Jersey Joe Walcott his mother and 11 younger brothers and sisters. He also began training as a boxer. He took the name of his boxing idol, Joe Walcott, a welterweight champion from Barbados. He added "Jersey" to distinguish himself and show where he was from. He debuted as a professional boxer on September 9, 1930, fighting Cowboy Wallace and winning by a knockout in round one. After five straight knockout wins, in 1933, he lost for the first time, beaten on points by Henry Wilson in Philadelphia. He built a record of 45 wins, 11 losses and 1 draw before challenging for the
Tiger Jack Fox dispute over a woman. Fox also fought and knocked out in two rounds former light-heavyweight champion Bob Olin, and he knocked out Lou Brouillard in seven. He was kayoed in three rounds by future lightheavyweight champion John Henry Lewis. Two of Fox's more surprising victories came against future heavyweight champion Jersey Joe Walcott. On May 12, 1937, Fox knocked out Walcott in the 8th round. In the following year Fox again defeated Walcott, this time by a ten-round decision. Fox is second on the all-time list for first-round knockouts, and was named to the Ring Magazine's list of 100 greatest