Jimmy Britt

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Jimmy Britt
Born
James Edward Britt

(1879-10-05)October 5, 1879
DiedJanuary 21, 1940(1940-01-21) (aged 60)
NationalityAmerican
Statistics
Weight(s)Lightweight
Boxing record
Total fights23
Wins13
Wins by KO4
Losses7
Draws3

Jimmy Britt (October 5, 1879, in San Francisco, California – January 21, 1940) was a boxer from 1902 to 1909. He fought Joe Gans twice for the World lightweight title but lost both bouts. In a career spanning 23 bouts, Britt met 6 different Hall of Famers for a combined total of 10 fights; going 4-4-2. After retiring from boxing in 1909, Britt toured the United States as a vaudeville performer, then later worked as a WPA superintendent. He died of a heart attack in his San Francisco home on January 21, 1940, and was interred at Holy Cross Cemetery (Colma, California).[1] Britt was elected to the Ring Magazine hall of fame in 1976.

Career

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Amateur

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In 1901 Jimmy Britt, who was the 135Ib Champion of the Pacific Coast, boxed three rounds with World Featherweight champion Terry McGovern. In this encounter Britt was described as boxing "exceedingly well" by The San Francisco Call.[2]

Early professional fights

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In 18 February 1902 Jimmy Britt had his professional debut in a 15-round scheduled fight against Toby Irwin[3] Britt outclassed his opponent over the 15 rounds to win on points.[4] On 19 May 1902, Britt fought former Lightweight Champion Kid Lavigne. Britt outboxed Lavigne throughout the contest until Kid Lavigne's brother stopped the contest to prevent him from taking any more punishment. Lavigne was discovered to have broken bones in his left forearm after the fight, near where they had broken previously.[5]

Britt then fought former Featherweight and Lightweight Champion Frank Erne on November 26, 1902. Britt knocked out his Swiss opponent in the seventh round; he hurt his opponent with a left to the body early in the round, and after sending him down multiple times, stopped him with a left to the stomach. The San Francisco Call described Britt as finishing the fight "unscathed", with Erne "unable to get in an effective blow", while Frank Erne showed all the signs of his punishment, with his nose, lips, and under his left eye swollen.[6]

Britt then fought Young Corbett II, winning a hard-fought decision over 20 rounds. Britt's face was covered in blood in the fifth round and was staggered in the 10th round, while Corbett was helping in the eighth round, and staggered Corbett in the 15th round. However, Britt took over after the 16th round. The audience was described as not knowing which way the decision would go, until referee Eddie Graney gave it to Jimmy Britt.[7]

First fight with Joe Gans

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On 31 October 1904, Britt challenged World Lightweight Champion Joe Gans. The San Francisco Call said that "Gans was outboxed, outfought, and outgamed" by Britt. Britt fought on the offensive in the first round, but the punching was light in this round. The second round saw both fighting aggressively and throwing hard shots. The third round saw Britt take the lead with a straight right with the body early seriously hurting Gans. In the fourth round, Britt knocked Gans down, and Gans went down twice more, with Britt hitting Gans while still on the ground. In the fifth round, Britt sent Gans back, before the latter once again went down. Britt struck Gans as he came up and was disqualified. The furious Britt then attacked the referee Eddie Graney[8]

Series with Battling Nelson

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On 20 December 1904, Britt fought his first of four fights with Battling Nelson. Britt won a decision after 20 rounds, outboxing Nelson despite being badly hurt multiple times by the Durable Dane, by keeping the fight at range and using his superior boxing science.[9]

Nelson and Britt would once again fight on 9 September 1905. R. A. Smyth said Britt did not fight with his usual cleverness, and in the 18th round Nelson caught Britt with a light left, and then a right that sent Britt down until he was counted out.[10]

Their third fight was held on 31 July 1907, with Britt winning another decision over the 20 rounds.[11] The referee, Jack Welsh, said that Nelson only won two of the 20 rounds, and that "the rest of the time Britt outclassed him at every point".[12]

