Charles Hadley facts for kids

Charles Hadley (born September 30, 1846 – died June 28, 1897) was a famous African American boxer. People called him "The Professor" because he was so skilled. He was the third World Colored Heavyweight Champion, holding the title from January 14, 1881, to February 23, 1883. Hadley was 5 feet 9½ inches tall and fought as a heavyweight boxer from Bridgeport, Connecticut. If he were fighting today, he would be considered a light heavyweight due to changes in weight classes.

Charles Hadley's Boxing Career

Charles Hadley had a long boxing career that lasted from 1869 to 1891. During this time, he fought 45 matches. He won 20 of these fights, with 10 of his wins coming by knockout (KO). He lost 16 matches and had 6 draws (meaning no one won). Three of his fights ended with "no contest," which means the result wasn't officially recorded.

Battles with Morris Grant

One of Charles Hadley's most famous rivalries was with another boxer named Morris Grant. Hadley fought Grant many times, a total of twelve matches between 1881 and 1883.

Hadley won the World Colored Heavyweight Championship from Morris Grant in their first recorded fight on January 14, 1881. Hadley won on points in a three-round match, taking Grant's title.

While Hadley was champion, he fought Grant ten more times and won eight of those fights. In one of their matches on May 4, 1882, in New York City, their four-round fight was declared a "no-contest." This means there was no official winner.

Morris Grant finally beat Hadley on June 20, 1882, winning on points in a four-round fight. However, Hadley's championship title was not on the line for this match, so he remained champion. He continued to hold the title until 1883, when he lost it to another great boxer, George "Old Chocolate" Godfrey.

Hadley and Grant fought a few more times after Hadley lost his title. Their very last fight was on December 8, 1883, where Hadley, the former champion, outpointed Grant. After this fight, Morris Grant stopped professional boxing.

The World Colored Heavyweight Championship

The World Colored Heavyweight Championship was a very important boxing title during Hadley's time. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, many Black boxers were not allowed to compete for the main world boxing titles because of unfair rules. Because of this, a special championship was created just for Black boxers.

This championship was a way for talented Black athletes like Charles Hadley to show their skills and compete for a major title. It was a significant achievement for boxers to win this championship, and it helped highlight their abilities in a time when they faced many challenges in sports.

In 2020, an author named Mark Allen Baker wrote a book about the history of The World Colored Heavyweight Championship. This book tells the stories of the amazing athletes who held the title and explains the challenges they faced in boxing and in society. The championship was a way for these boxers to fight for their place in the sport.