June 27, 1890 – A milestone in sports history occurred in the 19th-century boxing arena. Canadian boxer George Dixon became the first black world champion when he won in a decision over British bantamweight champion Edwin “Nunc” Wallace in 18 rounds in London, England. “Little Chocolate” as he was known is considered one of the best fighters in the history of the bantamweight and featherweight divisions.
It was later in that year he gave up the title, after just one successful defense. George had a plan though as he subsequently fought as a featherweight and then held the championship of that weight class from July 28, 1891, when he KO’d Abe Willis of Australia all the way to losing the belt on October 4, 1897, when he lost a 20-round decision to Solly Smith.
To find more great daily sports history make sure to check out the Sports Jersey Dispatch and Pigskin Dispatch.
More From Sports History Network
The Anatomy of a Perfect Long Run: Fuelling, Pacing, and Recovery Windows
Photo sourced via Pexels.com – Credit Kaan Durmus The long run is where good
Reliving the 1975 Los Angeles Rams Season
The Cleveland Rams joined the NFL in 1937 and won the NFL Championship in
Could the Heartland Support Another Women’s Professional Basketball League? (Part 2)
Last time, we explored a simple question. What if another women’s professional basketball league
My Book 10-Year Anniversary (NFL in the 1970s)
In 2008, I decided to write a book. I wanted this book to be
How Premier League football has become a hit with US fans
Manchester City’s 2-1 win over Arsenal in April 2026 became the most-watched Premier League
Every Generation Thinks It Has Finally Cleaned Up The Game
Eight Chicago White Sox players threw the 1919 World Series, and baseball responded by
NBA Gambling Scandal Timeline: Every Case, 1951–2026
Every major NBA gambling scandal has followed the same sequence: unusual money moves, someone
Top 10 Overall Number One Draft Picks – NBA and ABA
Welcome to the Total Sports Recall podcast as on this episode we move to