Upon meeting fight manager Tom Cox at a local gym, Armstrong introduced himself as Harry Armstrong's brother, after which he became known by the name Henry Armstrong. The event is named after the late Mississippi boxer, Henry Armstrong, who, in 1938, became the first boxer to ever hold three world titles at the same time. Manage Settings Armstrong's streak of 27 knockout wins in a row qualifies as one of the longest knockout win streaks in the history of boxing, according to The Ring magazine. Background. That was the last time Armstrong would fight for a championship. The American Revolution | National Archives This ended Armstrong's reign as Welterweight Champion. Armstrong moved to Los Angeles, where he resumed his amateur status. He also wrote the autobiographical God, Gloves, and Glory (1956). By his last fight, his KO ratio was at 54.6%. Copyright 2023 WLBT. He teamed up with -- and took the surname of -- a trainer and former boxer named Henry Armstrong. Born: December 12, 1912. His professio, Hopkins, Bernard 1965 He was stopped two times and lost 20 times via decision. Hes fighting on the card, and he was the first person in Mississippi to win a title [since 1988], Higginbottom said. [10] Early in his career, he fought some fights under the ring name Melody Jackson. For all the details about Armstrong's world title wins and defenses refer to "Henry Armstrong World Titles". Most consecutive boxing world welterweight title defences Boxer He defeated Bobby Pacho at the Tropical Stadium in Havana, Cuba, in his fourth successful defence. In 1990 his name was added posthumously to the International Boxing Hall of Fame. Henry "Hurricane Hank" Armstrong (1912-1988) - Find a Grave Henry Armstrong. [CDATA[ Encyclopedia of World Biography. His biggest hit was "Sweet Adeline", written in 1903 with Richard H. Gerard. Henry Armstrong - BoxRec [10], In 1936, Armstrong split his time among Los Angeles, Mexico City and St. Louis. Taking away Lou Ambers' lightweight crown on Aug. 17, 1938 in Madison Square Garden proved more difficult. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. His early childhood was spent on a plantation owned by Armstrong's grandfather, an Irishman who had married one of his slaves. ESPN.com: He was 'Homicide Hank' for a reason He defended it in eight fights in a row, the last of which was a nine-round knockout win over Puerto Rico's Pedro Montaez. The fight lasted 15 rounds. DISCLAIMER: Data may be outdated or incorrect, use at your own discretion. He was the first champion, Im going to be the next champion, Davis said. Bert Sugar ranks him #2, and I rank him #3 on my list of the greatest boxers of all time. document[imgName].src = eval(imgName + 'over.src'); He lost by knockout only two times in his 15 years of boxing. On November 25, 1938 Henry Armstrong defeated Filipino boxer Ceferino Garcia via 15 round unanimous decision. Armstrong had 22 losses. We encourage you to research and examine these records to determine their accuracy. His mother, America, was half-Cherokee Indian. Henry Armstrong | Walk of Fame We collect and match historical records that Ancestry users have contributed to their family trees to create each person's profile. October 29, 1937: Armstrong wins his first world titles by defeating Petey Sarron via 6th round KO. Twenty-six of the bouts were ended by a knockout, including that of Sarron in their 126-pound fight. Armstrong retired from professional boxing with a record of 151-22-10, which included 100 knockout wins and two losses via knockout, and three title wins. Ambers opened a cut on Armstrong's lower lip, and Armstrong, afraid the referee would stop the fight, swallowed the blood throughout the fight and succeeded in winning on points. As an amateur Armstrong fought under the name of Melody Jackson. Armstrong's mother died of consumption in 1918, leaving the six-year-old under the care of his paternal grandmother. Henry Armstrong | American boxer | Britannica navgallerycold.src = "/i/sportscentury/nav_gallery_cold.gif"; Henry Armstrong - Missouri Sports Hall of Fame Henry Jackson was born in Columbus, MS. His father, suffering from rheumatism, struggled to provide for the family. Henry Armstrong - St Louis Sports Hall of Fame Early in his career he boxed under the name Melody Jackson. The next year was an incredible one for Armstrong as he fought 27 times -- and won all of them. Aldo Spoldi was the only opponent to take him the full 10 rounds. $57k AVERAGE INCOME Our wealth data indicates income average is $57k. Garcia was recognized as champion only by New York and California. window.