Harry Lewis (boxer)

Harry Lewis , was an American boxer, generally credited with holding the Welterweight Championship of the World from April 1908 to March 1911. He defeated Young Joseph, the reigning Welterweight Champion of England in London on June 27, 1910, but was not credited with the British Welterweight championship as the fight was sanctioned as a World, and not English title. Boxing writer Nat Fleischer rated Lewis the sixth greatest welterweight of all time. He was inducted into the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 2002 and to the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2008.

Lewis was born Harry Besterman in New York city on September 6, 1886. While a young child his family moved to Philadelphia. Besterman took his ring name Lewis from a local fight manager. In Lewiss early fighting career, his father Jake often gave advice to Harry at ringside during fights. According to Ken Blady, Lewiss father turned out to be a thorn in the flesh of Harrys professional managers. With a strong jaw, and an impressive defensive style, Lewis was knocked out only twice in his career.

Source: Wikipedia