Let's get some awesome shots of Hamed in the gym. If you don't put in the work in the gym, you're not going to get very far in this sport. Hamed works with the legendary trainer Emanuel Steward while Oscar Suarez looks on in the background.
Like I mentioned earlier, "Prince" Naseem Hamed has a movie out about him now and this interview was conducted with "The Prince" himself, he is now 51 years old and looks back on his career and talks about the new movie "Giant" about his life and legendary career.
‘The whole world can think whatever they want’ – Naseem Hamed on boxing, racism and his greatest regret
By: Donald McRae
Former champion on his relationship with trainer Brendan Ingle, now portrayed on film, quitting at the right time and the importance of his faith.
Naseem Hamed carries himself with a stately grandeur these days. Having settled his considerable bulk into a comfortable chair he pauses meaningfully. We look at each other intently and it’s hard to believe the incorrigible little “Naz fella”, the swaggering Prince Naseem who became a world champion 30 years ago and changed British boxing forever with his dazzling aptitude for fighting and showmanship, is 51 now.
“This is the one thing you need to understand,” Hamed says as he remembers Brendan Ingle’s famous old gym in Sheffield. “The minute I walked through the doors of that boxing club, that was it. I saw the ring, the bags, the lines on the floor, and I was immediately obsessed. This was going to be my life. I saw boxing as a game of tag. I’m going to hit you and you can’t hit me. It took speed and accuracy and I was really good at it.”
I first saw Hamed box in April 1992, when he knocked out Shaun Norman in two rounds on a Chris Eubank bill in Manchester. He was a Bambi-faced 18-year-old whose strutting exuberance belonged to a junior Strictly Come Dancing extravaganza. I could imagine a husky ballroom cry: “Representing Sheffield and Yorkshire in the salsa, it’s the young Prince."
Two years later, in May 1994, he became the European bantamweight champion in only his 12th professional fight when he humiliated Vincenzo Belcastro. The Italian had never been knocked down before but Hamed dropped Belcastro with his first punches – a gorgeous right–left combination that dumped the champion in a heap.
The Prince could have ended the fight at any time but he stretched out the massacre over 12 rounds to showcase his brilliance and cruelty. At one point he stared at poor Belcastro’s feet while thudding punches into his face. After flooring his victim again in the 11th, Hamed spat out more needless taunts and mesmerising combinations.
Hugh McIlvanney, the great boxing writer, led the condemnation. Describing the Prince as “a spectacular talent … his effortless mastery of Belcastro, a seasoned pro, was an astonishing feat”, McIlvanney also deplored Hamed’s “eagerness to treat his demoralised victim as he were something no better than what you would wipe off your shoe”.
Hamed’s remarkable boxing skills and complicated persona had been honed by Ingle who began working with him when Naz was only seven years old. Ingle promised he would become one of the greatest boxers in history and Hamed believed his Irish trainer with utter certainty. “I was this little frail kid that didn’t look like I could punch myself out of a paper bag. But I honestly believed I could change the sport. And I did.”
A new film, Giant, starring Amir El-Masry as Hamed and Pierce Brosnan as Ingle, opened in British cinemas on Friday. It concentrates on the tangled relationship between Hamed and Ingle and the way in which money and fame unearthed previously hidden resentment. Hamed has helped publicise the film but he tells me he watched it with “mixed emotions”.
His rise was packed with cultural significance. Hamed was the first leading British fighter who was neither black nor white, resulting in racial taunts and misguided descriptions of him as the country’s “only professional Asian boxer”. He called himself a British and an Arab fighter, a Yorkshireman of pure Yemeni stock. When I first interviewed him in 1994 the 20-year-old said: “I am a Muslim, from Yemen, but born and bred in Sheffield. That tells you everything you need to understand about me.”
In Yorkshire in the early 1980s, when the National Front was active, it did not pay to be a little Arab boy. Ingle had often spun the story of how he first laid eyes on Naz – a tiny figure fighting off three much bigger white boys. “I was on this double-decker bus,” Ingle recalled, “and we came to a halt outside the primary school. There’s thuggery goin’ on but the smallest lad, the boy I took to be Asian, is punching beautifully, hitting all three of them. They can’t land a shot on him. I said to myself: ‘That young fella can fight.’”
Hamed nods when I mention the National Front slogans seen in Giant. “It was all over the walls near the gym, not far from my house. But the biggest problem wasn’t just racism. The [boxing authorities] absolutely hated Brendan because he was Irish and producing fighters that were fighting different to everybody else in the country. We were hitting them and then moving.
“If it wasn’t for Brendan, how would I have been able to get really good? How would I have been able to learn the fundamentals of boxing, the footwork and confidence ingrained by him? And from the get-go it’s like the world was against us. All the amateur officials made it harder for us but the minute I became 18 I’d won enough cups and medals.
“I wanted to earn money for me and my family. I’m the son of an immigrant shopkeeper that came from Yemen. We don’t have any wealth in our family tree. So one of my greatest achievements was to make a new life for my parents, my brothers and sisters and my cousins.”
He and Ingle stopped working together at the peak of Hamed’s career when they were full of rancour and bitterness towards each other. Ingle died in May 2018, aged 77, having never spoken again to his most cherished boxer, and Hamed wants to make amends now. But he also wants to underline his own truth.
“I never saw Brendan as a father figure, even though he was trying to tell people he was like a father to me. I had my own father and I never lived in Brendan’s house – as they mentioned in the film. He did ask me to move into his home with his wife and kids but I refused because I lived just up the road with my eight brothers and sisters and my parents. I’m not going to jump ship from my own family. So a few moments are really sad between us.”
In December 1997, Hamed stopped Kevin Kelley in a tumultuous world featherweight title fight at Madison Square Garden in New York. It was the greatest night of Hamed’s career – even though he was knocked down three times by Kelley – and the film suggests that in the buildup the boxer had tried to kick Ingle out of his corner and not pay his trainer’s purse.
Hamed offers a different version: “Nobody actually knows this. But imagine [Ingle] coming to me before the biggest fight of my life, and saying: ‘I want you to leave the gym.’ It was before training camp had started and I’ve got the hardest fight of my whole career. Kelley was a world champion when I was still a kid. I was also in his back yard.
“But I refused to leave the gym. It was such a bad thing to say that to me but Brendan never really trained me. His son, John, trained me. John spent time with me in that ring, on the pads, to make sure that I got them punches so accurate. This has never been spoken about.
“I said to Brendan: ‘Your son is my trainer. He’s the one that went into my corner as an amateur for 67 fights. He’s the one I’m comfortable with.’”
The division with Brendan is back but Hamed catches himself: “Regardless, I always give him the credit of laying down them foundations. I always remember that … but in boxing these [enmities] can happen.”
He adds: “The whole world can think whatever they want about me. It’s never going to affect me. I’m not one to think: ‘Oh, this film makes me look so bad and I shouldn’t support it.’ No. It’s amazing they’re making a film about you.”
Giant offers two endings – with one imagining a happy reunion between the trainer and fighter. “It’s make-believe,” Hamed confirms but, in reality, he tried to forge a reconciliation with Ingle “many times. I reached out in so many different ways to make up with Brendan. I tried to sit down with him and apologise and ask him to forgive me. At the same time, I would have liked him to do the same, because it wasn’t one-way traffic. I felt we needed that but he was so stubborn. I was getting more mature and realising that, if you fall out with somebody, let’s make peace. We spent 18 years together.”
Hamed won his next six bouts after the Kelley fight, and his parting from Ingle, but he suffered his solitary defeat when he was humbled by the magnificent Marco Antonio Barrera in Las Vegas in April 2001. He fought only once more, against the obscure Manuel Calvo, 13 months later.
Nearly 25 years later, he lists a string of reasons why he was so disappointing against Barrera – including a broken hand, another change of trainer and a savage weight-cut. Hamed does not sound haunted by the loss and, typically of a proud old fighter, says: “When the final bell rang I was still on my feet. Mike Tyson, Sugar Ray Leonard, Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Robinson, the greatest fighters that ever lived, have been exposed, looking up at the stars. That never happened to me and that’s why that loss for me didn’t really feel like a loss.”
Hamed never fulfilled the grandest ambitions he and Ingle created but his good humour and health today is testament to his wisdom in retiring at 28. “People said: ‘Why would you stop so young?’ But I’d spent 10 years as a professional and 11 years as an amateur. Twenty-one years was enough. It will never be forgotten – not just in achievements but for young kids coming through seeing it as an inspiration. I had nothing else to prove.
“I’d won five world title belts and then the Hall of Fame came and it’s just amazing all these things happened to a young kid with big dreams.”
Hamed had also witnessed enough savagery in boxing. “We were taught by Brendan how dangerous the sport was,” he says. “There were boards up in the gym that said ‘Boxing can damage your health.’ When you was as good as I was, and you avoided getting hit, it was different. But I chose my time to get out. I could have stayed and done whatever I wanted in the sport. But our philosophy was to hit and not get hit.”
Does he wish he could change anything he did in or out of the ring? After a long pause Hamed says: “The biggest regret of my life …”
He catches me leaning forward and says, with his old teasing twinkle: “You’re so intrigued.”
I admit he’s right while wondering if Hamed might say anything more about Ingle, or taunting some of his rivals. He leans back in his chair and smiles. “This is so far from what you’re thinking but I’ve been brought up with a beautiful religion.
“So my biggest regret is that, when I was younger, I didn’t always do my five prayers [a day]. But I do now and it’s so important because the person I am today is the person I’ve always wanted to be.”
