Joe Gans: A Biography of the First African American World Boxing Champion

Joe Gans captured the world lightweight title in 1902, becoming the first black American world title holder in any sport. Gans was a master strategist and tactician, and one the earliest practitioners of ‘scientific’ boxing. As a black champion reigning during the Jim Crow era, he endured physical assaults, a stolen title, bankruptcy, and numerous attempts to destroy his reputation. Four short years after successfully defending his title in the 42-round ‘Greatest Fight of the Century’, Joe Gans was dead of tuberculosis. This biography features original round-by-round ringside telegraph reports of his most famous and controversial fights, a complete fight history, photographs, early newspaper cartoons depicting boxers, and discussion of contemporary cultural representations of and tributes to the man considered to be among the finest boxers in history.