Kid Norfolk boxer

Kid Norfolk boxer
bouts
118
won
86
lost
25
draw
7
Status
inactive
Division
light heavyweight
Debut
1910-11-29
Height
5′ 8″/173cm
Reach
74″/188cm
Age
72
Born
1895-09-20
Death
1968-04-15
Nationality
USA

Kid Norfolk (born William Ward, 10 July 1893 – 15 April 1968) was an American professional boxer who fought as a Light Heavyweight and Heavyweight from 1910 through 1926, holding wins over many notable boxers of his day including Joe Jeanette, Billy Miske, Jack Blackburn, Harry Greb, Tiger Flowers, Battling Siki, and Gunboat Smith. Norfolk was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2007.Born William Ward in Belmont, Virginia, Norfolk moved with his family to Panama as a youngster. He made his professional boxing debut on 29 November 1910 at the Albaugh Theater in Baltimore, Maryland, losing a six-rounder to Kid Jasper on points. He fought in Baltimore through 1913, then began campaigning in Panama in 1914. He took his name from having been born on Norfolk Street back in Belmont.Norfolk defeated Abraham Hollandersky decisively in January 1914 in Colon, Panama. Hollandersky had briefly held the Panamanian Heavyweight title from May 1913. Norfolk first officially fought for the Heavyweight Title on 16 May 1915, taking on Jeff Clark at the Vista Allegre Bull Ring in Panama City. Clark (who weighed 173) gave Kid Norfolk (weighing in at 174) a beating, and won the 20-rounder on points. Their weights properly classed them as light heavies. In a rematch on 12 November 1916, Kid Nortolk took Clark's title away from him on points in 20 rounds. The Kid defended the title against one time world heavyweight contender Arthur Pelkey, a Canadian who had held the Dominion's heavyweight title and the White Heavyweight Championship during the latter days of Jack Johnson reign. The Kid K.O.-ed Pelkey in the 13th round.Norfolk fought Sam Langford for the World Colored Heavyweight Championship on 17 December 1917 at Stockyards Stadium in Denver, Colorado, and was K.O.-ed in the second round of the scheduled 20-round bout. On 30 May 1921, The Kid fought Lee Anderson for the colored light heavyweight title in a scheduled 10-round bout in Phoenix, Arizona. Anderson won on a technical knock out when Norfolk returned to his corner in the ninth round, being unable to continue to fight. (They would meet another three times in non-title bouts between 1922 and 1924, and The Kid prevailed each time.) Of their first meeting in Phoenix for the "Colored World Championship", there was surprisingly little coverage, though the Arizona Republic wrote "two thousand fans watched the fights and every one of the 2000 is will to admit it was the best fight ever staged in the state". Norfolk was unable to return to battle at the opening of the ninth round, claiming blindness, as his "left eye was completely closed."His next fight was against future world middleweight champ Harry Greb on 29 August 1921 in a 10-rounder at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Kid, who at 178¾ lbs. outweighed Greb by 17 1/2 lbs., won four of the first five rounds and knocked Greb down in the third. Greb, however, won all of the last five rounds. Greb won a newspaper decision, when two of the three newspaper covering the fight and the Associated Press gave him the win. During the fight, The Kid apparently landed a punch that caused a detachment of the retina in Greb's eye that later led to Greb going blind in that eye.When Norfolk fought The Jamaica Kid on 20 December 1921 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, he had claimed the world colored light heavyweight title. He beat the Jamaica Kid on points in an eight-round bout. In Atlanta on 30 January 1922, Norfolk faced Tiger Flowers, the boxer who would dethrone Greb and become the first African American world middleweight champ in 1926, K.O.-ing him in third round of a 10-rounder. He met reigning colored heavyweight champ Harry Wills on 2 March 1922 in Madison Square Garden in New York City for a 15-round non-title bout, losing to the great champion via a K.O. in the second round. Wills outweighed him by 25¾ lbs.

