Georges Carpentier

Template:Short description Template:Infobox boxer Georges Carpentier (Template:IPA; 12 January 1894 – 28 October 1975) was a French boxer, actor and World War I pilot.<ref name=obit/> A precocious pugilist, Carpentier fought in numerous categories. He fought mainly as a light heavyweight and heavyweight in a career lasting from 1908 to 1926. A French professional champion on several occasions, he became the European heavyweight champion before the First World War. A sergeant aviator during the Great War, he was wounded before returning to civilian life. He then discovered rugby union, playing as a winger.

On his return to the ring in 1919, "le grand Georges" ("the great Georges" in English) he was celebrated as a symbol of a sporting powerhouse France, via performances in Great Britain and the United States of America. His knockout victory over Battling Levinsky on 12 October 1920 in Jersey City in the United States earned him the title of world champion. A defeat by Jack Dempsey the following year nevertheless strengthened his legend and brought him worldwide fame. This defeat marked the decline of his career, punctuated by the controversial loss of his titles to Battling Siki.

Nicknamed the "Orchid Man",<ref name=Register/> he stood Template:Convert and his fighting weight ranged from Template:Convert.<ref name=Register/>

Later notable performances included a defeat by Gene Tunney. Carpentier ended his career in 1926, but remained a leading figure in French boxing. Appointed ambassador for French sport abroad after the Second World War, in which he took part in the French Air Force, Carpentier died of a heart attack in 1975. A decade after his death, the Parisian Sports Arena in the 13th arrondissement of Paris was renamed Halle Georges-Carpentier after him. Along with Marcel Cerdan, he remains one of France's best boxers.

Biography

Template:More citations needed Born in Liévin in Pas-de-Calais, Carpentier began his career by progressing up through the weight divisions, fighting in every division from welterweight upwards. After making his first professional bout at age 14, he was welterweight champion of France and of Europe in 1911, middleweight champion of Europe in 1912, and light heavyweight champion of Europe in 1913. On 1 June 1913, he beat "Bombardier" Billy Wells in Ghent, Belgium to become heavyweight champion of Europe. He defended his title in December against Wells, in January 1914 against Pat O'Keeffe and in London on 16 July he beat Ed "Gunboat" Smith to add the "White Heavyweight Champion of the World" to his European title. The white heavyweight title bout sported a purse worth £9,000 (equivalent to approximately £Template:Inflation todayTemplate:Inflation-fn).

Carpentier was also a referee during the early stages of his career, supervising a number of fights including the world title bout between Jack Johnson and Frank Moran in June 1914. Carpentier was a French Air Force aviator during World War I and was awarded two of the highest French military honors, the Croix de Guerre and the Médaille Militaire. This served to heighten his already exceptional popularity, not only in France but also in the United Kingdom and the United States.

File:Jack Dempsey v Georges Carpentier cph.3b35134.jpg

Dempsey and Carpentier in the arena before the fight

Carpentier defended his title twice again in 1919 before dropping down a weight class to challenge Battling Levinsky for the light heavyweight championship of the world.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The fight took place on 12 October 1920, in Jersey City and Levinsky was knocked out in the fourth. Carpentier's attempt at the heavyweight Championship of the world came on 2 July 1921, again in Jersey City, when he faced Jack Dempsey in front of boxing's first million dollar gate (approximately $Template:Inflation today). Carpentier was badly beaten around before suffering a knockout in the second minute of the fourth round and never fought again for that title. He lost his world light heavyweight title and his European heavyweight and light heavyweight titles the following year, on 24 September 1922, in a controversial bout with Senegalese fighter Battling Siki. His last truly noteworthy fight was on 24 July 1924, with Gene Tunney at the Polo Grounds in Manhattan, New York City. Carpentier lost the bout by TKO after fifteen rounds. He retired from the ring after a final exhibition bout in 1927.

File:Dorgan cartoon predicting events of Dempsey-Carpentier fight.jpg

In June 1921, cartoonist Tad Dorgan drew what he expected would occur in the Carpentier-Dempsey fight.

