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Jack Johnson vs Fireman Jim Flynn II 4.7.1912 - World Heavyweight Championship (Highlights)

3,230 views · Published 1 September 2017 · 5:46 · Indexed 19 October 2026

Channel: Classic Boxing Matches · 2017 · Sports

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World Heavyweight Champion, Jack Johnson, makes his first title defense in 2 years in a rematch against the tough but dirty, Fireman Jim Flynn.  This fight was seen by many as a disgrace with Flynn resorting to repeated headbutts unable to make any in roads against the talented black Champion.  More info below...

Fireman Jim Flynn, born Andrew Chiariglione, had his first pro fight in 1899.  Prior to his boxing career he worked on the railroads in Colorado were he developed his strength and power.  Flynn wasn't the most skilled of boxers and it took him 2 or 3 years to fine tune a style that worked for him and string together significant wins.  Flynn started as a lightweight but by 1903 he had moved up to middleweight and challenged for the USA Colorado State Middleweight Title against undefeated Morgan WIlliams, but the fight ended in a draw after 20 rounds.  Over the next 2 years Flynn ended up drawing more fights than he won however in 1905 he beat Mike 'Dummy' Rowan by TKO to claim the Middleweight Championship of the Middle-West.  Following his recent success and also securing a hard fought draw against former World & American 158lb Middleweight Champion,  Jack Twin Sullivan, Flynn was granted a shot at the World Heavyweight Champion, Tommy Burns.  Flynn was dominated and took a tremendous beating against Burns who landed repeated heavy blows to the head of Flynn eventually scoring a KO in Rd 15.  Despite the beating Flynn made a successful rebound and beat Jack Twin Sullivan in a rematch over 20 rounds.  In 1907 Flynn met Jack Johnson for the first time and was KO'd in Rd 11.  Over the next 3 years Flynn's career had stalled but he was still considered a top contender.  In 1908 he was knocked out in the 1st against Sam Langford and 2 years later he fared only slightly better in the rematch, being knocked out in the 8th.  However from January 1911 through to February 1912 Flynn went undefeated in 10 contests, winning 9 by KO.  His record heading in against the rematch with Johnson was 51-15-16.

The title fight between Flynn and Johnson was incredibly one sided.  Flynn showed little to no skill and Johnson could do whatever he wanted.  Flynn argued with the ref throughout that Johnson was holding him too much but the referee ignored his cries.  Flynn decided to take matters into his owns hands and whenever Johnson tried to clinch him Flynn would ram the top of his head into Johnson's jaw.  Although the ref did tell Flynn to cut it out and threaten him with a DQ, he was apparently prepared to let it continue because no DQ was forth coming ... until the police got involved in Rd 9 calling an end to the fight as it was no longer a boxing contest, but a brutal and bloody exhibition.  Johnson found the entire situation very humorous and was quite possibly egging Flynn on.

Although Flynn would continue boxing for another 13 years he never recovered from the loss to Johnson.  He lost far more than he won but he did pull off a couple big upsets... In 1917 Flynn became the first and only man to knockout a young Jack Dempsey and in 1923 he picked up his final win against Southwest Middleweight Champion and future World Champion, Tiger Flowers, seeing Flowers retired after 5 rounds with a hand injury.  Flynn's final fight was in 1925 against rookie 3-0 fighter, Steve Ramos.  Flynn was stopped within 2 rounds and decided to call it quits, retiring with a 64-45-18 record.

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