Web Quotableonline.com Frasescelebres.org Greatbookscollection.org

Arnold Raymond Cream (January 31, 1914 –
February 25, 1994), better known as Jersey Joe
Walcott was a world heavyweight Boxing|boxing
champion. Walcott was born in Merchantville, New
Jersey, and he was often compared to former world
Welterweight champion Joe Walcott. Hence his
nickname, Jersey Joe Walcott.


Walcott had to wait a long time to blossom as a
fighter. He broke the world's record for the
oldest man to win the world's Heavyweight title
when he earned it at the age of 37. Before winning
it, he had to face many of the best boxers of his
era. His fame transcended boxing, and he became a
popular New York City|New York figure after he
retired as a boxer.

He debuted as a professional boxer on September 9,
1930, fighting Cowboy Wallace and winning by a
Knockout|knockout in round one. After five
straight knockout wins, in 1933, he lost for the
first time, beaten on points by Henry Taylor
(boxer)|Henry Wilson in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania|Philadelphia. 

He built a record of 45 wins, 11 losses and 1 draw
before challenging for the world title for the
first time. Among those 57 bouts, he won two out
of three against future world Light Heavyweight
champion Joey Maxim, he beat Jimmy Bivins and Lee
Oma, and lost to Abe Simon and Al Ettore, among
many others.

On December 5 of 1947, he was given his first
world title try, breaking a record for the oldest
man to receive a world title try at the world
Heavyweight title. Despite dropping Joe Louis in
round one and once again in round four, he lost a
15 round split decision. Most ringside observers
and boxing writers felt Walcott deserved the win,
and so a rematch was fought, on June 25, 1948. The
second time around, Louis prevailed once again,
but by knockout in round 11.

June 22 of 1949, Walcott got another chance to
become world Heavyweight champion, when he and
Ezzard Charles met for the title left vacant by
Louis. Charles prevailed, however, by decision in
15 rounds. Walcott, disappointed but eager to see
his dream of being a champion come true, went on,
and in 1950, he won four of his five bouts,
including a three round knockout of future world
Light Heavyweight champion Harold Johnson.

On March 7 of 1951, he and Charles fought once
again, and Charles retained the world title with a
15 round decision. But on July 18, he joined a
handful of boxers who claimed the world title in
their fifth try, when he knocked out Charles in
seven rounds in Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania|Pittsburgh, to finally become world's
Heavyweight champion, at the relatively old age of
37. This made him the oldest man ever to win the
world Heavyweight crown.

Walcott retained the title with a 15 round
decision victory against arch-enemy Charles, then,
on September 23, 1952, he lost his title to Rocky
Marciano by knockout in round 13. This fight was
called by many experts as one of the greatest
fights of all time. Walcott dropped Marciano in
round one and was ahead on all scorecards when
Marciano landed what many have called the greatest
punch in boxing history, to defeat Walcott by
knockout.

There was a rematch, on May 15, 1953, in Chicago,
Illinois|Chicago, but the second time around,
Marciano retained the belt by a knockout in the
first round, when Walcott attempted to become the
first man in history to regain the world's
Heavyweight crown. Walcott retired after this
bout, remaining retired for the rest of his life.

He did not go away from the celebrity scene until
his death, however: In 1963, he tried professional
wrestling|wrestling, losing to Lou Thesz. In the
1960s, he refereed the controversial world
Heavyweight championship bout between Muhammad
Ali|Cassius Clay and Sonny Liston. Walcott lost
the count as Clay/Muhammad Ali circled around a
floored Liston and Walcott tried to get him back
to a neutral corner. Then Walcott looked outside
the ring (presumably to the ringside count keeper)
as Clay/Ali and Liston went at each other before
Walcott instructed them to keep on fighting, then
Walcott approached the fighters and abruptly
stopped the fight. Walcott would never be
appointed as a referee after this bout. It should
be said, however, that most of the controversy
surrounding this fight had nothing to do with
Walcott, as this was the famous fight of the
phantom punch.

In the early 1980s, Walcott was appointed as
chairman of the New York State Athletic
Commission, which oversees the state's boxing,
wrestling, Kick boxing|kick-boxing and
Karate|karate competition affairs. In 1984, he
stepped down from that position.

His record as the oldest man ever to win the world
Heavyweight title was broken in 1994 by then 44
year old George Foreman.

Walcott is a member of the International Boxing
Hall of Fame in Canastota, New York|Canastota. He
had a record of 53 wins, 18 losses and 1 draw,
with 33 wins by knockout.

start box
succession box |
  before= Ezzard Charles |
  title= List of heavyweight boxing
champions|Heavyweight boxing champion |
  years= 1951–1952 |
  after= Rocky Marciano

end box