A Champion in Any Other Era
McFadden was such a good fighter that if he had been of another era he might well have been champion. But he made the crucial mistake of being born during the age of three of the most phenomenal lightweights ever to lace on a glove: Joe Gans, Frank Erne, and Kid Lavigne.
Within a period of six months between April and October, 1899, McFadden took on all three of these great champions, knocking two of them out (Gans and former champ Lavigne), and coming close to beating the third (Erne) in his first title fight.
McFadden’s finest win was the first in this series, and came when he took on, and defeated Gans (whom he fought seven times), on the 14th of April, 1899, winning by way of a 23rd round knockout. Gans (“The Old Master”) was favoured four-to-one in the betting, and up to that point had never been knocked out in his career. He had gone eight years unbeaten until that evening, when a terrific McFadden left hook to the body followed by a short right to the chin brought him crashing face down to the canvas.
In a time when boxing champions sometimes made less money than a good plumber, McFadden was back at work the day after his greatest victory, refusing to answer the questions of sports reporters until after working hours, lest his boss should catch him and have him fired.
Read more about this topic: George "Elbows" Mc Fadden
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