Lew Jenkins
American lightweight boxer (1916-1981)
ルー・ジェンキンス · 루 젱킨스
- Born
- 4 December 1916, Milburn
- Died
- 30 October 1981, Oakland
- Citizenship
- United States
- Sport
- boxing
- Discipline
- lightweight
- Occupation
- boxer
- Height
- 173 cm (5 ft 8 in)
- Recorded fight record
- 70 wins, 39 losses
Lew Jenkins (December 4, 1916 – October 30, 1981) was an American boxer and NYSAC and The Ring lightweight champion from 1940 to 1941. He was born in Milburn, Texas and was raised during the Great Depression. He began fighting in carnivals and later continued his boxing in the US Coast Guard. He was an exceptionally powerful puncher and 51 of his 73 wins were by knockout. His managers included Benny Woodhall, Frank Bachman, Hymie Kaplan, and Willie Ketchum and his trainer was Charley Rose.
His punching power was legendary, and so was his drinking, carousing, and penchant for high-speed motorcycles. "The two toughest opponents I had were Jack Daniels and Harley Davidson," Lew Jenkins stated.
Jenkins took the World Lightweight Championship on May 10, 1940, in a third-round TKO against Lou Ambers at New York's Madison Square Garden.
Jenkins was admitted to the Ring Boxing Hall of Fame in 1977, the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 1983 and in 1999, the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
Awards and honours
- International Boxing Hall of Fame 1999
- Silver Star
- The Ring World Lightweight Champion
External links
Facts from Wikidata Q3237270 (CC0); quoted introduction from English Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Data retrieved 2026-10-22.
Data: Wikidata (CC0 1.0); Wikipedia (English) (CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.