Editing Sam Langford (section)

== Significant fights ==
[[Image: Jack Johnson boxer.jpg|thumb|left|upright|[[Jack Johnson (boxer)|Jack Johnson]], the first African American, world heavyweight champion, defeated Langford but refused to offer him a rematch, circa 1910–1915.]]

Langford's most memorable fights were his numerous encounters against fellow Black boxers [[Sam McVey]], [[Battling Jim Johnson]], [[Joe Jeanette]] and [[Harry Wills]], who all experienced similar barriers in their fighting careers.

Langford defeated World [[Lightweight]] Champion [[Joe Gans]] on December 8, 1903, via a 15-round [[Majority decision|decision]]. Gans' title was not on the line, however. The two would later become good friends. Langford considered Gans the pound-for-pound greatest fighter of all time.

He fought [[Jack Blackburn]], trainer of the legendary [[Joe Louis]], six times. The first three fights were draws, the fourth a decision win for Langford, the fifth another draw and the sixth a no contest.

Although Langford is often credited as the greatest fighter to never challenge for a world title, he fought World [[Welterweight]] Champion [[Barbados Joe Walcott]] on September 5, 1904, for his title. The fight resulted in a draw via decision, thus Walcott retained his title. However, reports of the fight say Langford clearly outpointed the champion. Langford kept Walcott at a distance with his longer reach and used his footwork to evade all of Walcott's attacks. Langford landed lefts and rights to the jaw so effectively, Walcott was bleeding by round two and continued bleeding more after every round. Walcott was brought on one knee in the third round and the fight ended with hardly a scratch on Langford.

In 1912, Langford was one of the contenders for the [[World Colored Heavyweight Championship]] fought at various venues across [[Australia]]. [[Sam McVey]] his opponent, McVey ranked alongside [[Jack Johnson (boxer)|Jack Johnson]], [[Joe Jeanette]], Sam Langford, and [[Harry Wills]] as the top black heavyweights of their generation. Prior to his win, Langford stayed at the Nedlands Park Hotel where he:

{{Blockquote|gave exhibitions of punching the ball, throwing the medicine bag sparring, etc. His work was a revelation. Langford allowed his sparring partners to hit him just when and where they pleased. After witnessing his exhibition of wonderful foot and head work one could easily understand how the big-little fellow came to lay low the best boxers in the world. Langford is as fast on his feet and as graceful as a ballet dancer. He carries a punch like unto that of a kick of a mule, and is practically impervious to punishment. Dick Cullen hit him some terrific punches on the chin last Wednesday – punches that would have put the ordinary boxer away for the full count, but the Tar Baby only grinned and shoved out his head for more. He is truly a remarkable fighter.<ref>The West Australian (Perth, WA: 1879–1954), Thursday 3 October 1912 pg 4</ref>}}

Langford fought various contenders throughout his career. He fought welterweight [[Young Peter Jackson (boxer, born 1877)|Young Peter Jackson]] six times, winning the first two by decision, the third was a draw via points, losing the fourth by [[Knockout|technical knockout]] and winning the fifth and sixth bouts again by decision. Their bout on November 12, 1907, at the Pacific Athletic Club in [[Los Angeles]] was billed as being for the [[World Colored Middleweight Championship]] (158&nbsp; lbs.). Langford won the title by besting Jackson on points in the 20-round bout.

[[File:Sam Langford vs. Joe Jeanette.jpg|upright=1.5|right|thumb|300px|Langford vs. [[Joe Jeanette]], boxing match, at [[Luna Park, Paris|Luna Park]], in Paris, France, in 1913]]

Langford fought [[heavyweight]] [[Joe Jeanette]] fourteen times, losing the first by eighth-round retirement, winning second by decision, third and fourth were a draw via points, winning the fifth through eighth by decision, ninth was a [[Tie (draw)|draw]] via points, winning the tenth on the decision, eleventh was a draw via points, lost the twelfth by decision and winning the thirteenth by seventh-round [[Knockout|knock out]] and fourteenth by decision (total: 8 wins (1 [[Knockout|KO]]), 2 losses (1 RT and 1 PTS) and 4 draws).

