Jack Fox
Encyclopedia
John "Tiger" Linwood Fox (April 2, 1907 – April 6, 1954), or Tiger Jack Fox as he was better known, was a colorful, hard punching, American light heavyweight
boxer. Fox fought from 1928 to 1950.
Fox claimed he got his start in boxing when he was picked up, while hitchhiking in Georgia, by boxer Young Stribling
. At that time, Stribling was travelling from town to town and enagaging in boxing matches, basically meeting all comers. Stribling offered Fox a job as a sparring partner. Although he had no experience, Fox, out of work and hungry, accepted the offer.
His first sparring session with Stribling almost ended his boxing career. Stribling toyed with him, and eventually knocked him senseless with a right hand to the jaw. Fox claimed he didn't sleep that night, re-living the events of the day, and studying how to avoid a similar fate the next day. Fox concluded that if he stepped forward when Stribling threw his right, he would be inside the punch and in position to hit Stribling with his left.
The next day, the two sparred again. This time when Stribling threw his right, Fox was waiting and executed his manoeuvre to perfection. Surprised by Fox's left hook, Stribling's knees buckled. Fox then jumped in and hit him with another left hook, which sent Stribling to the canvas. Although he was fired on the spot, Fox thought that if he could knock Stribling down, he could hold his own with anyone.
Fox then made his way to Indianopolis, where he hung around a boxing gym until he was offered a fight. Fox accepted and was on his way. He relocated in Terre Haute, Indiana
to train under bantamweight champion Bud Taylor
and became the "Indiana colored heavyweight champion." He fought frequently for the next nine years without losing a bout. His first loss was by a split decision to light heavyweight champion Maxie Rosenbloom
. Fox claimed he engaged in over 300 fights, but many were not recorded. He claimed that he never fought a preliminary bout in his career, just main events.
Fox was defeated by Melio Bettina
in his only crack at the light heavyweight championship, NYSAC version. In this elimination bout to name a champion, Fox was stopped in the 9th round. Two months before the fight he was stabbed near the heart in a Harlem
hotel in a dispute over a woman.
Fox also fought and knocked out in two rounds former middleweight
champion Bob Olin
, and he knocked out Lou Brouillard
in seven. He was kayoed in three rounds by future lightheavyweight champion John Henry Lewis
.
Two of Fox's more surprising victories came against future heavyweight
champion Jersey Joe Walcott
. On May 12, 1937, Fox knocked out Walcott in the 8th round. In the following year Fox again defeated Walcott, this time by a ten round decision.
Fox is second on the all time list for first round knockouts, and was named to the Ring Magazine's list of 100 greatest punchers of all time.
Light heavyweight
In boxing, the light heavyweight is a weight division above 168 pounds [12 Stone or 76.204 kilograms] and up to 175 pounds [12.5 stone or 79.38 kilograms]), falling between super middleweight and cruiserweight...
boxer. Fox fought from 1928 to 1950.
Fox claimed he got his start in boxing when he was picked up, while hitchhiking in Georgia, by boxer Young Stribling
Young Stribling
Young Stribling was a professional boxer in the Heavyweight division.He was the elder brother of fellow boxer Herbert Stribling.- Background :...
. At that time, Stribling was travelling from town to town and enagaging in boxing matches, basically meeting all comers. Stribling offered Fox a job as a sparring partner. Although he had no experience, Fox, out of work and hungry, accepted the offer.
His first sparring session with Stribling almost ended his boxing career. Stribling toyed with him, and eventually knocked him senseless with a right hand to the jaw. Fox claimed he didn't sleep that night, re-living the events of the day, and studying how to avoid a similar fate the next day. Fox concluded that if he stepped forward when Stribling threw his right, he would be inside the punch and in position to hit Stribling with his left.