Following his retirement from boxing, Carpentier spent a number of years as a vaudeville song-and-dance man, mostly in the UK and the US. As a singer he cut two sides on a gramophone record in 1927 for Pathé, in the style of French singer Maurice Chevalier. He is the author of a boxing novel, Brothers of the Brown Owl: A Story of the Boxing Ring published c. 1920 by Cassell and Company (being a volume in the uniform Cassell's Empire Library). He also appeared in half a dozen motion pictures, starring in both silent films and talkies. He made three films in Hollywood, US, one for director J. Stuart Blackton in England and two in his native France. His last screen appearance was in 1934. Soon after, he became proprietor of an upmarket bar, Chez Georges Carpentier, in a chic Paris neighbourhood. In several different locations, this is the profession he would exercise until shortly before his death.

From the time they boxed together in 1921, Carpentier remained close friends with Jack Dempsey. They visited each other in New York and Paris, got together to commemorate the anniversary of their famous bout and exchanged birthday greetings.

Death

Carpentier died in Paris at age 81 in 1975 of a heart attack, and was buried in the cimetière de Vaires-sur-Marne, Seine-et-Marne, France.<ref name=obit>Template:Cite news</ref>

Legacy

He was elected to the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1991.<ref name=Dictionary>Template:Cite book</ref>

Selected filmography

• The Wonder Man (1920)
• A Gipsy Cavalier (1922)
• The Show of Shows (1929)
• Hold Everything (1930)
• Toboggan (1934)

Professional boxing record

Template:BoxingRecordSummary All newspaper decisions are officially regarded as “no decision” bouts and are not counted in the win/loss/draw column.