Rematch with Gans and later career

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Joe Gans announced his challenge to the winner of the third fight between Battling Nelson and Jimmy Britt in a speech before that fight.[11] On 9 September 1907, Joe Gans and Jimmy Britt would once again fight for the World Lightweight Championship, however Britt was unable to repeat his success of the first fight. R. A. Smyth said, "Britt was hopelessly outclassed from the second round until the end came at the close of the fifth round." Britt quit after the end of the fifth round with an injury.[13] Britt was examined by multiple physicians, three of which diagnosed a fractured ulna, while Gans' physician said it was bruised.[14]

Jimmy Britt would then fight a 10-round no-decision contest with Battling Nelson on 3 March 1908, with newspapers differing as to who was better.[15]

Britt would then be stopped in the sixth round by Packey McFarland on 11 April 1908. After this he would have three fights with Johnny Summers in the United Kingdom, winning the first on decision in 1908, before losing a decision, and being knocked out in 1909.[15]

Professional boxing record

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23 fights 13 wins 7 losses
By knockout 4 4
By decision 9 3
Draws 1
Newspaper decisions/draws 2

All Newspaper decisions are regarded as “no decision” bouts as they have “resulted in neither boxer winning or losing, and would therefore not count as part of their official fight record."

No. Result Record Opponent Type Round, time Date Location Notes
23 Loss 13–7–1 (2) United Kingdom Johnny Summers KO 9 (20) 1909-07-31 United Kingdom Memorial Ground, West Ham, London
22 Loss 13–6–1 (2) United Kingdom Johnny Summers PTS 20 1909-02-22 United Kingdom National Sporting Club, Covent Garden, London
21 Win 13–5–1 (2) United Kingdom Johnny Summers PTS 10 1908-11-02 United Kingdom Wonderland, Mile End, London
20 Loss 12–5–1 (2) United States Packey McFarland TKO 6 (20) 1908-04-11 United States Mission Street Arena, Colma, California
19 Draw 12–4–1 (2) Denmark Battling Nelson NWS 10 1908-03-03 United States Naud Junction Pavilion, Los Angeles, California Newspaper Decision
18 Loss 12–4–1 (1) United States Joe Gans TKO 6 (20) 1907-09-09 United States Recreation Park, San Francisco, California For world lightweight title
17 Win 12–3–1 (1) Denmark Battling Nelson PTS 20 1907-07-31 United States Auditorium Rink, Los Angeles, California Won world 'white' lightweight title
16 Draw 11–3–1 (1) United States Terry McGovern NWS 10 1906-05-28 United States Madison Square Garden, New York, New York Newspaper Decision
15 Loss 11–3–1 Denmark Battling Nelson KO 18 (20) 1905-09-09 United States Mission Street Arena, Colma, California Lost world 'white' lightweight title
14 Win 11–2–1 United States Kid Sullivan PTS 20 1905-07-21 United States Woodward's Pavilion, San Francisco, California Retained world 'white' lightweight title
13 Win 10–2–1 United States Jabez White TKO 20 (20) 1905-05-05 United States Woodward's Pavilion, San Francisco, California Retained world 'white' lightweight title
12 Win 9–2–1 Denmark Battling Nelson PTS 20 1904-12-20 United States Mechanic's Pavilion, San Francisco, California Won vacant world 'white' lightweight title
11 Loss 8–2–1 United States Joe Gans DQ 5 (20) 1904-10-31 United States Recreation Park, San Francisco, California For world lightweight title
10 Win 8–1–1 United States Young Corbett II PTS 20 1904-03-25 United States Woodward's Pavilion, San Francisco, California Won world featherweight title;
At 130lbs
9 Win 7–1–1 Republic of Ireland Martin Canole PTS 25 1903-11-20 United States Colma A.C, Colma, California Retained world 'white' lightweight title
8 Win 6–1–1 United States Charley Sieger PTS 20 1903-11-10 United States Mechanic's Pavilion, San Francisco, California Retained world 'white' lightweight title
7 Draw 5–1–1 United States Jack O'Keefe PTS 20 1903-06-13 United States Old Baseball Park, Butte, Montana Retained world 'white' lightweight title
6 Win 5–1 United States Willie Fitzgerald PTS 20 1903-04-28 United States Mechanic's Pavilion, San Francisco, California Retained world 'white' lightweight title
5 Loss 4–1 United States Jack O'Keefe DQ 6 (20) 1903-03-09 United States Pastime A.C., Portland, Oregon Retained world 'white' lightweight title
O'Keefe received no recognition as he had been KO'd by the last punch
4 Win 4–0 United States Frank Erne KO 7 (20) 1902-11-26 United States Mechanic's Pavilion, San Francisco, California Won vacant 'white' lightweight title
3 Win 3–0 United States Kid Lavigne TKO 8 (20) 1902-05-29 United States Woodward's Pavilion, San Francisco, California
2 Win 2–0 Australia Tim Hegarty KO 8 1902-02-28 United States Mechanic's Pavilion, San Francisco, California
1 Win 1–0 United States Toby Irwin PTS 15 1902-02-18 United States Acme A.C., Oakland, California

