George Godfrey

From Wikipedia the free encyclopedia George Godfrey II The Leiperville Shadow January 25 1897 August 13 1947 was the ring name of Feab S Williams a heavyweight boxer from the state of Alabama who fought from 19191937 He named himself after George Old Chocolate Godfrey a Black Canadian boxer from the bareknuckle boxing days who had been a top name during the John L Sullivan era Old Chocolate had been the fourth fighter to reign as World Colored Heavyweight Champion while the second George Godfrey was the 20th fighter to hold the colored heavyweight title The colored heavyweight title was recognized due to the color bar in pro boxing in the 19th and early 20th centuries when white champions drew the color line and would not defend the title against a black man In the heavyweight division the color bar was adamantly defended by Old Chocolate Godfreys contemporary The Boston Strong Boy John L Sullivan Ironically it remained in force even after colored heavyweight title holder Jack Johnson won the worlds heavyweight title in 1908 Johnson never fought black opponents either allegedly because such top promoters as Tex Rickard believed that a fight between two black boxers would not draw at the gate He was also the only man to ever defeat the 7 foot 9 inch giant Gogea Mitu Because of the color bar in the heavyweight division that continued until the rise of Joe Louis in the 1930s the second Godfrey Williams never fought for the world heavyweight championship like the man he had named himself after He did win the International Boxing Unions version of the world heavyweight championship in 1935 two years before Louis became the second black man to become the universally recognized world heavyweight champ