Jersey Joe Walcott 52 wins (32KO) – 18 losses (6) – 2 draws
DOB 31/1/1914 – DOD 25/2/1994
Stance – Orthodox
Height – 6ft
Division – Heavyweight
Born Arnold Raymond Cream in 1914, ‘Jersey Joe’ took his name from his boxing idol and then Welterweight Champion ‘Barbarous’ Joe Walcott. During his years as plain old Arnold, he was forced to grow up quicker than most after the death of his father when he was aged just thirteen. The oldest of 12 children, Arnold was forced to leave school and work in a soup factory to provide for his struggling family. The streets of Merchantville, New Jersey, however, were a hard place to grow up, particularly for immigrant families, and Arnold soon found himself involved in regular street fights in order to protect his weekly wage from local youths.
Seemingly having a knack for hand to hand combat, Arnold took up boxing and became ‘Jersey Joe Walcott’ when he stepped into the ring professionally on the 9th September 1930, knocking out the 18-5 Cowboy Frank Willis in the first round when he was just 16 years of age. Walcott progressed at a steady, if unspectacular, rate over the next few years, losing to the likes of Billy Ketchell, Al Ettor, and the aptly named Tiger Jack Fox (twice). Despite these setbacks, Jersey Joe continued to improve, knocking out Tiger Red Lewis, before solidly outpointing future all-time-greats such as Joe Baksi and Jimmy Bivins, while Lee Murray got himself disqualified in the 9th round for ‘not trying to win’. Back to back losses to the great Joey Maxim and dangerous Elmer Ray in 1946 were avenged the year later with Walcott outpointing both men over 10.
Then came Jersey Joe’s big chance. On 5th December 1947, at the ripe old age of 33 (then the oldest man to challenge for the Heavyweight title) and having amassed a record of 45-11-1, Walcott stepped in the ring with the Heavyweight champion, the formidable Joe Louis. Despite being a 10/1 underdog, Jersey Joe stunned the crowed by dropping Louis with a sneak left hook after a right hand lead in the very first round. To prove it wasn’t a fluke, Walcott repeated the feat in the 4th, dropping Louis yet again. Baffling the Brown Bomber at will, and miles ahead on the cards, Walcott eased off the pace in the final few rounds so sure he was of victory. At the end of the fight, Walcott raised both hands, and the crowd gave him a standing ovation, while in contrast Louis dejectedly attempted to leave the ring, only to be convinced otherwise by his corner. While the referee had rightly scored the fight to Jersey Joe, to the crowd’s astonishment, the two ringside judges scored the fight to Louis. While the Brown Bomber celebrated his victory, all Jersey Joe could do was cry. Highlights and reaction to the fight can be seen here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gB09VEEZvM
With the controversial scorecards of their first meeting, an immediate rematch was ordered between Louis and Walcott. The second fight followed the pattern of the first, Walcott dropping Louis again, this time in the third. By the 11th, the swollen eyed Louis was in deep contract to the unmarked Jersey Joe who continued to make the ageing Louis miss. This time, the fairytale looked to have come true. Suddenly, however, Walcott was trapped on the ropes, and, with Louis unleashing a barrage of shots, Joe caught Walcott, sending him down for the count of 10 while behind on the scorecards.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uCpJ0bm6RI
Two attempts at the world title had passed him by.
With the sudden retirement of Louis, Walcott was to embark on a rivalry with pound for pound legend Ezzard Charles. Walcott’s fairytale ending however, continued to elude him as he came up short twice against the man from Cincinnati, the first in 1949, and the second two years later, both of which were via 15 round unanimous decision. But on the 18th July 1951, Jersey Joe’s dream became a reality when he became only the second man to stop Charles in 70 fights with a suburb left uppercut to the chin of the Heavyweight Champion in the 7th round in Ring Magazines Fight of the Year. The KO can be seen at 9:
Walcott was finally a champion at the fifth time of asking. In his first defence, Walcott again beat Charles, this time via a 15 round decision.
Jersey Joe, showing no signs of ageing, took on the young and hungry Rocky Marciano, a man with a perfect 42 fight record, with 37 wins by knockout. The daunting Marciano, however, could not impose his will on Walcott early on, with the champion increasing his comfortable lead well into the championship rounds. Suddenly, in round 13, again while leading on all three cards, Walcott stepped back on the ropes and attempted to throw his right hand. Unfortunately for the champion, Rocky’s murderous right hand landed a split second earlier in what is regarded as one of the best punches ever seen in a boxing ring. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRbIDR4VP2s&feature=related
Joe lost his title unconscious on the floor. The rematch lasted just one round, with Marciano knocking Walcott out in the first. This was followed by a swift retirement on Walcott’s part. His Heavyweight title reign had lasted 14 months of a 22 year career.
Post boxing, Jersey Joe infamously went on to referee the Muhammad Ali-Sonny Liston fight. As Ali floored Liston, a confused Walcott lost the count while trying to pepper Ali into a neutral corner. As Walcott looked outside the ring for the ringside count keeper, Ali and Liston resumed the fight before Walcott has instructed them to. Jersey Joe, having seemingly lost control, then abruptly stopped the fight in an attempt to regain order. Walcott would never be appointed as a referee after this bout.
Jersey Joe Walcott was inducted to the Boxing Hall of Fame after working as a Sherriff in Camden County until the ripe old age of 70. While some argue how Walcott should be rated as an all time great Heavyweight, the one thing that cannot be argued is his resume, as Walcott consistently fought the best in his era, sometimes victorious, sometimes being defeated. Regardless, Jersey Joe Walcott was a boxing legend.
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