Henry Armstrong
Titles won: Welterweight champion from 1938-1940, Featherweight champion
1937-1938, lightweight champion 1938-1939.
Record: 152-21-8 (97 K.O's)
Born: December 12, 1912 in Columbus, Mississippi (USA)
Years active: 1931-1951
Nickname: "Hammerin", "Hurricane Hank" or "Homocide Hank"
The only fighter to ever hold 3 championships simultaneously and he won
the 3 titles in a span of 10 months! Armstrong went from a street fighter
to a gym fighter to the triple championships using the same style at each
stop. Armstrong abided by the old sports law that the best defense is a
good offense. He hit hard and often. He actually came close to winning a
fourth crown and would have been the only one to do it. He put on some
weight and fought middleweight title holder Ceferino Garcia to a 10 round
draw, which many scored in his favor. He wore many fighters who were perhaps
more skillful than him with his sheer aggression and extraordinary stamina.
To win his 3 titles he first knocked out Petey Sarron (the only man to
ever knock Sarron out) then went on to defeat the tough Barney Ross over
15 rounds. He then fought and beat Lou Ambers with a badly cut mouth and
he bleed freely from the 3rd round on. His two fights with Lou Ambers are
considered two of the greatest ever in the lighweight division. Armstrong
gave up his lightweight belt and continued to defend the welterweight crown
until he lost it to Fritzie Zivic. Hank Armstrong had an incredible physiology,
he had a heartbeat averaging 36 beats when at rest. More importantly, and this
was measured, after a 3 minute hard workout his pulse would be back to 36 after
a minutes rest. Imagine trying to fight an opponent, who basically comes out
fresh in each and every round that he fights. After his retirement he became a
ordained minister in the Baptist Church but died in poverty.
Henry Armstrong
Career Record: 150 W, 21 L, 9 D (100 K.O's)
1931
27 Jul Al Iovino Braddock, PA KOby3
31 Jul Sammy Burns Millville, PA W6
1932
30 Aug Eddie Trujillo CA L4
27 Sep Al Greenfield CA L4
1 Oct Max Tarley CA W4
1 Nov Young Taylor CA KO2
1 Dec Vince Trujillo CA KO2
13 Dec Gene Espinoza CA W4
31 Dec Young Corpus CA W4
1933
3 Feb Johnny Ryan CA W6
17 Feb George Dundee CA W6
21 Mar Paul Wangley CA KO4
28 Apr Perfecto Lopez CA W6
31 May Max Tarley CA KO3
7 Jun Ricky hall CA KO3
11 Jul Baby Manuel CA L6
8 Aug Bobby Calmes CA KO5
30 Aug Hoyt Jones CA D4
5 Sep Perfecto Lopez CA D4
7 Sep Joe Sanchez CA KO4
28 Sep Perfecto Lopez CA W8
11 Oct Perfecto Lopez CA D4
19 Oct Johnny Granone CA KO6
3 Nov Kid Moro CA W10
23 Nov Kid Moro CA D10
14 Dec Gene Espinoza CA KO7
1934
26 Jan Baby Manuel CA W10
13 Feb Benny pelz CA W6
8 Mar Perfecto Lopez CA W8
17 Mar Young Danny CA KO1
4 May Kid Moro CA D10
10 May Mark Diaz CA W8
22 May Johnny DeFoe CA KO5
5 Jun Vincente Torres CA W4
14 Jun Davey Abad CA W10
17 Jul Perfecto Lopez CA W6
28 Aug Perfecto Lopez CA KO5
13 Sep Max Tarley CA KO3
3 Nov Baby Arizmendi Mexico L10
2 Dec Joe Conde Mexico KO7