Date Opponent Last Opponents' Results Place Result
1926-03-19 Ted Moore LLLLWD Dreamland Rink, San Francisco LOST
1925-09-21 Frank Moody DLLWL Yankee Stadium, Bronx LOST
KO
1925-06-17 Floyd Johnson LLDDLL Auditorium, Oakland LOST
1925-06-01 Frank Farmer LLWWWW Armory, Portland WIN
Majority decision
1925-05-25 Jack Reddick WWWLWD Stadium Rink, Moose Jaw WIN
Points
1925-05-06 Ray Pelkey DLDLLW Auditorium, Oakland WIN
KO
1925-03-14 Bob Lawson WWWWWW Commonwealth Sporting Club, New York LOST
KO
1924-12-09 Tommy Gibbons WWWWWW Madison Square Garden, New York LOST
Technical knockout
1924-09-27 Dan Bright LWLD Cambria Fairgrounds, Ebensburg WIN
KO
1924-09-09 Battling Jim McCreary WWWDWW Mechanics Building, Boston WIN
Points
1924-07-17 Mexican Joe Lawson WWWLWL Bacharach Ball Park, Atlantic City WIN
KO
1924-05-28 Tut Jackson WWWLLW Columbus WIN
KO
1924-05-17 Smiling Kid Nolan LLWDLL Norfolk WIN
KO
1924-05-12 Bob Lawson DWLLLD Broadway Auditorium, Buffalo LOST
1924-04-19 Harry Greb WLWWWW Mechanics Building, Boston WIN
1924-02-23 Lee Anderson LDWWWD Commonwealth Sporting Club, New York WIN
Points
1924-02-08 Battling Jim McCreary WWWWWL Mechanics Building, Boston WIN
Points
1924-01-09 Sydney Grant debut Gayety Theater, Baltimore WIN
KO
1923-11-20 Battling Siki WWLLWW Madison Square Garden, New York WIN
Points
1923-09-10 Smiling Kid Nolan WLLLWD Maryland Baseball Park, Baltimore WIN
KO
1923-08-24 Tut Jackson LWWWWW Gayety Theater, Baltimore WIN
Technical knockout
1923-07-14 Jamaica Kid LLLLLD Commonwealth Sporting Club, New York WIN
KO
1923-05-08 Tiger Flowers WWWWWW Springfield WIN
KO
1923-04-24 Battling Jim McCreary WWWLWW Grand Opera House, Boston LOST
Points
1923-03-31 Wolf Larsen LLWLWL Portland WIN
KO
1923-03-27 Jack Taylor DWLLWW Pioneer Sporting Club, New York WIN
Points
1923-01-30 Wolf Larsen LWLLWL Knickerbocker A.C. Arena, Albany LOST
1922-12-22 Lee Anderson WLLLWL Mechanics Building, Boston WIN
Points
1922-09-25 Jamaica Kid W North Side Field, Dayton WIN
Points
1922-09-11 Lee Anderson WWWLWW Arena, Boston WIN
Points
1922-07-04 Tiger Flowers WWWLWL Memphis DRAW
Points
1922-06-23 Jack Taylor LLWLDW Omaha DRAW
Points
1922-06-02 John Lester Johnson LLLWWW Riverside Arena, Covington WIN
1922-04-07 Al Smaulding WLDLLL El Paso WIN
Points
1922-03-02 Harry Wills WWLDW Madison Square Garden, New York LOST
KO
1922-02-20 Young Jack Johnson LLLLWW Broadway Auditorium, Buffalo WIN
Technical knockout
1922-01-30 Tiger Flowers WWWLWW Auditorium, Atlanta WIN
KO
1921-12-30 Jamaica Kid DLLLLL Madison Square Garden, New York WIN
Points
1921-08-29 Harry Greb WWWDDW Forbes Field, Pittsburgh LOST
1921-06-08 Clem Johnson DLLLLL Auditorium, Saint Paul WIN
1921-05-30 Lee Anderson WDDLWW Arizona A.C., Phoenix LOST
Technical knockout
1921-05-03 Jamaica Kid LDLLLL Manhattan Casino, New York WIN
Points
1921-04-18 Phil McNeil WL Auditorium, Freeport WIN
KO
1921-03-21 Jack Ward LLLLLL Madison Square Garden, New York WIN
KO
1921-03-10 Pinky Lewis LLWDL Madison Square Garden, New York WIN
KO
1921-02-18 Pinky Lewis LLWD Madison Square Garden, New York WIN
1921-02-02 John Lester Johnson LLWLLL Roller Palace Rink, Detroit WIN
1921-01-24 Battling Gahee WLLWWD Southern A.C., Memphis WIN
Points
1921-01-05 Jamaica Kid DLDLLL Roller Palace Rink, Detroit WIN
