I just saw this 1887 "Old Judge" card of George Godfrey (1853-1901). Godfrey was once recognized as the "Colored Heavyweight Champion". The auction is currently at 5 bids 32.00 with just over a day left.
The Canadian (Prince Edward Island) fighter Godfrey spent nearly his entire career chasing eventual World Heavyweight Champion John L. Sullivan, who repeatedly refused to fight black contenders. However, in 1881 a story surfaced that a bare-knuckle fight against Sullivan had been scheduled but was stopped by the Boston police due to boxing being illegal in the state. This enhanced Godfrey's notoriety and earned him some high-profile matchups with some of the top pugilists of his time period, including the likes of Kilrain, Maher, Jackson and Choynski. Godfrey died in 1901 of tuberculoses.