15 Dec Ventura Arana Mexico KO5
1935
2 Jan Baby Arizmendi Mexico L12
15 Feb Baby Casanova Mexico LDQ4
19 Mar Salvador Hernandez CA KO2
31 Mar Davey Abad Mexico W10
6 Apr Tully Corvo CA KO5
16 Apr Frankie Covelli CA W8
28 May Davey Abad CA W10
25 Jun Varias Milling CA W10
8 Sep Perfecto Lopez CA D8
21 Oct Lester Marston CA KO7
12 Nov Leo Lomelli CA KO6
27 Nov Midget Wolgast Oakland, CA W10
6 Dec Alton Black NV KO7
1936
1 Jan Joe Conde Mexico City L10
26 Feb Ritchie Fontaine Oakland, CA L10
31 Mar Ritchie Fontaine Los Angeles, CA W10
19 May Pancho Leyvas Los Angeles, CA KO4
22 Jun Johnny DeFoe Butte, MT W10
4 Aug Baby Arizmendi Los Angeles, CA W10
28 Aug Juan Zurita Los Angeles, CA KO4
3 Sep Buzz Brown Portland, OR W10
8 Sep Dommy Ganzon Sacramento, CA KO1
27 Oct Mike Belloise Los Angeles, CA W10
2 Nov Gene Espinoza Los Angeles, CA KO1
17 Nov Joey Alcanter St. Louis, MO KO6
3 Dec Tony Chavez St. Louis, MO LDQ8
1937
1 Jan Baby Casanova Mexico City KO3
19 Jan Tony Chavez Los Angeles, CA KO10
2 Feb Moon Mullins Los Angeles, CA KO2
19 Feb Varias Millings Hollywood, CA KO4
2 Mar Joe Rivers Los Angeles, CA KO4
12 Mar Mike Belloise New York, NY KO4
19 Mar Aldo Spoldi New York, NY W10
6 Apr Pete De Grasse Los Angeles, CA KO10
4 May Frankie Klick Los Angeles, CA KO4
28 May Wally Hally Los Angeles, CA KO4
9 Jun Mark Diaz Pasadena, CA KO4
15 Jun Jackie Carter Los Angeles, CA KO4
8 Jul Alf Blatch New York, NY KO3
19 Jul Lew Massey Brooklyn, NY KO4
27 Jul Benny Bass Philadelphia, PA KO4
13 Aug Eddie Brink New York, NY KO3
16 Aug Johnny Cabello Washington, DC KO2
31 Aug Orville Drouillard Detroit, MI KO5
9 Sep Charley Burns Pittsburgh, PA KO4
16 Sep Johnny De Foe New York, NY KO4
23 Sep Bobby Dean PA KO1
18 Oct Joe Marcienti Philadelphia, PA KO3
29 Oct Petey Sarron New York, NY KO6
(Won World Featherweight Title)
19 Nov Billy Beauhuld NY KO5
23 Nov Joey brown NY KO2
6 Dec Tony Chavez OH KO1
12 Dec Johnny Jones LA KO2
1938
12 Jan Enrico Venturi New York, NY KO6
21 Jan Frankie Castillo Phoenix, AZ KO3
22 Jan Tommy Brown Tuscon, AZ KO2
1 Feb Chalky Wright Los Angeles, CA KO3
9 Feb Al Citrino San Francisco, CA KO4
25 Feb Everett Rightmire Chicago, IL KO3
28 Feb Charley Burns Minneapolis, MN KO2
15 Mar Baby Arizmendi Los Angeles, CA W10
25 Mar Eddie Zivic Detroit, MI KO4
30 Mar Lew Feldman New York, NY KO5
31 May Barney Ross New York, NY W15
(Won World Welterweight Title)
17 Aug Lou Ambers New York, NY W15
(Won World Lightweight Title)
25 Nov Ceferino Garcia New York, NY W15
(Retained World Welterweight Title)
5 Dec Al Manfredo Cleveland, OH KO3
(Retained World Welterweight Title)
(Gave Up Featherweight Title)
1939
10 Jan Baby Arizmendi Los Angeles, CA W10
(Retained World Welterweight Title)
4 Mar Bobby Pacho Havana KO4
(Retained World Welterweight Title)
16 Mar Lew Feldman St. Louis, MO KO1
(Retained World Welterweight Title)
31 Mar Davey Day New York, NY KO12
(Retained World Welterweight Title)
25 May Ernie Roderick London W15
(Retained World Welterweight Title)
22 Aug Lou Ambers New York, NY L15
