John Henry Lewis facts for kids

Quick facts for kids John Henry Lewis
Statistics
Real name	John Henry Lewis
Rated at	Light Heavyweight
Height	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Reach	6 ft 3.0 in (1.91 m)
Nationality	American
Born	(1914-05-01)May 1, 1914 Los Angeles, California
Died	April 18, 1974(1974-04-18) (aged 59) Berkeley, California
Stance	Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights	117
Wins	101
Wins by KO	58
Losses	11
Draws	5

John Henry Lewis (born May 1, 1914, died April 18, 1974) was a famous American boxer. He was so good that he's in the Boxing Hall of Fame! John Henry was the World Light Heavyweight Boxing Champion from 1935 to 1938. The boxing magazine The Ring even called him the 16th best light heavyweight boxer ever.

Early Life and Boxing Start

John Henry Lewis was born in Los Angeles, California, on May 4, 1914. His family later moved to Phoenix, Arizona. There, his father, who used to be a boxer himself, taught John Henry how to box at a very young age. His father even ran a gym in Phoenix.

John Henry started boxing in exhibition matches when he was just five years old. He became a professional boxer at 14, starting in the welterweight class. People quickly noticed his amazing speed and how quickly he learned scientific boxing skills.

Rising Through the Ranks

John Henry Lewis began his professional boxing journey in 1928. He won his first fight against Buster Grant in Phoenix. In 1931, he won his first title, the USA Arizona State Middleweight Championship. He beat Lloyd Phillips in an eight-round fight.

On September 21, 1932, John Henry faced James J. Braddock, who would later become a World Heavyweight champion. Even though Lewis was only 18 and still in high school, he won the fight easily. He won nine out of ten rounds!

Later that year, in October 1932, Lewis won another fight against Lou Scozza. Scozza was an experienced Light Heavyweight boxer. Lewis showed great skill, even though he got a cut above his eye during the fight.

In 1934, Lewis had a busy year with 12 fights. He won nine of them. He tried to win the Pacific Coast Light Heavyweight title but ended up with a draw. He then had a big win against Yale Okun in New York City. Lewis knocked Okun out in the third round.

In May 1935, Lewis won a clear victory against Frank Rowsey in San Francisco. He also quickly knocked out Tom Patrick in the first round of a fight in June 1935.

Becoming World Champion

John Henry Lewis became the World Light Heavyweight Champion on October 31, 1935. He beat Bob Olin in a 15-round fight in St. Louis. Many people thought Olin was very brave to keep fighting, even though Lewis was clearly better. Lewis won almost every round with his precise punches.

In his next fight, Lewis lost a close, non-title match to Maxie Rosenbloom. Rosenbloom was a very experienced boxer. Even though Lewis focused on hitting the body, Rosenbloom's smart defense helped him win.

Defending His Title (1936–1938)

Lewis had an amazing year in 1936, winning 18 out of 20 fights.

• On January 10, 1936, he knocked out "Tiger" Fox in the third round. Lewis showed his power with strong left hooks.
• In March 1936, he won a tough fight against Eddie Simms. Lewis was lighter, but he used his excellent defense and counter punches to win.
• He successfully defended his title against Jock McAvoy on March 13, 1936, in New York. Lewis dominated the fight, landing many punches.
• Lewis quickly knocked out Bob Godwin in the first round on May 29, 1936.
• He also beat former Light Heavyweight Champion George Nichols in August 1936.
• In October 1936, Lewis knocked out Red Burman in the second round.
• On November 9, 1936, Lewis defended his title in London, England, against Len Harvey. He won a clear decision. During this fight, Lewis got an eye injury that would later affect his career.

In 1937, Lewis continued to defend his title. He had a very tough fight against Al Ettore in February 1937, winning by a close decision. He also beat Willie Reddish and Johnny Risko later that year.

Lewis had an undefeated year in 1938. He knocked out Emilio Martinez in April and Elmer Ray in May.

Losing His Title and Retirement

In July 1938, the New York State Athletic Commission took away Lewis's title. This happened because he didn't agree to fight "Tiger" Jack Fox. Lewis said he didn't fight Fox because he knew it wouldn't bring in enough money from ticket sales.

On October 28, 1938, Lewis defended his National Boxing Association (NBA) World Light Heavyweight title against Al Gainer. He won this fight, showing a strong finish in the last few rounds.

Joe Louis

On January 25, 1939, John Henry Lewis tried to make history. He wanted to become the first Light Heavyweight champion to also win the World Heavyweight championship. He fought against the famous champion Joe Louis. However, Louis was too powerful, and John Henry was knocked out in the first round. This was the only time Lewis was knocked out in his entire career.

After this fight, Lewis was supposed to have a rematch with Len Harvey. But the fight was canceled because Lewis failed his medical tests. Doctors found that he had serious vision problems in both eyes. Because of this, John Henry Lewis announced his retirement from boxing at just 25 years old. He ended his career with an amazing record of 103 wins, 9 losses, and 6 draws. He had 60 wins by knockout!

Life After Boxing

After retiring from boxing, John Henry Lewis worked as a salesman.

He had two brothers who also boxed professionally: Christy and Paul. Interestingly, DNA analysis on a TV show later showed that Christy Lewis was the grandfather of the famous actor and musician L. L. Cool J.

John Henry Lewis passed away in Berkeley, California, in 1974, at the age of 59. He had been sick with emphysema and Parkinson's disease.

Professional Boxing Record Summary

Boxing Achievements

John Henry Lewis was honored for his amazing career by being inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1994.

In Movies

John Henry Lewis is played by actor Troy Amos-Ross in the 2005 movie Cinderella Man. This film tells the story of boxer James J. Braddock.

See also

• List of light heavyweight boxing champions