The sheer courage necessary to enter the boxing ring at the professional level sometimes leaves me shaking my head. The nerve necessary to do so while physically handicapped? Staggering. Here are some of them.
Barbados Joe Walcott-I am not referring to Walcott's 5'1 height. Nor am I referring to the fact that weighing under 150 pounds he frequently fought heavyweights (Walcott first spoke the phrase "The bigger they are, the harder they fall."). Instead I am referring to his continuing fighting when, while undisputed welterweight champion, he shot himself in the right hand severely injuring it. He could never again fully close his right fist. Yet the Demon fought for another seven years and had thirty more fights.
Sam Langford-The legendary Langford suffered a detached retina in 1917 and then lost some of the sight in the other eye in 1922. Yet he still was able to beat Tiger Flowers, Bearcat Wright and others!
Harry Greb-Famously suffered a detached retina in the Kid Norfolk fight in 1921. And yet Greb went on the win the middle title, hand Gene Tunney his only loss and beat HOFers like Tommy Loughran, Tiger Flowers, Maxie Rosenbloom and Mickey Walker.
John Henry Lewis-Completely blinded in his left eye in 1935. All John Henry did from that point on was win the undisputed light heavy crown (which he never lost) and defend it five times before being KO'd by Joe Louis (a mercy killing as Louis knew Lewis' condition and didn't want an extended beating).
Tommy Loughran-Like many fighters, the Philly Phantom had hand troubles. But Loughran's were more specific and serious than most. He broke his right hand repeatedly very early in his career and had to effectively stop using it. As a result he developed what many believe is the finest left hand in the history of the sport. It was so good he became undisputed 175 king and a HOFer.
Doc Williams-A light heavy contender of the 1940's was a polio victim as a child. As a result one leg was underdeveloped and shorter than the other. Yet Williams fought a 70 fight pro career and in 1949 he became the last man to beat Charley Burley.
Howard Winstone-As a teenager the Welshman lost the tips of three fingers on his right hand in a factory accident. A decade later? Winstone, in his fourth shot and in his sixty-fifth professional fight, finally becomes the featherweight champion of the world.
Gypsey Joe Harris-Blind in his right eye Harris fought much like the Drunken Master. A bizarre showman. But Harris was good enough to win his first 24 pro fights including a win over HOFer Curtis Cokes. Harris was so well known he appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated. He was the third ranked 160 in the world when he lost a decision to Emile Griffith at 23 and his blindness was discovered ending his career.
Think these men had some testicular fortitude?
