Eugene hairston boxer biography
Eugene hairston boxer biography
Eugene hairston biography.
Eugene Hairston
American deaf black boxer (1929–2014)
Eugene "Silent" Hairston (July 1, 1929 – November 24, 2014) was the first American professional Black Deaf boxer.[1] He was born in Harlem in 1929 and became deaf at 1 year old due to a case of spinal meningitis.[2] Growing up, he went to P.S.
47 until he was 15, when he had to drop out to help support his family.[2] He started boxing as an amateur in 1945, winning 59 out of his 60 matches.[3] In 1947, Hairston became a professional boxer.[2] During his time as a boxer, his most famous fight was against Jake LaMotta which ended in a draw.
He was also the Golden Glove champion in 1947.[3] In 1953, Hairston had to retire due to injuries.[1] After his time as a boxer, Hairston worked for UPS.[2]
Eugene Hairston is a source of pride for the Black Deaf community and it is said that he proudly claimed the nickname "Silent Hairston" as a descriptor