He was simply thirty-two when he left this world but when, because the outdated noticed goes, solely the nice die younger, then Tiger Flowers might by no means have escaped his destiny. If ever there was a person of advantage and integrity to be discovered throughout the squared circle, it was Theodore Flowers, the son of spiritual, God-fearing mother and father, a person who needed to flip his cheek many occasions exterior of the ring, such being the plight of any black man in America at the moment. However nobody might ever mistake Flowers’ kindness and godly methods for weak point; this was a born warrior who fell in love the second he first laced up a pair of hitting gloves, a boxer who competed an astonishing 141 occasions in lower than a decade.
Flowers was from Atlanta, however it was the legendary battle metropolis of Philadelphia that launched to fisticuffs the person who would go on to turn out to be one among boxing’s best ever southpaws. Younger Theodore had travelled to “The Metropolis Of Brotherly Love” throughout World Battle I to work within the shipyards and kind of by probability, he wandered right into a health club which occurred to be owned by no much less a boxing luminary than Philadelphia Jack O’Brien, who, because it occurred, was not prejudiced and allowed males of any color or creed to coach there. The previous gentle heavyweight champion of the world was impressed with the youthful man’s pure expertise and inspired him to maintain coaching.
Theodore fell in love with the game and when he returned to Atlanta he set about pursuing an expert profession, regardless of the objections of his church and his mom. “I’m an expert pugilist as a result of I imagine God meant me to be what I’m,” acknowledged Flowers. “The Bible tells me that it isn’t improper for a person to battle for his livelihood.” He turned professional in 1918 although his profession actually didn’t get transferring till 1921. He fought 13 occasions that 12 months and by the tip of it he was a pressure to be reckoned with, greater than holding his personal in opposition to severe skills equivalent to Panama Joe Gans and Child Norfolk.
His nickname of “The Georgia Deacon” was solely applicable. He carried his personal little bible with him always, although he by no means prayed for victory within the ring. “I would meet a greater and stronger man and lose the battle. Then I may be tempted to doubt the Lord, so I at all times wait till the battle is over after which I give thanks for the power that has introduced me safely via.”
Regardless of the consequence, Flowers accepted the choice of the officers with out a phrase of grievance or protest. However on this regard, his religion was examined many occasions as he was the sufferer of various prejudiced verdicts throughout his profession. Alas, this was simply routine enterprise for a black fighter at the moment. However irrespective of the tip end result, Flowers at all times shook his opponent’s hand and provided courtesy and respect.
Throughout the battle was one other matter solely although, as his different nickname, “Tiger,” was equally applicable. A transformed southpaw, he battled furiously, throwing a storm of leather-based at his adversary whereas proving onerous to hit in return. He had an unconventional type all his personal. Artful, slippery and amazingly busy, his sense of timing and distance, alongside together with his pace, awkwardness and nice bodily power, made him a world champion and an all-time nice middleweight. His solely notable weak point was a lower than iron-clad chin.
Like all black pugilists of that point, Tiger Flowers discovered it tough to acquire matches with white fighters and infrequently needed to battle his fellow “coloured” boxers many occasions over with a view to make a residing. Ultimately, untimely because it was, he compiled a file of 132 wins, 17 losses, 8 attracts, and 4 no-contests over the course of little greater than 9 years, an astonishing price of exercise. Flowers’ most well-known fights are his battles with Harry Greb and Mickey Walker, however he additionally boasts wins over top-notch skills equivalent to Lou Bogash, Johnny Wilson, Frank Moody and Jock Malone, to not point out quite a few battles with gentle heavyweights and even the massive males. Like all the greats of that point, Tiger was greater than prepared to combine it up with males a lot bigger and heavier.
In 1924 Flowers met fellow all-time nice and present middleweight champion Harry Greb. To the shock of many, Flowers bought the higher of it after ten rounds, although the one manner he might have acquired an official win was if he had knocked “The Smoke Metropolis Wildcat” mindless. As an alternative the title stayed with Greb although many thought he was lucky to not have misplaced it. Greb himself informed author B.W. Dickerson, “Flowers is the best boxer I ever confronted within the ring. He can beat heavyweight champion Jack Dempsey … He gave me a battle I’ll always remember and it confirmed me a whole lot of issues about boxing that I by no means knew earlier than.”
Spurred on by his capability to greater than maintain his personal with the world champion, Tiger persevered. He answered the bell an astonishing 31 occasions in 1925, beating the likes of Lou Bogash, Jock Malone, Frank Moody and Allentown Joe Gans. In February of 1926 and at New York’s Madison Sq. Backyard he bought his second probability at Greb, and this time he made probably the most of it, successful by unanimous determination. Flowers was the primary black American since Jack Johnson to win a world title, the primary ever to assert the middleweight championship.
He beat Greb within the rematch six months later although the choice this time was notably unpopular. This is able to show the ultimate battle of Greb’s profession as only a few months later the legendary “Pittsburgh Windmill” died on the working desk whereas present process minor surgical procedure to reverse facial injury sustained from his boxing profession.
Because the file guide states, Tiger Flowers misplaced his middleweight title to fellow all-time nice Mickey Walker lower than 4 months after the second Greb match, however it’s well-known that the choice in favour of “The Toy Bulldog” was extremely questionable, with many first-hand reviews declaring Flowers to be the sufferer of an egregious theft. Walker prevented a return bout whereas Tiger went about doing what he at all times did: preventing incessantly and piling up wins. A rematch with Walker was on the horizon when Flowers had surgical procedure carried out to take away scar tissue from round his eyes. Sadly, the previous champion suffered the identical destiny as his rival Greb the 12 months earlier than, dying on the working desk from unexpected issues.
“The Georgia Deacon” is thought to be each an all-time nice fighter and one of many most interesting southpaws to ever step via the ropes. He’s, and at all times will probably be, a real legend of the ring. — Robert Portis
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