World boxing trophy a sporting collector's auction dream
Author: Richard Brewster | Posted: 16th April, 2015
The 1888 Coloured Champion of the World Boxing trophy – a Victorian sterling silver two-handled embossed trophy cup – will be auctioned from 10am Thursday April 23 by Mossgreen as part of its sporting memorabilia sale at 926-930 High Street, Armadale.
The cup is engraved with the words “Presented to Peter Jackson, Coloured, Champion Boxer of the World, at the Alhambra, Brighton, Eng, Monday Decr 2nd 1889, By a Few Admirers of His Sterling Qualities”.
Peter “Black Prince” Jackson was an Australian heavyweight boxer with a significant international career.
In 1886, he won the Australian heavyweight title by knocking our Tom Lee in the 30th round, and the British Commonwealth title against Jem Smith by a knockout in the second round.
Two years later, he defeated “Old Chocolate” Godfrey to gain the World Coloured Heavyweight Championship.
In 1891, he fought future world champion James Corbett in Benicia, California, and seven years later lost to another future world champion James J. Jeffries.
Shortly after becoming the first black world heavyweight champion in 1908, Jack Johnson visited Peter Jackson’s grave in Queensland – as a mark of respect in which the latter was held by the worldwide boxing community.
Another auction highlight is a pair of Phar Lap’s horseshoes, originally from his strapper Tommy Woodcock.
The shoes are mounted in a frame, complete with Woodcock’s photograph, which also carries a letter of authenticity from master farrier Dick Bell.
The auction contains a significant Olympic memorabilia section that includes Betty Cuthbert’s four world record plaques set during and after the 1956 Melbourne Olympics.
