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Georges Carpentier (January 12, 1894 - October 28,
1975) was a France|French boxing|boxer. Fighting
mainly at light heavyweight and heavyweight in a
career lasting from 1908-26. He was nicknamed the
"Orchid Man", he stood 5 ft 11½ in (1.82 m) but
his fighting weight ranged from 125 to 175 lb (57
to 79 kg), he was considered to have an extremely
hard punch for someone of his stature.

Born in Liévin near Lens, Pas-de-Calais. He began
by progressing up through the weight divisions,
fighting in every division from welterweight
upwards with his first professional bout at age
14, he was Welterweight Championship of France and
of Europe in 1911, Middleweight Championship of
Europe in 1912, and Light Heavyweight Championship
of Europe 1913. On June 1, 1913 he beat
"Bombardier" Billy Wells in Ghent, Belgium to
become Heavyweight Championship of Europe. He
defended his title in December against Wells, in
January 1914 against Pat O'Keefe and in London on
July 16 he contentiously beat Ed "Gunboat" Smith
to add the White Heavyweight Championship of the
World to his European title. Curiously Carpentier
was also a referee during the early stages of his
career, he took charge of a number of fights
including the world title bout between Jack
Johnstone and Frank Moran in June 1914. With the
outbreak of war Carpentier joined the airforce and
had a relatively successful career.


Carpentier defended his title twice again in 1919
before dropping down a weight to challenge
Battling Levinsky for the Light Heavyweight
Championship of the World, they fought on October
12, 1920 in Jersey City, New Jersey|Jersey City
and Levinsky was KO'd in the fourth. Carpentiers
attempt at the Heavyweight Championship of the
World came on July 2, 1921, again in Jersey City,
when he faced Jack Dempsey in front of boxing's
first million dollar gate, Carpentier was badly
beaten around before being knock-out in the second
minute of the fourth round. Carpentier never
fought again for that belt, he regained his Light
Heavyweight and European titles the following year
but lost his world titles in 1924 to Gene Tunney
at the Polo Grounds in New York over fifteen
rounds, losing to a TKO. Carpentier never managed
to regain a belt and after battering a few more
Englishmen he retired after a final exhibiton bout
in 1927.

Carpentier appeared in half a dozen motion
pictures, starring in both silent films and
talkies. He made three films in Hollywood, one for
director J. Stuart Blackton in the United
Kingdom|England and two in his native France.

Professional wrestler Edouard Carpentier (born
Edouard Wieczorkwicz), despite claims, was not
related to Georges.

Carpentier was elected to the International Boxing
Hall of Fame in 1991.

Edwin Hubble fought a exhibition match with
Carpentier while at University of Oxford|Oxford
University.

Carpentier died in 1975 and was buried in the
Cimetiere de Vaires-sur Marne, Seine-et-Marne,
France.


== External links ==
* http://www.genetunney.com/newspaper54.html
Carpentier vs Gene Tunney - Fight by Rounds - July
25, 1924
* http://www.genetunney.com/newspaper55.html
Carpentier vs Gene Tunney - July 25, 1924
*imdb name|id=0139499|name= Georges Carpentier