Joe Benjamin (boxer)
| Joe Benjamin | |
|---|---|
Benjamin in 1920
|
|
| Statistics | |
| Real name | Joseph Benjamin |
| Nickname(s) | The San Joaquin Sheik |
| Weight(s) | Lightweight |
| Nationality |
 American |
| Born |
September 7, 1898 Portland, Oregon |
| Died | July 6, 1983 (aged 84) San Francisco, California |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 70 |
| Wins | 51 |
| Wins by KO | 19 |
| Losses | 25 |
| Draws | 22 |
| No contests | 9 |
Joe Benjamin was a Pacific Coast Featherweight Boxing Champion in 1915 and a 1922 World Junior Lightweight Boxing Championship contender against Johnny Dundee. In his fifty-one reported wins on BoxRec, he had nineteen by knockout, giving him an impressive knockout ratio.
With exceptional defensive skills, he was one of only two boxers of his era to fight 200 bouts and receive only one knockout. In his career he sparred and trained with champion Jack Dempsey, and fought reigning champions Benny Leonard, and Johnny Dundee.
During his boxing career, he appeared in a few of his friend Douglas Fairbank's movies around 1920, married and kept company with several actresses, and later raised prize race horses.
Benjamin was born on September 7, 1898 (or, in 1899, according to the U.S. Federal Census of 1900) in Portland, Oregon to German immigrants, Isaac and Goldie Benjamin. His father opened a clothing store in downtown Portland. When he was four his family moved to Spokane, Washington. Leaving home at a young age, Benjamin took an early job as a stable boy in Allentown, Idaho, and tried to make a living as a jockey, but seemed to have more talent as a boxer. By sixteen, he had returned to Spokane and joined an amateur boxing club where he won twenty-five amateur bouts and the Northwestern Pacific Coast Flyweight Title.
Turning professional in 1914, he took the Northwest Featherweight Title from Billy Mascott of Portland in ten rounds in January 1915. On March 7 of 1916, he took the Pacific Coast Featherweight belt from Jimmy Fox in Portland in a decision bout. Spending too many late nights carousing as was often his custom, he lost the title to Lee Johnson of Oakland in Portland in six rounds on May 17 of that year. Fighting Muff Bronson, in July and August 1916, he lost his first match suffering from the mumps and nearly died from the effects of the illness and the punches he endured during the bout.
Moving to Los Angeles where he could more easily find work, he defeated Chet Neff, Young France, and Mexican Joe Rivers, acquiring Jack Doyle as a promoter, and the actor Douglas Fairbanks Jr. as a friend and boxing student. He would begin a brief two year movie career through his association with the actor.
Returning to San Francisco at the start of World War I, he defeated Phil Salvadore and Frankie Farren but lost twice to talented boxer "Oakland" Jimmy Duffy in Oakland and San Francisco in November and December 1918. His four-round bout with Farren on May 28, 1920 at Dreamland Rink in San Francisco was ruled a draw, but was a thrilling affair with both boxers down during the bout but always up to continue the match.
On January 31, 1919, he had an historic four-round match with the great lightweight champion Benny Leonard, in Civic Auditorium in San Francisco. Though not a title match, Leonard was so impressed with Benjamin he encouraged him to fight on the East coast. Fighting in Philadelphia, he defeated Al Thompson and Joe Koons in the late summer of 1919, and then beat Johnny Drummie and Jimmy Murphey in the fall.
...
Wikipedia