Six degrees of separation is a theory that everyone in the world is separated by no more than six social connections.
In other words, you know someone who knows someone who knows someone who knows someone who knows someone who knows Queen Elizabeth. Or so the concept goes.
We’re borrowing the six degrees concept – well, sort of loosely – to connect fighters from the past to their more contemporary counterparts in our new occasional feature, “Degrees of Separation.”
Example: Let’s connect Julio Cesar Chavez Sr. to Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Super easy; we did it in two steps. Senior fought Grover Wiley, who fought Junior.
In this installment of the Boxing Junkie feature, we decided to link heavyweight titleholder Anthony Joshua of the U.K. to the first British heavyweight champ of the modern era, Bob Fitzsimmons.
We succeeded in 11 steps even though Fitzsimmons last fought in 1914, more than 100 years ago. Note: Fitzsimmons was born in England and spent his early years there before his family emigrated to New Zealand.
Joshua defends his titles against Oleksandr Usyk on Sept. 25 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London (DAZN).
Have a look:
Bob Fitzsimmons fought …
Jack Johnson, who fought …
Bearcat Wright, who fought …
Max Baer, who fought …
Joe Louis, who fought …
Rocky Marciano, who fought …
Archie Moore, who fought …
Muhammad Ali, who fought …
George Foreman, who fought …
Axel Schulz, who fought …
Wladimir Klitschko, who fought …
Anthony Joshua
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Could you do it in fewer steps? Let us know via Twitter or Facebook. Or you can contact me on Twitter. And please follow us!
Read more:
Degrees of separation: Connecting John L. Sullivan to Deontay Wilder
Degrees of Separation: Linking Filipino greats Flash Elorde, Manny Pacquiao
Degrees of Separation: Linking Japanese greats Fighting Harada and Naoya Inoue
Degrees of Separation: Linking Tyson Fury to first U.K.-born heavyweight champ
Degrees of Separation: Connecting Canelo Alvarez with Mexican legends
Degrees of Separation: Linking the Mayweathers
Degrees of Separation: Linking Manny Pacquiao to Pancho Villa