"Prince Naseem Hamed has four books written about his life and career, I've already mentioned"The Paddy and The Prince." Here's two of the other books, "Born To Be King: The Rise of Prince Naseem Hamed."
And here's another book written about him "The Shadows of Boxing: Prince Naseem and Those He Left Behind." The image used for the cover of this book is my all-time favorite image of "Prince" Naseem Hamed, and I'll tell you why. It's a dark image, an unsettling image of a young man that has become so caught up in fame and fortune that he's lost his way, maybe even to a degree his soul, you can see it in his face, his eyes. He's no longer the young innocent kid, holding up his gloves and smiling for the camera. The fame has changed him. The title of the book says it all, "and those he left behind", he's abandoned people in his life, maybe old friends, left people behind as a result of the fame and fortune going to his head. The price of fame. It's a really deep image and it gets to me everytime I see it.
And this is the photo that was used on the cover of "The Shadows of Boxing: Prince Naseem and Those He Left Behind." I would give my left pinky finger to own the original type 1 of this photo.
I've had a blast posting about "Prince" Naseem Hamed the past couple of days, though I must confess, I've posted so much about him that it's starting to feel like I'm writing a book about him. A couple more photos and I'll be done.
Brendan Ingle and the young man he helped make into a superstar. I think Brendan Ingle was right about Hamed when he made some of the comments he made in that book about Naz, I think the money and fame went to Naz's head, but you also have to understand, you're young, you got tens of thousands of people cheering for you in an arena, you possess skills that no one else in the history of the sport has possessed, you're unbeaten and feel invincible, women throwing themselves at you, everyone wants you're autograph, you got sponsorship deals worth millions and you're making money hand over fist, everyone wants a piece of you, it's understandable how that could affect a young man.
Did You Know? - TMNT IV: Turtles in Time (1992, SNES)
Konami delivered one of the most beloved beat ’em ups of all time with Turtles in Time. The SNES version took the arcade hit and made it even better, cementing it as a couch co-op classic for the 16-bit era.
🐢 Time-Traveling Adventure: The turtles chased Shredder through different eras, from prehistoric dinosaur stages to a neon-soaked future. Each level had its own theme and flair.
👊 Satisfying Combat: Beyond the standard attacks, you could slam Foot Soldiers back and forth—or even hurl them at the screen in a moment that blew minds in the early ’90s.
🚀 New SNES Extras: The home release added a Technodrome stage, a new boss fight, and tweaks that made it stand apart from the arcade version.
🎶 Rockin’ Soundtrack: With upbeat, energetic tunes that perfectly fit the action, the soundtrack is still remembered as one of the SNES’s catchiest.
Turtles in Time showcased everything great about the SNES era—colorful graphics, tight co-op gameplay, and pure arcade fun at home. It remains one of the definitive TMNT experiences and is still celebrated as one of the best beat ’em ups ever made.
Former world lightweight champion Frank Erne "The Buffalo Boy" was born in Zurich, Switzerland, on January 8th in 1875. He moved to Buffalo, NY with his family at the age of seven and took up boxing while attending parochial school.
Erne scored notable victories over Jack Skelly, George Dixon, Young Griffo and George “Kid” Lavigne, winning the world lightweight title by outpointing Lavigne over twenty rounds in Buffalo in 1899. Reflecting on his rivals, Erne later said:
“Joe Gans had the greatest right hand of any lightweight; Hawkins, the best left hand; Lavigne, the strongest body punch; Griffo was the most superlative boxer, and Dixon the most marvellous all-round fighter the ring ever had.”
He fought Gans twice, forcing him to quit in their first title bout in 1900. However, Erne lost the title to Gans in their rematch at Fort Erie, Canada, in 1902, when he was knocked out in the opening round. “I’d hardly warmed up,” Erne recalled. “I made one or two feints and, bang – that was all. Gans knocked me out with his first punch.”
Erne’s career spanned forty professional fights and ended in Paris in 1908. After retiring, he promoted boxing in France and the United States, taught the sport at Yale University, and claimed earnings of more than $200,000 – much of which he lost in the 1929 Wall Street crash. During the Second World War, he entertained veterans in hospital with stories from his days in the ring.
Another good write-up on Frank Erne, I can't get enough of this stuff.
Frank Erne will not go down as one of the great sporting heroes of any century. In fact I do not suppose many people have even heard of the man. But Erne does hold a unique spot in history as he is the only Swiss boxer ever to hold a world title.
On this day, January 8, 1875, he was born in Zurich, but he was to earn his fame after moving to the United States where he turned professional under manager Bobby Smith. He made his professional debut on January 7, 1894, when he stopped J L Sullivan Jr in two rounds in Buffalo. He remained unbeaten for three years before suffering the first of six defeats in his 40-fight career, losing on points over 20 rounds to Martin Flaherty in New York.
His first shot at a world title came in September, 1898 when he challenged George Lavigne for the lightweight championship at Coney Island where the fight was declared a draw after 20 rounds. The pair met again the following July in Buffalo and this time Erne won on points to capture the world title.
Erne made two successful defences - a draw over 25 rounds against Jack O'Brien and a twelfth-round stoppage over Joe Gans after Gans asked for the bout to be stopped - before mounting a challenge for the world welterweight title.
The Swiss met Rube Ferns at Fort Erie on September, 23, 1901 and was knocked out in the ninth round. Fort Erie was to prove an unlucky venue for Erne, for on May 12, 1902, he returned there to defend his lightweight title against Joe Gans and was knocked out in the first round.
Erne had only four fights after that, ending his career with a tenth-round win over Curley Watson in Paris in March, 1908.
Frank Erne, the only Swiss fighter ever to have held a world title, died in New York on September 17, 1954, at the age of 79.
The legendary boxing writer Matt McGrain ranked Frank Erne number 14 on his 50 greatest lightweights of all-time list. I love McGrain's writing, he's a brilliant boxing analyst, historian, and writer, he really has a way with words.
14 – Frank Erne (30-6-16)
Frank Erne’s legacy relationship with Kid Lavigne reminds me a little of that between Ken Buchanan and Ismael Laguna in the sense that Lavigne would have ranked above Erne had the two never met. That they did and that Erne proved the better of the two head-to-head just edges the Swiss in front.
According to The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, there was a sense by 1898 that Lavigne had gone back, and there were those who were willing to back Erne with cash for their fight that year; the result was a draw, but there were many in attendance who fancied Erne with the edge, and as The Eagle reported, had the fight been slated for twenty-five rather than twenty rounds, he might have got the job done.
Their rematch, fought ten months later, was slated once more for twenty and was fought in Erne’s hometown of Buffalo. Game to the core, Lavigne was in serious trouble as early as the seventh round and was saved only by the bell. Erne simply “battered his opponent out of the title” “never once losing his cool” as Lavigne strained with every sinew to remain upon his feet. It was a masterful performance from a speedy, clever, self-possessed fighter, perhaps one of the ring’s great jackals.
Between his first title tilt and his second, Erne took a moment to eliminate George McFadden from contention. As described in Part Three, McFadden became that year the first man to stop both Lavigne and Gans but found Erne a different matter. Erne also turned the trick with Gans, stopping him on a reportedly awful cut in the twelfth round of their title fight. McFadden, Lavigne, then Gans, it’s an astonishing trio of scalps and it took the phenomenon that was Terry McGovern to bring that run to an end, at a catchweight that stretched Erne across the bones. He lost his title in a rematch with Joe Gans who stunned all by blasting him out in a round, but only after staging one more defense against the wonderfully named Curly Supples.
This is an original cabinet card of Frank Erne in full fight pose. Photographer stamp for J. Wood of New York on lower mount along with the written name Frank Erne, along with another great write-up on Erne.
HISTORY: Frank Erne (January 8, 1875 -“ September 17, 1954) was a Swiss born American boxer widely credited with taking the World Featherweight Championship on November 27, 1896 from George Dixon in New York City, as well as the World Lightweight Championship from George "Kid" Lavigne on July 3, 1899, in Buffalo, New York. Late in his career he would contend for the World Welterweight Title against Rube Ferns. Erne began to fight professionally by October 27, 1892 when he defeated John Roy at the Buffalo Athletic Club in New York in a fourth round knockout, showing that he was not a boxer who lacked punching ability when the opportunity arose. The fight was billed as the Featherweight Championship of Western New York and paid the winner the princely sum of $250 according to the Buffalo Courier. Erne had defeated Roy by TKO one month earlier in Buffalo. Erne first met World Featherweight Champion George Dixon in a ten round draw on December 5, 1895 at the Manhattan Athletic Club in New York City. Two weeks later he fought well known Australian boxer "Young Griffo", an 1890 Featherweight World Champion, at the Music Hall in Buffalo. According to the New York Sun, Griffo, to the frustration of the crowd, dominated the brief four round draw from the start and neither boxer put much effort into the fight. Erne took the World Featherweight Title from Canadian born American Black boxer George Dixon on November 27, 1896 at the Broadway Athletic Club in New York in a twenty round points decision, though Dixon was reluctant to acknowledge his loss of the championship. Though outweighing him by nine pounds, he lost the title to Dixon in a twenty round points decision in Brooklyn on March 24, 1897, having held it only four months. Already nearing the featherweight maximum after his loss of the title to George Dixon, Erne began fighting in the lightweight division, meeting George "Kid" Lavigne for his first Lightweight Title bout on September 28, 1898 in Brooklyn. The twenty round draw would not determine a new champion. In one of the most important bouts of his career, he took the world lightweight title from Kid Lavigne on July 3, 1899 in a twenty round points decision before an enthusiastic home crowd in Buffalo. Looking back on Erne's critical win twenty years earlier, the St. Petersburg Times noted that Erne was more known for his speed and scientific skills than power, recalling that Lavigne had lost the title to "light hitting Frank Erne." This description of Erne was more accurate when he faced his most gifted opponents. In a fight that some historians consider a greater show of skill than his two championship title wins, he successfully defended the lightweight title at New York's Broadway Athletic Club in a close bout against the incomparable lightweight Joe Gans on March 23, 1900. According to BoxRec, Gans had asked the fight to be stopped in the ninth round after being injured by an accidental headbutt from Erne. Other sources wrote that Erne had held a decisive edge in the bout, and continuously battered Gans in the face, before Gans finally ended the fight fearing permanent damage to his eye. No headbutt was mentioned in their account. On July 16, 1900, Erne faced lightweight legend Terry McGovern in Madison Square Garden in New York. Erne had superior reach and height over McGovern, but according to most boxing writers, had not demonstrated the ability to consistently connect with the power of McGovern. Erne's ring generalship with his best opponents, was a slow, and deliberate strategy which took longer to end a fight. As the Bridgeport Herald wrote before the fight, "Erne's fights have been longer than Terry's as his record shows. He is not the finisher that Terry is. He is a point decision fighter more properly speaking and McGovern is a knockerout." Though putting McGovern down in the first round, Erne was down three times in the third before his cornermen ended the fight. Offered here is an original cabinet card of Frank Erne as he looked at the height of his career by noted photographer John Wood of New York.
