennette | Decision (points) | 3 | 16 Jan 1906 | Sharkey Athletic Club, New York City, New York, US | Newspaper decision | |
| Win | Joe Jennette | Decision (points) | 6 | 2 Dec 1905 | National Athletic Club, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US | Newspaper decision | |
| Win | Young Peter Jackson | Decision (points) | 12 | 1 Dec 1905 | Germania Maennerchor Hall, Baltimore, Maryland, US | World colored heavyweight title at stake; Newspaper decision | |
| Loss | Joe Jennette | Disqualification | 2 | 25 Nov 1905 | National Athletic Club, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US | ||
| Win | Joe Grim | Decision (points) | 6 | 24 Jul 1905 | National Athletic Club, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US | Newspaper decision | |
| Win | Sandy Ferguson | Disqualification | 7 | 18 Jul 1905 | Douglas Athletic Club, Chelsea, Massachusetts, US | ||
| Win | Morris Harris | KO | 1 | 13 Jul 1905 | Broadway Athletic Club, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US | ||
| Win | Black Bill | Decision (points) | 3 | 13 Jul 1905 | Broadway Athletic Club, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US | Newspaper decision | |
| Win | Jack Munroe | Decision (points) | 6 | 26 Jun 1905 | National Athletic Club, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US | Newspaper decision | |
| Win | Walter Johnson | KO | 3 | 9 May 1905 | Knickerbocker Athletic Club, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US | ||
| Win | Joe Jennette | Decision (points) | 3 | 9 May 1905 | Knickerbocker Athletic Club, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US | Newspaper decision | |
| Win | Black Bill | TKO | 4 | 2 May 1905 | Knickerbocker Athletic Club, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US | ||
| Win | Jim Jeffords | KO | 4 | 25 Apr 1905 | Knickerbocker Athletic Club, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US | ||
| Loss | Marvin Hart | Decision (points) | 20 | 28 Mar 1905 | Woodward's Pavilion, San Francisco, California, US | ||
| Win | Denver Ed Martin | KO | 2 | 10 Oct 1904 | Hazard's Pavilion, Los Angeles, California, US | Retained world colored heavyweight title | |
| Win | Frank Childs | Decision (points) | 6 | 2 Jun 1904 | Apollo Hall, Chicago, Illinois, US | Retained world colored heavyweight title | |
| Win | Sam McVey | KO | 20 | 22 Apr 1904 | Mechanic's Pavilion, San Francisco, California, US | Retained world colored heavyweight title | |
| Win | Black Bill | Decision (points) | 6 | 15 Feb 1904 | Lenox Athletic Club, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US | Newspaper decision | |
| No contest | Sandy Ferguson | No contest | 5 | 6 Feb 1904 | National Athletic Club, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US | ||
| Win | Sandy Ferguson | Decision (points) | 20 | 11 Dec 1903 | Colma, California, US | ||
| Win | Sam McVey | Decision (points) | 20 | 27 Oct 1903 | Hazard's Pavilion, Los Angeles, California, US | Retained world colored heavyweight title | |
| Win | Sandy Ferguson | Decision (points) | 6 | 31 Jul 1903 | Penn Art Club, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US | Newspaper decision | |
| Win | Joe Butler | KO | 3 | 11 May 1903 | Washington Sports Club, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US | ||
| Win | Sandy Ferguson | Decision (points) | 10 | 16 Apr 1903 | Essex Athletic Club, Boston, Massachusetts, US | ||
| Win | Sam McVey | Decision (points) | 20 | 26 Feb 1903 | Hazard's Pavilion, Los Angeles, California, US | Retained world colored heavyweight title | |
| Win | Denver Ed Martin | Decision (points) | 20 | 5 Feb 1903 | Hazard's Pavilion, Los Angeles, California, US | Won world colored heavyweight title | |
| Win | Fred Russell | Disqualification | 8 | 4 Dec 1902 | Hazard's Pavilion, Los Angeles, California, US | ||
| Win | George Gardiner | Decision (points) | 20 | 31 Oct 1902 | Woodward's Pavilion, San Francisco, California, US | ||
| Win | Frank Childs | TKO | 12 | 21 Oct 1902 | Hazard's Pavilion, Los Angeles, California, US | Won world colored heavyweight title claim | |
| Draw | Hank Griffin | Decision (points) | 20 | 20 Jun 1902 | Hazard's Pavilion, Los Angeles, California, US | ||
| Win | Jack Jeffries | KO | 5 | 16 May 1902 | Hazard's Pavilion, Los Angeles, California, US | ||
| Win | Joe Kennedy | KO | 4 | 7 Mar 1902 | Reliance Athletic Club, Oakland, California, US | ||
| Draw | Hank Griffin | Decision (points) | 15 | 27 Dec 1901 | Reliance Athletic Club, Oakland, California, US | ||
| Loss | Hank Griffin | Decision (points) | 20 | 4 Nov 1901 | Armory Hall, Bakersfield, California, US | ||
| Draw | Mexican Pete Everett | Decision (points) | 20 | 14 Aug 1901 | Gold Coin Club, Victor, Colorado, US | ||
| Draw | Billy Stift | Decision (points) | 10 | 26 Apr 1901 | Colorado Athletic Club, Denver, Colorado, US | ||
| Loss | Joe Choynski | KO | 3 | 25 Feb 1901 | Harmony Hall, Galveston, Texas, US | ||
| Draw | Jim Scanlon | Decision (points) | 7 | 14 Jan 1901 | Galveston Athletic Club, Galveston, Texas, US | ||
| Win | Klondike Haynes | TKO | 4 | 27 Dec 1900 | Phoenix Athletic Club, Memphis, Tennessee, US | ||
| Draw | Klondike Haynes | Decision (points) | 20 | 25 Jun 1900 | Galveston Athletic Club, Galveston, Texas, US | Pre-arranged draw if lasting the distance | |
| Win | Jim McCormick | Disqualification | 6 | 20 Apr 1900 | Galveston Athletic Club, Galveston, Texas, US | ||
| No contest | William McNeill | No contest | 4 | 9 Apr 1900 | Galveston Athletic Club, Galveston, Texas, US | No decision | |
| No contest | Jim McCormick | No contest | 15 | 21 Mar 1900 | Galveston Athletic Club, Galveston, Texas, US | No decision | |
| Loss | Klondike Haynes | TKO | 5 | 6 May 1899 | Howard Theatre, Chicago, Illinois, US | For inaugural black heavyweight title | |
| Win | Cherokee | KO | 24 Jul 1898 | Kansas City, Kansas, US | |||
| Win | Ed Johnson | KO | 5 | 20 Nov 1897 | Convention Hall, Galveston, Texas, US | Retained Texas State middleweight title | |
| Win | Charley Brooks | KO | 2 | 1 Nov 1897 | Prof. Bernau's Gymnasium, Galveston, Texas, US | Pro debut; Won Texas State middleweight title |
Record source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).