Sam Langford

Sam Langford never was a World Champion though he was the greatest ever boxer some still say The World Champions of his era would not fight him as they feared the price would be too big to pay That the mighty Sam would take from them their title and he was one who was best to avoid For he had beaten all of the rated fighters and many reputations had destroyed. An Afro Canadian born at Weymouth Falls in Nova Scotia and he was one brought up in the hard way And at twelve years of age he left home and crossed the border for to make a new life in the U.S.A. At sixteen he took up professional boxing in the hard game of fighting for his pay And the coloured man who struggled for recognition has become the boxing Hall of Famer of today. Jack Johnson before he became World Champion beat Langford in a fiercely contested bout But he never again would face the 'Boston Terror' for in his mind there was the lingering doubt That he would not defeat Sam in a rematch and with his World title belt at stake To take on such a dangerous opponent for even him too big a risk to take. Sam Langford lost his sight due to a boxing injury and in his old age he knew poverty Yet this man who never became World Champion was one of the best in boxing history Avoided by the World Champions in the three heavier weight divisions and few could match it with him in his prime And his name lives on with the legendary fighters who fought for their pay in boxing's glorious time.