Sergeant Barney Ross
Channel: Xavier the Boxing Nerd
Date: 2021-12-04

Buried at Mount Olive Cemetery, Chicago, Illinois, US

International Boxing Hall of Famer

Barney Ross, was a Jewish-born boxer who fought from 1929-1938. Making his pro debut at the age of 19, he fought until May of 1938, roughly 7 months before his 29th birthday. During his 9 year career, he fought a staggering 81 bouts in which he amassed a record of 74–4–3 (22KO) [unofficial: including newspaper decisions] and 72–4–3 (22KO) [official: excluding newspaper decisions as no decision bouts]. Ross held claim to being the first lightweight champion to win the world welterweight title. He won his first world titles on June 23, 1933, when he outpointed 5-time world champion, Tony Canzoneri { 96–12–8 (31KO) [unofficially] 92–12–8 (31KO) [officially] } heading into the fight via majority decision (MD) in 10 rounds for the New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC), National Boxing Association (NBA), and Ring magazine lightweight title as well as the world light-welterweight championship.

Barney Ross held a record of 13–2–1 (1KO) in championship fights and made 11 successful title defenses in which he drew only one to Frankie Klick before re-matching him and earning a unanimous decision (UD) in 10 rounds. He vacated both of his light-welterweight and lightweight world titles having never lost them in the ring.

On May 28, 1934, Ross challenged reigning welterweight (more than 140lbs/not exceeding 147lbs) champion, Jimmy McLarnin. He defeated him in 15 rounds via split decision (SD) and continued the so-called "jinx" of a champion being unable to make a single successful defense of the title at Madison Square Garden Bowl. It most notably affected the welterweight championship with Ross and McLarnin's first two fights having occurred there. Interestingly, there seemed to be two "jinxes" going on in championship boxing at the time.

On May 9, 1930, reigning undisputed welterweight champion, Joe Dundee, lost to Young Jack Thompson (the second black welterweight champion after Barbados Joe Walcott) via DQ 2 (15) rounds in his first undisputed title defense. Thompson would lose to Tommy Freeman via PTS 15, in his first title defense in Cleveland, Ohio. In Freeman's first title defense, he lost to Thompson via TKO 12 (15). In Thompson's first title defense of his second reign, he was defeated by Lou Brouillard (Hall of Famer) via UD 15. In Brouillard's first title defense, he lost to Jackie Fields via UD 10. Field's first title defense was against Young Corbett III, to whom he lost via PTS 10. Corbett would lose to Jimmy McLarnin via TKO 1 (10) in his next fight (first title defense). McLarnin's first title defense would take place at the Madison Square Garden Bowl against Barney Ross via SD 15. Ross' first title defense would be a split decision 15 round loss to McLarnin at the same arena. McLarnin and Ross squared off again in Jimmy's first title defense and Ross unanimously outpointed the champion. Despite making two title defenses of the welterweight title, he lost to Henry Armstrong via UD 15. Their fight took place at the infamous Madison Square Garden Bowl or "Jinx Bowl" as it would be nicknamed.

In total, from 1930 to 1936 the welterweight title changed hands a total of 11 times without a single champion being able to make a successful defense.

After his loss to McLarnin, Ross went on a 21–0 (9KO) [unofficial] / 20–0 (9KO)  [official] winning streak in which he made two defenses of the welterweight title before losing his coveted crown to all-time great, Henry Armstrong in his last fight as a professional boxer.

Ross defeated Sammy Fuller via MD in 10 rounds to retain his light-welterweight (more than 135lbs/not exceeding 140lbs) title as well as take over Fuller's 140lbs championship claim, which he had taken from Jack 'Kid' Berg, who had continued claiming the title with the support of the Nat Fleischer, the chief editor, and owner of the Ring magazine, despite his losses to Tony Canzoneri. Berg argued that since he had lost the fight within the lightweight limit (more than 130lbs/not exceeding 135lbs), he had not lost his light-welterweight championship. By the time Canzoneri lost his double championship to Ross, the NBA had already stopped recognizing junior divisions during their annual convention on September 20, 1932. Canzoneri had won his non universally recognized 140lbs back against Battling Shaw after previously losing his NBA title to Johnny Jadick on January 18, 1932.

"My Yiddishe Yamama" by Jack Yellen

Performed by Xavier Dimoff on the clarinet.