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Born Arnold Raymond Cream, he
was raised with eleven brothers and sisters in
Merchantville, New Jersey. After the death of his
father (when he was fourteen), he began working in a
soup factory to support his family; at this time he
also began training as a boxer. In 1930 he started
his professional career as a lightweight, quickly
taking the name, “Jersey Joe Walcott’” in honor of
Joe Walcott, a well-known Barbadian welterweight
champion.
He became the light-heavy weight champion of south Jersey by
knocking out Al King in 1933; yet Walcott fought in
obscurity for nearly fifteen years. In 1945, after a
two-year stint working in the Camden shipyards,
Walcott returned to the ring. He then won 11 of 14
bouts, including 7 by knockout, and on December 5,
1947 he fought a heavyweight bout against champion
Joe Louis. Walcott knocked Louis down twice, but
lost in a split decision. The decision was appealed
unsuccessfully, they fought again with Walcott
knocking Louis down, but Louis knocked him out in
the eleventh round.
After Louis’ retirement, Walcott fought Ezzard Charles three
times for the heavyweight championship. He lost the
first two and won the third, becoming the oldest man
to hold the title until that time. He lost his title
in 1952 to Rocky Marciano. After retirement, Walcott
worked as a fight referee and had an acting part in
the 1956 film The Harder They Fall. He became a
sheriff in Camden in 1972 and was on the New Jersey
State Athletic Commission in 1975. Jersey Joe
Walcott died of complications of diabetes in 1994.
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Boxing Album: An Illustrated History
by Peter Brooke Bell
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