Tiger Flowers

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Theodore Flowers (born August 5, 1895 in Camilla, Georgia) became the first African-American middleweight champion, defeating Harry Greb in 1926. Known as "Tiger", he began boxing professionally in 1907 at the age of 19 while working at a Philadelphia shipbuilding plant. Nicknamed the "Georgia Deacon", he was a devoutly religious man who would recite a passage from Psalm 144 before every bout.

[edit] Professional Career

During his career, Flowers would meet many high caliber fighters, including Sam Langford, Kid Norfolk, Jamaica Kid, and Mickey Walker. In 1924, Tiger was rated the number one contender to Greb's title by Ring Magazine. Flowers earned a shot at Harry Greb after losing a questionable decision to lightheavyweight champion Mike McTigue.

On February 26, 1926, before a crowd of 16,311 at Madison Square Garden, Flowers dethroned Greb by unanimous decision, and would repeat the victory in August. Tiger's next bout came against Mickey Walker in Chicago. Flowers would dominate the bout but would lose a controversial decision in the eyes of many, which would later be investigated by the Illinois Athletic Commission, but the decision would not be overturned.

While trying to obtain a rematch with Walker, Flowers was hospitalized in November 1927 to have surgery to remove scar tissue from around his eyes. Complications from the surgery resulted in the tragic passing of Tiger Flowers on November 16, 1927, reminiscent of the surgery that caused the death of Greb the year before.

Flowers has been inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame (1993) and the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame (1976)