Have Jim Johnson and Sam Langford ever fought each other?

Yes. Jim Johnson and Sam Langford have met 12 times and Sam Langford leads the series 11-0 with 1 draw.

Who has the better record, Johnson or Langford?

Jim Johnson is 35-35-13 and Sam Langford is 210-43-53. Sam Langford has the higher win percentage.

Who has more knockouts, Johnson or Langford?

Jim Johnson has 23 knockout wins and Sam Langford has 126. Sam Langford has more.

Do Johnson and Langford have any common opponents?

Jim Johnson and Sam Langford share 16 common opponents: Bill Tate, Harry Wills and Bill Watkins (and 13 others). Sam Langford fared better against 12 of them.

Who is bigger, Johnson or Langford?

Jim Johnson is the taller fighter at 180 cm, 11 cm above the other.

How much fight data does Kill The Body have on Johnson and Langford?

This comparison is drawn from 84 bouts tracked for Jim Johnson and 312 bouts tracked for Sam Langford. Method and activity splits reflect those bouts only.

Jim Johnson vs Sam Langford — Records, Stats & Common Opponents

🇺🇸UNITED STATES

Jim Johnson (35-35-13) and Sam Langford (210-43-53) are compared on record, finishing method, activity, and common opponents on Kill The Body. The two have met 12 times. They share 16 common opponents.

Johnson

Wins23 KO · 66%

Losses

Draws84 tracked bouts

Langford

210

Wins126 KO · 60%

Losses

Draws312 tracked bouts

Head to Head

Langford leads 11–0 with 1 draw

Jim Johnson and Sam Langford have met 12 times; Langford leads 11–0 with 1 draw.
Met	1910May 14	1914Mar 27	1914Aug 12	1914Sep 15	1915Apr 6	1915Jun 8	1915Oct 18	1916Dec 12	1917Jan 1	1918Jun 19	1918Aug 5	1918Aug 22	Series
Jim JohnsonFighter A	LLost	LLost	LLost	DDraw	LLost	LLost	LLost	LLost	LLost	LLost	LLost	LLost	0–11–1W–L–D
Sam LangfordFighter B	WWon	WWon	WWon	DDraw	WWon	WWon	WWon	WWon	WWon	WWon	WWon	WWon	11–0–1W–L–D
Result	NWSLangford vs Johnson	NWSLangford vs Johnson	NWSLangford vs Johnson	PTSLangford vs Johnson	NWSLangford vs Johnson	NWSLangford vs Johnson	PTSLangford vs Johnson	KOLangford vs Johnson	PTSLangford vs Johnson	PTSLangford vs Johnson	NWSLangford vs Johnson	NWSLangford vs Johnson	12Meetings

The Numbers

Johnson 3 · Langford 4 of 7 measurable rows

JohnsonEdge = longer wingLangford

Record: 35-35-13210-43-53 (edge)
Win %0–100%: 50%
77.3% (edge)
Wins by knockoutmax 126: 23
126 (edge)
KO rate0–100%: 65.71% (edge)
60%
Stoppage rate (tracked wins)^†0–100%: 66% (edge)
60%
Times stopped^†max 9: 4 (edge)
9
Title reignslevelmax 0: 0
0
Bouts per year^‡max 12.8: 8.9
12.8 (edge)
Bouts trackedcoveragemax 312: 84
312

† Counted from bouts Kill The Body has ingested, not a career total. · ‡ Across each fighter's tracked career span. · Bars are scaled per row — percentages on 0–100, counts against the larger of the two. Every figure is also printed as text.

Tale of the Tape

Height+4″: Jim Johnson: 5′11″ (edge); Sam Langford: 5′7″
Reachnot held: Jim Johnson: No reach on file; Sam Langford: 74″
Agenot comparable: Jim Johnson: Died aged 31; Sam Langford: Died aged 72
Stance: Jim Johnson: Not recorded; Sam Langford: Orthodox

Jim Johnson left, Sam Langford right, as everywhere on this page. Age is stated, not scored — neither age nor stance carries an edge.

How They Win

Tracked bouts only

Jim Johnson35 wins · from 84 tracked bouts

23 by KO/TKO 66%4 on the cards 11%8 by another method or unrecorded 23%

Sam Langford211 wins · from 312 tracked bouts

126 by KO/TKO 60%49 on the cards 23%36 by another method or unrecorded 17%

One square per tracked win. Counted from the bouts Kill The Body has ingested for each fighter — Jim Johnson 84, Sam Langford 312 — not from a career-complete method table.