(Lost World Lightweight Title)
9 Oct Al Manfredo Des Moines, IA KO4
(Retained World Welterweight Title)
13 Oct Howard Scott Minneapolis, MN KO2
(Retained World Welterweight Title)
20 Oct Ritchie Fontaine Seattle, WA KO3
(Retained World Welterweight Title)
24 Oct Jimmy Garrison Los Angeles, CA W10
(Retained World Welterweight Title)
30 Oct Bobby Pacho Denver, CO KO4
(Retained World Welterweight Title)
31 Dec Jimmy Garrison Cleveland, OH KO7
(Retained World Welterweight Title)
1940
4 Jan Joe Ghnouly St. Louis, MO KO5
(Retained World Welterweight Title)
24 Jan Pedro Montanez New York, NY KO9
(Retained World Welterweight Title)
1 Mar Ceferino Garcia Los Angeles, CA D10
(For World Middleweight Title)
26 Apr Paul Junior Boston, MA KO7
(Retained World Welterweight Title)
24 May Ralph Zanelli Boston, MA KO5
(Retained World Welterweight Title)
21 Jun Paul Junior Portland, OR KO3
(Retained World Welterweight Title)
17 Jul Lew Jenkins New York, NY KO6
23 Sep Phil Furr Washington, DC KO4
4 Oct Fritzie Zivic New York, NY L15
(Lost World Welterweight Title)
1941
27 Jan Fritzie Zivic New York, NY KOby12
(For World Welterweight Title)
1942
1 Jun Johnny Taylor San Jose, CA KO4
24 Jun Sheik Rangel Oakland, CA W10
3 Jul Reuben Shank Denver, CO L10
20 Jul Joe Ybarra Sacramento, CA KO3
3 Aug Aldo Spoldi San Francisco, CA KO7
13 Aug Jackie Burke Ogden, UT W10
26 Aug Rudolfo Ramirez Oakland, CA KO8
7 Sep Johnny Taylor Pittman, NY KO3
14 Sep Leo Rodak San Francisco, CA KO4
30 Sep Earl Turner Oakland, CA KO4
13 Oct Juan Zurita Los Angeles, CA KO2
26 Oct Fritzie Zivic San Francisco, CA W10
4 Dec Lew Jenkins Portland, OR KO8
14 Dec Saverio Turiello San Francisco, CA KO4
1943
5 Jan Jimmy McDaniels Los Angeles, CA W10
2 Mar Willie Joyce Los Angeles, CA L10
8 Mar Tippy Larkin San Francisco, CA KO2
22 Mar Al Tribuani Philadelphia, PA W10
2 Apr Beau Jack New York, NY L10
30 Apr Saverio Turiello Washington, DC KO5
7 May Tommy Jessup Boston, MA KO1
24 May Maxie Shapiro Philadelphia, PA KO7
11 Jun Sammy Angott New York, NY W10
24 Jul Willie Joyce Hollywood, CA W10
6 Aug Jimmy Garrison Portland, OR W10
14 Aug Joey Silva Spokane, WA W10
27 Aug Ray Robinson New York, NY L10
1944
14 Jan Aldo Spoldi Portland, OR KO3
26 Jan Saverio Turiello Kansas City, MO KO7
7 Feb Lew Hanbury Washington, DC KO3
23 Feb Jimmy Garrison Kansas City, MO KO5
29 Feb Jackie Byrd Des Moines, IA KO4
14 Mar Johnny Jones Miami, FL KO5
30 Mar Frankie Wills Washington, DC W10
24 Mar Ralph Zanelli Boston, MA W10
25 Apr John Thomas Los Angeles, CA W10
16 May Ralph Zanelli Boston, MA W10
22 May Aaron Perry Washington, DC KO6
2 Jun Willie Joyce Chicago, IL L10
15 Jun Al Davis New York, NY KO2
21 Jun Nick Latsios Washington, DC W10
4 Jul John Thomas Los Angeles, CA L10
14 Jul Slugger White Hollywood, CA D10
21 Aug Willie Joyce San Francisco, CA W10
15 Sep Aldo Spoldi St. Louis, MO KO2
4 Nov Mike Belloise Portland, OR KO4
1945
17 Jan Chester Slider Oakland, CA D10
6 Feb Genaro Rojo Los Angeles, CA W10
14 Feb Chester Slider Oakland, CA L10