Joe Knight (boxer)

Joe Knight, (January 15, 1909 – July 1, 1976) was an American boxer born in Cairo, GA. The National Boxing Association awarded Knight the World Light Heavyweight title in 1933.[1][2]

Joe Knight
Statistics
Real nameJoseph Washington Knight
Nickname(s)The Cairo Calamity
Weight(s)Light Heavyweight
Height5 ft 11 1⁄2 in (182 cm)
Reach73 1⁄2 in (187 cm)
Nationality American
Born(1909-01-15)January 15, 1909
Cairo, Georgia
DiedJuly 16, 1976(1976-07-16) (aged 67)
Dekalb, Georgia
StanceSouthpaw
Boxing record
Total fights152
Wins114
Wins by KO59
Losses21
Draws15
No contests2

Early life

Knight was born on January 15, 1909, in Cairo, Georgia. He turned pro in 1927, and knocked out "Battleship Sword" in the fall of that year.[2]

Early career, 1931-2

On May 22, 1931, New York native Yale Okun became his fifth round knockout victim in Miami. The final blow was a straight right to the jaw. Knight battered Okun with his left for four rounds before ending the bout in the fifth.[3][4]

Knight gained revenge against Spike Webb in ten rounds in Miami on August 7, though knocked to the mat in the fourth. He had lost to Webb the previous month, taking a knockdown in the first.[2][5]

Knight won an unpopular decision over Tony Cancela on January 7, 1932 in Miami. Cancela drilled staggering rights to the head of a groggy Knight in the closing round. Many ringside believed Cancela, the bout's consistent aggressor, should have earned the decision with a comfortable margin.[2][6]

Don Petrin, who claimed a late foul, fell to Knight in a fourth round knockout at Miami's Biscayne Arena on February 15, 1932. The bout had originally been scheduled for ten rounds.[7][8][2]

Charley Belanger lost to Knight on May 23, 1932 in a ten round split decision in Boston.[2] Knight had a considerable lead in the first four rounds, but experienced an assortment of blows to the body in the remaining six. He closed strong in the final rounds scoring several times with lefts to the head.[9] The decision was unpopular with the crowd who felt Belanger had gained a winning margin on points in the last six rounds.[10]

On the first of July, 1932, Knight challenged Bob Godwin for the Southern Light Heavyweight Title at Daytona Beach, and received a ten round draw decision. Godwin had formerly taken the title from Knight. Knight, who had previously lost the title to Godwin, initially led, but slowed in the last two rounds before Knight's relentless attack.[11] The crowd appeared satisfied with the draw decision in the savage bout.[12]

Knight faced George Courtney on September 19, 1932, winning at the end of the fifth from a technical knockout in Laurel, Maryland.[13]

He decisively defeated reigning World Light Heavyweight Champion George Nichols before three thousand in Charleston, South Carolina on October 17, 1932 in a non-title ten round decision. Knight charged into his opponent from the opening bell, and Nichols failed to take a round.[14]

Chick Raines fell to Knight in a ten round points decision on November 23, 1932 in Savannah.[2]

Natie Brown lost in a fifth round technical knockout to Knight on November 29, 1932 in Jacksonville, Florida. Brown was reported to have suffered a broken jaw and was unable to continue.[15]

Knight defeated Owen Phelps on December 6, 1932 in a ten round bout for the Southern Light Heavyweight Title in Alexandria, Virginia. Knight was given every round, and knocked Phelps to the mat for a no count in the fourth. Phelps was required to clinch, hold, and back away to endure Knight's attack.[16]

Battling Bozo lost on February 13, 1933 in a ten round points decision at Daytona Beach. Knight may have taken every round, but his opponent avoided a knockout with an effective defense.[17]

Awarded the NBA World Light Heavyweight Title, 1933

In 1933, the National Boxing Association awarded Knight the World Light Heavyweight title.