__mirage2 = {petok:"_9hAJy7CmJsKH07kPqMVqhJI9fwN_aHmPuAo7fcIZbM-86400-0"}; There are 1 person related to this person in our records. . Henry Armstrong, who moved to St. Louis with his family as a youngster, was the only boxer ever to hold three world titles simultaneously. He voluntarily relinquished his featherweight crown, and the next August he lost the lightweight title back to Ambers on a unanimous decision. We encourage you to research and examine these records to determine their accuracy. He was the first boxer to hold three different titles simultaneously. Statistics for all 21 Henry Armstrong results: 61 yrs AVERAGE AGE 40% are in their 40s, while the average age is 61. Historical Person Search Search Search Results Results Henry Irwin Armstrong (1850 - 1935) Try FREE for 14 days Try FREE for 14 days. In defending himself against bullies, he discovered his interest in boxing. [15], Returning to the welterweight division, Armstrong successfully defended the title five more times, until Fritzie Zivic beat him to take the world title in a 15-round decision. A few notable opponents of that year include Ritchie Fontaine, Baby Arizmendi, former world champion Juan Zurita, and Mike Belloise. Henry Armstrong, Boxer born - African American Registry December 11, 1939: Armstrong successfully defends the NBA and The Ring welterweight titles against Jimmy Garrison, winning the fight via 7th round KO. Two boxers from the Pearl Boxing Club will be fighting in the event: Chown 'Chop Chop' Sims, and Keshaun 'Big Baby' Davis. He is the only boxer to this day who simultaneously held three world boxing titles - in Featherweight, Lightweight, and welterweight champion in 1938. Late in 1938 he resigned the featherweight championship without having defended it, and on August 22, 1939, he lost the lightweight crown in a 15-round return fight with Ambers. Encyclopedia.com gives you the ability to cite reference entries and articles according to common styles from the Modern Language Association (MLA), The Chicago Manual of Style, and the American Psychological Association (APA). Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. He was a 3-weight-class world champion. Reading that a boxer named Kid Chocolate received $75,000 for one bout, Armstrong quickly abandoned his railroad job to pursue a career as a boxer. [11], In 1937 alone, Armstrong went 270 (26KO). } Armstrong retired from the ring in 1945. A few notable opponents of that year include Ritchie Fontaine, Baby Arizmendi, former world champion Juan Zurita, and Mike Belloise. Research genealogy for Henry Armstrong of Newcastle Upon Tyne, Northumberland, England, as well as other members of the Armstrong family, on Ancestry. Armstrong won three world titles at three weight classes. Armstrong fought as an amateur from 1929 to 1932. [2] Historian Bert Sugar also ranked Armstrong as the second-greatest fighter of all time. All but one of his defences were in the USA. Henry Armstrong, the only boxer ever to hold three world titles simultaneously, died of heart failure yesterday in Los Angeles after a lengthy series of illnesses. After retiring from boxing in 1946, Armstrong briefly opened a Harlem nightclub, the Melody Room (named after his first nickname). However, since he already had two professional fights under the name Jackson, he told people that he was Harry's little brother, Henry Armstrong.Armstrong competed in the 1932 Olympic trials. Henry Armstrong: Record and Stats - MartialBot You may want to start by searching for a person's Military Service Records and Pension and Bounty Land records. Use Link to Listen with 30-Day Audible Free Trial: http://bit.ly/ATLASaudiobook. Small in stature, he was often the target for teasing. WHAT MAKES A GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS TITLE? [13], In 1938, Armstrong started his season with seven more knockouts in a row, including one over Chalky Wright, a future world champion. Davis, who has been training at the Pearl Boxing Club, is undefeated so far in his professional career at 4-0, with four knockouts. His last professional fight was a non-title rematch against Chester Slider at 32 years of age, on February 14, 1945. Henry held three world titles - Welterweight, var navcontributeover = new Image(); He became a born-again Christian and an ordained Baptist minister and youth advocate, helping to run the Herbert Hoover Boys Club. Info Share. Henry Armstrong, original name Henry Jackson, (born December 12, 1912, Columbus, Mississippi, U.S.died October 24, 1988, Los Angeles, California), American boxer, the only professional boxer to hold world championship titles in three weight divisions simultaneously. Armstrong, however, displayed no interest in fulfilling these