One more great write-ups about Frank Erne, fascinating.
SwissBoxing
Frank Erne as the first Swiss boxer in the IBHOF
17.12.2019 19:40 Uhr
Jack Schmidli / Daniel Hartmann
Their names are Fritz Chervet, Enrico Scacchia, Mauro Martelli, Walter Blaser, Stefan Angehrn, and Andreas Anderegg. All these former boxers have something in common: they are or were Swiss and fought at the national and international levels as professional boxers. But none of the boxers mentioned has ever been inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF).
This honor is now awarded posthumously to the most decorated Swiss boxer of all time , Frank Erne , born in Döttingen in 1875, who emigrated to America with his parents. Once again, the Boxing Writers Association and a panel of boxing historians recommended his selection in the "Old Timer" category. Admission to the IBHOF is akin to climbing Mount Olympus. There is no greater honor for a boxer than to be part of the illustrious circle of IBHOF members.
The following individuals will be honored or admitted to the IBHOF in June at a ceremony in Canestota, New York.
But who was this Frank Erne, known to only a few boxing fans in this country? Probably the best-known expert on Frank Erne and former boxing promoter Daniel Hartmann tells his fascinating story.
Frank Erne – Superstar
In his short but brilliant career, Frank Erne (lightweight division) demonstrated that it was possible to be an excellent boxer and a gentleman. Erne was the most humble and cultured champion of the 19th century, always charming, polite, elegantly dressed, and handsome. He resembled a dashing Wall Street banker more than a hard-fought professional boxer. Because of his appearance, Frank was the envy of many, and some called him the "Parlor Boxer" or even "Daisy." He was, however, the undisputed hero of some of the fiercest and bloodiest fights ever seen in the lightweight division.
During boxing's golden age, when Frank Erne achieved fame, all world boxing champions were more admired than movie stars would later become. Sometimes they went on concert tours and even performed in plays, earning a great deal of money, often more than they would have earned in actual competitions.
Frank Erne, our future world champion, was born on January 8, 1875, probably in Döttingen, with the name Erwin Erne. Frank's father, Engelbert, was a brewer in Leuggern, in the canton of Aargau. He married his mother, Anna Knecht, from the neighboring village of Döttingen, in the autumn of 1874, as she was pregnant. At that time, the canton of Aargau had not yet experienced the Industrial Revolution, which led to unemployment and a severe economic crisis. Many people emigrated. The Ernes emigrated to the United States of America and, aboard a steamship, arrived in the port of New York in the spring of 1882. The Ernes settled in Buffalo, Erie County, New York, where Frank's father found work as a brewer in one of the many breweries in the then-broadly expanding city, which already had about 200,000 inhabitants.
In the hostile environment surrounding these breweries and pubs, the teenager had to learn to assert himself among all the young men of that era who practiced boxing, often in the streets. Furthermore, because of his Swiss German dialect, young Erwin was frequently targeted by German immigrants. In the spring of 1890, at the age of 15, he obtained a job as a bowler at a bowling alley belonging to the Buffalo Athletic Club, next to which stood a boxing club. With the agreement of the club owner, for whom young Frank performed odd jobs, he began taking boxing lessons. He received his first lesson from the renowned lightweight and trainer James "Jimmy" Connors. Very quickly, he earned the respect of the town's youth, a respect tinged with fear. During his early years, he changed his first name to Frank, as Erwin no longer appealed to him.
Young Erne possessed extraordinary talent, and he learned all the fundamentals of boxing very quickly. Along with Jim Corbett and "Kid" McCoy, he represented the new school of boxing. "Boxing was like a true art to us," he said in an interview a few years later. He compared it to a kind of science, studying its nature and the different styles of himself and his opponents. He planned his fights and studied his strategies. Even during the fight, he tried to execute four or five moves ahead, in order to anticipate and thus impose his tactics on his opponents.
Boxers capable of such feats were called the Generals of the Ring. Erne was one of them. He boxed with all the best amateur boxers in Rochester and Buffalo and, on September 29 and October 27, 1892, he was promoted by the ABAC to West New York Amateur Champion, following his two devastating victories by TKO and KO against featherweight champion John Roy.
In early 1893, after two years without fighting, the third round of his match against Joe Diebold—likely his first professional bout—ended with Erne suffering a broken wrist. The fight continued to the scheduled 23 rounds and ended in a draw.
What a fighter's heart! He used his recovery time to train during the winter with trainer Jim Daly and Jim Corbett's former sparring partners. During this time, he made significant progress toward his professional boxing debut.
On January 7, 1894, Frank gave himself a birthday present by knocking out John L. Sullivan—the man who had refused to recognize Erne's Western Championship title and who had been injured in the mouth by Erne a year earlier, in the second round. In Buffalo, this boxing match generated the greatest excitement in living memory, and it had been widely publicized by the media well in advance. Sullivan, a fast puncher, was the overwhelming favorite.
After this spectacular victory, life continued smoothly for the Buffalo Boy. In March, April, and May, he stepped into the ring seven times and, thanks to his superior skill, was able to defeat all his opponents with ease. Even the renowned George Siddons, who had already boxed twice against the future lightweight champion Georges "Kid" Lavigne, was visibly disappointed.
And Erne, the lucky fellow, was earning more money every day! In the fall of 1894, he boxed against the notoriously bad Solly Smith of San Francisco. The fight ended in a draw after only 10 rounds. It was incomprehensible that the 1891 world featherweight champion had behaved so unfairly in that fight!
The following year, Erne traveled to England with his manager, Franklin. The reigning English champion refused to fight Erne. In a replacement bout, the Buffalo native faced Englishman Jem Perry, and won on points. Back in New York, he fought Jack Skelly twice and boxed once, in a draw, against "Little Chocolate" George Dixon, the reigning world featherweight champion. He also boxed Young Griffo, a former world and Australian featherweight champion. Griffo was a tough opponent, as he was one of the best defensive boxers in the history of the sport.
It was in 1896, before a crowd of 2,000, that Frank Erne, in a close and grueling fight, won the world featherweight title on points against George Dixon, thanks to his powerful finishing. However, he only held this title for about three months. In 1897, in a scheduled 20-round title defense against Martin Flathery, Erne was already experiencing significant difficulties by the fourth round. A cut under his left eye was bleeding profusely, severely hindering him during the fight. With this injury, Frank had no chance of winning!
In April of the following year, during a fight against Harry Lemons, Frank broke his left hand. He still managed to knock Lemons down three times! Only the bell saved Lemons from being knocked out, and Erne won the fight on points. In the fall, he fought for the lightweight title for the first time, and George "Kid" Lavigne, the reigning champion, managed, with a lot of luck and a rather unflattering draw, to retain the title. Many spectators later reported that Erne had been the better fighter that day.
Frank got off to a good start in the spring of 1899, knocking out Dal Hawkins in the seventh round in San Francisco. Hawkins was a tough opponent, a view shared by Philadelphia boxer Joe Gans, who had lost to him three years earlier. Shortly after the Hawkins fight, Mr. Buffalo also won a 25-round bout against George "Elbows" McFaden, despite a cut above his eye. This fight was one of the the most brilliant ever seen in New York. Frank Erne felt that "Elbows" was often clumsy and boxed like an amateur, despite McFaden having knocked out Joe Gans in the 23rd round just a month before.
Then came July 3, 1899—for Frank, the chance of a lifetime—and he seized it! In a decisive fight against Kid Lavigne in Buffalo, he demonstrated his superiority before approximately 7,000 spectators, thus erasing all doubts about his claim to the world title. With great aggression, he worked the Kid for 20 rounds. His famous left hand sliced through him like a hammer. Erne dominated Lavigne at will, which irritated the latter and led to actions that resulted in a knockout. This victory earned Frank $6,000.
After a five-month hiatus, Erne defended his title for the first time against the "Flaherty Killer," Jack O'Brien of New York. Jack's brutal violence contrasted sharply with the Buffalo boxer's skill. Frank was unable to secure the victory, and the fight ended in a draw.
