Who was Barney Ross?

[El Gamo]

I have heard this name a few times,who was this guy? A good fighter? Fill me in and get a cc for your troubles.Thankyou

[p4pking]

I actually just read up on the guy recently... Just search his name in on wikipedia man, he really has a great story, was a war hero in WW2 and a three division world champ. Grat fighter by all accounts but I can't say Ive actually seen him fight. Not much help but I could have just stated facts about him and pretended they were coming from me when you could check him out yourself :P

[El Gamo]

I actually just read up on the guy recently... Just search his name in on wikipedia man, he really has a great story, was a war hero in WW2 and a three division world champ. Grat fighter by all accounts but I can't say Ive actually seen him fight. Not much help but I could have just stated facts about him and pretended they were coming from me when you could check him out yourself :P

CC for the info man,I'll check it out. I just keep finding new boxers to read about,it's awesome!

[amat]

You hear his name most of the time because he was such an exciting fighter but also because he was a Jewish fighter during the German persecution of the Jews and he really stood up for European Jews. He eventually fought against the Nazi's in the war and carried some soldiers to safety and killed a bunch of Nazi's as they advanced on his squad's position. He's one of the greatest Jewish sporting heroes of all time.

All I know about his record is that he beat Tony Canzoneri when Canzoneri had just won the lightweight and welterweight straps simultaneously. And he is also the guy who Henry Armstrong won his welterweight title from and I'm pretty sure Ross retired after the Armstrong fight. Either that or he went real lowkey but I know there is a newspaper picture of him waving to the crowd for the final time with Henry Armstrong stopping to clap aswell. I had it on my old computer.

Couldn't tell you much about how good of an actual fighter he was, he beat Canzoneri though so he was no bum by any stretch but he's mostly known for being Jewish at that particular time and what he did outside of the ring.

[amat]

A good book to learn about Ross if you're into that type of thing is "When Boxing Was A Jewish Sport" which details that late 1920's early 1930's era in which almost all the top fighters were Jewish. It goes into great detail on Barney Ross and another great fighter Benny Leonard. Last time I went to Barnes and Nobles they had it and I bought it at a Borders a short time before so it shouldn't be to hard to find.

[DaxxKahn]

Great Boxer....Fought in an era where men fought to feed thier family not for glory and riches.....
Ross couldn't break wind with a punch but MAN!!! He could box....I think he was champ in lightweight and welter div

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[tedsares]

"As. a boy growing up in Chicago, Barnet Rasofsky planned to be a Talmudic scholar and Hebrew teacher. In 1924, however, when Barnet was 14 years old, his father, an immigrant rabbi and grocer, was shot and killed by two men who robbed the family store. Barnet’s mother, left with five children to support had a nervous breakdown and was sent to live with relatives. Barnet and his oldest brother, Morrie, went to live with a cousin; his three youngest siblings were placed in an orphanage."

hE WAS AN ALL TIME GREAT DURING A TIME WHEN BOXING WAS A Jewishj Sport. He is a legend in Chicago!

[tedsares]

More from web as follows: "Ross entered the ranks of boxing’s greats in a brutal series of three fights for the welterweight (147-pound) crown against Jimmy McLarnin, who outweighed Ross by several pounds, was a harder puncher and had a reputation for beating Jewish boxers. In their first fight, Ross defeated McLarnin in a bloody battle by a split decision. Ross offered McLarnin a rematch five months later, and McLarnin avenged the defeat in a vicious battle, ft only fight in which Ross ever suffered a knockdown. When they met again for the third time, Ross took the rematch in a fight that showed his clear superiority as a boxer.

Ross’ most courageous prize fight was his last, in 1938, against Henry Armstrong, the only man to hold the featherweight, lightweight and welterweight crowns. By the time he fought Armstrong, Ross — although only 28 years old —had fought almost 300 times. Although he started strong, Ross fired after the fourth round and Armstrong pummeled him at will. After the tenth round, the referee asked Ross if he wanted to stop, but the champion said no. After the twelfth, the referee approached Ross’ managers, asking them to throw in the towel, but, Ross told them, "You do that and I’ll never talk to you again. I want to go out like a champion." To Ross that meant standing on his feet when the final bell sounded, Through rounds thirteen, fourteen and fifteen, Armstrong pounded away at the exhausted Ross, who would not go down. Voices in the crowd pleaded with the referee to stop the fight, but he respected Ross’ wish to end his career never having failed to go the distance. In the last minute of the fight, Ross rallied and stood toe to toe with Armstrong, exchanging blows. The crowd was on its feet many with tears in their eyes, cheering for Ross, knowing they had seen the heart of a true champion."

[tedsares]

Ross retired with a record of 72 wins, 4 losses, 3 draws and 2 no-contests, with 22 wins by way of knockout.

[Canvasback]

For the record, Ross fought in the Pacific against the Japs and was decorated for heroism. After the war he became addicted to drugs and kicked the habit. I believe there was a movie made about him "Monkey on My Back."

[BoomBoom]

Hes an all time great. He had few flaws as a boxer. Good head movement, ring generalship, nice jab and he could fight on the inside and the outside very well.

[El Kabong]

...very few fighters out there today rely on their boxing prowess (without being a pussy) rather than their power

[El Gamo]

I love learning about new fighters alllll the time so all your feedack is much much appreciated!! Thanks chaps. A round of cc's on me!¬

[Trainer Monkey]

http://www.jewishsports.net/BioPages/BarneyRoss.htm