The first African American Heavyweight Champion of the World (1908-1915)
Jack Johnson, defeated Canadian Tommy Burns on December 26, 1908,
in the World Boxing Championship held in Sydney.
This initiated the quest to find a "Great White Hope" to defeat Johnson.
James Jeffries, a leading white fighter, came out of retirement to answer the challenge.
Jack Johnson won their fight on July 4, 1910.
For more than thirteen years, Jack Johnson was the most famous, and the most notorious
African-American boxer in the world.
