10/06/2026
"I like to fight down there [in Mexico]. Somehow or other I had luck there and they were pretty good sports. They paid well and they liked me as a fighter.
I was matched to fight Battling Savage there in 1922. At that time my eyesight was very bad. It was next to impossible for me to see at all. But I signed to fight their champion. I had to. I was broke and needed the money. Never mind what I might get in the way of a thumping, I just needed the money, that's all.
I made one mistake. I had signed to fight this fellow from twelve noon up to twelve midnight. I told them that I wanted to fight at night, when it came near the day of the battle. There was a reason for that, as Dr Smith has explained.
That cataract on my one good eye covered the pupil. Naturally when I was in the sunlight the pupil grew small and completely shut off my vision, as it was impossible to see around the cataract with the pupil closed to a pin point because of the bright sunlight. That's why I could see so much better in the night time. The pupil opened wide in the night and I was able to see around the cataract.
Well, when the day of the fight arrived, I refused to fight in the broad daylight. They threatened me with every torture their gentle Mexican souls knew of. I'd fight in the daytime or they'd rend me limb from limb. I didn't dare tell them why I objected to the daylight. I told them my reason was one of superstition. Nobody knew how badly off my vision was, especially in the daytime.
They rattled tough looking handcuffs before my eyes and threatened to ball and chain me for the hoozgow.
When it seemed that I would surely be locked in the cooler, I said I'd fight in the daylight. It was an awful moment for me, I can tell you that. They wouldn't listen to my superstition about fighting in the daytime because Harry Wills had knocked me out in the daytime.
Battling Savage was a big, hairy customer who could lay you flat with a back smack of his hand. He feared no man, especially poor old Sam Langford.
We had drawn an immense crowd. Marvelous outpouring there was to see old Sam Langford and the Battling One. The bull ring never held such a crowd, unless it was to see some Spanish bullfighting star.
I'm thinking to myself all the while, wonder how I was going to get this fellow? I kept saying to myself, if he comes to old Sam, old Sam he have a chance. If he runs, old Sam will never catch him because old Sam don't know where he run to. I can't see where he go to, so I can't catch him. I'm thinking all this. They call us to the center for the big talk.
I take my second's arm and get there OK. We got our instructions. That over, everybody walks back to the corners, but not old Sam. I ain't going to take any chances of not getting back to the center of that ring, so there I stands blinking in the hot sun. I swear I can't see five fingers before my eyes. I'm blind as a bat.
Only one thing runs through my mind. If only this bird will come to me. It's my only chance. Would he do it? Few men did come to old Sam in a fight. I stood there waiting. Then the bell ring. There was a hush and you can bet old Sam was glad and you can bet old Sam listened as he never listened before. Could I believe my ears? Sure enough. It was the Battler's big flat feet and he was galloping toward me. I took my prop and on he came, clacker, clacker, like a goat on a hard floor. I timed his footsteps, knowing that he was coming to swing. I grabs for him and he lands plump in my arms.
My goodness, I never enjoyed an embrace more in all my life. I had my bird. I couldn't believe it. He began to squirm and tried to fight with both arms free. I took care of all that.
Quicker than I can tell it, I took him by both shoulders, shook him up, set him around for my right and - well, sir, when I gets back to my dressing room I sits there laughing to myself. I keeps saying, 'what luck, what luck to have a champion of Mexico run right into my arms!'
You know, if the champion of Mexico hadn't charged at old Sam, I wouldn't be the champion of Mexico at this minute. Had he walked around me in a circle, I wouldn't have caught him in a week, for simple reason that I couldn't find him.
Blindness made me stand there waiting for what might turn up, and it happened to be Battling Savage, the champion of Mexico. Once I had him in my arms he didn't have a chance to escape. I just guaged the distance from his shoulders to his jaw and down he went, without even saying goodbye to me."
🗣 - Sam Langford
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