| George Frederick Byers | |
| Nickname: | Budge |
| Weight: | Light heavyweight Heavyweight |
| Height: | 5feet |
| Nationality: | Canadian |
| Birth Date: | June 25, 1872 |
| Birth Place: | Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island |
| Death Place: | Boston, Massachusetts |
| Total: | 52 |
| Wins: | 20 |
| Ko: | 13 |
| Losses: | 8 (4 KO) |
| Draws: | 21 |
| No Contests: | 3 |
George Byers (June 25, 1872 – April 10, 1937) was a Canadian boxer who won the World Colored Middleweight Championship in 1897 and held the World Colored Heavyweight Championship from September 14, 1898, to March 16, 1901, a reign of 913 days. The 5′ 8½″ fought out of Boston from 1895 to 1904 at a weight of between 120 and 165 lbs., in many weight classes and frequently against men that were much larger than himself. On 9 December 1897 in Waterbury, Connecticut, he faced Harry Peppers in a title match for the World Colored Middleweight Championship.[1] Byers knocked out the undefeated Peppers, the Pacific Coast Middleweight Champion of the Pacific Coast in the 19th round of a 20-round contest.[2] He took up US citizenship in 1917[3] (subscription required)
Byers fought Frank Childs for the world colored heavyweight title on 14 September 1898 at the Lenox Athletic Club in New York City, winning on points in a 20-round bout. Childs continued to claim the title during Byers' reign, and fought former colored heavyweight champ Bob Armstrong on 4 March 1899 in Cincinnati, Ohio, in a fight announced as being for the title.
Byers next fought Childs, who was billing himself as the "black heavyweight title" holder, on 16 March at the Star Athletic Club in Chicago. Byers had put his colored heavyweight title on the line and emerged victorious, winning a decision in a six-round contest.
One year later, on 16 March 1901, Byers lost his title to Childs when the ex-champ KO-ed him in the 17th round of a 20-round title bout. They never fought again.
Byers racked up a record of 20 wins (17 by knock out) against seven losses (knocked out four times) and 20 draws.[4]
In 2020 award-winning author Mark Allen Baker published the first comprehensive account of The World Colored Heavyweight Championship, 1876-1937, with McFarland & Company, a leading independent publisher of academic & nonfiction books. This history traces the advent and demise of the Championship, the stories of the talented professional athletes who won it, and the demarcation of the color line both in and out of the ring.
For decades the World Colored Heavyweight Championship was a useful tool to combat racial oppression-the existence of the title a leverage mechanism, or tool, used as a technique to counter a social element, “drawing the color line.”
All information in this section is derived from BoxRec,[5] unless otherwise stated.
All newspaper decisions are officially regarded as “no decision” bouts and are not counted in the win/loss/draw column.
| Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round | Date | Location | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 52 | Draw | 20–7–20 | Charlie Haghey | PTS | 10 | May 3, 1904 | ||
| 51 | Win | 20–7–19 | Cyclone Robinson | KO | 1 (10) | Mar 21, 1904 | ||
| 50 | Win | 19–7–19 | Black Fitzsimmons | TKO | 8 (10) | Mar 14, 1904 | ||
| 49 | Win | 18–7–19 | Dick Moore | KO | 3 (12) | Jul 31, 1903 | ||