Common Opponents

16 shared

16 shared · Johnson better on 4 · Langford better on 1216 shared · Jim Johnson better on 4 · Sam Langford better on 12

JohnsonJim Johnson

Opponent

LangfordSam Langford

Jim Johnson
Win, KO 2
1912Dec 1912
TateBill TateUnited States 27–19–2 · HeavyweightJohnson betterJim Johnson better — 1–0 to 4–4–1
Sam Langford
4–4–1 against
Win, PTS
1922Aug 1922
Loss, PTS
1922Mar 1922
Loss, NWS
1921Sep 1921
Loss, NWS
1920Sep 1920
Win, NWS
1919Aug 1919
Win, DQ 5
1919Jun 1919
Win, KO 5
1917May 1917
Loss, PTS
1917Jan 1917
Draw, NWS
1916Nov 1916
Jim Johnson
1–2 against
Loss, NWS
1917Jun 1917
Win, TKO 2
1917Feb 1917
Loss, NWS
1915Jul 1915
WillsHarry WillsUnited States 89–10–7 · HeavyweightJohnson betterJim Johnson better — 1–2 to 2–13–2
Sam Langford
2–13–2 against
Loss, PTS
1922Jan 1922
Loss, PTS
1920Apr 1920
Loss, PTS
1919Nov 1919
Loss, NWS
1919Sep 1919
Loss, NWS
1919Jul 1919
Loss, TKO 8
1918May 1918
Loss, KO 6
1918Apr 1918
Draw, NWS
1917Nov 1917
Loss, NWS
1917Sep 1917
Loss, NWS
1917May 1917
Loss, NWS
1916Apr 1916
Loss, NWS
1916Mar 1916
Win, KO 19
1916Feb 1916
Loss, PTS
1916Jan 1916
Loss, NWS
1915Dec 1915
Win, KO 14
1914Nov 1914
Draw, NWS
1914May 1914
Jim Johnson
Win, KO 2
1912Sep 1912
WatkinsBill WatkinsLangford betterSam Langford better — 3–0 to 1–0
Sam Langford
3–0 against
Win, KO
1921Feb 1921
Win, KO 4
1914May 1914
Win, TKO 1
1914Mar 1914
Jim Johnson
0–6–1 against
Loss, PTS
1917Oct 1917
Loss, PTS
1917Aug 1917
Loss, NWS
1915Jun 1915
Loss, PTS
1915Feb 1915
Loss, NWS
1914Dec 1914
Loss, KO 21
1910Nov 1910
Draw, PTS
1910Aug 1910
McVeySam McVeyUnited States 78–18–13 · HeavyweightLangford betterSam Langford better — 7–3–6 to 0–6–1
Sam Langford
7–3–6 against
Win, NWS
1920Aug 1920
Draw, PTS
1916Aug 1916
Draw, NWS
1916May 1916
Win, NWS
1916Apr 1916
Win, NWS
1916Feb 1916
Draw, NWS
1915Oct 1915
Draw, PTS
1915Sep 1915
Loss, KO 8
1915Aug 1915
Loss, PTS
1915Jun 1915
Draw, PTS
1913Mar 1913
Win, KO 13
1912Dec 1912
Win, TKO 11
1912Oct 1912
Win, PTS
1912Aug 1912
Win, PTS
1912Apr 1912
Loss, PTS
1911Dec 1911
Draw, PTS
1911Apr 1911
Jim Johnson
1–1–1 against
Win, TKO 8
1917Sep 1917
Draw, PTS
1915Nov 1915
Loss, NWS
1910Feb 1910
ClarkJeff ClarkJohnson betterJim Johnson better — 1–1–1 to 5–2–3
Sam Langford
5–2–3 against
Win, PTS
1920May 1920
Draw, NWS
1920Feb 1920
Win, NWS
1920Jan 1920
Win, PTS
1918Dec 1918
Loss, NWS
1918Nov 1918
Draw, PTS
1918Nov 1918
Draw, PTS
1918Oct 1918
Win, TKO 5
1916Mar 1916
Loss, NWS
1914Oct 1914
Win, TKO 2
1910Nov 1910
Jim Johnson
2–7–1 against
Loss, PTS
1918Aug 1918
Win, NWS
1915May 1915
Draw, PTS
1914Nov 1914
Loss, NWS
1914Aug 1914
Loss, NWS
1914Jul 1914
Loss, NWS
1914Jul 1914
Loss, DQ
1913Jan 1913
Loss, NWS
1913Jan 1913
Loss, NWS
1912Oct 1912
Win, NWS
1912Jul 1912
JeanetteJoe JeanetteUnited States 120–24–21 · HeavyweightLangford betterSam Langford better — 8–3–3 to 2–7–1
Sam Langford
8–3–3 against
Win, NWS
1917Sep 1917
Win, KO 7
1916May 1916
Loss, PTS
1915Apr 1915
Draw, NWS
1914Oct 1914
Win, PTS
1913Dec 1913
Loss, NWS
1913Oct 1913
Win, NWS
1911Sep 1911
Win, PTS
1911Jan 1911
Win, PTS
1910Sep 1910
Win, NWS
1908Sep 1908
Draw, PTS
1908Mar 1908
Draw, PTS
1907Jan 1907
Win, PTS
1906Apr 1906
Loss, TKO 8
1905Dec 1905
Jim Johnson
1–0–1 against
Win, KO 3
1916May 1916
Draw, PTS
1915Dec 1915
ThompsonJack ThompsonUnited StatesLangford betterSam Langford better — 3–0 to 1–0–1
Sam Langford
3–0 against
Win, NWS
1918Aug 1918
Win, NWS
1917Apr 1917
Win, TKO 1
1915Jul 1915
Jim Johnson
Loss, NWS
1918Jul 1918
NorfolkKid NorfolkUnited States 115–28–8 · Light HeavyweightLangford betterSam Langford better — 1–0 to 0–1
Sam Langford
Win, KO 2
1917Dec 1917
Jim Johnson
Loss, TKO 9
1915Oct 1915
AndersonAndre AndersonUnited States 17–19–9Langford betterSam Langford better — 1–0 to 0–1
Sam Langford
Win, TKO
1917Aug 1917
Jim Johnson
Loss, PTS
1914May 1914
FlynnPorky FlynnUnited States 26–22–8Langford betterSam Langford better — 2–0 to 0–1
Sam Langford
2–0 against
No contest, NC 8
1915Apr 1915
Win, KO 4
1913Aug 1913
Win, TKO 14
1912May 1912
Jim Johnson
Win, PTS
1910Jan 1910
CottonGeorge Kid CottonLangford betterSam Langford better — 2–0 to 1–0
Sam Langford
2–0 against
Win, KO 4
1914Aug 1914
Win, PTS
1914Apr 1914
Jim Johnson
Loss, DQ 4
1911Dec 1911
CurranMatthew CurranIreland 43–35–3Langford betterSam Langford better — 1–0 to 0–1
Sam Langford
Win, KO 1
1914Jan 1914
Jim Johnson
Draw, PTS
1913Dec 1913
JohnsonJack JohnsonUnited States 69–11–10 · HeavyweightJohnson betterJim Johnson better — 0–0–1 to 0–1
Sam Langford
Loss, PTS
1906Apr 1906
Jim Johnson
Draw, NWS
1910Apr 1910
RossTony RossLangford betterSam Langford better — 2–0 to 0–0–1
Sam Langford
2–0 against
Win, KO 6
1911Aug 1911
Win, TKO 5
1908Aug 1908
Jim Johnson
Win, NWS
1910May 1910
HarrisMorris HarrisLangford betterSam Langford better — 2–0 to 1–0
Sam Langford
2–0 against
Win, KO 2
1910Dec 1910
Win, TKO 7
1909Mar 1909
Jim Johnson
Draw, NWS
1910Mar 1910
KubiakAl KubiakLangford betterSam Langford better — 2–0 to 0–0–1
Sam Langford
2–0 against
Win, TKO 2
1910May 1910
Win, NWS
1909Apr 1909