On March 23, 1900, Frank faced his big test: his second title defense against Joe Gans at the Broadway Athletic Club in New York. He and Gans were the best lightweights in the world at the time. During this fight, Erne was particularly nervous and came out firing. In the second round, "The Old Master" Gans lost some speed, so Frank increased the pressure. Many thought that Gans had the upper hand at this point. However, at the start of the twelfth round, Frank came out swinging, hitting Joe in the eyes with a left and a right smash. Immediately afterward, he landed a devastating right to the gut. Joe went down, and before he could get back to his feet, Frank delivered a terrible right above his right eye. A horrific blow! Gans hung on, and before referee "Charley" White could separate the two boxers, he staggered toward Erne's corner and said, "I'm blind. I can't see anything." White stopped the fight and declared Frank Erne the winner. Joe's manager filed a protest for headbutting. Later, Gans did the same. However, those around the ring had a different opinion. Professional boxers McPharland, Sullivan, Sharkey, and John L. Sullivan warmly congratulated Erne on his victory. McAuliffe, former lightweight champion of the world, said of Erne, "A game boy that"—he was certainly among the supporters! Professional boxer Matty Matthews summed up the situation: "Erne is putting on a great fight, elevating the game of boxing in every aspect. Buffalo should feel more than proud of their lightweight world champion, who is also a true gentleman."
And boxer Dan Creedon, who also watched the fight, said of the headbutt accusation: "It was Erne's right hand that sent Gans to the ground. Joe says it was a headbutt, but I guess he was seeing too many stars in the thirteenth round." Upon his return, hundreds of fans and supporters were waiting for the Buffalo Boy at the train station. Frank Erne, at the height of his career, was famous and popular both in Buffalo and throughout the country. He liked to be seen as one of the most complete boxers who ever lived. He combined skill in technique and tactics with punching power and toughness. Possessing quick footwork and excellent reflexes, he danced around the ring like a ballerina. His "Snappy Left Hand Jab" was his most formidable weapon, with which he controlled his opponents and set up his attacks.
Frank Erne's fighting record was as long as it was enviable, and winning the world lightweight title was the result of a series of brilliant performances in the ring.
But Frank was presumptuous and overestimated himself! So he decided to move up to featherweight, aiming to challenge the world champion Terry McGovern, the "Mike Tyson" of that weight class, and defeat him. The bout took place on July 16, 1900, and Erne, facing "Terrible" Terry, received a crushing defeat! McGovern attacked him like a hurricane, and Buffalo Boy had to admit defeat in the third round after being knocked down twice. His seconds were forced to throw in the towel, and Frank lost the fight by knockout. This time, his skill didn't help him; he was simply too physically weak. His strength would have been sufficient, at best, to "push a wheelchair around the ring," as one newspaper boldly wrote in its headline. "The weight got the better of me," Erne declared, "and besides, at 133 pounds, I'm in top shape, but I'd have a better chance at a lower weight." As a result, Frank never truly recovered from that fight and never regained his former form. Thus, a fight "breaks your heart and destroys your confidence," as one reporter aptly wrote. Erne decided to learn from this experience and declared, "From now on, I'll stay in my weight class!"
A year later, he returned to the ring, despite having retired in the interim, for a welterweight bout—a world title fight against James "Rube" Ferns, the reigning champion. For the second time, Erne made the terrible mistake of fighting out of his weight class. Money and fame were still as tempting as ever… Ferns taught him a second lesson: Frankie was knocked down in the ninth round.
Thus, not only changes in class, but also frequent weight fluctuations, not to mention the blows he received, were able to alter the course of Erne's boxing career. As a result, he fought far less frequently than his "arch-rival" Joe Gans.
He trains less now. Often, between fights, Frank takes long pleasure trips, in the United States, but also around the world. He enjoys the finer things in life and also appreciates wine… probably too much! His wife and parents weren't present at the beginning of his professional boxing career. This, too, wasn't conducive to a long and consistent career.
Frank easily won his next two fights against Ferns. He was still the world lightweight champion when the fateful day of May 12, 1902, arrived. In Fort Erie, Canada, the promised rematch against Joe Gans took place. Both boxers were in top form as they entered the ring for a scheduled 20-round bout. More than 6,000 spectators had traveled to witness this exciting fight.
Unfortunately, the fight lasted only 1 minute and 40 seconds, Gans sending Erne to the canvas unexpectedly with a powerful right hook. The knockout was so sudden and swift that even Gans and the referee remained motionless for a full minute, staring at the badly injured Erne lying on the mat. He tried to get back to his feet, but in vain. He was carried back to his corner with a severe nosebleed, and it took more than a minute to bring him back to consciousness. The speed of the knockout caused consternation among the thousands of Erne fans who were around the ring. Their hearts seemed to stop; it was as if they had been hit over the head! Their beloved and revered champion had been defeated before he even had a chance to fight! And, on top of that, they had lost thousands of dollars betting on Frank…
Frank was furious about the fight, and he offered the following explanation: "I was barely warmed up, I only had time for one or two feints, and 'Bang,' that was it, Gans landed the first punch and it was a knockout." Terry McGovern, who had backed Joe Gans for a hefty sum in the fight, later stated: "It was a lucky punch, for sure… I thought it would be a long fight. For it to end so suddenly and quickly, I wasn't prepared for that."
Sam Harris, McGovern's manager: "Gans won, that's clear, but with a stroke of luck, the likes of which won't happen again for the next 1,000 years." The final verdict from local experts was unanimous: the fight was too short to determine which of the two boxers was the better fighter that day. But in any case, the possibility of a rematch with Erne was no longer discussed.
Frank then won a fight in London, England, against Jim Maloney, before being knocked out in the 7th round by future lightweight champion Jimmy Britt. After the fight, in the locker room, his face badly marked by the blows he had received, Erne wept. He knew his career was now nearing its end. Once again, he resigned.
In 1907, Erne traveled extensively, notably to Paris, where he would play a pivotal role in the rise of boxing in France. Frank dedicated himself more than anyone else to promoting the Noble Art in France and elevating it to a new level of prestige. He founded a boxing school and trained, among others, Georges Carpentier, future European and world champion, Charles Ledoux, European and world champion, and Louis de Ponthieu, European champion. Naturally, Frank himself became a major promoter of boxing in France and beyond! Here, in 1908, he stepped into the ring for the last time, at the French welterweight championships, against local boxer Curley Watson. He probably didn't truly deserve to win that fight…
Erne's influence on boxing in Switzerland should not be underestimated. His former and current students, Georges Carpentier, Marcel Moreau, and Louis De Ponthieu, for whom he also served as manager, boxed on July 27, 1911, in Geneva at the Luna Park. Erne, as manager, was certainly present. Such a major event, featuring world-class French boxers, was bound to give a significant boost to the development and growth of interest in boxing in Switzerland.
At the start of World War I, Frank returned to the United States. He remained involved in the boxing business, probably until the 1930s.
During World War II, Frank often visited hospitals to tell wounded soldiers anecdotes and stories about the heroes of boxing's Golden Age. Erne once recounted how he had earned $200,000 with his fists. That's roughly equivalent to $4.7 million today. He lost a significant amount in the 1929 Wall Street Crash. But Erne bounced back and found a job. He went on to work for many years, well into his 60s, for a New York oil company as a salesman.
In 1951, Frank Erne was the oldest living former world champion, and he was honored by the Boxing Writers' Association with a lifetime achievement award. Frank Erne—boxer and gentleman—died on the morning of September 17, 1954, of a heart attack, at Beth David Hospital in Manhattan.
"Erne was surely the best man I ever met, and besides being a gentleman, he was an intelligent boxer." Joe Gans, December 12, 1907, Auburn Citizen Newspaper.
Frank Erne is an all-time great fighter that you never really here about, you have to be great to beat George "Little Chocolate" Dixon, George Lavigne aka "The Saginaw Kid", and George "Elbows" McFadden. Lavigne was a little ball of fury, an iron-jawed pressure fighter who was strong and impossible to discourage, and McFadden wasn't called "Elbows" for nothing, he was known for using them in fights. Elbows fought 12 times in 1899 losing only twice whilst matching the very, very best of arguably the deepest era in lightweight history. In 1899, Elbows was matched in five 25 rounders all within six months of eachother, going 23 rounds with Joe Gans, 25 with Erne, 25 with Gans, 19 with Lavigne, and 25 with Gans again, in that stretch of fights he iced Gans and Lavigne, becoming the first man to ever put Lavigne to sleep, what a beast. Erne has some monster scalps under his belt. Great fighter.
Very rare card of Frank Erne, this is a Victory Blend Tough Yanks Series 3 with Rover & Co. back, PSA lists this series as a 1984 issue because of the back but it is not, this set was issued in 1996. I'm not sure exactly how these cards were issued but I think they produced by an England manufacturer by the name of Victory Blend and are rare. When you have them in hand they are about the size of your pinky finger.
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Naz and his dream team of trainers, Oscar Suarez and Emanuel Steward.
Let's get some awesome shots of Hamed in the gym. If you don't put in the work in the gym, you're not going to get very far in this sport. Hamed works with the legendary trainer Emanuel Steward while Oscar Suarez looks on in the background.
Awesome shot from above of Emanuel Steward wrapping Naz's hands.
Naz talks to the press at the gym.
Epic shot of Naz and Emanuel Steward.
Naseem Hamed had a few good cards, but IMO this is his best card, 1997 Brown's Boxing. I actually own a few of these.
The 1999 Brown's Boxing Naseem Hamed card actually uses the same image as the 1997 card, but it's a more close-up view and they added color.