| 48 | Loss | 17–7–19 | Philadelphia Jack O'Brien | NWS | 6 | May 23, 1903 | ||
| 47 | Loss | 17–7–19 | Sandy Ferguson | PTS | 12 | Apr 8, 1903 | ||
| 46 | Draw | 17–6–19 | Charlie Haghey | PTS | 12 | Feb 23, 1903 | ||
| 45 | Draw | 17–6–18 | Sandy Ferguson | PTS | 8 | Jan 22, 1903 | ||
| 44 | Win | 17–6–17 | Mike Schalow | PTS | 6 | Dec 25, 1902 | ||
| 43 | Draw | 16–6–17 | Jack 'Twin' Sullivan | PTS | 6 | Dec 1, 1902 | ||
| 42 | Draw | 16–6–16 | Dick O'Brien | PTS | 10 | Oct 30, 1902 | ||
| 41 | Win | 16–6–15 | Charlie Haghey | PTS | 10 | May 9, 1902 | ||
| 40 | Win | 15–6–15 | J. Wightman | KO | 1 (10) | Apr 19, 1902 | ||
| 39 | Loss | 14–6–15 | Tom Carey | TKO | 13 (15) | Nov 28, 1901 | ||
| 38 | Loss | 14–5–15 | Billy Stift | PTS | 6 | Nov 9, 1901 | ||
| 37 | Draw | 14–4–15 | Mysterious Billy Smith | PTS | 15 | Aug 19, 1901 | ||
| 36 | Loss | 14–4–14 | Frank Childs | KO | 17 (20) | Mar 16, 1901 | ||
| 35 | Loss | 14–3–14 | Jack Root | KO | 9 (20) | Jan 18, 1901 | ||
| 34 | Win | 14–2–14 | Tim Draffin Murphy | PTS | 6 | Oct 30, 1900 | ||
| 33 | Draw | 13–2–14 | 'Wild' Bill Hanrahan | PTS | 15 | Aug 29, 1900 | ||
| 32 | Draw | 13–2–13 | Dick O'Brien | PTS | 15 | May 30, 1900 | ||
| 31 | NC | 13–2–12 | George Gardner | NC | 15 (15) | May 14, 1900 | ||
| 30 | Draw | 13–2–12 | Frank Childs | PTS | 6 | Mar 16, 1900 | ||
| 29 | Loss | 13–2–11 | George Gardner | DQ | 14 (15) | Feb 22, 1900 | ||
| 28 | Win | 13–1–11 | Martin Mulverhill | TKO | 2 (15) | Feb 12, 1900 | ||
| 27 | Draw | 12–1–11 | George Gardner | NWS | 15 | Feb 2, 1900 | ||
| 26 | Draw | 12–1–11 | Jim McCormick | PTS | 12 | Jan 11, 1900 | ||
| 25 | Draw | 12–1–10 | Dick O'Brien | PTS | 10 | Dec 28, 1899 | ||
| 24 | Win | 12–1–9 | Jack Burke | PTS | 10 | Nov 3, 1899 | ||
| 23 | Loss | 11–1–9 | Tommy West | KO | 7 (25) | Sep 4, 1899 | ||
| 22 | Draw | 11–0–9 | Australian Jim Ryan | PTS | 25 | Aug 12, 1899 | ||
| 21 | Win | 11–0–8 | Charley Strong | TKO | 9 (20) | Jul 24, 1899 | ||
| 20 | Draw | 10–0–8 | Billy Stift | PTS | 6 | Jun 16, 1899 | ||
| 19 | 10–0–7 | Dick O'Brien | NC | 3 | May 30, 1899 | |||
| 18 | Win | 10–0–7 | Jack Cattanach | TKO | 2 (10) | May 3, 1899 | ||
| 17 | Win | 9–0–7 | Charles Goff | TKO | 2 (20) | Apr 3, 1899 | ||
| 16 | Draw | 8–0–7 | Jack Bonner | PTS | 20 | Dec 13, 1898 | ||
| 15 | Win | 8–0–6 | Frank Childs | PTS | 20 | Sep 14, 1898 | ||
| 14 | 7–0–6 | Bob Armstrong | ND | ? | May 2, 1898 | |||
| 13 | Draw | 7–0–6 | Johnny Gorman | PTS | 8 | Apr 28, 1898 | ||
| 12 | Win | 7–0–5 | Harry Peppers | KO | 19 (20) | Dec 9, 1897 | ||
| 11 | Draw | 6–0–5 | Dan Murphy | PTS | 20 | Nov 11, 1897 | ||
| 10 | Draw | 6–0–4 | Charles Goff | PTS | 12 | Sep 23, 1897 | ||
| 9 | Draw | 6–0–3 | Dan Murphy | PTS | 15 | May 25, 1897 | ||
| 8 | Draw | 6–0–2 | Dan Murphy | PTS | 10 | Apr 5, 1897 | ||
| 7 | Win | 6–0–1 | Lon Beckwith | TKO | 5 (12) | Mar 24, 1897 | ||
| 6 | Win | 5–0–1 | James McNamara | KO | 3 (10) | Feb 25, 1897 | ||
| 5 | Win | 4–0–1 | Jack Boylan | KO | 2 (10) | Feb 17, 1897 | ||
| 4 | Win | 3–0–1 | Dan Carroll | TKO | 7 (10) | Dec 16, 1896 | ||
| 3 | Win | 2–0–1 | Charley Smith | PTS | 8 | Dec 1, 1895 | ||
| 2 | Win | 1–0–1 | Charley Gerrard | KO | 2 (8) | Nov 11, 1895 | ||
| 1 | Draw | 0–0–1 | Jack Colbert | PTS | 3 | Aug 23, 1895 | ||
Record with the inclusion of newspaper decisions in the win/loss/draw column.
| Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round, time | Date | Location | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 52 | Draw | 20–8–20 | Charlie Haghey | PTS | 10 | May 3, 1904 | ||
| 51 | Win | 20–8–19 | Cyclone Robinson | KO | 1 (10) | Mar 21, 1904 | ||
| 50 | Win | 19–8–19 | Black Fitzsimmons | TKO | 8 (10) | Mar 14, 1904 | ||
| 49 | Win | 18–8–19 | Dick Moore | KO | 3 (12) | Jul 31, 1903 | ||
| 48 | Loss | 17–8–19 | Philadelphia Jack O'Brien | NWS | 6 | May 23, 1903 | ||
| 47 | Loss | 17–7–19 | Sandy Ferguson | PTS | 12 | Apr 8, 1903 | ||
| 46 | Draw | 17–6–19 | Charlie Haghey | PTS | 12 | Feb 23, 1903 | ||
| 45 | Draw | 17–6–18 | Sandy Ferguson | PTS | 8 | Jan 22, 1903 | ||
| 44 | Win | 17–6–17 | Mike Schalow | PTS | 6 | Dec 25, 1902 | ||
| 43 | Draw | 16–6–17 | Jack 'Twin' Sullivan | PTS | 6 | Dec 1, 1902 | ||
| 42 | Draw | 16–6–16 | Dick O'Brien | PTS | 10 | Oct 30, 1902 | ||
| 41 | Win | 16–6–15 | Charlie Haghey | PTS | 10 | May 9, 1902 | ||
| 40 | Win | 15–6–15 | J. Wightman | KO | 1 (10) | Apr 19, 1902 | ||
| 39 | Loss | 14–6–15 | Tom Carey | TKO | 13 (15) | Nov 28, 1901 | ||
| 38 | Loss | 14–5–15 | Billy Stift | PTS | 6 | Nov 9, 1901 | ||
| 37 | Draw | 14–4–15 | Mysterious Billy Smith | PTS | 15 | Aug 19, 1901 | ||
| 36 | Loss | 14–4–14 | Frank Childs | KO | 17 (20) | Mar 16, 1901 | ||
| 35 | Loss | 14–3–14 | Jack Root | KO | 9 (20) | Jan 18, 1901 | ||
| 34 | Win | 14–2–14 | Tim Draffin Murphy | PTS | 6 | Oct 30, 1900 | ||
| 33 | Draw | 13–2–14 | 'Wild' Bill Hanrahan | PTS | 15 | Aug 29, 1900 | ||
| 32 | Draw | 13–2–13 | Dick O'Brien | PTS | 15 | May 30, 1900 | ||
| 31 | NC | 13–2–12 | George Gardner | NC | 15 (15) | May 14, 1900 | ||
| 30 | Draw | 13–2–12 | Frank Childs | PTS | 6 | Mar 16, 1900 | ||
| 29 | Loss | 13–2–12 | George Gardner | DQ | 14 (15) | Feb 22, 1900 | ||
| 28 | Win | 13–1–12 | Martin Mulverhill | TKO | 2 (15) | Feb 12, 1900 | ||
| 27 | Draw | 12–1–12 | George Gardner | NWS | 15 | Feb 2, 1900 | ||
| 26 | Draw | 12–1–11 | Jim McCormick | PTS | 12 | Jan 11, 1900 | ||
| 25 | Draw | 12–1–10 | Dick O'Brien | PTS | 10 | Dec 28, 1899 | ||
| 24 | Win | 12–1–9 | Jack Burke | PTS | 10 | Nov 3, 1899 | ||
| 23 | Loss | 11–1–9 | Tommy West | KO | 7 (25) | Sep 4, 1899 | ||
| 22 | Draw | 11–0–9 | Australian Jim Ryan | PTS | 25 | Aug 12, 1899 | ||
| 21 | Win | 11–0–8 | Charley Strong | TKO | 9 (20) | Jul 24, 1899 | ||
| 20 | Draw | 10–0–8 | Billy Stift | PTS | 6 | Jun 16, 1899 | ||
| 19 | 10–0–7 | Dick O'Brien | NC | 3 | May 30, 1899 | |||
| 18 | Win | 10–0–7 | Jack Cattanach | TKO | 2 (10) | May 3, 1899 | ||
| 17 | Win | 9–0–7 | Charles Goff | TKO | 2 (20) | Apr 3, 1899 | ||
| 16 | Draw | 8–0–7 | Jack Bonner | PTS | 20 | Dec 13, 1898 | ||
| 15 | Win | 8–0–6 | Frank Childs | PTS | 20 | Sep 14, 1898 | ||
| 14 | 7–0–6 | Bob Armstrong | ND | ? | May 2, 1898 | |||
| 13 | Draw | 7–0–6 | Johnny Gorman | PTS | 8 | Apr 28, 1898 | ||
| 12 | Win | 7–0–5 | Harry Peppers | KO | 19 (20) | Dec 9, 1897 | ||
| 11 | Draw | 6–0–5 | Dan Murphy | PTS | 20 | Nov 11, 1897 | ||
| 10 | Draw | 6–0–4 | Charles Goff | PTS | 12 | Sep 23, 1897 | ||
| 9 | Draw | 6–0–3 | Dan Murphy | PTS | 15 | May 25, 1897 | ||
| 8 | Draw | 6–0–2 | Dan Murphy | PTS | 10 | Apr 5, 1897 | ||
| 7 | Win | 6–0–1 | Lon Beckwith | TKO | 5 (12) | Mar 24, 1897 | ||
| 6 | Win | 5–0–1 | James McNamara | KO | 3 (10) | Feb 25, 1897 | ||
| 5 | Win | 4–0–1 | Jack Boylan | KO | 2 (10) | Feb 17, 1897 | ||
| 4 | Win | 3–0–1 | Dan Carroll | TKO | 7 (10) | Dec 16, 1896 | ||
| 3 | Win | 2–0–1 | Charley Smith | PTS | 8 | Dec 1, 1895 | ||
| 2 | Win | 1–0–1 | Charley Gerrard | KO | 2 (8) | Nov 11, 1895 | ||
| 1 | Draw | 0–0–1 | Jack Colbert | PTS | 3 | Aug 23, 1895 | ||