Both sides are set at the same size on purpose. Kill The Body does not score a second-round knockout above a split decision — the edge counts losses first and wins as the tiebreak, and the rest is yours to argue. Shared opponents are matched on fighter identity, not on name, so two different fighters with the same name never merge into one row.

Current Form

Oldest left · newest right

Jim Johnson has lost six straight. Johnson last boxed on Aug 27, 1918.LLLLL

Langford Jun 1918Norfolk Jul 1918Langford Aug 1918Langford Aug 1918Jeanette Aug 19188.9 tracked bouts per year

Sam Langford had won one in a row before losing by stoppage to Brad Simmons. Langford last boxed on Aug 2, 1926.DWLWL

Sullivan Mar 1925Gonzales Apr 1925Gahee Sep 1925Johnson Jul 1926Simmons Aug 192612.8 tracked bouts per year

Common Questions

With the rows behind them

Have Jim Johnson and Sam Langford ever fought each other?: Yes. Jim Johnson and Sam Langford have met 12 times and Sam Langford leads the series 11-0 with 1 draw.
Who has the better record, Johnson or Langford?: Jim Johnson is 35-35-13 and Sam Langford is 210-43-53. Sam Langford has the higher win percentage.
Who has more knockouts, Johnson or Langford?: Jim Johnson has 23 knockout wins and Sam Langford has 126. Sam Langford has more.
Do Johnson and Langford have any common opponents?: Jim Johnson and Sam Langford share 16 common opponents: Bill Tate, Harry Wills and Bill Watkins (and 13 others). Sam Langford fared better against 12 of them.
Who is bigger, Johnson or Langford?: Jim Johnson is the taller fighter at 180 cm, 11 cm above the other.
How much fight data does Kill The Body have on Johnson and Langford?: This comparison is drawn from 84 bouts tracked for Jim Johnson and 312 bouts tracked for Sam Langford. Method and activity splits reflect those bouts only.

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Jim Johnson vs Sam Langford — record, stats and common opponents compared

Jim Johnson

Sam Langford