FORGED BY FIRE: Bob Fitzsimmons fought in hard times (his BoxRec.com professional record includes phrases like “fight to the finish” and “the police intervened”) and he was a hard man, despite appearances. At his heaviest the Englishman weighed 175 pounds, but he routinely knocked out much larger opponents and was the first to win world titles in three divisions: middleweight, light heavyweight and heavyweight. He derived his notorious power from working as a blacksmith, which he demonstrates here for some young fans, circa 1900.

Click the photo for a larger version.

For more images from the archive, CLICK HERE.