George Godfrey (II),also known as "The Leiperville Shadow", was a highly accomplished heavyweight boxer hailing from the state of Alabama, whose moniker was an homage to George "Old Chocolate" Godfrey, a celebrated Black Canadian pugilist from the bare-knuckle boxing era.
Old Chocolate was a prominent figure during the reign of John L. Sullivan, and in his illustrious career, he held the esteemed World Colored Heavyweight Championship, with George Godfrey (II) being the twentieth fighter to claim this prestigious title.
He was a renowned fighter, and his achievements in the ring earned him a special place in the annals of boxing history, with his legacy continuing to inspire future generations of boxers.
Notably, the early 20th century witnessed the existence of a colored heavyweight title, a belt that gained recognition due to the pervasive color bar in professional boxing. This discriminatory practice, which prohibited white champions from defending their titles against black opponents, was upheld by several notable boxers, including the legendary John L. Sullivan.
Furthermore, even after Jack Johnson's historic victory in 1908, which saw him become the world's first black heavyweight champion, the color bar persisted. Interestingly, Johnson, despite his groundbreaking achievement, never engaged in a match against another black boxer, allegedly due to concerns about ticket sales.
The trajectory of the heavyweight division's color bar persisted until the ascendance of Joe Louis in the 1930s, thereby denying George Godfrey (II) the chance to compete for the universally recognized world heavyweight championship, mirroring the fate of his namesake Old Chocolate Godfrey.
Despite this, Godfrey (II) did manage to claim the International Boxing Union's version of the world heavyweight championship in 1935, a feat accomplished two years prior to Louis' historic achievement as the second black man to secure the universally recognized world heavyweight title.
George Godfrey, the second of his name, entered this world on January 25, 1897, marking the beginning of a life that would ultimately come to a close on August 13, 1947.
