Jews in Boxing

History of Jews in Boxing

Semitic Pugilists
by the Encyclopedia Judaica (CD-ROM Edition)

The most active years of Jewish participation in professional boxing were in the latter part of the 18th and the first quarter of the 19th centuries in England, and in the first half of the 20th century in the United States. The best boxers of the early era were Daniel Mendoza, champion of England in 1792-95, and Samuel ("Dutch Sam") Elias (1776-1816), credited with the invention of the uppercut. Other English Jews who fought in the ring during this period were Barney Aaron ("the Star of the East"; 1800-1850); Henry Abrahams; the Belasco brothers -- Abraham ("Aby"), Israel, Samuel, and John; Isaac Bittoon (1778-1838); Elisha Crabbe (d. 1809); Abraham da Costa; Barnard Levy; Keely Lyons; Daniel Martin; Isaac Mousha; Abraham Robes; Solomon Sodicky; and the cousins of Daniel Mendoza, Angel Hyams and Aaron Mendoza.

A number of English fighters bridged the gap between the early and modern eras. Barney ("Young Barney") Aaron (1836-1907), son of Barney Aaron, Asher Moss, nephew of Daniel Mendoza and Israel ("Izzy") Lazarus (1812-1867); and his sons Harry (1839-1865) and Johnny, who emigrated to the United States in the 1850s and 1860s and helped build interest in boxing by giving lessons and putting on exhibitions around the country. "Young Barney" Aaron won the lightweight championship of the United States in 1857.

The first Jewish boxer to win a world championship under Marquis of Queensberry rules was Harry ("The Human Hairpin") Harris (1880-1959), bantamweight, 1901-02. Other American world professional champions were light heavyweight Battling Levinsky (Barney Lebrowitz; 1891-1949) in 1916-20; Maxie ("Slapsie") Rosenbloom (1904- ) in 1930-1934; and Bob Olin (1908-1956) in 1934-35; middleweights Al McCoy (Albert Rudolph; 1894-1966) in 1914-17; Ben Jeby (Morris Jebaltowsky; 1907- ), 1932-33; and Solly Krieger (1909- ), 1938-39; welterweights Jackie Fields (Jacob Finkelstein; 1907-1987) in 1929-30, 1932-33; and Barney Ross; lightweights Benny Leonard; Al ("The Bronx Beauty") Singer (1907-1961) in 1930; and Barney Ross; featherweights Abe Attell (1884-1970) in 1901-12; Louis ("Kid") Kaplan (1902-1970) in 1925-27 ; and Benny Bass (1904-1975) in 1927-28; bantamweights Abe Goldstein (1900- ) in 1924; Charley ("Phil") Rosenberg (Green; 1902-1976) in 1925-27; and flyweight Izzy ("Corporal") Schwartz (1902- ) in 1927-29 . Other world champions were Ted ("Kid") Lewis, Great Britain; Victor ("Young") Perez (1911-1942), France (Tunisia), flyweight in 1931-32; Robert Cohen (1930- ), France (Algeria), bantamweight in 1954-56; and Alphonse Halimi (1932- ), France (Algeria), bantamweight in 1957-59. World junior champions were Mushy Callahan (Vincente Sheer; 1905- ), welterweight in 1926-30; Jack Bernstein (John Dodick; 1899-1945), lightweight in 1923; and Jackie ("Kid") Berg (Judah Bergman; 1909- ), Great Britain, welterweight in 1930-31. Other noted American boxers were Monte Attell (Abe's brother; 1885-1960); Jacob ("Soldier") Bartfield (1892-1970); Joe Benjamin (1899- ); Joe Bernstein (1877-1931); Harry Blitman (1908- ); Phil ("Ring Gorilla") Bloom (1894- ); "Newsboy" Brown (Dave Montrose; 1904- ); Joe Choynski (1869-1943); Leach Cross (Louis Wallach; 1886-1957); Charley Goldman (1887-1968), he was also a successful trainer; Reuben ("Ruby the Jewel of the Ghetto") Goldstein (1907-1984), both a boxer and referee; Willie Jackson (Oscar Tobler; 1897-1961); Danny Kramer (1900- ); Harry Lewis (Besterman; 1886-1956) ; Ray Miller (1908-1987); Young Montreal (Morris Billingkoff; 1898- ); Young Otto (Arthur Susskind; 1886-1967); Dave Rosenberg (1901- ); Johnny ("Young") Rosner (1895-1974); Lew Tendler (1898-1970); Sid ("Ghost of the Ghetto") Terris (1904- ); Charley White (Anschowitz; 1891 - ) and Abe ("The Newsboy") Hollandersky, who engaged in more professional bouts (1,309) than any other fighter in boxing history.