Template:Abbr	Result	Record	Opponent	Type	Round	Date	Age	Location	Notes
112	Template:Yes2Win	89–15–6 Template:Small	Rocco Stramaglia	KO	3 (12)	Sep 15, 1926	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
111	Template:Yes2Win	88–15–6 Template:Small	Jack Burke	KO	2 (4)	Jul 7, 1926	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
110	Template:No2Loss	87–15–6 Template:Small	Tommy Loughran	UD	10	Jun 17, 1926	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
109	Template:DrawDraw	87–14–6 Template:Small	Eddie Huffman	PTS	10	May 21, 1926	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
108	Template:No2Loss	87–14–5 Template:Small	Gene Tunney	TKO	15 (15)	Jul 24, 1924.	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
107	Loss	87–13–5 Template:Small	Tommy Gibbons	NWS	10	May 31, 1924	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
106	Template:Yes2Win	87–13–5 Template:Small	Arthur Townley	KO	2 (10)	May 1, 1924	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
105	Template:Yes2Win	86–13–5 Template:Small	Joe Beckett	KO	1 (20)	Oct 1, 1923	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small	Template:Small
104	Template:Yes2Win	85–13–5 Template:Small	Marcel Nilles	KO	8 (20)	May 6, 1923	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small	Template:Small
103	Template:No2Loss	84–13–5 Template:Small	Battling Siki	KO	6 (20)	Sep 24, 1922	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small	Template:Small
102	Template:Yes2Win	84–12–5 Template:Small	Ted 'Kid' Lewis	KO	1 (20)	May 11, 1922	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small	Template:Small
101	Template:Yes2Win	83–12–5 Template:Small	George Cook	KO	4 (10)	Jan 12, 1922	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
100	Template:No2Loss	82–12–5 Template:Small	Jack Dempsey	KO	4 (12)	Jul 2, 1921	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small	Template:Small
99	Template:Yes2Win	82–11–5 Template:Small	Battling Levinsky	KO	4 (12)	Oct 12, 1920	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small	Template:Small
98	Template:Yes2Win	81–11–5 Template:Small	Georges Grundhoven	KO	2 (15)	Feb 21, 1920	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
97	Template:Yes2Win	80–11–5 Template:Small	Blink McCloskey	KO	2 (15)	Jan 10, 1920	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
96	Template:Yes2Win	79–11–5 Template:Small	Joe Beckett	KO	1 (20)	Dec 4, 1919	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small	Template:Small
95	Template:Yes2Win	78–11–5 Template:Small	Jean Croissilles	KO	2 (20)	Sep 29, 1919	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
94	Template:Yes2Win	77–11–5 Template:Small	Dick Smith	KO	8 (20)	Jul 19, 1919	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small	Template:Small
93	Template:Yes2Win	76–11–5 Template:Small	Kid Jackson	DQ	4 (15)	Jul 26, 1914	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small	Template:Small
92	Template:Yes2Win	75–11–5 Template:Small	Gunboat Smith	DQ	6 (20)	Jul 16, 1914	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small	Template:Small
91	Template:Yes2Win	74–11–5 Template:Small	Battling Robinson	KO	3 (?)	Jun 14, 1914	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
90	Template:Yes2Win	73–11–5 Template:Small	Hubert Roc	KO	2 (12)	May 31, 1914	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
89	Template:Yes2Win	72–11–5 Template:Small	George Mitchell	TKO	1 (6)	Apr 14, 1914	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
88	Template:Yes2Win	71–11–5 Template:Small	Irish O'Mara	KO	2 (15)	Apr 13, 1914	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
87	Template:No2Loss	70–11–5 Template:Small	Joe Jeannette	PTS	15	Mar 21, 1914	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
86	Template:Yes2Win	70–10–5 Template:Small	Pat O'Keeffe	KO	2 (15)	Jan 19, 1914	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
85	Template:Yes2Win	69–10–5 Template:Small	Bombardier Billy Wells	KO	1 (20)	Dec 8, 1913	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small	Template:Small
84	Template:Yes2Win	68–10–5 Template:Small	Max Abbat	KO	3 (12)	Oct 31, 1913	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
83	Template:Yes2Win	67–10–5 Template:Small	Jeff Smith	PTS	20	Oct 11, 1913	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
82	Template:Yes2Win	66–10–5 Template:Small	Ashley Williams	KO	4 (12)	Aug 6, 1913	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
81	Template:Yes2Win	65–10–5 Template:Small	Albert Lurie	TKO	3 (?)	Jun 29, 1913	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
80	Template:Yes2Win	64–10–5 Template:Small	Bombardier Billy Wells	KO	4 (20)	Jun 1, 1913	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small	Template:Small
79	Template:Yes2Win	63–10–5 Template:Small	George Gunther	PTS	15	Mar 17, 1913	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
78	Template:Yes2Win	62–10–5 Template:Small	Willy Schoot	KO	2 (10)	Mar 8, 1913	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
77	Template:Yes2Win	61–10–5 Template:Small	Cyclone Smith	KO	3 (20)	Mar 1, 1913	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
76	Template:Yes2Win	60–10–5 Template:Small	Bandsman Dick Rice	KO	2 (20)	Feb 12, 1913	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small	Template:Small