1921-01-03 Jack Ward LLLLL Broadway Auditorium, Buffalo WIN
KO
1920-12-14 Bill Tate LLWWLW Madison Square Garden, New York WIN
Points
1920-11-26 Jeff Clark DLWLLL Eureka A.C., Baltimore WIN
Technical knockout
1920-10-25 Jeff Clark LDLWLL Columbus WIN
Points
1920-09-03 Jamaica Kid LLDLDL 5th Regiment Armory, Baltimore WIN
Points
1920-08-18 Larry Williams WLLLLL Arena, Syracuse WIN
1920-06-22 Jack Blackburn WWLWWW Madison A.C., Philadelphia WIN
KO
1920-06-21 Jeff Clark LWLDLW Fairmont Arena, Columbus WIN
Points
1920-06-18 Cliff Patillo LWWWL National A.C., Philadelphia WIN
1920-06-14 John Lester Johnson WLLLLW Convention Hall, Rochester WIN
KO
1920-06-07 John Lester Johnson WWLLLL Flower City A.C., Rochester LOST
1920-05-31 Silas Green LLWLLL Colonial Theater, Baltimore WIN
KO
1920-05-17 Jamaica Kid LLLDLD Coliseum, Toledo WIN
1920-05-07 Cleve Hawkins LLWLLL Moose Temple, Detroit WIN
1920-01-12 Harry Lindsay LLDWWD Southern A.C., Memphis WIN
KO
1919-12-19 Jack Ward L Moose Temple, Detroit WIN
KO
1919-12-03 Jamaica Kid DWDLLL Columbus WIN
1919-11-04 Jamaica Kid LLDWDL Grand Opera House, Boston WIN
Points
1919-10-24 Jeff Clark DLLLWL Moose Temple, Detroit WIN
1919-10-03 John Lester Johnson DWWWLL Lyric Theater, Baltimore WIN
Points
1919-07-28 Jamaica Kid WLLLLL Shibe Park, Philadelphia WIN
1919-06-30 Larry Williams LLWDDL Open-Air Arena, Jersey City WIN
KO
1919-06-21 Jack Ward debut Oriole Park, Baltimore WIN
KO
1919-06-09 Billy Miske WWWLWW Forbes Field, Pittsburgh WIN
1919-05-26 Larry Williams LLLWDD Casino Hall, Bridgeport WIN
1919-05-22 Bert Kenny LDWLLL Atlantic City WIN
1919-03-20 Jim Hosic WLWWWL Atlantic City WIN
1919-03-07 Battling Dungy debut Albaugh Theater, Baltimore WIN
KO
1919-01-20 Clay Turner WWWLW Broadway Auditorium, Buffalo LOST
1919-01-08 Clay Turner LWWWW Armory A.A., Boston WIN
KO
1919-01-01 Jamaica Kid WWLWWL Olympia A.C., Philadelphia WIN
1918-11-19 Clay Turner WLLLWW Armory A.A., Boston LOST
Points
1918-10-11 Joe Jeannette LDWWL Spring A.C., West Hoboken WIN
1918-07-19 Joe Jeannette WWLDWW International League Ballpark, Jersey City WIN
1918-07-16 Battling Jim Johnson LLLWLL Madison Square Garden, New York WIN
1918-05-14 George Ashe WLLDL Armory A.A., Boston WIN
KO
1918-04-22 Bill Tate WWLLWW Lyric Theater, Baltimore WIN
Technical knockout
1918-04-16 Porky Dan Flynn DLLLLL Armory A.A., Boston WIN
Points
1918-04-15 George Christian DLWLLL Olympia A.C., Philadelphia WIN
KO
1918-04-05 George Robinson WLWWWW Commercial A.C., Boston WIN
Points
1918-04-04 Cleve Hawkins WDLWLL North Adams WIN
Points
1918-03-25 Jack Thompson LLWWWW Olympia A.C., Philadelphia WIN
1917-12-17 Sam Langford LWWWLD Stockyards Stadium, Denver LOST
KO
1917-12-04 Zulu Kid LLLLLL North Adams WIN
Points
1917-11-06 Tom Cowler WLLLLW Rhode Island A.C., Thornton WIN
1917-10-26 Johnny Espen LLLWL Harlem S.C., New York WIN
1917-10-16 Billy Miske WLWWWW Arena (Armory A.A.), Boston WIN
Points
1917-09-24 George Ashe WLDWW Genesee Arena, Rochester WIN
1917-08-20 Gunboat Smith DLDWWW Airdome A.C., Rochester WIN
1917-08-16 Gus Christie LDWWLW Broadway Auditorium, Buffalo LOST
1917-08-03 Gunboat Smith LLDLDW Urban Liberty Park, Buffalo LOST
1917-07-30 Bert Kenny LLLDLL Airdome A.C., Rochester WIN
1917-07-20 Bert Kenny DLLLDL Harlem S.C., New York WIN
1917-07-19 Tom Cowler WWWLLL Urban Liberty Park, Buffalo WIN
