Vintage Snapshots of Boxers From the Early 20th Century

By | December 29, 2016

Boxing has been included in the Olympic Games program since 1904. For centuries people used their fists to resolve disputes before someone thought of organizing such fights as entertainment.

The competition is divided into a specified number of rounds, usually 3 minutes long, with 1-minute rest periods between rounds. Although amateur boxing is widespread, professional boxing has flourished on an even grander scale since the early 18th century.

These are some of vintage photos of boxers from between the 1900s and 1920s.

Boxer George (Knockout) Brown of Chicago with autograph, ca. early 1900s
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Boxer George (Knockout) Brown of Chicago with autograph, ca. early 1900s
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Boxer Harry Tracy, ca. 1900-08
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Jack Johnson boxing Frank Moran, spectators in background, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 1909
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James Jeffries and Sam Berge sparring in the boxing ring, 1909
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French boxer Charles 'Little Apache' Ledoux and Frank Fleming, 1910
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French boxer Charles 'Little Apache' Ledoux, 1910
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South African boxer Fred Storbeck, 1910
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Bombardier Billy Wells, English boxer, preparing for a fight with Al Panzer, 1912
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7 Boxer Charley White, ca. 1910s
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7 Boxer Charley White, ca. 1910s
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7 Boxer Charley White, ca. 1910s
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7 Boxer Charley White, ca. 1910s
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7 Boxer Charley White, ca. 1910s
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Boxers and referee in outdoor boxing ring, 1919
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A boxer practicing his boxing moves at the Washington DC barracks, 1924
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American boxer Johnny Ray posing for pictures during a photo shoot, 1920
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American boxer Johnny Ray posing for pictures during a photo shoot, 1920
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Argentinian boxer Luis Firpo, ca. 1920s
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Boxing champion Jack Dempsey in the late 1920s
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Boxing champion Jack Dempsey in the late 1920s
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H/T Vintag.es