This Day in History: Theodore “Tiger” Flowers, First Black World Middleweight Champion, Born in 1895

by

Former African American World Middleweight boxer champion Theodore 'Tiger' Flowers shortly before he underwent an operation to remove scar tissue from his eyes, from which he died, in Atlanta, Nov. 1, 1927. (AP Photo)
Reading Time: < 1 minute

Boxer Theodore “Tiger” Flowers was born on August 5, 1895, in Georgia. Flowers made history as the first Black boxer to win the world middleweight championship.

He started his boxing career at age 23 and quickly became known for both his impressive fighting skills and his deep religious faith.

Outside the ring, Flowers was a deacon at his church, becoming a prominent figure in Atlanta. Flowers’ career was brief but impactful. He passed away at the age of 32 during surgery to remove scar tissue from around his eyes.

In 1993, he was posthumously inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.


Click play to listen to the AURN News report from Clay Cane. Follow @claycane & @aurnonline for more.

AURN Podcast Network


advanced divider
advanced divider
Advertisement