Technical knockout
1917-06-25 Tom Cowler WWWWLL Airdome A.C., Rochester WIN
1917-06-04 Tom Cowler LWWWWL Airdome A.C., Rochester WIN
1917-05-09 Morris Tasco WWWWW Monumental Theater, Baltimore WIN
KO
1917-04-29 Sailor Grande WWDLWD Rochester WIN
Technical knockout
1917-02-11 Arthur Pelkey LLLWWL Plaza de Toros Vista Alegre, Panama City WIN
KO
1916-12-17 Arthur Pelkey LLLLWW Santa Ana Plaza, Panama City WIN
KO
1916-11-12 Jeff Clark WLLLWW Plaza de Toros Vista Alegre, Panama City WIN
Points
1916-09-10 Jim Briggs WLWWWW Garden Theater, Colon WIN
Technical knockout
1916-06-11 Bill Tate WLWWWW Plaza de Toros Vista Alegre, Panama City WIN
Points
1916-05-14 Milton Durant LLDLWL Garden Theater, Colon WIN
KO
1916-03-12 Rough House Ware LDLWLW American Theater, Colon WIN
Points
1916-01-15 Black Gunboat Smith WW Garden Theater, Colon WIN
KO
1915-12-12 Gerald Best DWWWWW American Theater, Colon WIN
KO
1915-05-16 Jeff Clark WWWWWD Plaza de Toros Vista Alegre, Panama City LOST
Points
1915-04-11 Jack Herrick WWWLWL American Theater, Colon WIN
Points
1915-03-14 Rough House Ware DLLLLW American Theater, Colon WIN
Points
1915-02-22 Bobby Loudon debut American Theater, Colon WIN
KO
1914-09-13 Jack Livingstone LLLLW Colon WIN
Points
1914-08-14 Nat Dewey DDLLLD Panama City WIN
Points
1914-05-30 Tommy Connors LWWDW Bull Ring, Vista Allegre LOST
Points
1914-05-17 Jack Taylor WWLLWW Panama City DRAW
Points
1914-01-18 Abe Hollandersky LLWWWW Skating Rink, Colon WIN
Points
1913-12-25 Jack Livingstone LL Colon WIN
Technical knockout
1913-11-27 Jack Livingstone L Colon WIN
Technical knockout
1913-04-08 Battling Haley WWWLWW Monumental Theater, Baltimore WIN
Technical knockout
1913-02-07 Frank Hunter DWWDD Bohemian Hall, Baltimore WIN
Points
1913-01-16 Morris Tasco WWWW Westport A.C., Baltimore LOST
Points
1912-10-08 Battling Spriggs LLL Albaugh Theater, Baltimore WIN
Technical knockout
1912-10-01 Howard Johnson DDWWLW Albaugh Theater, Baltimore WIN
Technical knockout
1912-05-31 Larry Temple DLLWWW Albaugh Theater, Baltimore DRAW
Points
1912-05-13 Kid Jasper DWLLDW Albaugh Theater, Baltimore DRAW
Points
1912-04-09 Frank Hunter DDWW Albaugh Theater, Baltimore DRAW
Points
1912-03-07 Black Bill LLLWWL Monumental Theater, Baltimore LOST
Points
1912-03-06 Howard Johnson LDDWWL Albaugh Theater, Baltimore LOST
Points
1912-02-06 Kid Tasker WD St. Patrick's Gymnasium, Baltimore DRAW
Points
1912-02-02 Battling Spriggs LL Albaugh Theater, Baltimore WIN
KO
1911-10-18 Black Kid Williams LDLDDW Germania Maennerchor Hall, Baltimore LOST
Points
1911-08-28 Battling Spriggs L Savoy Theater, Baltimore WIN
Technical knockout
1911-07-10 Kid Dale Ford Opera House, Baltimore WIN
Points
1911-05-05 Battling Spriggs debut Albaugh Theater, Baltimore WIN
KO
1911-02-24 Kid Jasper WDWWWD Lyceum Theater, Baltimore LOST
Points
1911-02-10 Kid Stanley debut Germania Maennerchor Hall, Baltimore LOST
Technical knockout
1911-01-13 Jim Williams WW Germania Maennerchor Hall, Baltimore WIN
Points
1910-12-26 Kid Jasper WLWDWW Germania Maennerchor Hall, Baltimore LOST
Points
1910-12-14 Kid Jasper DWLWDW Junior Hall, Frederick LOST
Points
1910-12-09 Kid Cummings debut Germania Maennerchor Hall, Baltimore LOST
Points
1910-11-29 Kid Jasper LDWLWD Albaugh Theater, Baltimore LOST
Points