Shadowboxing: The Rise and Fall of George Dixon

George Dixon was the finest boxer of his generation and arguably among the finest boxers ever. His accomplishments in the ring were extraordinary: the first black boxing champion, the first Canadian boxing champion and the first boxing champion of multiple weight classes. He defended his title more than any other champion - then or since - and he reportedly fought in an unprecedented 800 bouts.

So who was George Dixon? Before Mohammad Ali and Joe Louis, before Sugar Ray Robinson and Jack Johnson, before Marvelous Marvin Hagler and Sugar Ray Leonard, before all the great black boxing champions of every age and every weight class, there was George Dixon.He was the first.He was the greatest.And this is his story.