Day 26 - Tiger Flowers

On this day in 1926, Theodore "Tiger" Flowers became the first African-American middleweight boxing champion, defeating Harry Greb.

The International Boxing Research Organization rated Flowers as the #12 ranked middleweight of all-time. His nickname was "Georgia Deacon," because he was extremely religious and he would recite a passage from Psalm 144 before every fight.

He was inducted into the Ring Magazine Hall of Fame in 1971, the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame in 1976, the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990, and the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1993.

In 1927 Flowers was hospitalized and had to have surgery to remove scar tissue from around his eyes. Complications from the surgery resulted in his death on November 16, 1927.

And THAT is Junior's Black History Month Fact Of The Day!

 

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