Bob Fitzsimmons

Robert Fitzsimmons
Fitzsimmons in 1891
Personal information
Nicknames
  • Bob
  • Ruby Rob
  • The Freckled Wonder
  • The Fighting Blacksmith
BornRobert James Fitzsimmons
(1863-05-26)26 May 1863
Helston, Cornwall, England
Died22 October 1917(1917-10-22) (aged 54)
Chicago, United States
Height5 ft 11+12 in (182 cm)
Weight
Boxing career
Reach71+12 in (182 cm)
StanceOrthodox
Boxing record
Total fights101
Wins69
Win by KO57
Losses12
Draws14
No contests6

Robert James Fitzsimmons (26 May 1863 – 22 October 1917) was a Cornish professional boxer who was the sport's first three-division world champion. He achieved fame for beating "Gentleman Jim" Corbett (the man who beat John L. Sullivan), and he is in The Guinness Book of World Records as the lightest heavyweight champion, weighing just 167 pounds when he won the title. Nicknamed Ruby Robert and The Freckled Wonder, he took pride in his lack of scars and appeared in the ring wearing heavy woollen underwear to conceal the disparity between his trunk and leg-development.

After defeating George Gardiner for the world light-heavyweight title on November 25, 1903, Fitzsimmons became the oldest champion at 40, a record that lasted until George Foreman's 1994 WBA heavyweight title win. Considered one of the hardest punchers in boxing history, Fitzsimmons is ranked No. 8 on The Ring magazine's list of 100 greatest punchers of all time. Boxing writer and founder of The Ring magazine, Nat Fleischer, ranked Fitzsimmons the third greatest heavyweight of all time and regarded him as the greatest pound for pound knockout puncher in boxing history.