75	Template:Yes2Win	59–10–5 Template:Small	Marcel Moreau	TKO	8 (20)	Jan 8, 1913	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
74	Template:No2Loss	58–10–5 Template:Small	Billy Papke	TKO	18 (20)	Oct 23, 1912	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small	Template:Small
73	Template:No2Loss	58–9–5 Template:Small	Frank Klaus	DQ	19 (20)	Jun 24, 1912	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small	Template:Small
72	Template:Yes2Win	58–8–5 Template:Small	Willie Lewis	PTS	20	May 22, 1912	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small	Template:Small
71	Template:Yes2Win	57–8–5 Template:Small	Hubert Roc	KO	6 (?)	May 10, 1912	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
70	Template:Yes2Win	56–8–5 Template:Small	George Gunther	PTS	20	Apr 3, 1912	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small	Template:Small
69	Template:Yes2Win	55–8–5 Template:Small	Jim Sullivan	KO	2 (20)	Feb 29, 1912	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small	Template:Small
68	Template:Yes2Win	54–8–5 Template:Small	Charles Bradley	KO	2 (?)	Jan 27, 1912	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
67	Template:Yes2Win	53–8–5 Template:Small	Battling Lacroix	TKO	6 (15)	Jan 17, 1912	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
66	Template:Yes2Win	52–8–5 Template:Small	Battling Taylor	KO	4 (?)	Jan 13, 1912	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
65	Template:Yes2Win	51–8–5 Template:Small	Harry Lewis	PTS	20	Dec 13, 1911	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
64	Template:Yes2Win	50–8–5 Template:Small	Battling Lacroix	KO	9 (15)	Nov 25, 1911	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
63	Template:Yes2Win	49–8–5 Template:Small	Theo Gray	KO	9 (?)	Nov 17, 1911	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
62	Template:Yes2Win	48–8–5 Template:Small	Young Joseph	RTD	10 (20)	Oct 23, 1911	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small	Template:Small
61	Template:Yes2Win	47–8–5 Template:Small	Sid Burns	PTS	15	Oct 2, 1911	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
60	Template:No2Loss	46–8–5 Template:Small	Dixie Kid	TKO	5 (15)	Aug 19, 1911	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
59	Template:Yes2Win	46–7–5 Template:Small	Arthur Evernden	PTS	15	Aug 14, 1911	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
58	Template:Yes2Win	45–7–5 Template:Small	Jack Goldswain	KO	4 (15)	Jun 23, 1911	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
57	Template:Yes2Win	44–7–5 Template:Small	Robert Eustache	TKO	16 (20)	Jun 10, 1911	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small	Template:Small
56	Template:Yes2Win	43–7–5 Template:Small	Frank Loughrey	PTS	15	May 20, 1911	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
55	Template:Yes2Win	42–7–5 Template:Small	Henri Marchand	KO	6 (15)	Apr 23, 1911	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
54	Template:Yes2Win	41–7–5 Template:Small	George Colbourne	PTS	10	Apr 8, 1911	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
53	Template:Yes2Win	40–7–5 Template:Small	Sid Stagg	PTS	10	Apr 1, 1911	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
52	Template:Yes2Win	39–7–5 Template:Small	Jack Meekins	PTS	10	Mar 25, 1911	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
51	Template:Yes2Win	38–7–5 Template:Small	Henri Marchand	KO	6 (?)	Mar 15, 1911	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
50	Template:Yes2Win	37–7–5 Template:Small	Harry Staessens	KO	1 (10)	Mar 12, 1911	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
49	Template:Yes2Win	36–7–5 Template:Small	Young Nipper	PTS	8	Mar 1, 1911	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
48	Template:No2Loss	35–7–5 Template:Small	Henri Piet	PTS	10	Jan 27, 1911	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
47	Template:Yes2Win	35–6–5 Template:Small	George Randall	KO	5 (15)	Jan 14, 1911	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
46	Template:Yes2Win	34–6–5 Template:Small	Edouard Brochet	KO	7 (15)	Jan 8, 1911	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
45	Template:Yes2Win	33–6–5 Template:Small	Jack Daniels	PTS	10	Dec 17, 1910	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
44	Template:Yes2Win	32–6–5 Template:Small	Henri Demlen	PTS	10	Dec 3, 1910	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
43	Template:Yes2Win	31–6–5 Template:Small	George Randall	TKO	10 (10)	Nov 19, 1910	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
42	Template:Yes2Win	30–6–5 Template:Small	Young Williams	KO	7 (?)	Nov 6, 1910	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
41	Template:Yes2Win	29–6–5 Template:Small	Jim Campbell	KO	5 (10)	Oct 22, 1910	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
40	Template:Yes2Win	28–6–5 Template:Small	Percy Wilson	PTS	10	Oct 15, 1910	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
39	Template:DrawDraw	27–6–5 Template:Small	Jean Audouy	PTS	10	Oct 8, 1910	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
38	Template:Yes2Win	27–6–4 Template:Small	Fernand Cuny	TKO	8 (?)	Aug 13, 1910	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
37	Template:Yes2Win	26–6–4 Template:Small	Hubert Baelen	KO	2 (?)	Jul 17, 1910	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
36	Template:DrawDraw	25–6–4 Template:Small	Paul Til	PTS	15	Jul 8, 1910	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
