John Charles "Corn" Griffin (July 24, 1911 – January 9, 1973) was an American

heavyweight Heavyweight is a weight class in combat sports and professional wrestling. Boxing Professional Male boxers who weigh over are considered heavyweights by 2 of the 4 major professional boxing organizations: the International Boxing Federation an ...

boxer whose career lasted from 1930 to 1936 and included the memorable June 14, 1934 TKO loss to James J. Braddock, recreated for the 2005 film '' Cinderella Man''. A native of

Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...

, Griffin was born in Blountstown, a small community which is the

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...

of Calhoun County. After winning his first fight, a 1930 bout with Charles "Ranger" Pond, he turned professional in 1931 with much promise, but was KO'd by Bob Godwin in 1933. The only in retrospect heavily publicized fight with Braddock in

Madison Square Garden Madison Square Garden, colloquially known as the Garden or by its initials MSG, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City. It is located in Midtown Manhattan between Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh and Eighth Avenue (Manhattan), Eig ...

the following year was the highlight of his career and, as dramatized in ''Cinderella Man'', had Russell Crowe (as Braddock) punching it out with Polish boxer Art Binkowski, portraying Griffin. During his professional career he also served as a sparring partner for former world heavyweight boxing champion Primo Carnera and, following his final bout, a 1936 Fourth of July loss to Barney Brock, left the ring, working in a number of jobs and serving in the

army An army, ground force or land force is an armed force that fights primarily on land. In the broadest sense, it is the land-based military branch, service branch or armed service of a nation or country. It may also include aviation assets by ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. After the war, Griffin became a police officer in

Columbus, Georgia Columbus is a consolidated city-county located on the west-central border of the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. Columbus lies on the Chattahoochee River directly across from Phenix City, Alabama. It is the county seat of Muscogee ...

. According to the August 25, 1950 issue of the '' Panama City News-Herald'', he didn't carry the traditional policeman's club "since his old one-two sledgehammer-like fists are as good as ever, but may be not as fast".

External links

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1933 publicity photograph of "CORN GRIFFIN Leading Irish Heavyweight" in a fighting stanceNews article on Corn Griffin
People from Blountstown, Florida 1911 births 1973 deaths American male boxers Heavyweight boxers United States Army personnel of World War II 20th-century American sportsmen {{US-boxing-bio-stub