By Matthew Brown 02/13/2026 Follow Brunch Boxing on Twitter/X They called him The Toronto Terror. In an era that limited opportunity for Black heavyweights, Larry Gains built a career that forced the sport to reckon with his greatness. Twice World Colored Heavyweight Champion. Canadian and British Empire champion. Leicester hero. The Toronto Terror never received his shot at the world crown, but his record and resilience secured his place in boxing history. Born Lawrence Samu

By Matthew Brown 02/11/2026 Follow Brunch Boxing on Twitter/X Tiger Flowers stood at the intersection of faith, skill, and history. Born Theodore Flowers on February 14, 1895, in Georgia, he became known across the boxing world as the Georgia Deacon. From 1918 to 1927, he built one of the most remarkable careers of his era and became the first African American world middleweight champion. Flowers began his professional career at age 23 after working as a stevedore on the Geor

By Matthew Brown 02/11/2026 Follow Brunch Boxing on Twitter/X Two time WBC lightweight champion Stevie Johnston was one of the finest technicians of his era. Known as “Lil’ But Bad,” the Denver southpaw blended speed, balance, and ring IQ into a style that frustrated elite opponents. At both amateur and professional level, Johnston proved he belonged with the very best. Slick, clever, and precise, Stevie Johnston could box from the outside or trade in close quarters when requ

By Matthew Brown 02/10/2026 Follow Brunch Boxing on Twitter/X He never wore a world championship belt as a fighter. Instead he forged champions with knowledge, discipline, and belief. In the long story of boxing, that legacy endures. Charles Henry Blackburn was born on May 20, 1883 in Versailles, Kentucky, the son of a minister. Known to history as Jack Blackburn and to Joe Louis as Chappie, he built a life in boxing that stretched from the bare knuckle grind of the early 190