Jeremiah "Joe" Jeannette (also Jennette) (August 26, 1879 – July 2, 1958) was an American boxer, considered one of the best heavyweight boxers of the early 20th century. Because he was African-American, he was not given a shot at the world heavyweight title, though he did win the World Colored Heavyweight Championship on two occasions. Early life and career Jeannette was born on August 26, 1879, in West Hoboken, New Jersey, which is now part of Union City, to Mena and Benjamin F. Jeanette, who worked for a local blacksmith. He began work as his father's apprentice, and then as a coal truck driver for Jaels and Bellis. In 1904, at the age of 25, he began his boxing career on a dare, fighting against Arthur Dickinson in Jersey City. At and weighing , Jeanette was relatively short and stocky, with his initial knowledge of fighting stemming from youthful street brawls. Professional career Within two years, Jeanette was considered one of the best black heavyweights in the United States. Jeanette mimicked the style of Sam Langford, whom he fought 15 times (some sources say 14), developing defensive techniques that were elusive and effective. Opponents considered Jeanette, whose style reflected the "inside punching" style of the times, a dangerous inside boxer whom few wished to fight. Because of the racial barrier, black boxers only had a small number of prospective opponents from which to choose, and often ended up matched against the same fighters over and over. Jeanette fought the future heavyweight champion Jack Johnson seven times in his first two years as a pro, and a total of ten times. According to the Ken Burns documentary Unforgivable Blackness, Jeanette lost twice, won one fight on a foul after two rounds, had two draws, and five "No Decisions" in his fights against Johnson. Johnson called Jeannette "the toughest man I ever fought." After Johnson became the first African-American Heavyweight Champion of the World on December 26, 1908, he never again fought Jeanette, despite numerous challenges. Johnson's refusal to fight African-Americans offended the African-American community. Jeanette criticized Johnson, saying, "Jack forgot about his old friends after he became champion and drew the color line against his own people." Jeanette was never allowed to fight for the heavyweight championship during his 15-year career, despite having a stellar record against opponents of all races. Joe's most memorable fight occurred on April 17, 1909 in