Fighters and the Furniture City

Although Grand Rapids doesn’t have a ring reputation that rivals larger cities like Philadelphia, Detroit, Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles, the “Furniture City” has produced some of boxing’s best and most colorful fighters. From Stanley “The Michigan Assassin” Ketchel to Floyd “Money” Mayweather, captivating champions have fought their way out of the “Furniture City” and into the ring record books.

At the turn of the 20 th century, Ketchel was one of the most popular fighters in the game. His hard-hitting aggressive style attracted audiences and made him one of the few must see fighters of his generation.

He battled and beat the best of them, and soon the Polish-American pugilist became a “white hope,” a symbol of pride and toughness and a man who would hopefully win the Heavyweight Championship back from the so-called evil clutches of Jack Johnson, the first African-American Heavyweight Champion. But the undersized “Michigan Assassin,” who famously fought Jack Johnson in 1909, quickly learned that some men weren’t to be tangled with. A century later, Mayweather, like Ketchel, was considered must see in the ring. Unlike Ketchel, however, Mayweather overwhelmed his opponents with ring science, speed, and artistry. But his career represented a great paradox in boxing: the most celebrated fighter in America was also public enemy number one. Floyd’s flamboyant “Money” persona, combined with legal troubles, irritated the sensibilities of a lot of fans. They paid to see him fight, however, they paid to see him lose.

While luminaries like Ketchel and Mayweather reached the top of their profession and garnered most of the attention, men like Buster Mathis—a rival of Frazier and Ali in the 1960s—his son Buster Mathis Jr, Roger and Floyd Mayweather Sr, and Tony “TNT” Tucker, gave the city a steady supply of talent that Grand Rapidians could celebrate. Widely known as some of the best boxers of their respective generations, these men were made in the Furniture City.

While paying special attention to these fighters and their lives, this presentation will explain how fighting and fighters were made in the Furniture City. During the course of the talk, Moore will give a brief history of the development of boxing in Grand Rapids while also discussing issues of race and class outside of the ring that shaped how the public viewed fighters from the Furniture City.

“Fighters and the Furniture City”, Thursday, March 9, 2017, 7:00 p.m. Ryerson Auditorium, Grand Rapids Public Library, presented by Louis Moore