The first African-American to reach the top of the heavyweight division

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John Arthur Johnson may not speak much to young boxing fans, but the Galveston Giant is one of the most significant figures in the history of the sport. Constantly spat at, unfairly condemned and totally written off by the white race, Johnson is the first black world heavyweight champion in history and without a doubt one of the most iconic figures in boxing and a symbol of the struggle of blacks in the United States for equality with whites.

Johnson was one of the greatest boxing talents of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He quickly gained notoriety in boxing circles, but in 1901 he ended up in prison for an illegal fight against Joe Chonsky. In the fight in question, Chonsky knocked out the Giant from Galveston in the 3rd round, and while the two were detained, the police in Texas organized illegal fights between the two. Both were subsequently released, and Johnson himself stated that it was in prison that he developed his boxing skills. He shows exactly that - he beats all his opponents in a row, reaches the title of "colored" in the heavyweight division, and his desire is clear - to fight for the world title in boxing. However, his way there was very difficult, as the then champion James Jeffries - a representative of the white race - categorically refused to face him in the ring. Moreover, in 1905 he announced that he was giving up boxing, preferring retirement to giving Johnson a chance.

However, the giant did not stop dreaming, and in 1908 he made a great request for a title match, after knocking out former world champion Bob Fitzsimmons in the 2nd round. Even then, however, he wasn't given a shot at the title, and he chased then-champion Tommy Burns around the world, interrupting his media appearances and teasing him by saying he was scared of him. In the end, a match only came when they promised Burns $30,000 guaranteed to get in the ring. The arena of the clash was "Sydney Stadium" in Australia, and on December 26, 1908, Johnson got his chance - to win the heavyweight title.

He does just that – Johnson dominates the clash from start to finish. Burns is frustrated by the punches of his opponent, who has such a serious advantage that in the middle of the fight he raises his arms to the side and urges Burns to punch him in the body with all the power he has. The champion does just that, but Johnson doesn't even move. Instead, he went back to terrorizing the champion's head and in the 14th round the police entered the ring to stop the fight as Burns was barely able to stay on his feet. The match was stopped, and Jack Johnson was named the first African-American professional boxing world heavyweight champion.

News of this reached the United States, sparking violent, racist riots in dozens of cities across the country. However, history has been rewritten, and this is only the beginning of the turbulent life of Johnson - the man who turned boxing in the United States and became a symbol of the fight for equality in America.

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