References

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  1. ^ "Funeral Today for Boxer Jimmy Britt". The San Bernardino County Sun. January 25, 1940. p. 19. Archived from the original on August 8, 2014. Retrieved 6 August 2014 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  2. ^ "McGovern Tries Out James Britt in a Three Round Boxing Bout" The San Francisco Call, April 26, 1901, p. 4
  3. ^ "James Britt's Professional Debut is Attracting Much Attention" The San Francisco Call, 15 February 1902, p. 9
  4. ^ "Britt Wins Cleverly On Points in Fifteen Round Bout" The San Francisco Call, February 19, 1902, p. 4
  5. ^ "Britt Defeats Lavigne After Eight Rounds of Hard Fighting" The San Francisco Call, May 30, 1902, p. 4
  6. ^ "Jimmie Britt Knocks Out Frank Erne in Seventh Round of a Desperate Fight" The San Francisco Call, November 27, 1902, pp. 4, 5
  7. ^ "Jimmy Britt Gains The Decision Over Young Corbett AFter 20 Rounds Full of Sensational Fighting" The San Francisco Call, March 26, 1904, p. 3
  8. ^ "Britt Loses on a Foul" The San Francisco Call, November 01, 1904, p. 4
  9. ^ "Britt Wins on Points From Battling Nelson After Twenty Rounds of Fiercest Fighting" The San Francisco Call, December 21, 1904, p. 10
  10. ^ "Nelson Defeats Britt in Eighteen Rounds a Great Crowd Wildly Cheering The Victor" The San Francisco Call, September 10, 1905, pp. 39, 41
  11. ^ a b "Californian Overcomes his Old Time Rival in A Terrific Ring Battle" The San Francisco Call, August 01, 1907, pp. 1, 8
  12. ^ "Referee Says Britt Won on Science" The San Francisco Call, August 01, 1907, p. 8
  13. ^ "Fifth Round Ends Mill With Native at Champion's Mercy" The San Francisco Call, September 10, 1907, p. 10
  14. ^ "Physicians differ as to Injury to Britt's Wrist" The San Francisco Call, September 10, 1907, p. 11
  15. ^ a b Jimmy Britt's Professional Boxing Record Archived 2014-05-12 at the Wayback Machine. BoxRec.com. Retrieved on 2014-09-29.
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Titles in pretence
Preceded by World White Lightweight Champion
June 24, 1902 – September 9, 1905
Succeeded by
Preceded by World White Lightweight Champion
July 31, 1907 – September 9, 1909
Lost bid for Undisputed Title
Title Defunct