Naseem Hamed with Muhammad Ali, Hamed modeled a lot of his persona after Ali.
Like I mentioned earlier, "Prince" Naseem Hamed has a movie out about him now and this interview was conducted with "The Prince" himself, he is now 51 years old and looks back on his career and talks about the new movie "Giant" about his life and legendary career.
‘The whole world can think whatever they want’ – Naseem Hamed on boxing, racism and his greatest regret
By: Donald McRae
Former champion on his relationship with trainer Brendan Ingle, now portrayed on film, quitting at the right time and the importance of his faith.
Naseem Hamed carries himself with a stately grandeur these days. Having settled his considerable bulk into a comfortable chair he pauses meaningfully. We look at each other intently and it’s hard to believe the incorrigible little “Naz fella”, the swaggering Prince Naseem who became a world champion 30 years ago and changed British boxing forever with his dazzling aptitude for fighting and showmanship, is 51 now.
“This is the one thing you need to understand,” Hamed says as he remembers Brendan Ingle’s famous old gym in Sheffield. “The minute I walked through the doors of that boxing club, that was it. I saw the ring, the bags, the lines on the floor, and I was immediately obsessed. This was going to be my life. I saw boxing as a game of tag. I’m going to hit you and you can’t hit me. It took speed and accuracy and I was really good at it.”
I first saw Hamed box in April 1992, when he knocked out Shaun Norman in two rounds on a Chris Eubank bill in Manchester. He was a Bambi-faced 18-year-old whose strutting exuberance belonged to a junior Strictly Come Dancing extravaganza. I could imagine a husky ballroom cry: “Representing Sheffield and Yorkshire in the salsa, it’s the young Prince."
Two years later, in May 1994, he became the European bantamweight champion in only his 12th professional fight when he humiliated Vincenzo Belcastro. The Italian had never been knocked down before but Hamed dropped Belcastro with his first punches – a gorgeous right–left combination that dumped the champion in a heap.
The Prince could have ended the fight at any time but he stretched out the massacre over 12 rounds to showcase his brilliance and cruelty. At one point he stared at poor Belcastro’s feet while thudding punches into his face. After flooring his victim again in the 11th, Hamed spat out more needless taunts and mesmerising combinations.
Hugh McIlvanney, the great boxing writer, led the condemnation. Describing the Prince as “a spectacular talent … his effortless mastery of Belcastro, a seasoned pro, was an astonishing feat”, McIlvanney also deplored Hamed’s “eagerness to treat his demoralised victim as he were something no better than what you would wipe off your shoe”.
Hamed’s remarkable boxing skills and complicated persona had been honed by Ingle who began working with him when Naz was only seven years old. Ingle promised he would become one of the greatest boxers in history and Hamed believed his Irish trainer with utter certainty. “I was this little frail kid that didn’t look like I could punch myself out of a paper bag. But I honestly believed I could change the sport. And I did.”
A new film, Giant, starring Amir El-Masry as Hamed and Pierce Brosnan as Ingle, opened in British cinemas on Friday. It concentrates on the tangled relationship between Hamed and Ingle and the way in which money and fame unearthed previously hidden resentment. Hamed has helped publicise the film but he tells me he watched it with “mixed emotions”.
His rise was packed with cultural significance. Hamed was the first leading British fighter who was neither black nor white, resulting in racial taunts and misguided descriptions of him as the country’s “only professional Asian boxer”. He called himself a British and an Arab fighter, a Yorkshireman of pure Yemeni stock. When I first interviewed him in 1994 the 20-year-old said: “I am a Muslim, from Yemen, but born and bred in Sheffield. That tells you everything you need to understand about me.”
In Yorkshire in the early 1980s, when the National Front was active, it did not pay to be a little Arab boy. Ingle had often spun the story of how he first laid eyes on Naz – a tiny figure fighting off three much bigger white boys. “I was on this double-decker bus,” Ingle recalled, “and we came to a halt outside the primary school. There’s thuggery goin’ on but the smallest lad, the boy I took to be Asian, is punching beautifully, hitting all three of them. They can’t land a shot on him. I said to myself: ‘That young fella can fight.’”
Hamed nods when I mention the National Front slogans seen in Giant. “It was all over the walls near the gym, not far from my house. But the biggest problem wasn’t just racism. The [boxing authorities] absolutely hated Brendan because he was Irish and producing fighters that were fighting different to everybody else in the country. We were hitting them and then moving.
“If it wasn’t for Brendan, how would I have been able to get really good? How would I have been able to learn the fundamentals of boxing, the footwork and confidence ingrained by him? And from the get-go it’s like the world was against us. All the amateur officials made it harder for us but the minute I became 18 I’d won enough cups and medals.
“I wanted to earn money for me and my family. I’m the son of an immigrant shopkeeper that came from Yemen. We don’t have any wealth in our family tree. So one of my greatest achievements was to make a new life for my parents, my brothers and sisters and my cousins.”
He and Ingle stopped working together at the peak of Hamed’s career when they were full of rancour and bitterness towards each other. Ingle died in May 2018, aged 77, having never spoken again to his most cherished boxer, and Hamed wants to make amends now. But he also wants to underline his own truth.
“I never saw Brendan as a father figure, even though he was trying to tell people he was like a father to me. I had my own father and I never lived in Brendan’s house – as they mentioned in the film. He did ask me to move into his home with his wife and kids but I refused because I lived just up the road with my eight brothers and sisters and my parents. I’m not going to jump ship from my own family. So a few moments are really sad between us.”
In December 1997, Hamed stopped Kevin Kelley in a tumultuous world featherweight title fight at Madison Square Garden in New York. It was the greatest night of Hamed’s career – even though he was knocked down three times by Kelley – and the film suggests that in the buildup the boxer had tried to kick Ingle out of his corner and not pay his trainer’s purse.
Hamed offers a different version: “Nobody actually knows this. But imagine [Ingle] coming to me before the biggest fight of my life, and saying: ‘I want you to leave the gym.’ It was before training camp had started and I’ve got the hardest fight of my whole career. Kelley was a world champion when I was still a kid. I was also in his back yard.
“But I refused to leave the gym. It was such a bad thing to say that to me but Brendan never really trained me. His son, John, trained me. John spent time with me in that ring, on the pads, to make sure that I got them punches so accurate. This has never been spoken about.
“I said to Brendan: ‘Your son is my trainer. He’s the one that went into my corner as an amateur for 67 fights. He’s the one I’m comfortable with.’”
The division with Brendan is back but Hamed catches himself: “Regardless, I always give him the credit of laying down them foundations. I always remember that … but in boxing these [enmities] can happen.”
He adds: “The whole world can think whatever they want about me. It’s never going to affect me. I’m not one to think: ‘Oh, this film makes me look so bad and I shouldn’t support it.’ No. It’s amazing they’re making a film about you.”
Giant offers two endings – with one imagining a happy reunion between the trainer and fighter. “It’s make-believe,” Hamed confirms but, in reality, he tried to forge a reconciliation with Ingle “many times. I reached out in so many different ways to make up with Brendan. I tried to sit down with him and apologise and ask him to forgive me. At the same time, I would have liked him to do the same, because it wasn’t one-way traffic. I felt we needed that but he was so stubborn. I was getting more mature and realising that, if you fall out with somebody, let’s make peace. We spent 18 years together.”
Hamed won his next six bouts after the Kelley fight, and his parting from Ingle, but he suffered his solitary defeat when he was humbled by the magnificent Marco Antonio Barrera in Las Vegas in April 2001. He fought only once more, against the obscure Manuel Calvo, 13 months later.
Nearly 25 years later, he lists a string of reasons why he was so disappointing against Barrera – including a broken hand, another change of trainer and a savage weight-cut. Hamed does not sound haunted by the loss and, typically of a proud old fighter, says: “When the final bell rang I was still on my feet. Mike Tyson, Sugar Ray Leonard, Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Robinson, the greatest fighters that ever lived, have been exposed, looking up at the stars. That never happened to me and that’s why that loss for me didn’t really feel like a loss.”
Hamed never fulfilled the grandest ambitions he and Ingle created but his good humour and health today is testament to his wisdom in retiring at 28. “People said: ‘Why would you stop so young?’ But I’d spent 10 years as a professional and 11 years as an amateur. Twenty-one years was enough. It will never be forgotten – not just in achievements but for young kids coming through seeing it as an inspiration. I had nothing else to prove.
“I’d won five world title belts and then the Hall of Fame came and it’s just amazing all these things happened to a young kid with big dreams.”
Hamed had also witnessed enough savagery in boxing. “We were taught by Brendan how dangerous the sport was,” he says. “There were boards up in the gym that said ‘Boxing can damage your health.’ When you was as good as I was, and you avoided getting hit, it was different. But I chose my time to get out. I could have stayed and done whatever I wanted in the sport. But our philosophy was to hit and not get hit.”
Does he wish he could change anything he did in or out of the ring? After a long pause Hamed says: “The biggest regret of my life …”
He catches me leaning forward and says, with his old teasing twinkle: “You’re so intrigued.”
I admit he’s right while wondering if Hamed might say anything more about Ingle, or taunting some of his rivals. He leans back in his chair and smiles. “This is so far from what you’re thinking but I’ve been brought up with a beautiful religion.
“So my biggest regret is that, when I was younger, I didn’t always do my five prayers [a day]. But I do now and it’s so important because the person I am today is the person I’ve always wanted to be.”
Check out this advertisement for the movie "Giant" on the side of a building, "The Prince Never Left."