The next day, the two sparred again. This time when Stribling threw his right, Fox was waiting and executed his manoeuvre to perfection. Surprised by Fox's left hook, Stribling's knees buckled. Fox then jumped in and hit him with another left hook, which sent Stribling to the canvas. Although he was fired on the spot, Fox thought that if he could knock Stribling down, he could hold his own with anyone.
Fox then made his way to Indianopolis, where he hung around a boxing gym until he was offered a fight. Fox accepted and was on his way. He relocated in Terre Haute, Indiana
Terre Haute, Indiana
Terre Haute is a city and the county seat of Vigo County, Indiana, United States, near the state's western border with Illinois. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 60,785 and its metropolitan area had a population of 170,943. The city is the county seat of Vigo County and...
to train under bantamweight champion Bud Taylor
Bud Taylor
Charles Bernard "Bud" Taylor was an American boxer from Terre Haute, Indiana. He was nicknamed the Terre Haute Terrier and the Blonde Terror of Terre Haute.-Pro Boxing Career:...
and became the "Indiana colored heavyweight champion." He fought frequently for the next nine years without losing a bout. His first loss was by a split decision to light heavyweight champion Maxie Rosenbloom
Maxie Rosenbloom
Max Everitt Rosenbloom, known as Slapsie Maxie was an American boxer, actor, and television personality.-Life and career:...
. Fox claimed he engaged in over 300 fights, but many were not recorded. He claimed that he never fought a preliminary bout in his career, just main events.
Fox was defeated by Melio Bettina
Melio Bettina
Melio Bettina was a professional boxer.-Amateur career:Bettina won the 1935 Intercity Golden Gloves at light-heavyweight by decision over Tony Zale.-Pro career:...
in his only crack at the light heavyweight championship, NYSAC version. In this elimination bout to name a champion, Fox was stopped in the 9th round. Two months before the fight he was stabbed near the heart in a Harlem
Harlem
Harlem is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, which since the 1920s has been a major African-American residential, cultural and business center. Originally a Dutch village, formally organized in 1658, it is named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands...
hotel in a dispute over a woman.
Fox also fought and knocked out in two rounds former middleweight
Middleweight
Middleweight is a division, or weight class, in boxing. Early boxing history is less than exact, but the middleweight designation seems to have begun in the 1840s. In the bare-knuckle era, the first middleweight championship fight was between Tom Chandler and Dooney Harris in 1897...
champion Bob Olin
Bob Olin
Robert Lous "Bob" Olin was an American boxer.He won the World Light Heavyweight Championship.-Boxing career:In 1928 Olin won the New York City Golden Gloves Open Championship...
, and he knocked out Lou Brouillard
Lou Brouillard
Lucien Pierre Brouillard, better known as Lou Brouillard, , was a professional boxer in the welterweight division....
in seven. He was kayoed in three rounds by future lightheavyweight champion John Henry Lewis
John Henry Lewis
John Henry Lewis was an African American boxer who was the world Light Heavyweight champion from 1935 to 1939.One interesting fact of his is that Lewis was managed by a gambler and racketeer of the 1930s: Gus Greenlee, a man who became very important to baseball's Negro Leagues as a commissioner...
.
Two of Fox's more surprising victories came against future heavyweight
Heavyweight
Heavyweight is a division, or weight class, in boxing. Fighters who weigh over 200 pounds are considered heavyweights by the major professional boxing organizations: the International Boxing Federation, the World Boxing Association, the World Boxing Council, and the World Boxing...
champion Jersey Joe Walcott
Jersey Joe Walcott
Arnold Raymond Cream , better known as Jersey Joe Walcott, was a world heavyweight boxing champion. He broke the world's record for the oldest man to win the world's Heavyweight title when he earned it at the age of , a record that would be broken on November 5, 1994, by George Foreman, who...
. On May 12, 1937, Fox knocked out Walcott in the 8th round. In the following year Fox again defeated Walcott, this time by a ten round decision.
Fox is second on the all time list for first round knockouts, and was named to the Ring Magazine's list of 100 greatest punchers of all time.