Era profile
1900s boxing
What 1900s boxing fighters actually measure — 37 of them, from Wikipedia's own data.
Across the 37 1900s boxing fighters in this dataset, the median reach advantage is 2.79% — a median reach of 68″ on a median height of 67.5″. 100% fight orthodox.
The era's shape
Median reach
68″
172.7 cm
Median height
67.5″
171.5 cm
Median reach advantage
2.79%
of body height
Median finish rate
59%
of wins inside the distance
Fighters
37
13 with a reach on file
Stance
- orthodox100%
By country
- United States25
- United Kingdom2
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland2
- Canada2
- Australia1
- Ireland1
- Austria1
- Barbados1
- Kingdom of Denmark1
- Switzerland1
Longest reach for the frame
| # | Fighter | Reach | Height | Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tommy Burns | 73″ | 67″ | +8.93% |
| 2 | Joe Gans | 71″ | 66″ | +7.58% |
| 3 | Young Peter Jackson | 70″ | 66″ | +6.09% |
| 4 | Barbados Joe Walcott | 65″ | 61.4″ | +5.83% |
| 5 | Marvin Hart | 74″ | 71″ | +4.27% |
| 6 | Terry McGovern | 65″ | 63″ | +3.19% |
| 7 | Jack Johnson | 74″ | 72″ | +2.79% |
| 8 | Jimmy Walsh | 63.5″ | 62″ | +2.41% |
| 9 | Harry Forbes | 65″ | 63.5″ | +2.36% |
| 10 | Frank Erne | 68″ | 66.5″ | +2.25% |
| 11 | Pedlar Palmer | 64″ | 63″ | +1.62% |
| 12 | Harry Harris | 68″ | 67.8″ | +0.35% |
| 13 | Bill Lang | 72.8″ | 72.8″ | 0% |
All 37 on the site
- "Texas" Jack Burke
- Barbados Joe Walcott +5.83%
- Battling Nelson
- Bill Lang 0%
- Dave Sullivan
- Eddie Connolly
- Fireman Jim Flynn
- Frank Erne +2.25%
- George Gardner
- Harry Forbes +2.36%
- Harry Harris +0.35%
- Jack Johnson +2.79%
- Jack Root
- James J. Jeffries
- Jess Willard
- Jim Driscoll
- Jimmy Britt
- Jimmy Walsh +2.41%
- Joe Bernstein
- Joe Bowker
- Joe Gans +7.58%
- Joe Grim
- Joe Jeannette
- Marvin Hart +4.27%
- Matty Matthews
- Mike "Twin" Sullivan
- Nick Burley
- Pedlar Palmer +1.62%
- Philadelphia Jack O'Brien
- Rube Ferns
- Sandy Ferguson
- Terry McGovern +3.19%
- Thomas Thomas
- Tom Sharkey
- Tommy Burns +8.93%
- Young Corbett II
- Young Peter Jackson +6.09%
How this is worked out
- Every 1900s boxing fighter in the dataset.
- Reach advantage is (reach − height) ÷ height as a percentage.
- Medians, not means — a single outlier should not move the typical figure.
Reach advantage = (reach − height) ÷ height × 100
SOURCE·English Wikipedia infoboxes + Wikidata roster·REVIEWED AUG 2026