HAMMERIN HANK OBITUARY
Henry Armstrong Held 126, 135 & 147 belts at same time.
Capitola, CA–Henry Armstrong, the only fighter to hold three weight division titles simultaneously, died of heart failure in Los Angeles (October 23, 1988). The 75-year-old boxing legend has been in a state of deteriorating health over the past year and was afflicted by such ailments as infections, malnutrition, anemia, pneumonia, dehydration and poor vision. He also suffered from dementia according to his physician.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS WILL NEVER BE MATCHED
Between 1937 and 1938, Hammerin Hank Armstrong won three (undisputed) world titles-featherweight (126 lbs.), lightweight (135) and welterweight (147) and holding them all at the same time.
TRIPLE TITLE WIN CHRONOLOGY
The historic triple-crown run began when Armstrong stopped Petey Sarron in six, winning the World featherweight title on October 29, 1937. Next he bypassed the lightweight crown and captured the World welterweight
title with a fifteen round decision win over another boxing legend Barney Ross on May 31, 1938. To complete his landmark accomplishment, Hammerin Hank doubled back and defeated World lightweight champion Lou Ambers in fifteen on August 17, 1938.
FOUGHT FOR FOURTH TITLE AT MIDDLEWEIGHT
The following November, he relinquished his featherweight crown ending his triple-title reign. On August 22, 1939, he lost his lightweight title in a rematch with former titlist Ambers. Armstrong fought for a fourth world championship, but that ended in a ten round draw with World middleweight (160) champion Ceferino Garcia on March 1, 1940. Hank lost his remaining welterweight title to Fritzie Zivic on October 4, 1940.
HALL OF FAME NOT NEARLY ENOUGH FOR HANK
Also known as Homicide Hank, Armstrong last fought on February 14, 1945, losing a ten round decision to Chester Slider in Oakland, CA. He was stopped twice, in his 1931 professional debut and in 1941 by welterweight champion Fritzie Zivic. Hanks ring record stands at 152-21-8 with 100 KOs. His triple crown run remains untouchable.
Virgil Thrasher
Boxing Update Magazine
November 10, 1988
Note: This is an article pulled from the Boxing Update/Flash magazine archives of Virgil Thrasher. Being the boxing trade papers of their day, Thrasher, an accomplished musician, would as publisher write an article here and there. We thank him for his many contributions to boxing. Comments regarding this story can be left below.
GREATEST EVER HENRY ARMSTRONG REMEMBERED