Jess Willard
| Jess Willard | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Statistics | |
| Real name | Jess Myron Willard |
| Nickname(s) | Great White Hope Pottawatomie Giant |
| Rated at | Heavyweight |
| Height | 6 ft 6 1⁄2 in (199 cm) |
| Nationality | American |
| Born |
December 29, 1881 Pottawatomie County, Kansas |
| Died | December 15, 1968 (aged 86) Los Angeles, California |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 35 |
| Wins | 26 |
| Wins by KO | 20 |
| Losses | 6 |
| Draws | 1 |
| No contests | 2 |
Jess Myron Willard (December 29, 1881 – December 15, 1968) was a world heavyweight boxing champion known as the Pottawatomie Giant who knocked out Jack Johnson in April 1915 for the heavyweight title. He was known for his great strength and ability to absorb tremendous punishment, although today he is also known for his title loss to Jack Dempsey.
Willard held the championship for more than four years. Today his reign is considered the 11th longest in the heavyweight division. He lost the title to Jack Dempsey in 1919 in one of the most severe beatings ever in a championship bout. Willard was knocked down for the first time in his career during the first round and another six times before the round was over; some reports claim that he suffered broken ribs, shattered jaw, broken nose, four missing teeth, partial hearing loss in one ear along with numerous cuts and contusions, but these reports are highly disputable (see below). Jess fought for two more rounds before retiring on his stool because of the injuries he received in the first round, relinquishing the title.
At 6 ft 6 1⁄2 in (1.99 m) and 235 lb (107 kg), Willard was the tallest and the largest heavyweight champion in boxing history, until the 270 pounds (120 kg) Primo Carnera won the title on June 29, 1933, and the 6 ft 7 in (201 cm) Vitali Klitschko won the WBC title in 2004 and the 7 ft Nikolai Valuev won the WBA title in 2005.
A working cowboy, Willard did not begin boxing until he was 27 years old. Willard was of entirely English ancestry, which had been in America since the colonial era. The first member of the Willard family arrived in colonial Virginia in the 1630s. Despite his late start, he proved successful as a boxer, defeating top-ranked opponents to earn a chance to fight for the championship. Willard said he started boxing because he did not have much of an education, but thought his size and strength could earn him a good living. He was a gentle and friendly person and did not enjoy boxing or hurting people, so often waited until his opponent attacked him before punching back, which made him feel at ease as if he were defending himself. He was often maligned as an uncoordinated oaf rather than a skilled boxer, but his counterpunching style, coupled with his enormous strength and stamina, proved successful against top fighters. Willard's strength was so great, he was reported to be able to kill a man with a single punch, which unfortunately proved to be a fact during his fight with Jack "Bull" Young in 1913, who was punched in the head and killed in the 9th round. Jess Willard was charged with second-degree murder, but was successfully defended by lawyer Earl Rogers.
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