Jess Willard - by Arly Allen & James Willard Mace (Paperback)

About the Book

"Jess Willard, the "Pottawatomie Giant," won the heavyweight title in 1915 with his defeat of Jack Johnson, the first black heavyweight champion. He died in 1968, largely forgotten by the boxing public. Featuring photos from the Willard family archives, this first full-length biography provides a detailed portrait of one of America's boxing greats"--

Book Synopsis

Jess Willard, the "Pottawatomie Giant," won the heavyweight title in 1915 with his defeat of Jack Johnson, the first black heavyweight champion. At 6 feet, 6 inches and 240 pounds, Willard was considered unbeatable in his day. He nonetheless lost to Jack Dempsey in 1919 in one of the most brutally one-sided contests in fistic history. Willard later made an initially successful comeback but was defeated by Luis Firpo in 1923 and retired from the ring. He died in 1968, largely forgotten by the boxing public. Featuring photographs from the Willard family archives, this first full-length biography provides a detailed portrait of one of America's boxing greats.

Review Quotes

"lively story...all enjoy reading this book...Willard deserves the attention of boxing fans and this book is the place to start"-Boston Post-Gazette; "not a lot has been written about Jess Willard...That oversight has now been rectified with the very detailed account of the Pottawatomie Giant's life written by Arly Allen"-Boxing Over Broadway; "the most thorough biography of its subject to date"-The Sweet Science.

About the Author

Arly Allen was president of Allen Press, Inc., a scholarly printer and publisher for many years until his retirement in 1993. He is a member of the International Boxing Research Organization (IBRO) and has written a number of scholarly articles on boxing and medieval history. He lives in Oxford, Ohio.