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Joe GossEnglish boxer.
Date of Birth: 05.11.1838
Country:  Great Britain |
Content:
Biography of Joe Goss
Joe Goss, an English boxer, was born on November 5, 1838, in Northampton, England. Despite weighing rarely more than 160 pounds (around 72 kg), the smart and aggressive Goss consistently fought opponents larger and heavier than himself.
Boxing Career
Goss' boxing career began at the age of 20 when he emerged victorious in a 90-minute match against a boxer named George Hares. He remained undefeated until his defeat by Jem Mace, an Englishman whose name would later be immortalized in the International Boxing Hall of Fame, in a 19-round fight lasting 1 hour and 55 minutes in London on September 1, 1863. Goss would challenge Mace twice more, whom he considered his "arch-nemesis," including in the championship of 1866, but without success.
In 1876, Goss vied for the world champion title after defeating Tom Allen, an Englishman, in a 21-round fight. On May 30, 1880, Joe Goss faced Paddy Ryan in a match in Collier's Station, West Virginia. Unable to continue the fight, the championship bout was stopped after an hour and a half in the 87th round. Shortly after, Goss accepted an offer for a series of matches with John Lawrence Sullivan until his retirement in 1882. In the fight where John Sullivan won the title against Paddy Ryan, Goss was in Sullivan's corner.
Joe Goss passed away on March 24, 1885, in Boston, Massachusetts, at the age of 46.
Arrival in America and Boxing Career
By the time Joe Goss arrived in America, he was already 38 years old, but he traveled in good company as he came to the States under contract with the Howe and Cushing circus. He had not stepped into the ring for almost eight years. Until then, his career consisted of ten fights, of which he won six, had two draws, and suffered two losses. However, he had a likable personality, and his candidacy was endorsed by Jem Mace, often referred to as the father of modern sport, so he pursued Tom Allen in America. It was likely the longest series of fights between two opponents in the history of modern boxing - Goss and Allen fought each other for about nine years. Goss arrived on April 15, 1876, and spent the spring and summer traveling with the circus across the country. Most of the time, Goss sparred with renowned wrestler William Miller and occasionally with Johnny Dwyer. In 2003, Joe Goss was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in the "Pioneers of Boxing" category.