"Prince Naseem Hamed has four books written about his life and career, I've already mentioned"The Paddy and The Prince." Here's two of the other books, "Born To Be King: The Rise of Prince Naseem Hamed."
And here's another book written about him "The Shadows of Boxing: Prince Naseem and Those He Left Behind." The image used for the cover of this book is my all-time favorite image of "Prince" Naseem Hamed, and I'll tell you why. It's a dark image, an unsettling image of a young man that has become so caught up in fame and fortune that he's lost his way, maybe even to a degree his soul, you can see it in his face, his eyes. He's no longer the young innocent kid, holding up his gloves and smiling for the camera. The fame has changed him. The title of the book says it all, "and those he left behind", he's abandoned people in his life, maybe old friends, left people behind as a result of the fame and fortune going to his head. The price of fame. It's a really deep image and it gets to me everytime I see it.
And this is the photo that was used on the cover of "The Shadows of Boxing: Prince Naseem and Those He Left Behind." I would give my left pinky finger to own the original type 1 of this photo.
I've had a blast posting about "Prince" Naseem Hamed the past couple of days, though I must confess, I've posted so much about him that it's starting to feel like I'm writing a book about him. A couple more photos and I'll be done.
Brendan Ingle and the young man he helped make into a superstar. I think Brendan Ingle was right about Hamed when he made some of the comments he made in that book about Naz, I think the money and fame went to Naz's head, but you also have to understand, you're young, you got tens of thousands of people cheering for you in an arena, you possess skills that no one else in the history of the sport has possessed, you're unbeaten and feel invincible, women throwing themselves at you, everyone wants you're autograph, you got sponsorship deals worth millions and you're making money hand over fist, everyone wants a piece of you, it's understandable how that could affect a young man.
That's all folks!
The trailer for "Giant."
Great Naseem Hamed entrances.
Naseem Hamed highlights and knockouts.
Naseem Hamed defensive wizardry.
Awesome game.
Did You Know? - TMNT IV: Turtles in Time (1992, SNES)
Konami delivered one of the most beloved beat ’em ups of all time with Turtles in Time. The SNES version took the arcade hit and made it even better, cementing it as a couch co-op classic for the 16-bit era.
🐢 Time-Traveling Adventure: The turtles chased Shredder through different eras, from prehistoric dinosaur stages to a neon-soaked future. Each level had its own theme and flair.
👊 Satisfying Combat: Beyond the standard attacks, you could slam Foot Soldiers back and forth—or even hurl them at the screen in a moment that blew minds in the early ’90s.
🚀 New SNES Extras: The home release added a Technodrome stage, a new boss fight, and tweaks that made it stand apart from the arcade version.
🎶 Rockin’ Soundtrack: With upbeat, energetic tunes that perfectly fit the action, the soundtrack is still remembered as one of the SNES’s catchiest.
Turtles in Time showcased everything great about the SNES era—colorful graphics, tight co-op gameplay, and pure arcade fun at home. It remains one of the definitive TMNT experiences and is still celebrated as one of the best beat ’em ups ever made.
Former world lightweight champion Frank Erne "The Buffalo Boy" was born in Zurich, Switzerland, on January 8th in 1875. He moved to Buffalo, NY with his family at the age of seven and took up boxing while attending parochial school.
Erne scored notable victories over Jack Skelly, George Dixon, Young Griffo and George “Kid” Lavigne, winning the world lightweight title by outpointing Lavigne over twenty rounds in Buffalo in 1899. Reflecting on his rivals, Erne later said:
“Joe Gans had the greatest right hand of any lightweight; Hawkins, the best left hand; Lavigne, the strongest body punch; Griffo was the most superlative boxer, and Dixon the most marvellous all-round fighter the ring ever had.”
He fought Gans twice, forcing him to quit in their first title bout in 1900. However, Erne lost the title to Gans in their rematch at Fort Erie, Canada, in 1902, when he was knocked out in the opening round. “I’d hardly warmed up,” Erne recalled. “I made one or two feints and, bang – that was all. Gans knocked me out with his first punch.”
Erne’s career spanned forty professional fights and ended in Paris in 1908. After retiring, he promoted boxing in France and the United States, taught the sport at Yale University, and claimed earnings of more than $200,000 – much of which he lost in the 1929 Wall Street crash. During the Second World War, he entertained veterans in hospital with stories from his days in the ring.
Another good write-up on Frank Erne, I can't get enough of this stuff.
Frank Erne will not go down as one of the great sporting heroes of any century. In fact I do not suppose many people have even heard of the man. But Erne does hold a unique spot in history as he is the only Swiss boxer ever to hold a world title.
On this day, January 8, 1875, he was born in Zurich, but he was to earn his fame after moving to the United States where he turned professional under manager Bobby Smith. He made his professional debut on January 7, 1894, when he stopped J L Sullivan Jr in two rounds in Buffalo. He remained unbeaten for three years before suffering the first of six defeats in his 40-fight career, losing on points over 20 rounds to Martin Flaherty in New York.
His first shot at a world title came in September, 1898 when he challenged George Lavigne for the lightweight championship at Coney Island where the fight was declared a draw after 20 rounds. The pair met again the following July in Buffalo and this time Erne won on points to capture the world title.
Erne made two successful defences - a draw over 25 rounds against Jack O'Brien and a twelfth-round stoppage over Joe Gans after Gans asked for the bout to be stopped - before mounting a challenge for the world welterweight title.
The Swiss met Rube Ferns at Fort Erie on September, 23, 1901 and was knocked out in the ninth round. Fort Erie was to prove an unlucky venue for Erne, for on May 12, 1902, he returned there to defend his lightweight title against Joe Gans and was knocked out in the first round.
Erne had only four fights after that, ending his career with a tenth-round win over Curley Watson in Paris in March, 1908.
Frank Erne, the only Swiss fighter ever to have held a world title, died in New York on September 17, 1954, at the age of 79.
The legendary boxing writer Matt McGrain ranked Frank Erne number 14 on his 50 greatest lightweights of all-time list. I love McGrain's writing, he's a brilliant boxing analyst, historian, and writer, he really has a way with words.
14 – Frank Erne (30-6-16)
Frank Erne’s legacy relationship with Kid Lavigne reminds me a little of that between Ken Buchanan and Ismael Laguna in the sense that Lavigne would have ranked above Erne had the two never met. That they did and that Erne proved the better of the two head-to-head just edges the Swiss in front.
According to The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, there was a sense by 1898 that Lavigne had gone back, and there were those who were willing to back Erne with cash for their fight that year; the result was a draw, but there were many in attendance who fancied Erne with the edge, and as The Eagle reported, had the fight been slated for twenty-five rather than twenty rounds, he might have got the job done.
Their rematch, fought ten months later, was slated once more for twenty and was fought in Erne’s hometown of Buffalo. Game to the core, Lavigne was in serious trouble as early as the seventh round and was saved only by the bell. Erne simply “battered his opponent out of the title” “never once losing his cool” as Lavigne strained with every sinew to remain upon his feet. It was a masterful performance from a speedy, clever, self-possessed fighter, perhaps one of the ring’s great jackals.
Between his first title tilt and his second, Erne took a moment to eliminate George McFadden from contention. As described in Part Three, McFadden became that year the first man to stop both Lavigne and Gans but found Erne a different matter. Erne also turned the trick with Gans, stopping him on a reportedly awful cut in the twelfth round of their title fight. McFadden, Lavigne, then Gans, it’s an astonishing trio of scalps and it took the phenomenon that was Terry McGovern to bring that run to an end, at a catchweight that stretched Erne across the bones. He lost his title in a rematch with Joe Gans who stunned all by blasting him out in a round, but only after staging one more defense against the wonderfully named Curly Supples.
1936 La Salle Hats Frank Erne, very rare card, I've been searching for one on eBay for a while with no luck.
This is an original cabinet card of Frank Erne in full fight pose. Photographer stamp for J. Wood of New York on lower mount along with the written name Frank Erne, along with another great write-up on Erne.