Losing the NBA World Light Heavyweight Title to Bob Godwin, March, 1933

Knight lost the NBA World Light Heavyweight title to contender Bob Godwin on March 1, 1933 in a ten round points decision at Legion Arena in West Palm Beach, Florida. Godwin employed excellent blocking and though he took many hard licks in the lengthy bout, he was the aggressor throughout and won the infighting, particularly after Knight tired by mid-bout.[18] Godwin took two of the first five rounds, with three even. Drawing on remarkable stamina, the 21-year old Godwin won the next four rounds, leaving the tenth even. Godwin took a beating in the bout, with both eyes badly swollen by the end. It was a primitive match requiring limited boxing skill or ring generalship.[19] Knight won only two of the five meetings between him and Godwin.[20]

Max Marek, the tenth ranked heavyweight in the world, fell to Knight in a ten round points decision at Miami Beach on April 13, 1936. Though giving up fifteen pounds, Knight used his speed and experience to his advantage. The bout one of Knight's best displays of skill. In the third, he nearly staggered Marek with a left to the chin, but Marek fought back harder, and remained the aggressor throughout much of the bout, delivering a variety of solid punches. In a brutal bout, Knight closed well in the last three rounds, clipping two lefts to the chin of Marek in the tenth.[21][22]

Knight beat Lou Scozza at the Biscayne Arena in Miami on June 12, 1933 in a ten round points decision. Knight shelled Scozza with hard lefts and right for most of ten rounds. Though Scozza rallyed in the ninth, he was unable to overcome the lead that Knight had piled up. Four thousand spectators watched the judges rule unanimously for Knight.[23]

Joe Banovic lost to Knight in a ten round points decision on August 8, 1933 in Laurel, Maryland. Banovic was down for a count of nine in the fifth, and eight in the sixth. He opened up in the final round, cutting Knight's face, but it was too late to take the lead in points.[24]

Final attempt at the NBA Light Heavyweight Title, February, 1934

On February 5, 1934, Knight fought a fifteen round draw before 20,000 in another NBA World Light Heavyweight title match against Maxie Rosenbloom. The referee and one judge scored the match as a dead heat giving three rounds to each contestant, but Sam Roberts, the remaining judge gave the bout to Knight by the slimmest margin of one round. Rosenbloom employed his common but controversial habit of flicking and backhanding his opponent's face and body with an open glove. Whether this was a foul or fair determined whether the judges scored Knight or Rosenbloom the winner. Most ringside, however, felt Knight deserved the winning vote and the title.[25]

Knight lost to Tony Shucco, New England Light Heavyweight Champion, on May 11, 1934 before 3,358, in a close ten round unanimous decision at Boston Garden. Knight appeared to have the better of the early bout, but Shucco rallied in the closing rounds.[26] Through much of the bout, Shucco stood off at long range and flicked jabs at Knight's head to avoid his withering blows.[27] One reporter gave Shucco only five rounds, Knight four, and one even.[28]

Knight defeated Carl Knowles on June 8, 1934 in a tenth round technical knockout in a brutal bout in Savannah. Knight used repeated left hooks with great effect, and waged a masterful defense, either blocking or ducking Knowles's best blows. Knowles mounted an offensive only in the early rounds.[29][30]

Buck Everett fell to Knight in a ninth round technical knockout in Miami on June 11, 1934. The referee stopped the hard fought battle to prevent further injury to Everett's badly cut left eye, and broken rib. Everett scored hard rights in the early rounds, and the final rounds featured fierce in-fighting with the boxers only inches apart.[31] Bob Riley, Everett's manager, was informed in confidence by a Doctor the rib was likely broken after the fourth round, but the bout continued until Riley demanded it end.[32]

Knight achieved a seventh round technical knockout of Henry Firpo on June 28, 1934 in Washington. Firpo was down for a count of nine in the fourth, though he rallied in the fifth. The bout was stopped in the seventh when Knight had Firpo down twice.[33][34]

Knight knocked out Clyde Chastain in six rounds on July 23, 1934 in Miami. Knight shot a stiff left to the midsection, followed by a hard right that left Chastain on the floor at the fifth round bell. Charging out at the opening of the sixth, Knight tagged Chastain with a left to the stomach for a count of nine. When Chastain arose, Knight instantly sent him to the mat for the final time.[35]

In the fall of 1934, the National Boxing Association vacated Maxie Rosenbloom's light heavyweight title. The commissions for North Carolina, Georgia, and Florida named Joe Knight as World Champion. He was featured on the cover of the September 1934 Ring Magazine.[1][2]

