Battling Levinsky
| Battling Levinsky | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Statistics | |
| Real name | Barney Lebrowitz |
| Rated at | Light Heavyweight |
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) |
| Reach | 70 in (178 cm) |
| Nationality |
 American
|
| Born |
June 10, 1891 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Died | February 12, 1949 (aged 57) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 287 |
| Wins | 196 |
| Wins by KO | 30 |
| Losses | 54 |
| Draws | 37 |
Barney Lebrowitz (June 10, 1891 – February 12, 1949), better known as Battling Levinsky, was the world light heavyweight champion from 1916 to 1920. Statistical boxing website BoxRec lists Levinsky as the #12 ranked light heavyweight of all-time, while The Ring Magazine founder Nat Fleischer placed him at #9. The International Boxing Research Organization rates Levinsky as the 20th best light heavyweight ever. He was inducted into the Ring Magazine Hall of Fame in 1966, the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame 1982, and the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2000.
Born in Philadelphia on June 10, 1891 of Jewish immigrant parents from Russia, he shined shoes and sold newspapers after school to contribute to his family. In his earliest boxing days, he sold jewelry during the day, but boxed in the evening at the clubs in Philadelphia, probably hiding his fledgling boxing career from his parents.
Battling Levinsky began his boxing career under the name Barney Williams. However, he received little attention until he took on a manager named “Dumb” Dan Morgan in 1913, who changed Barney’s name along with his boxing fortunes. He was known for possessing incredible defensive skills, providing few knockouts but often leaving the ring at the end of a fight without having received a truly damaging blow.
Morgan came up with his name of "Battling Levinsky" to obscure the fact that Barney's boxing style was actually more defensive than aggressive in order to give his opposition the impression that he was an aggressive puncher.
Levinksy first entered the pro ranks as Barney Williams around 1906, and many of his fights between 1906 and 1910 when he became "Battling Levinsky" were not recorded by boxing publications, particularly Nat Fleischer's Ring Record Book. He did not officially become "Battling Levinsky" until 1913. In his first 100 fights between 1910 and 1914, he lost only three of his bouts.
Between 1914 and 1918, Levinsky fought 127 times, averaging an impressive 37 fights a year, even for his era. Levinsky fought 37 times in 1914 — 9 times in the month of January alone. In January 1915, he began the year with two 10-round bouts on New Year’s Day — 1 each in Brooklyn, New York City and 12 round bout in Waterbury, Connecticut.
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