HISTORY: Frank Erne (January 8, 1875 -“ September 17, 1954) was a Swiss born American boxer widely credited with taking the World Featherweight Championship on November 27, 1896 from George Dixon in New York City, as well as the World Lightweight Championship from George "Kid" Lavigne on July 3, 1899, in Buffalo, New York. Late in his career he would contend for the World Welterweight Title against Rube Ferns. Erne began to fight professionally by October 27, 1892 when he defeated John Roy at the Buffalo Athletic Club in New York in a fourth round knockout, showing that he was not a boxer who lacked punching ability when the opportunity arose. The fight was billed as the Featherweight Championship of Western New York and paid the winner the princely sum of $250 according to the Buffalo Courier. Erne had defeated Roy by TKO one month earlier in Buffalo. Erne first met World Featherweight Champion George Dixon in a ten round draw on December 5, 1895 at the Manhattan Athletic Club in New York City. Two weeks later he fought well known Australian boxer "Young Griffo", an 1890 Featherweight World Champion, at the Music Hall in Buffalo. According to the New York Sun, Griffo, to the frustration of the crowd, dominated the brief four round draw from the start and neither boxer put much effort into the fight. Erne took the World Featherweight Title from Canadian born American Black boxer George Dixon on November 27, 1896 at the Broadway Athletic Club in New York in a twenty round points decision, though Dixon was reluctant to acknowledge his loss of the championship. Though outweighing him by nine pounds, he lost the title to Dixon in a twenty round points decision in Brooklyn on March 24, 1897, having held it only four months. Already nearing the featherweight maximum after his loss of the title to George Dixon, Erne began fighting in the lightweight division, meeting George "Kid" Lavigne for his first Lightweight Title bout on September 28, 1898 in Brooklyn. The twenty round draw would not determine a new champion. In one of the most important bouts of his career, he took the world lightweight title from Kid Lavigne on July 3, 1899 in a twenty round points decision before an enthusiastic home crowd in Buffalo. Looking back on Erne's critical win twenty years earlier, the St. Petersburg Times noted that Erne was more known for his speed and scientific skills than power, recalling that Lavigne had lost the title to "light hitting Frank Erne." This description of Erne was more accurate when he faced his most gifted opponents. In a fight that some historians consider a greater show of skill than his two championship title wins, he successfully defended the lightweight title at New York's Broadway Athletic Club in a close bout against the incomparable lightweight Joe Gans on March 23, 1900. According to BoxRec, Gans had asked the fight to be stopped in the ninth round after being injured by an accidental headbutt from Erne. Other sources wrote that Erne had held a decisive edge in the bout, and continuously battered Gans in the face, before Gans finally ended the fight fearing permanent damage to his eye. No headbutt was mentioned in their account. On July 16, 1900, Erne faced lightweight legend Terry McGovern in Madison Square Garden in New York. Erne had superior reach and height over McGovern, but according to most boxing writers, had not demonstrated the ability to consistently connect with the power of McGovern. Erne's ring generalship with his best opponents, was a slow, and deliberate strategy which took longer to end a fight. As the Bridgeport Herald wrote before the fight, "Erne's fights have been longer than Terry's as his record shows. He is not the finisher that Terry is. He is a point decision fighter more properly speaking and McGovern is a knockerout." Though putting McGovern down in the first round, Erne was down three times in the third before his cornermen ended the fight. Offered here is an original cabinet card of Frank Erne as he looked at the height of his career by noted photographer John Wood of New York.
Awesome autographed photo of Frank Erne.
One more great write-ups about Frank Erne, fascinating.
SwissBoxing
Frank Erne as the first Swiss boxer in the IBHOF
17.12.2019 19:40 Uhr
Jack Schmidli / Daniel Hartmann
Their names are Fritz Chervet, Enrico Scacchia, Mauro Martelli, Walter Blaser, Stefan Angehrn, and Andreas Anderegg. All these former boxers have something in common: they are or were Swiss and fought at the national and international levels as professional boxers. But none of the boxers mentioned has ever been inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF).
This honor is now awarded posthumously to the most decorated Swiss boxer of all time , Frank Erne , born in Döttingen in 1875, who emigrated to America with his parents. Once again, the Boxing Writers Association and a panel of boxing historians recommended his selection in the "Old Timer" category. Admission to the IBHOF is akin to climbing Mount Olympus. There is no greater honor for a boxer than to be part of the illustrious circle of IBHOF members.
The following individuals will be honored or admitted to the IBHOF in June at a ceremony in Canestota, New York.
But who was this Frank Erne, known to only a few boxing fans in this country? Probably the best-known expert on Frank Erne and former boxing promoter Daniel Hartmann tells his fascinating story.
Frank Erne – Superstar
In his short but brilliant career, Frank Erne (lightweight division) demonstrated that it was possible to be an excellent boxer and a gentleman. Erne was the most humble and cultured champion of the 19th century, always charming, polite, elegantly dressed, and handsome. He resembled a dashing Wall Street banker more than a hard-fought professional boxer. Because of his appearance, Frank was the envy of many, and some called him the "Parlor Boxer" or even "Daisy." He was, however, the undisputed hero of some of the fiercest and bloodiest fights ever seen in the lightweight division.
During boxing's golden age, when Frank Erne achieved fame, all world boxing champions were more admired than movie stars would later become. Sometimes they went on concert tours and even performed in plays, earning a great deal of money, often more than they would have earned in actual competitions.
Frank Erne, our future world champion, was born on January 8, 1875, probably in Döttingen, with the name Erwin Erne. Frank's father, Engelbert, was a brewer in Leuggern, in the canton of Aargau. He married his mother, Anna Knecht, from the neighboring village of Döttingen, in the autumn of 1874, as she was pregnant. At that time, the canton of Aargau had not yet experienced the Industrial Revolution, which led to unemployment and a severe economic crisis. Many people emigrated. The Ernes emigrated to the United States of America and, aboard a steamship, arrived in the port of New York in the spring of 1882. The Ernes settled in Buffalo, Erie County, New York, where Frank's father found work as a brewer in one of the many breweries in the then-broadly expanding city, which already had about 200,000 inhabitants.
In the hostile environment surrounding these breweries and pubs, the teenager had to learn to assert himself among all the young men of that era who practiced boxing, often in the streets. Furthermore, because of his Swiss German dialect, young Erwin was frequently targeted by German immigrants. In the spring of 1890, at the age of 15, he obtained a job as a bowler at a bowling alley belonging to the Buffalo Athletic Club, next to which stood a boxing club. With the agreement of the club owner, for whom young Frank performed odd jobs, he began taking boxing lessons. He received his first lesson from the renowned lightweight and trainer James "Jimmy" Connors. Very quickly, he earned the respect of the town's youth, a respect tinged with fear. During his early years, he changed his first name to Frank, as Erwin no longer appealed to him.
Young Erne possessed extraordinary talent, and he learned all the fundamentals of boxing very quickly. Along with Jim Corbett and "Kid" McCoy, he represented the new school of boxing. "Boxing was like a true art to us," he said in an interview a few years later. He compared it to a kind of science, studying its nature and the different styles of himself and his opponents. He planned his fights and studied his strategies. Even during the fight, he tried to execute four or five moves ahead, in order to anticipate and thus impose his tactics on his opponents.
Boxers capable of such feats were called the Generals of the Ring. Erne was one of them. He boxed with all the best amateur boxers in Rochester and Buffalo and, on September 29 and October 27, 1892, he was promoted by the ABAC to West New York Amateur Champion, following his two devastating victories by TKO and KO against featherweight champion John Roy.
In early 1893, after two years without fighting, the third round of his match against Joe Diebold—likely his first professional bout—ended with Erne suffering a broken wrist. The fight continued to the scheduled 23 rounds and ended in a draw.
What a fighter's heart! He used his recovery time to train during the winter with trainer Jim Daly and Jim Corbett's former sparring partners. During this time, he made significant progress toward his professional boxing debut.
On January 7, 1894, Frank gave himself a birthday present by knocking out John L. Sullivan—the man who had refused to recognize Erne's Western Championship title and who had been injured in the mouth by Erne a year earlier, in the second round. In Buffalo, this boxing match generated the greatest excitement in living memory, and it had been widely publicized by the media well in advance. Sullivan, a fast puncher, was the overwhelming favorite.
After this spectacular victory, life continued smoothly for the Buffalo Boy. In March, April, and May, he stepped into the ring seven times and, thanks to his superior skill, was able to defeat all his opponents with ease. Even the renowned George Siddons, who had already boxed twice against the future lightweight champion Georges "Kid" Lavigne, was visibly disappointed.
And Erne, the lucky fellow, was earning more money every day! In the fall of 1894, he boxed against the notoriously bad Solly Smith of San Francisco. The fight ended in a draw after only 10 rounds. It was incomprehensible that the 1891 world featherweight champion had behaved so unfairly in that fight!
The following year, Erne traveled to England with his manager, Franklin. The reigning English champion refused to fight Erne. In a replacement bout, the Buffalo native faced Englishman Jem Perry, and won on points. Back in New York, he fought Jack Skelly twice and boxed once, in a draw, against "Little Chocolate" George Dixon, the reigning world featherweight champion. He also boxed Young Griffo, a former world and Australian featherweight champion. Griffo was a tough opponent, as he was one of the best defensive boxers in the history of the sport.
It was in 1896, before a crowd of 2,000, that Frank Erne, in a close and grueling fight, won the world featherweight title on points against George Dixon, thanks to his powerful finishing. However, he only held this title for about three months. In 1897, in a scheduled 20-round title defense against Martin Flathery, Erne was already experiencing significant difficulties by the fourth round. A cut under his left eye was bleeding profusely, severely hindering him during the fight. With this injury, Frank had no chance of winning!
In April of the following year, during a fight against Harry Lemons, Frank broke his left hand. He still managed to knock Lemons down three times! Only the bell saved Lemons from being knocked out, and Erne won the fight on points. In the fall, he fought for the lightweight title for the first time, and George "Kid" Lavigne, the reigning champion, managed, with a lot of luck and a rather unflattering draw, to retain the title. Many spectators later reported that Erne had been the better fighter that day.
Frank got off to a good start in the spring of 1899, knocking out Dal Hawkins in the seventh round in San Francisco. Hawkins was a tough opponent, a view shared by Philadelphia boxer Joe Gans, who had lost to him three years earlier. Shortly after the Hawkins fight, Mr. Buffalo also won a 25-round bout against George "Elbows" McFaden, despite a cut above his eye. This fight was one of the the most brilliant ever seen in New York. Frank Erne felt that "Elbows" was often clumsy and boxed like an amateur, despite McFaden having knocked out Joe Gans in the 23rd round just a month before.
Then came July 3, 1899—for Frank, the chance of a lifetime—and he seized it! In a decisive fight against Kid Lavigne in Buffalo, he demonstrated his superiority before approximately 7,000 spectators, thus erasing all doubts about his claim to the world title. With great aggression, he worked the Kid for 20 rounds. His famous left hand sliced through him like a hammer. Erne dominated Lavigne at will, which irritated the latter and led to actions that resulted in a knockout. This victory earned Frank $6,000.
