Today in Boxing History: Jess Willard born in Kansas

On this day in 1881, Jess Willard was born in St. Clere, Kansas.

The 6’6� Willard took up boxing in 1911, partly because of the search for “great white hopes� to face African-American heavyweight champion Jack Johnson. With his enormous size and reach, Willard was a natural fit for the sport

After a moderately successful four years in the ring, Willard received the opportunity to face Johnson in Havana, Cuba, in 1915. Under the blazing Cuban heat, Willard landed a right to the chin of a wilting Johnson, knocking him out in the 26th round.

As champion, Willard only defended his title twice. The first was a decision over Frank Moran in 1916. For his second defense, Willard lost his title to Jack Dempsey in a savage fashion in 1919. In that fight, Dempsey sent Willard to canvas seven times in the first round, and continued to beat him severely before forcing the fight to be stopped at the end of the third round.

Willard did not fight again until 1923, closing out his career with a victory over Floyd Johnson and a loss to Luis Angel Firpo.

After retiring, Willard was a successful entrepreneur in the supermarket industry. He died in 1968, and was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2003.