Career decline and loss to Al Gainer
Al McCoy

Winning a decisive seventh round technical knockout over Al Rodrigues on October 15, 1934, Knight showcased his powerful left. Both contestants fought cautiously in the first four rounds. In the fifth, Knight landed a heavy left to Rodrigues's stomach, then immediately dropped him for a count of nine with another to the jaw, bringing an end to the fifth. Rodriguez was down again in the sixth for a nine count. Dazed and beaten in the seventh, Rodrigues's seconds threw in the towel to end the bout.[36]

Corn Griffin fell to Knight in a fourth round technical knockout on July 4, 1935. Both contestants continued to battle after the fourth round bell, and the referee immediately stopped the bout, concerning about bleeding from Griffin's eyes. Still concerned, the referee prevented Griffin from answering the fifth round bell.[37]

Knight dropped a match to Southpaw and former middleweight champion Al McCoy in Montreal, Canada on September 5, 1935. The bout was for the Montreal Athletic Commission World Light Heavyweight Title, with McCoy winning in a fifteen round Unanimous Decision at Mount Royal Arena.[2] McCoy took eight rounds, Knight three, and the rest were even.[38]

Knight had a devastating loss to the gifted Al Gainer on June 1, 1936, in a ten round points decision in Millvale, Pennsylvania. Gainer, who took every round, gave Knight a decisive beating. Gainer sent Knight to one knee in the third, and staggered him on several occasions. Beaten and exhausted, Knight remained strictly on defense after the fifth round. Though he would fight on for two more years, he tried to officially retire shortly after the bout.[39][40][41]

Fellow Southpaw Melio Bettina won a decisive ten round decision over Knight at Miami Beach on June 18, 1937. One reporter noted that Knight had won only three rounds and should consider retirement. Down for a no count in the sixth, Knight lost decisively on points in the last three rounds. Never a second rate boxer, Bettina would contend twice for the NBA World Light Heavyweight championship two years later. Knight would take six months off, and take four more wins before retiring in 1938.[42][43] In his final bout on April 19, 1938, Knight defeated Chet Gideon in a ten round points decision in Orlando. Knight had Gideon down once in the ninth and once in the tenth.[2]

Life after boxing

In retirement, Knight promoted fights in Georgia and Florida. He died on July 16, 1976 in Dekalb, Georgia.[1]

Primary boxing achievements
Achievements
Preceded by
George Nichols, Stripped		 NBA Light Heavyweight Champion
January, 1933– March 1, 1933		 Succeeded by
Bob Godwin