After a five-month hiatus, Erne defended his title for the first time against the "Flaherty Killer," Jack O'Brien of New York. Jack's brutal violence contrasted sharply with the Buffalo boxer's skill. Frank was unable to secure the victory, and the fight ended in a draw.
On March 23, 1900, Frank faced his big test: his second title defense against Joe Gans at the Broadway Athletic Club in New York. He and Gans were the best lightweights in the world at the time. During this fight, Erne was particularly nervous and came out firing. In the second round, "The Old Master" Gans lost some speed, so Frank increased the pressure. Many thought that Gans had the upper hand at this point. However, at the start of the twelfth round, Frank came out swinging, hitting Joe in the eyes with a left and a right smash. Immediately afterward, he landed a devastating right to the gut. Joe went down, and before he could get back to his feet, Frank delivered a terrible right above his right eye. A horrific blow! Gans hung on, and before referee "Charley" White could separate the two boxers, he staggered toward Erne's corner and said, "I'm blind. I can't see anything." White stopped the fight and declared Frank Erne the winner. Joe's manager filed a protest for headbutting. Later, Gans did the same. However, those around the ring had a different opinion. Professional boxers McPharland, Sullivan, Sharkey, and John L. Sullivan warmly congratulated Erne on his victory. McAuliffe, former lightweight champion of the world, said of Erne, "A game boy that"—he was certainly among the supporters! Professional boxer Matty Matthews summed up the situation: "Erne is putting on a great fight, elevating the game of boxing in every aspect. Buffalo should feel more than proud of their lightweight world champion, who is also a true gentleman."
And boxer Dan Creedon, who also watched the fight, said of the headbutt accusation: "It was Erne's right hand that sent Gans to the ground. Joe says it was a headbutt, but I guess he was seeing too many stars in the thirteenth round." Upon his return, hundreds of fans and supporters were waiting for the Buffalo Boy at the train station. Frank Erne, at the height of his career, was famous and popular both in Buffalo and throughout the country. He liked to be seen as one of the most complete boxers who ever lived. He combined skill in technique and tactics with punching power and toughness. Possessing quick footwork and excellent reflexes, he danced around the ring like a ballerina. His "Snappy Left Hand Jab" was his most formidable weapon, with which he controlled his opponents and set up his attacks.
Frank Erne's fighting record was as long as it was enviable, and winning the world lightweight title was the result of a series of brilliant performances in the ring.
But Frank was presumptuous and overestimated himself! So he decided to move up to featherweight, aiming to challenge the world champion Terry McGovern, the "Mike Tyson" of that weight class, and defeat him. The bout took place on July 16, 1900, and Erne, facing "Terrible" Terry, received a crushing defeat! McGovern attacked him like a hurricane, and Buffalo Boy had to admit defeat in the third round after being knocked down twice. His seconds were forced to throw in the towel, and Frank lost the fight by knockout. This time, his skill didn't help him; he was simply too physically weak. His strength would have been sufficient, at best, to "push a wheelchair around the ring," as one newspaper boldly wrote in its headline. "The weight got the better of me," Erne declared, "and besides, at 133 pounds, I'm in top shape, but I'd have a better chance at a lower weight." As a result, Frank never truly recovered from that fight and never regained his former form. Thus, a fight "breaks your heart and destroys your confidence," as one reporter aptly wrote. Erne decided to learn from this experience and declared, "From now on, I'll stay in my weight class!"
A year later, he returned to the ring, despite having retired in the interim, for a welterweight bout—a world title fight against James "Rube" Ferns, the reigning champion. For the second time, Erne made the terrible mistake of fighting out of his weight class. Money and fame were still as tempting as ever… Ferns taught him a second lesson: Frankie was knocked down in the ninth round.
Thus, not only changes in class, but also frequent weight fluctuations, not to mention the blows he received, were able to alter the course of Erne's boxing career. As a result, he fought far less frequently than his "arch-rival" Joe Gans.
He trains less now. Often, between fights, Frank takes long pleasure trips, in the United States, but also around the world. He enjoys the finer things in life and also appreciates wine… probably too much! His wife and parents weren't present at the beginning of his professional boxing career. This, too, wasn't conducive to a long and consistent career.
Frank easily won his next two fights against Ferns. He was still the world lightweight champion when the fateful day of May 12, 1902, arrived. In Fort Erie, Canada, the promised rematch against Joe Gans took place. Both boxers were in top form as they entered the ring for a scheduled 20-round bout. More than 6,000 spectators had traveled to witness this exciting fight.
Unfortunately, the fight lasted only 1 minute and 40 seconds, Gans sending Erne to the canvas unexpectedly with a powerful right hook. The knockout was so sudden and swift that even Gans and the referee remained motionless for a full minute, staring at the badly injured Erne lying on the mat. He tried to get back to his feet, but in vain. He was carried back to his corner with a severe nosebleed, and it took more than a minute to bring him back to consciousness. The speed of the knockout caused consternation among the thousands of Erne fans who were around the ring. Their hearts seemed to stop; it was as if they had been hit over the head! Their beloved and revered champion had been defeated before he even had a chance to fight! And, on top of that, they had lost thousands of dollars betting on Frank…
Frank was furious about the fight, and he offered the following explanation: "I was barely warmed up, I only had time for one or two feints, and 'Bang,' that was it, Gans landed the first punch and it was a knockout." Terry McGovern, who had backed Joe Gans for a hefty sum in the fight, later stated: "It was a lucky punch, for sure… I thought it would be a long fight. For it to end so suddenly and quickly, I wasn't prepared for that."
Sam Harris, McGovern's manager: "Gans won, that's clear, but with a stroke of luck, the likes of which won't happen again for the next 1,000 years." The final verdict from local experts was unanimous: the fight was too short to determine which of the two boxers was the better fighter that day. But in any case, the possibility of a rematch with Erne was no longer discussed.
Frank then won a fight in London, England, against Jim Maloney, before being knocked out in the 7th round by future lightweight champion Jimmy Britt. After the fight, in the locker room, his face badly marked by the blows he had received, Erne wept. He knew his career was now nearing its end. Once again, he resigned.
In 1907, Erne traveled extensively, notably to Paris, where he would play a pivotal role in the rise of boxing in France. Frank dedicated himself more than anyone else to promoting the Noble Art in France and elevating it to a new level of prestige. He founded a boxing school and trained, among others, Georges Carpentier, future European and world champion, Charles Ledoux, European and world champion, and Louis de Ponthieu, European champion. Naturally, Frank himself became a major promoter of boxing in France and beyond! Here, in 1908, he stepped into the ring for the last time, at the French welterweight championships, against local boxer Curley Watson. He probably didn't truly deserve to win that fight…
Erne's influence on boxing in Switzerland should not be underestimated. His former and current students, Georges Carpentier, Marcel Moreau, and Louis De Ponthieu, for whom he also served as manager, boxed on July 27, 1911, in Geneva at the Luna Park. Erne, as manager, was certainly present. Such a major event, featuring world-class French boxers, was bound to give a significant boost to the development and growth of interest in boxing in Switzerland.
At the start of World War I, Frank returned to the United States. He remained involved in the boxing business, probably until the 1930s.
During World War II, Frank often visited hospitals to tell wounded soldiers anecdotes and stories about the heroes of boxing's Golden Age. Erne once recounted how he had earned $200,000 with his fists. That's roughly equivalent to $4.7 million today. He lost a significant amount in the 1929 Wall Street Crash. But Erne bounced back and found a job. He went on to work for many years, well into his 60s, for a New York oil company as a salesman.
In 1951, Frank Erne was the oldest living former world champion, and he was honored by the Boxing Writers' Association with a lifetime achievement award. Frank Erne—boxer and gentleman—died on the morning of September 17, 1954, of a heart attack, at Beth David Hospital in Manhattan.
"Erne was surely the best man I ever met, and besides being a gentleman, he was an intelligent boxer." Joe Gans, December 12, 1907, Auburn Citizen Newspaper.
Frank Erne is an all-time great fighter that you never really here about, you have to be great to beat George "Little Chocolate" Dixon, George Lavigne aka "The Saginaw Kid", and George "Elbows" McFadden. Lavigne was a little ball of fury, an iron-jawed pressure fighter who was strong and impossible to discourage, and McFadden wasn't called "Elbows" for nothing, he was known for using them in fights. Elbows fought 12 times in 1899 losing only twice whilst matching the very, very best of arguably the deepest era in lightweight history. In 1899, Elbows was matched in five 25 rounders all within six months of eachother, going 23 rounds with Joe Gans, 25 with Erne, 25 with Gans, 19 with Lavigne, and 25 with Gans again, in that stretch of fights he iced Gans and Lavigne, becoming the first man to ever put Lavigne to sleep, what a beast. Erne has some monster scalps under his belt. Great fighter.
Very rare card of Frank Erne, this is a Victory Blend Tough Yanks Series 3 with Rover & Co. back, PSA lists this series as a 1984 issue because of the back but it is not, this set was issued in 1996. I'm not sure exactly how these cards were issued but I think they produced by an England manufacturer by the name of Victory Blend and are rare. When you have them in hand they are about the size of your pinky finger.
Some more cool photos of Frank Erne.
A couple of photos of Frank Erne in his later years. A lot of greatness in this photo, Frank Erne is pictured standing on on the far left.
A ticket from the Erne fight with George "Elbows" McFadden on May 9th, 1899, what a treasure.
The great Frank Erne, aka "The Buffalo Boy."