On This Day In Boxing History!

1923: Ike Williams Was Born!

Career

Won the featherweight championship at the 1938 Trenton Times Golden Gloves Tournament. Defeated such men as Kid Gavilan, Beau Jack, Bob Montgomery, Sammy Angott, Juan Zurita, Johnny Bratton, Tippy Larkin, Freddie Dawson, Joe Miceli, Gene Burton, Lulu Costantino, Dave Castilloux, Luther (Slugger) White, Lester Felton, John L. Davis, Charley Salas, Livio Minelli, Eddie Giosa, Enrique Bolanos, Bobby Ruffin, Fitzie Pruden, Cleo Shans, Ralph Zannelli, Rudy Cruz and Jesse Flores.

Knocked out Juan Zurita in two rounds to win the NBA Lightweight Championship on April 18, 1945.

Blackballed by the Managers Guild after he broke with his manager, Connie McCarthy. Williams later said, "Any fighter who tried to stand up to his manager in those days was blackballed and labeled a troublemaker. I wanted to start my own fighter's guild. I approached Sugar Ray Robinson, Willie Pep, Sandy Saddler. But they were too scared. Even Jake LaMotta was afraid to be seen talking to me." At this point, Williams was approached by Frank (Blinky) Palermo, an organized crime figure who would eventually serve prison time for his activities in the boxing world. Palermo assured Williams that he could resolve all problems with McCarthy, break the boycott, and get him the bouts and purses appropriate for a champion. Facing banishment from boxing, Williams agreed to sign with Palermo.

Knocked out NYSAC Lightweight Champion Bob Montgomery in six rounds to become the Undisputed World Lightweight Champion on August 4, 1947. The victory also avenged a twelfth-round knockout loss to Montgomery from January 25, 1944.

Named The Ring Magazine and Boxing Writers Association of America Fighter of the Year for 1948.

Lost the title to Jimmy Carter by a fourteenth-round knockout on May 25, 1951.

In 1960, Williams testified before a U.S. Senate subcommittee that was looking at underworld influence on boxing. He said he was offered big money to throw fights against Jimmy Carter, Kid Gavilan, Freddie Dawson, and Juste Fontaine, but he rejected each one. However, he conceded that he wished he had taken $100,000 to lose to Gavilan in 1949 and $50,000 to lose to Carter in 1951, since he lost both fights anyway. He also said that he never saw a penny of $65,000 in purses from two title fights in 1948. Palermo spent it before he get his hands on it.

Inducted into The Ring Magazine Boxing Hall of Fame - 1978.

Inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame - 1983.

Inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame - 1990.

The Associated Press named Williams the 4th greatest lightweight of the 20th century - 1999.

The Ring Magazine ranked Williams as the 5th greatest lightweight of all-time - 2001.

The Ring Magazine ranked Williams as the 78th greatest puncher of all-time - 2003.

NBA World Lightweight Champion

1945 Apr 18 – 1951 May 25          

NYSAC World Lightweight Champion

1947 Aug 4 – 1951 May 25

August 2nd

1923: Ike Williams born in Brunswick, Georgia

1924: Max Schmeling age 19 debuts KO6 Hans Czapp

1929: Sammy Mandell W10 Tony Canzoneri

1951: Esteban DeJesus born in Carolina, Puerto Rico

1958: Jose Napoles age 18 debuts KO1 Julio Rojas

1960: Wilfredo Vasquez is born in Bayamón, Puerto Rico

1969: Saman Sorjaturong born.

1974: Andy Price W10 Carlos Palomino

1975: Roberto Durán KO1 Pepe El Toro

1976: Carlos Zárate TKO2 Antonio Paredes

1980: Thomas Hearns KO2 Pipino Cuevas

Aaron Pryor KO4 Antonio Cervantes

Hilmer Kenty KO9 Young Ho Oh

Yasutsune Uehara KO6 Samuel Serrano

1986: Terry Norris age 19 debuts KO1 Jose Luis Cordova

Hi Sup Shin KO15 Bi Won Chun

1990: Chris Billam-Smith is born in Epsom, Surrey, England

1997: Sugar Shane Mosley W12 Philip Holiday

Angel Manfredy KO8 Jorge Paez

2008: Joshua Clottey WTD9 Zab Judah

Vic Darchinyan KO5 Dimitri Kirilov

Nicholas Walters age 23 debuts against W4 Esteban Ramos

2012: Thomas Oosthuizen W12 Rowland Bryant

2014: Sergey Kovalev TKO2 Blake Caparello

Naoko Shibata TKO9 Ana Arrazola

Jessie Vargas W12 Anton Novikov         

Brandon Rios WDQ9 Diego Gabriel Chaves     

Jessie Magdaleno TKO7 Carlos Rodriguez

2015: Juan Carlos Payano WSD12 Rau'shee Warren

2016: Chayaphon Moonsri W12 Saul Juarez