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
Bobby Joe Champion Jennifer Carnahan. Bobby Joe Champion Bobby Joe Champion (born December 17, 1963) is a Minnesota politician and member of the Minnesota Senate. A member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL), he represents District 59, which includes portions of downtown and north Minneapolis in Hennepin County. He is also an attorney. Champion graduated from Minneapolis North High School, then went on to Macalester College in Saint Paul, receiving his B.A. in political science. He later received his J.D. from William Mitchell College of Law, also in Saint Paul. He worked as an assistant Minnesota attorney general under Hubert H. Humphrey III