SAM E. LANGFORD: 1883-1956
The Boston Terror
A well known and respected boxer on three continents in the early 1900's. Sam Langford
was considered to be one of the most punishing punchers in boxing history.
Born in Weymouth Falls, Digby County, Nova Scotia
in 1886, Sam Langford ran away
from home at the age of 12 and worked his way to Boston. At the age of 16, at 5'7" and
weighing 135 lbs, he made his professional boxing debut, winning his first fight. Within
eighteen months he fought and defeated Joe Gans, the world lightweight champion.
Unfortunately, it was not a title bout, and was characteristic of Langford's 21 year ring
career; Sam Langford never held a world boxing title, although he fought and defeated
many of those who did.
After just three years as a pro, Langford and his manager felt he was ready for the
heavyweight big leagues. In 1906, Langford took on Jack Johnson, Negro Heavyweight
Champion and contender for the world crown. It took Johnson, (who was in his prime and
had both a size and weight advantage) 15 rounds to defeat Langford. Thereafter, Johnson
never gave Langford a rematch for fear that he might lose his title, and when Johnson won
the heavyweight championship two years later, he was even more determined to keep his title, and stayed away from
Langford.
Throughout his prime, Sam Langford was in an unusual boxing situation. Although his weight permitted him to fight in
weight divisions other than heavyweight, no champion would risk his title against him, and not incidentally, America at the
time had no desire to see another black champion. Between 1902 and 1923, Langford fought nearly 300 recorded bouts in
every division from lightweight to heavyweight. He was rarely defeated, but never got the title match he deserved.
By the early 1920's, Langford's advancing blindness began to cause problems, but not before he won the heavyweight
championship of Mexico and Spain in 1923. A knockout by a virtual nobody in 1926 finally convinced him to withdraw
from the ring. By 1944 Langford was alone, sightless and living in a Harlem tenement in New York City. However,
reporter Al Laney tracked him down while researching an article on old-time black boxers. The resulting publicity
prompted Langford's fans to raise a trust fund, enabling him to live out his last years in modest comfort.
Sam Langford died in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1956, a year after his election into The Ring magazine's Boxing Hall
of Fame. He was the first non-champion ever to be so honored.
Sam Langford continues to be remembered for his achievements. In 1972, Weymouth Falls erected a plaque to his memory
in its community center. His Cambridge, Massachusetts, grave was given a proper headstone in 1986. The following year.
CBC radio produced an hour long drama on Langford's life that was written by Charles Saunders. Now, ninety years after
Sam Langfords's professional career was launched, the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada recognizes his
contribution to Canadian history.
Newspaper Articles
Sam's Fight Stats and other black fighters.
Short recount of Sam's Life.
Take a step back in history and watch Sam Fight!
Visitor
webpage created by Blair Cromwell
This article was reproduced from the Environment Canada Park Service's Historic Sites
and Monuments Board of Canada Pamphlet titled: Sam E. Langford: "The Boston Terror"