wishes. Armstrong lost weight in order to compete in the lower weight division, and beat World Lightweight Champion Lou Ambers by split decision. navathletescold.src = "/i/sportscentury/nav_athletes_cold.gif"; His biggest hit was "Sweet Adeline", written in 1903 with Richard Gerard . Henry passed away in March 1981, at age 94. if (document.images) "If you spit any more blood on that floor," referee Billy Cavanaugh told Armstrong, "I'm going to stop this fight.". He returned to St. Louis in 1972 to become the director of the Herbert Hoover Boys Club. Seven months later, a fading Armstrong finally lost his welterweight title after the 19 successful defenses, including six in 1940. Research our Records The National Archives holds records relating to military service during the Revolutionary War, including both Continental troops and state troops that served as Continental troops. Henry Armstrong (1912-1988) became the first boxer in history to hold world titles in three separate weight classes at the same time. https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/henry-armstrong, "Henry Armstrong Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. While successfully defending this welterweight title, Armstrong was also featherweight world champion and defeated Lou Ambers to become world lightweight champion. October 13, 1939: Armstrong successfully defends the NBA and The Ring welterweight titles against Howard Scott, winning the fight via 2nd round KO. Deceased : October 22, 1988. The event is even more special for Davis. var navgalleryover = new Image(); BoxRec: Henry Armstrong henry armstrong "homicide hank" 150 Wins 21 Losses 10 Draws 55.8% Stance: Orthodox Age: 113 Date Of Birth: 12 Dec 1909 Height: 5.45 ft (1.66 m) Reach: 66.93 inches (170 cm) Country: United States Universal ID : 8194 edit details henry armstrong opponents PTS Chester Slider (37-18-12) Wed, 14 Feb - 1945 round 10 of 10 . He is now the NBA and The Ring featherweight world champion. He died of heart failure on October 22, 1988 in Los Angeles. Armstrong is a Hall of Famer. Chester Slider, John Thomas, Sugar Ray Robinson, Beau Jack, and Willie Joyce are some of the boxers who have beaten Armstrong. There he became involved in boxing. After winning his second pro fight by decision, he moved to Los Angeles with Harry Armstrong.Once in Los Angeles, he decided to return to the amateur ranks. Upon his return, he became a boxing manager for a time, but his increasing use of alcohol led to his arrest in Los Angeles. Henry Armstrong - Historical records and family trees - MyHeritage He was born Henry Jackson, Jr. on December 12, 1912, in Columbus, Mississippi. He defended his welterweight title a total of nineteen times.The Ring magazine named him Fighter of the Year in 1937. Henry Armstrong Found! - See Phones, Email, Addresses, and More Armstrong had his cornermen remove his mouthpiece so he could swallow the blood flowing in his mouth the last five rounds. Hometown: Columbus, MS. Year Induction: 2010. //]]>. Al Silvani. function act(imgName) { Professional boxer He defended his welterweight title a total of nineteen times. var navpostcardcold = new Image(); He was posthumously inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in the inaugural class of 1990.He was born Henry Jackson, Jr. on December 12, 1912, in Columbus, Mississippi. . William Henry Armstrong. // -->. On August 22, 1939, he lost his lightweight title in a rematch with Ambers, and in 1940 he defended his welterweight crown six times before losing the title to Fritzie Zivic on October 4, 1940. Nonetheless, Armstrong had achieved his goal, becoming simultaneously the undisputed champion of the featherweight, lightweight, and welterweight divisions. Want more WLBT news in your inbox? Henry Armstrong | Discography | Discogs He is currently the Mid America super middle weight title holder, winning the title in 2020. Henry Armstrong (1912-1988) became the first boxer in history to hold world titles in three separate weight classes at the same time. [14] According to boxing historian Bert Sugar, many commentators of the time said that Armstrong deserved the decision in this fight. Armstrong had a 151-21-9 record in his 15-year professional career. Velma Tartt was a former girlfriend from his high school days. Hall of Fame in 1954 and the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990. Garraty, John A. and Mark C. Carnes, American National Biography, Volume 1. In 1943, Armstrong lost a 10-round decision to an up-and-coming Sugar Ray Robinson, who had idolized the three-division champion. She died on the way to the hospital in Armstrong's arms, having suffered chest pains.