Heavyweight · United States
Jess Willard 25-7-2 19 KO · 1911–1923
Photo: Bain News Service, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons
Jess Willard was a heavyweight boxer from United States, born Dec 29, 1881. Record 25-7-2 with 19 knockouts over 1911–1923. Jess Willard last fought Luis Ángel Firpo on Jul 12, 1923 and lost by KO in round 8 of 12.
Also: Джесс Уиллард · جس ویلارد · جيس ويلارد +7 more جیس ولارڈ · ジェス・ウィラード · "The Pottawatomie Giant" Jess Willard · Jess Myron Willard · The Pottawatomie Giant · Уиллард Джесс · Уиллард, Джесс
Born Dec 29, 1881
Died Dec 15, 1968
Country 🇺🇸 United States
Stance Orthodox
Height 199 cm
Nickname Great White Hope · Pottawatomie Giant
Debut Feb 15, 1911
Career 1911–1923
Rounds boxed 206
KO share 76%
Born in Saint Clere, Kansas, US
Titles NYSAC heavyweight title at stake 1916
Confirmed bouts 3 of 34
Career record Record
25-7-2, 19 KOs · 1911–1923
Last result L
KO 8/12 · Boyle's Thirty Acres, Jersey City, New Jersey, 🇺🇸
The record 34 bouts, 1911–1923, newest first. Records under each bout are both boxers going in. Wikidata: 24-6-1
L
KO 8/12 · Boyle's Thirty Acres, Jersey City, New Jersey, 🇺🇸
Willard 25-6-2 · Firpo —
W
TKO 11/15 · Yankee Stadium, Bronx, 🇺🇸
Willard 24-6-2 · Johnson —
L
For world heavyweight title RTD 3/12 · Bay View Park Arena, Toledo, Ohio, 🇺🇸
Willard 24-5-2 · Dempsey 61-4-10
W
NYSAC heavyweight title at stake 10 · Madison Square Garden, New York City, 🇺🇸
Willard 23-5-2 · Moran —
W
Won NYSAC heavyweight title KO 26/45 · Oriental Park, Havana, 🇨🇺
Willard 22-5-2 · Johnson 55-5-10
W
George Rodel
KO 6/10 · Orpheum Theater, Atlanta, Georgia, 🇺🇸
Willard 21-5-2 · Rodel —
W
Dan Dailey
KO 9/10 · Broadway Auditorium, Buffalo, 🇺🇸
Willard 20-5-2 · Dailey —
L
Tom McMahon
12 · Grand Opera House, Youngstown, Ohio, 🇺🇸
Willard 20-4-2 · McMahon —
W
George Rodel
KO 9/20 · Casino, New Haven, Connecticut, 🇺🇸
Willard 19-4-2 · Rodel —
W
KO 2/10 · Broadway Auditorium, Buffalo, 🇺🇸
Willard 18-4-2 · Jaus —
W
10 · Madison Square Garden, New York City, 🇺🇸
Willard 17-4-2 · Morris —
W
Jack Reed
TKO 2/10 · Princess Rink, Fort Wayne, 🇺🇸
Willard 16-4-2 · Reed —
L
George Rodel
10 · Elite Rink, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 🇺🇸
Willard 16-3-2 · Rodel —
W
Bull Young
KO 11/20 · Pacific A.C., Vernon, 🇺🇸
Willard 15-3-2 · Young —
W
Al Williams
TKO 8/10 · Moana Springs Arena, Reno, Nevada, 🇺🇸
Willard 14-3-2 · Williams —
D
Charley Miller
PTS 4/4 · Dreamland Rink, San Francisco, 🇺🇸
Willard 14-3-1 · Miller —
L
PTS 20/20 · Eighth Street Arena, San Francisco, California, 🇺🇸
Willard 14-2-1 · Smith —
W
Jack Leon
KO 4/10 · Princess Rink, Fort Wayne, 🇺🇸
Willard 13-2-1 · Leon —
W
Frank Bauer
TKO 5/10 · Princess Rink, Fort Wayne, 🇺🇸
Willard 12-2-1 · Bauer —
W
Soldier Kearns
KO 8/10 · Madison Square Garden, New York City, 🇺🇸
Willard 11-2-1 · Kearns —
Show all 34 bouts W
Sailor White
KO 1/10 · Miller's Hall, Buffalo, 🇺🇸
Willard 10-2-1 · White —
D
10 · Madison Square Garden, New York City, 🇺🇸
Willard 10-2-0 · McCarty 12-3-1
W
10 · Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, 🇺🇸
Willard 9-2-0 · Pelkey —
W
Bull Young
KO 5 · South Chicago, Chicago, 🇺🇸
Willard 8-2-0 · Young —
W
Frank Bauer
TKO 3/6 · Irwin Hall, St. Charles, Missouri, 🇺🇸
Willard 7-2-0 · Bauer —
W
Bull Young
KO 6/10 · Princess Rink, Fort Wayne, Indiana, 🇺🇸
Willard 6-2-0 · Young —
L
Joe Cox
TKO 5/10 · Landers Theatre, Springfield, Missouri, 🇺🇸
Willard 6-1-0 · Cox —
W
Mike McKimminsky
PTS 10/10 · Hammon, Oklahoma, 🇺🇸
Willard 5-1-0 · McKimminsky —
W
Frank Lyons
PTS 10/10 · Elk City, Oklahoma, 🇺🇸
Willard 4-1-0 · Lyons —
W
William Schiller
KO 4/15 · Maize Theatre, Oklahoma City, 🇺🇸
Willard 3-1-0 · Schiller —
W
Al Mandino
PTS 4/10 · Benevolent A.A., Oklahoma City, 🇺🇸
Willard 2-1-0 · Mandino —
W
Lewis Fink
KO 3/15 · Benevolent A.A., Oklahoma City, 🇺🇸
Willard 1-1-0 · Fink —
W
Ed Burke
KO 3/10 · Jackson's Pavilion, El Reno, 🇺🇸
Willard 0-1-0 · Burke —
L
Lewis Fink
DQ 10/15 · Sapulpa Air Dome, Sapulpa, Oklahoma, 🇺🇸
Willard 0-0-0 · Fink —
Ratings now Not in any current ranking.
World titles No world title reigns recorded.
Facts
What is Jess Willard's record? Jess Willard's professional record is 25-7-2 with 19 knockouts.
Who did Jess Willard fight last? Jess Willard last fought Luis Ángel Firpo on Jul 12, 1923 and lost by KO in round 8 of 12. Sources Boxerbook ID 12285 · permanent link boxerbook.com/id/12285 . Wikidata (CC0), English Wikipedia (CC BY-SA), photo from Wikimedia Commons. Last fetched: 2026-10-12. Spot a mistake? Every bout page has a link to report it.