Champions of Europe included British boxers Anshel ("Young") Joseph, welterweight, in 1910; Matt Wells (1886-1953), lightweight in 1911-12; Harry Mason, lightweight, in 1923; Johnny Brown (d. 1975), bantamweight, in 1923 and Al Phillips, featherweight, in 1947; and also Albert Yvel, France, light heavyweight, in 1950-51. Winners of national professional titles were Jack Bloomfield in 1922, Joe Fox (1892-1965), in 1921, and Harry Mizler (d. 1990) in 1934 of Great Britain; Al Foreman, Curly Wilshur (Barney Eisenberg), Sammy Luftspring and Maxie Berger of Canada; Tiger Burns (Dan Levine), Al James, and David Katzen of South Africa; and Waldemar Holberg of Denmark. In 1971, Henry Nissen of Australia (1948- ) won the British Commonwealth flyweight title.

Jews have been involved in all other activities connected with the boxing business as managers, trainers, and promoters. Promoters included Mike Jacobs (1880-1953), Harry Markson, Herman Taylor, Lew Raymond, Johnny Attell, Sam Becker, Larry Atkins, Goldie Ahearn, Archie Litman, Irving Schoenwald, Willie Gilzenberg (d. 1978), Bonnie Geigerman, and Jack Begun (d. 1975) of the United States; Bella Burge, Jack Solomons, Nathan Shaw, Mickey Duff, Esther Goldstein, and Harry Levene (d. 1988) of Great Britain; Ludwig Japhet of South Africa; Gilbert Benaim of France; and Paul Damski of Germany. The Boxing Hall of Fame, founded by ring historian Nat Fleischer, has enshrined charter member Daniel Mendoza, Benny Leonard, Abe Attell, Barney Ross, Joe Choynski, Lew Tendler, Ted ("Kid") Lewis, Battling Levinsky, Barney ("Young") Aaron, and Max Baer.

In 1978 American Mike Rossman won the World Boxing Association's version of the light heavyweight championship of the world. At the age of 21 he became the youngest claimant of the light heavyweight title, but lost the championship in 1979. Gilbert Cohen of France won the light middleweight championship of Europe in 1978.

Australian Henry Nissen was the Commonwealth flyweight champion in 1971-74. Victor Zilberman of Rumania won a bronze medal in welterweight division, and Rollie Schwartz served as manager of the very successful American team at the 1976 Olympic Games.

American Saoul Mamby won the World Boxing Council's version of the world junior welterweight championship in 1980. Shamil Sabyrov of the USSR won a 1980 Olympic gold medal in the light-flyweight division.

French boxers Gilles Elbilia and Fabrice Benichou enjoyed ring successes in the 1980s and 1990s. Elbilia won the French and European welterweight titles in 1982 and 1983 while Benichou won the World and European featherweight championships in 1989 and 1991.

Scotland's Gary (Kid) Jacobs defeated an Australian opponent and won the British Commonwealth welterweight championship in 1988. He lost the title the following year. In 1992 he became the British welterweight champion.

Death took Nat Bor (1972), American Olympic medalist; Nat Fleischer (1972), boxing historian, and American world champions Benny Bass (1975), Maxie Rosenberg (1976) and Charles Phil Rosenberg (1976). Veteran promoters Herman (Muggsy) Taylor, United States, and Jack Solomons, Great Britain, and American manager Willie Ketchum died in 1980.

The Encyclopedia Judaica CD-ROM contains all the text of the original 16 Keter volumes, the eight yearbooks and the two Ten-Year update volumes. In addition it includes many statistical updates and an interactive time-line. The CD has over 2500 pictures, 100 maps, slideshows, audio, and fifteen minutes of video.