References
  1. "Joe Knight Bio". Boxrec. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
  2. "Joe Knight". Boxrec. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
  3. "Joe Knight Knocks Out Okun in Bout in Miami", The Tampa Tribune, Tampa, Florida, pg. 15, 23 May 1931
  4. "Knight Gets Kayo", Arizona Daily Star, Tucson, Arizona, pg. 9, 23 May 1931
  5. "Knight Pounds Out Decision Over Webb", The Orlando Sentinel, Orlando, Florida, pg. 6, 8 August 1931
  6. "Joe Knight Defeats Cancella in Miami", The Tampa Times, Tampa, Florida, pg. 8, 8 January 1932
  7. "Joe Knight Wins Over Don Petrin in Miami", Tallahassee Democrat, Tallahassee, Florida, pg. 2, 16 February 1932
  8. Fort Lauderdale News, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, pg. 12, 16 February 1932
  9. "Joe Knight Defeats Belanger in Boston", The Tampa Times, Tampa, Florida, pg. 8, 24 May 1932
  10. "Joe Knight is Winner Over Winnipeg Boxer", Tallahassee Democrat, Tallahassee, Florida, pg. 2, 24 May 1932
  11. "Knight, Godwin Fight to Draw", The Miami News, Miami, Florida, pg. 7, 2 July 1932
  12. "Godwin And Knight Fight Savage Draw", Tampa Bay Times, St. Petersburg, Florida, pg. 9, 2 July 1932
  13. "Knight Scores Kayo", The Missoulian, Missoula, Montana, pg. 5, 20 September 1932
  14. "Nichols Loses to George Battler", Democrat and Chronicle, Rochester, New York, pg. 16, 18 October 1932
  15. "Joe Knight Scores Technical Victory", Tallahassee Democrat, Tallahassee, Florida, pg. 6, 30 November 1932
  16. "Phelps Thumped", Arizona Daily Star, Tucson, Arizona, pg. 6, 7 December 1932
  17. "Battling Bozo Drops Decision to Knight", The Anniston Star, Anniston, Alabama, pg. 8, 14 February 1933
  18. "Bob Godwin Gets Another Decision Over Joe Knight", The Tampa Times, Tampa, Florida, pg. 10, 2 March 1933
  19. "Bob Godwin Beats Joe Knight to Win N.B.A. Fistic Crown", The Journal Times, Racine, Wisconsin, pg. 13, 2 March 1933
  20. "Knight Beaten by Bob Godwin", The Miami News, Miami, Florida, pg. 10, 2 March 1933
  21. Bell, Jack, "Over the Sport Desk", The Miami News, Miami, Florida, pg. 16, 14 April 1936
  22. "Knight Gets Palm in Mill at Miami", The Palm Beach Post, West Palm Beach, Florida, pg. 8, 14 April 1936
  23. "Joe Knight Wins Victory Over Lou Scozza at Miami", The Tampa Times, Tampa, Florida, pg. 8, 13 June 1933
  24. "Joe Knight Floors Joe Banovic Twice", Orlando Evening News, Orlando, Florida, pg. 5, 9 August 1933
  25. Godwin, Frank, "Champion Gains Huge Advantage With Slapping", The Miami News, Miami, Florida, pg. 14, 6 February 1934
  26. "Tony Shucco Beats Joe Knight in East", The Des Moines Register, Des Moines, Iowa, pg. 8, 12 May 1934
  27. "Joe Knight Loses Hairline Verdict to Shucco in Boston", The Miami News, Miami, Florida, pg. 8, 12 May 1934
  28. "Tony Shucco Receives Nod Over Joe Knight", The Winnipeg Tribune, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, pg. 23, 12 May 1934
  29. "Knight Stops Carl Knowles", The Miami News, Miami, Florida, pg. 8, 9 June 1934
  30. "Joe Knight Wins Technical K. O. in Meeting Knowles", The Daily Times-News, Burlington, North Carolina, pg. 1, 9 June 1934
  31. "Knight Wins Over Buck Everett", Tampa Bay Times, St. Petersburg, FLorida, pg. 10, 12 June 1934
  32. Odwin, Rank, "First Guesses, Heres Some", The Miami News, Miami, Florida, pg. 10, 12 June 1934
  33. "Firpo Stopped By Joe Knight", The Miami News, Miami, Florida, pg. 11, 29 June 1934
  34. "Knight Defeats Firpo", Tallahassee Democrat, Tallahassee, Florida, pg. 5, 28 June 1934
  35. "Joe Knight Knocks Out Clyde Chastain in Miami Main Bout", The Tampa Tribune, Tampa, Florida, pg. 10, 24 July 1934
  36. "Knight Gets TKO Over Al Rodrigues", The Palm Beach Post, West Palm Beach, Florida, pg. 3, 16 October 1934
  37. "Knight Kayoes Corn Griffin", The Greenville News, Greenville, South Carolina, pg. 15, 5 July 1935
  38. "Light Heavy Crown", The Times, Munster, Indiana, pg. 18, 6 September 1935
  39. "Knight Loses to Al Gainer", Miami Daily News, Miami, Florida, pg. 10, 2 June 1936
  40. "Joe Knight Quits Fighting Career", The Tampa Times, Tampa, Florida, pg. 16, 5 June 1936
  41. "Colored Fighter Captures Every Round", Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pg. 16, 2 June 1936
  42. Dillon, Carl, "Bettina Beats Joe Knight Handily In Bout at Beach", The Miami News, Miami, Florida, 19 June 1937
  43. "Bettina Beats Knight in Miami", The Tampa Tribune, Tampa, Florida, pg. 11, 19 June 1937
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