Search Results - Robert Fitzsimmons

Bob Fitzsimmons

Robert James Fitzsimmons (26 May 1863 – 22 October 1917) was a Cornish professional boxer who was the sport's first three-division world champion. He achieved fame for beating "Gentleman Jim" Corbett (the man who beat John L. Sullivan), and he is in ''The Guinness Book of World Records'' as the lightest heavyweight champion, weighing just 167 pounds when he won the title. Nicknamed Ruby Robert and The Freckled Wonder, he took pride in his lack of scars and appeared in the ring wearing heavy woollen underwear to conceal the disparity between his trunk and leg-development.

After defeating George Gardiner for the world light-heavyweight title on November 25, 1903, Fitzsimmons became the oldest champion at 40, a record that lasted until George Foreman's 1994 WBA heavyweight title win. Considered one of the hardest punchers in boxing history, Fitzsimmons is ranked No. 8 on ''The Ring'' magazine's list of 100 greatest punchers of all time. Boxing writer and founder of ''The Ring'' magazine, Nat Fleischer, ranked Fitzsimmons the third greatest heavyweight of all time and regarded him as the greatest pound for pound knockout puncher in boxing history. Provided by Wikipedia