He fought future World Heavyweight Champion [[Jack Johnson (boxer)|Jack Johnson]] on April 26, 1906, losing by a fifteenth-round decision. Johnson was 29 pounds heavier than Langford. Langford took severe punishment and was knocked down 3 times; however, he lasted the 15 round distance.<ref>"LANGFORD LOSES IN GAME FIGHT", ''The Boston Journal'', April 27, 1906, pg. 9.</ref> After winning their first match, Johnson repeatedly refused rematches against Langford, who was considered by some to be the most dangerous challenger for Johnson's crown, although Johnson cited Langford's inability to meet his $30,000 appearance fee.

Langford fought heavyweight [[Fireman Jim Flynn]] six times, winning the first by first-round knockout, losing the second by decision, winning the third by eighth-round knockout, winning the fourth by decision, winning the fifth by third-round knockout, and winning the sixth by decision.

Winner of the [[World Colored Middleweight Championship]] in 1907 when he beat [[Young Peter Jackson (boxer, born 1877)|Young Peter Jackson]], he fought World [[Middleweight]] Champion [[Stanley Ketchel]] on April 27, 1910, in a six-round non-title fight, a [[no-decision]] draw.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/sam-langford | title=Sam Langford profile|website=thecanadianencyclopedia.ca|accessdate=July 22, 2023 }}</ref> A longer rematch bout was rumoured but never happened due to Ketchell's murder six months later.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.blackpast.org/global-african-history/perspectives-global-african-history/sam-langford-history-s-forgotten-boxer/ | title=Sam Langford: History's Forgotten Boxer | date=May 14, 2008 }}</ref>

Langford fought heavyweight [[Battling Jim Johnson]] twelve times, winning the first three by decision, fourth and fifth were a draw via points, winning the sixth and seventh on points, eighth by twelfth-round knockout, ninth through eleventh by points, and drawing in the twelfth via points (total: 9 wins (1 KO), 0 losses and 3 draws). Johnson was always heavier than Langford by 26–40 pounds.

Langford fought heavyweight [[Sam McVea]] fifteen times, drawing in the first via points, losing the second by decision, winning the third and fourth by decision, winning the fifth by [[technical knockout]] (McVea claimed a foul; this was not allowed and he refused to continue), winning the sixth by thirteenth-round knockout, seventh was a draw via points, losing the eighth by decision, ninth through eleventh were draws via points, winning the twelfth by decision, thirteenth and fourteenth were draws via decision and winning the fifteenth by decision (total: 6 wins (2 KO), 2 losses (0 KO) and 7 draws). Langford was 37 years old in the final bout.

Langford defeated former World [[Light Heavyweight]] Champion [[Philadelphia Jack O'Brien]] on August 15, 1911, by fifth-round technical knockout. Langford outweighed O'Brien by ten pounds. The fight was stopped after a hard [[Hook (boxing)|left hook]] put O'Brien on the canvas. O'Brien had to be helped to his corner. The poetic O'Brien later said of Langford, "When he appeared upon the scene of combat, you knew you were cooked."

Langford fought heavyweight [[Gunboat Smith]] twice, losing the first by decision (many ring siders were surprised) and winning the second by third-round knockout.

Langford fought heavyweight [[Harry Wills]] seventeen times. Langford was 31 in the first bout and continued to suffer from old age and failing eyesight more and more each fight. The first was a draw via points, the second a win via fourteenth-round knockout, the third and fourth losses via decision, the fifth a win via nineteenth-round knockout, the sixth through ninth losses via decision, the tenth a draw via points, the eleventh a loss via sixth-round knockout and the twelfth by seventh-round technical knockout, the thirteenth through seventeenth by decision (total: 2 wins (2 KO), 14 losses (2 KO) and 2 draws).

Former World Heavyweight Champion [[Tommy Burns (Canadian boxer)|Tommy Burns]] was a referee in the third fight. At the end, he caught Langford's hand and said to him, "Sam, this is the hardest I ever had to do in my life. I always admired you and never thought to see you beaten, but I have to give the decision against you."