35	Template:Yes2Win	25–6–3 Template:Small	Louis Achille	KO	6 (10)	Jun 11, 1910	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
34	Template:No2Loss	24–6–3 Template:Small	Fernand Cuny	TKO	13 (?)	Apr 16, 1910	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
33	Template:No2Loss	24–5–3 Template:Small	Ted Broadribb	TKO	4 (?)	Apr 9, 1910	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
32	Template:Yes2Win	24–4–3 Template:Small	Georges Gloria	KO	8 (?)	Apr 3, 1910	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
31	Template:Yes2Win	23–4–3 Template:Small	Fernand Cuny	PTS	10	Mar 26, 1910	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
30	Template:Yes2Win	22–4–3 Template:Small	Louis Achille	KO	5 (10)	Mar 20, 1910	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
29	Template:No2Loss	21–4–3 Template:Small	Buck Shine	PTS	10	Mar 12, 1910	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
28	Template:Yes2Win	21–3–3 Template:Small	Wally Pickard	KO	8 (10)	Feb 5, 1910	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
27	Template:Abbr	20–3–3 Template:Small	Paul Til	NC	8 (15)	Jan 14, 1910	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small	Template:Small
26	Template:Yes2Win	20–3–3	Georges Gaillard	PTS	10	Jan 8, 1910	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
25	Template:Yes2Win	19–3–3	Young Warner	DQ	7 (10)	Jan 5, 1910	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
24	Template:Yes2Win	18–3–3	Paul Til	PTS	10	Dec 22, 1909	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
23	Template:Yes2Win	17–3–3	Georges Gaillard	PTS	6	Dec 8, 1909	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
22	Template:No2Loss	16–3–3	Paul Til	TKO	8 (20)	Nov 27, 1909	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small	Template:Small
21	Template:Yes2Win	16–2–3	Charles Ledoux	PTS	15	Nov 24, 1909	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
20	Template:Yes2Win	15–2–3	Joseph Lampin	KO	7 (?)	Nov 8, 1909	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
19	Template:Yes2Win	14–2–3	Lucien Dorgueille	PTS	10	Oct 23, 1909	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
18	Template:DrawDraw	13–2–3	Paul Til	PTS	10	Oct 16, 1909	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small	Template:Small
17	Template:Yes2Win	13–2–2	Omer Hellebout	TKO	5 (10)	Oct 11, 1909	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
16	Template:Yes2Win	12–2–2	Joseph Lampin	KO	5 (10)	Aug 28, 1909	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
15	Template:Yes2Win	11–2–2	Lucien Dorgueille	KO	11 (15)	Aug 21, 1909	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
14	Template:Yes2Win	10–2–2	Emile Wetinck	KO	1 (?)	Jun 26, 1909	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
13	Template:Yes2Win	9–2–2	Joseph Lampin	KO	10 (10)	May 20, 1909	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
12	Template:Yes2Win	8–2–2	Auguste Relinger	PTS	6	May 17, 1909	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
11	Template:Yes2Win	7–2–2	F. Cheveau	PTS	6	Apr 25, 1909	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
10	Template:Yes2Win	6–2–2	Achalme	PTS	10	Mar 18, 1909	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
9	Template:DrawDraw	5–2–2	Charles Legrand	PTS	20	Feb 28, 1909	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
8	Template:Yes2Win	5–2–1	Gaston Simon	PTS	10	Feb 25, 1909	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
7	Template:No2Loss	4–2–1	Georges Gloria	KO	6 (?)	Feb 19, 1909	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
6	Template:Yes2Win	4–1–1	Charles Legrand	PTS	15	Jan 10, 1909	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
5	Template:DrawDraw	3–1–1	Charles Legrand	PTS	6	Dec 5, 1908	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
4	Template:Yes2Win	3–1	Gaston Simon	PTS	6	Dec 3, 1908	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
3	Template:Yes2Win	2–1	Louis Lépine	PTS	6	Dec 3, 1908	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
2	Template:No2Loss	1–1	Ed Salmon	TKO	18 (20)	Nov 30, 1908	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small
1	Template:Yes2Win	1–0	Ed Salmon	DQ	13 (20)	Nov 1, 1908	Template:Age in years and days	Template:Small

Titles in boxing

Major world titles

• World light heavyweight championTemplate:Efn (175 lbs)
• NYSAC light heavyweight champion (175 lbs)
• NBA (WBA) light heavyweight championTemplate:Efn (175 lbs)

Regional/International titles

• France welterweight champion (147 lbs)
• European welterweight championTemplate:Efn (147 lbs)
• European middleweight championTemplate:Efn (160 lbs)
• European light heavyweight championTemplate:Efn (175 lbs)
• European heavyweight championTemplate:Efn (200+ lbs) (2×)
• France heavyweight champion (200+ lbs)

Undisputed titles

• Undisputed light heavyweight championTemplate:Efn

See also

• List of light heavyweight boxing champions

External links

• Template:Boxrec
• Carpentier vs Gene Tunney - Fight by Rounds - July 25, 1924 Template:Webarchive
• Carpentier vs Gene Tunney - July 25, 1924 Template:Webarchive
• Template:IMDb name
• Georges Carpentier at Virtual History
• [1] Template:Webarchive www.georgescarpentier.org (biographical website devoted to Carpentier, including extensive text, images, some video) [2] Template:Webarchive