Henry Armstrong

Boxer

• Born: December 12, 1912
• Birthplace: Columbus, Mississippi
• Died: October 22, 1988
• Place of death: Los Angeles, California

Sport: Boxing

Early Life

Henry Jackson, Jr., was born on December 12, 1912, in Columbus, Mississippi. His parents were sharecroppers who decided to try their luck in urban life a few years after Henry’s birth. They moved to St. Louis, Missouri, where Henry grew up and attended high school. Henry’s family wanted him to go to college and become a minister. Although a quick learner in school, Henry did not like this plan. He managed to withstand the pressure from his mother and his maternal grandmother to embark upon a ministerial career. He was drawn to another profession.

Although Henry was never in serious trouble as a teenager, he was not slow to use his fists. As he saw it, he frequently had to prove his toughness to neighborhood bullies, who were tempted to pick on him because of his small size. Henry had a fierce will to win, and his determination and quickness almost always enabled him to finish on top.

The Road to Excellence

These youthful escapades gave Henry a career path. He decided to become a boxer and won a number of local fights in St. Louis. A crucial step in his progress occurred during a visit to a St. Louis boxing gymnasium. Here he encountered Harry Armstrong, a retired fighter who worked as a trainer. Armstrong’s chief protégé was Eddie Foster, a young boxer of Henry’s age. The self-confident Henry accepted Armstrong’s challenge to box Foster. Much to Armstrong’s surprise, and in spite of his lack of training, Henry quickly dispatched Foster.

Armstrong, recognizing an outstanding prospect, took Henry under his wing and smoothed out his brawling style. Henry depended on Harry Armstrong’s training and management throughout his career. He was so attached to his adviser that he adopted “Armstrong” as his own last name.

Henry’s style was unique. He rushed at his opponent and rained blows on him incessantly. He was willing to absorb his foe’s counterpunches in order to land his own blows, which were of devastating effectiveness. Although a skilled fighter would parry many of Henry’s punches, Henry’s speed ensured that many got through to their target. He was able to maintain his fast and furious pace throughout a full match, and few boxers proved able to go the distance with him.

The Emerging Champion

During the late 1920’s, the road to success for African Americans in professional sports was a hard one. In spite of his obvious ability, Henry did not immediately find sponsors with the necessary financial backing. In order to reach California, a center for amateur boxing, he “rode the rails” as a hobo. After arriving in California, Henry spent most of his time in Los Angeles, where he enjoyed a successful career as an amateur. He turned professional in 1931.

Henry was a crowd-pleasing favorite, and his perpetual-motion attacks won him a wide following. He still found it difficult to attract attention from major promoters, however, and he feared his career might languish before he was awarded fights against topflight opposition. Oddly enough, he secured a fortunate break after a controversial loss. In a match with the Filipino boxer Baby Arizmendi, Henry thought he had won. The decision, before an audience of Arizmendi supporters, went against him, and a rematch was quickly arranged. This time Henry threw himself into his attack and defeated Arizmendi, whom he later named as the best of all of his opponents at absorbing punishment.

Henry’s convincing victory attracted the attention of New York boxing promoters, and Henry soon showed the boxing public that he was of championship caliber. On October 29, 1937, he was matched with Peter Sarron, the featherweight champion. Sarron was an aggressive boxer and, like Henry, aimed at a quick knockout. Henry refused to be put on the defensive and mounted an assault of his own. Sarron succumbed in the sixth round; he had never before been knocked out.

Continuing the Story

Henry had become a world champion. He was not yet content and decided to go after the welterweight title, held by Barney Ross. A match between the two champions was held on May 31, 1938. Ross was one of the fiercest fighters of the 1930’s, but he was past his prime when he confronted Henry. As always, Henry attacked his opponent, and Ross proved unable to halt his eager foe. Nevertheless, Ross impressed Henry by refusing to be knocked down. He finished the fight on his feet, even though the beating Henry inflicted required a trip to the hospital afterward.

Henry held two world titles. He decided to try for another, and in August, 1938, fought Lou Ambers for the lightweight title. Ambers was a slugger who never backed down, but even he was unable to stop Henry. After a close match, Henry emerged with his third world title.

Henry’s amazing feats in the ring took a heavy toll on him. His whirlwind attacks, combined with the brutal punishment he took in his efforts to destroy his opponents, wore him out. By the end of the 1930’s, he was no longer at his peak, and by 1945, he had lost all of his titles. He suffered a particularly bad loss to Fritzie Zivic. After an early assault that almost put Zivic away, Henry tired badly. Zivic opened cuts over Henry’s eyes and almost blinded him. Henry required eye surgery after the bout and soon thereafter announced his retirement.

After his boxing career, the high-living champion executed a complete about-face. He became a minister and devoted his energies to helping underprivileged youths. He developed a series of health problems and died in poverty in 1988, in Los Angeles, California.

Summary

Henry Armstrong’s fighting ability became evident in many youthful escapades. Much more than a street brawler, he became a serious amateur boxer under the tutelage of veteran Harry Armstrong. His aggressive, nonstop style made him one of the major fighters of the 1930’s, and he held three world championships simultaneously.

Bibliography

Armstrong, Henry. Gloves, Glory, and God: An Autobiography. Westwood, N.J.: Revell, 1956.

Blewett, Bert. The A to Z of World Boxing: An Authoritative and Entertaining Compendium of the Fight Game from Its Origins to the Present Day. Parkwest, N.Y.: Robson Books, 2002.

McGuigan, Barry. “Sorry, but Ali Would Not Be in My Top Five.” The Daily Mirror, September 21, 2002, p. 69.

Sugar, Bert Randolph. Boxing’s Greatest Fighters. Guilford, Conn.: Lyons Press, 2006.