Boxing Quiz

Question: Who was the first light heavyweight champion to defeat a heavyweight champion?

Answer: Michael Spinks began his professional career in 1977 and in 1981 won his first title fight—a 15-round decision over Eddie Mustafa Muhammad for the World Boxing Association light heavyweight crown. He successfully defended the title five times before earning the vacant world title by winning a 15-round decision over Dwight Muhammad Qawi in 1983. Spinks won four more title-defense bouts. He then gained 25 pounds and in September 1985 became the first reigning light heavyweight champion to topple a heavyweight champion when he won a 15-round decision over Larry Holmes for the International Boxing Federation title.

Question: Who is considered the first heavyweight boxing champion?

Answer: James Figg of England is considered the first heavyweight champion in boxing history, although weight divisions were not established until long after the early 18th century, when he rose to fame.

Question: What popular bare-knuckle fighter was known as “the Boston Strong Boy”?

Answer: John L. Sullivan, one of the most popular heavyweight champions and a symbol of the bare-knuckle era of boxing, was known as “the Boston Strong Boy.”

Question: Who led the movement that came to be called “scientific boxing”?

Answer: James Corbett, commonly known as “Gentleman Jim,” was the world heavyweight boxing champion from September 7, 1892, until March 17, 1897. Corbett was a quick and agile boxer, and he led the movement toward what came to be called scientific boxing.

Question: Who was world heavyweight champion from 1952 to 1956, when he retired undefeated in 49 fights?

Answer: Rocky Marciano, known as the “Brockton Blockbuster,” was world heavyweight boxing champion from September 23, 1952, when he knocked out champion Jersey Joe Walcott in 13 rounds in Philadelphia, to April 27, 1956, when he retired from the ring.

Question: Who claimed to “float like a butterfly, sting like a bee”?

Answer: Among Muhammad Ali’s many famous quotes was his claim to “float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.”

Question: Who became, in 1986, the youngest person ever to win the heavyweight boxing championship?

Answer: On November 22, 1986, Mike Tyson became, at age 20, the youngest heavyweight champion in history, with a second-round knockout of Trevor Berbick to claim the crown of the World Boxing Council.

Question: Who among these professional American boxers was the first to win the world heavyweight championship three times?

Answer: Muhammad Ali (original name Cassius Marcellus Clay) was the first fighter to win the world heavyweight championship on three separate occasions. He successfully defended this title 19 times.

Question: Who became, in 1994, the oldest man to win the world heavyweight boxing championship?

Answer: George Foreman was twice the world heavyweight champion (1973–74, 1994–95). When Foreman regained the heavyweight title in 1994, at age 45, he became the oldest world heavyweight champion.

Question: What boxing punch consists of an upward blow delivered from the direction of the toes?

Answer: In boxing, there are four basic punches: the jab, hook, uppercut, and straight right (straight left for a left-hander), which is sometimes referred to as a “cross.” The uppercut is an upward blow delivered from the direction of the toes with either hand.

Question: Who was known as “the Brown Bomber”?

Answer: Joe Louis, known as “the Brown Bomber,” was world heavyweight champion from June 22, 1937, when he knocked out James J. Braddock in eight rounds in Chicago, until March 1, 1949.

Question: Who is recognized as the “Father of Boxing,” because he invented precursors to modern boxing gloves and developed the first set of modern boxing rules?

Answer: Recognized as the “Father of Boxing,” Jack Broughton, England’s third heavyweight boxing champion, is credited with taking the first steps toward boxing’s acceptance as a more respectable athletic endeavour than it had been. In 1743 he formulated of the first set of boxing rules, and he invented “mufflers,” the precursors of modern boxing gloves.

Question: Who was the first African American to hold the world heavyweight boxing championship?

Answer: Jack Johnson was the first African American to hold the heavyweight boxing championship of the world.

Question: Who was the first European to win the world heavyweight boxing title?

Answer: Max Schmeling became the first European to wear the world heavyweight title on June 12, 1930, when he defeated Jack Sharkey by disqualification. Schmeling was from Germany.

Question: Which Academy Award-winning film documents the “Rumble in the Jungle,” in which Muhammad Ali knocked out George Foreman in Kinshasa, Zaire?

Answer: An Academy Award-winning film, When We Were Kings (1996), documents the fight between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman that took place on October 30, 1974, in Kinshasa, Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo). It was promoted as the “Rumble in the Jungle.” Ali knocked out Foreman in the 8th round to become the heavyweight boxing champion of the world.