Boxing’s Greats of the States | Washington: Tiger Jack Fox

Boxers come from every corner of the globe. Sometimes, fighters are products of their environment, favoring styles prevalent in the country or state from which they hail. Various regions of the United States are considered factories for great fighters, though that certainly is not the case with each state. In this weekly Sherdog.com series, the spotlight will shine on the best boxer of all-time from each of the 50 states. Fighters do not necessarily need to be born in a given state to represent it; they simply need to be associated with it.

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Tiger Jack Fox may not be a household name, but to those who follow the Sweet Science, he is something of a legendary figure. The world might never have known him if not for his encounter with International Boxing Hall of Fame inductee Young Stribling, who picked him up as a hitchhiker. Stribling hired Fox as a sparring partner, and the rest is history.

Fox never captured a world championship but laid claim to a number of regional light heavyweight titles, a run that included a decision victory over Maxie Rosenbloom in 1935. He knocked out the great “Jersey” Joe Walcott on May 22, 1937 and beat him for a second time a year later, earning a decision in their rematch.

A resident of Spokane, Washington, Fox was a murderous puncher, as evidenced by the fact that he knocked out 30 opponents inside one round. His power placed him at No. 51 on The Ring magazine’s all-time punchers list. Fox finished his career with a 139-23-12 record and 89 knockouts.

HONORABLE MENTIONS: Greg Haugen, Freddie Steele, Rocky Lockridge, Chauncey Welliver, Johnny Bumphus