Young Griffo

Young Griffo
Statistics
Real name	Albert Griffiths
Nickname(s)	Australian Will O' The Wisp
Rated at	featherweight
Height	5 ft 4 in (1.63 m)
Reach	68 in (173 cm)
Nationality	Australia
Born	(1871-01-01)1 January 1871 Millers Point, Sydney
Died	10 December 1927(1927-12-10) (aged 56) New York, New York
Boxing record
Total fights	306
Wins	105
Wins by KO	33
Losses	12
Draws	73
No contests	39

Albert Griffiths (1 January 1871 in Millers Point, Sydney, Australia – 10 December 1927), better known as Young Griffo, was a world featherweight boxing champion. The Ring Magazine founder Nat Fleischer rated Griffo as the #8 featherweight of all-time.^[1] He was inducted into the Ring Magazine Hall of Fame in 1954, the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1991, and the Australian National Boxing Hall of Fame in 2003.^[1]

Professional career

Griffo turned pro in 1886 and fought primarily in his home land of Australia. He held the Australian featherweight title for many years, and in 1890 challenged Torpedo Billy Murphy for the World Featherweight Title and won in the 15th round after Murphy retired. He defended the title four times before vacating it to fight at a higher weight. His last bout was in 1904.

In a tribute to Griffo, Tommy Sullivan wrote in the 6 March 1916 Tacoma Daily News:

Not known as much of a puncher, but his skill was uncanny. He had wonderful headwork, almost inpenetrable defense, dazzling feints, and rapid two-handed methods of attack. The cleverest boxers and hardest punchers were made to look ridiculous when exchanging swats with him. He had a dislike of training and was deemed lazy. There were times he got drunk before a match [such as the Ike Weir and Tommy Tracy bouts].^[1]

Film

He appeared as himself in the 1895 lost short Young Griffo vs. Battling Charles Barnett, which at least one source claims is the first film shown for profit.^[2]

References

External links

• Professional boxing record for Young Griffo from BoxRec
• Griffo: his life story and record / told by Jack Read (1926?)
• Young Griffo: the will o'wisp of the roped square / Nat Fleischer (1928)
• "Ring History of the Near-Champions: Young Griffo", National Police Gazette (New York: Richard K. Fox Publishing Co.) CXX (23325), 4 March 1922: 7, retrieved 24 April 2013 
• Pictures held and digitised as part of the Arnold Thomas boxing collection by the National Library of Australia:
  • Albert Griffiths "Griffo", Feather Champion of the World, c1890
  • Albert Griffiths, 1893?
  • Albert Griffiths, c1927 "shortly before his death"