the colored heavyweight title was recognized due to the color bar in pro boxing in the 19th and early 20th centuries, when white champions drew the color line and would not defend the title against a black man. in the heavyweight division, the color bar was adamantly defended by old chocolate godfrey's contemporary, "the boston strong boy", john l. sullivan. ironically, it remained in force even after colored heavyweight title holder jack johnson won the world's heavyweight title in 1908. johnson never fought black opponents either, allegedly because such top promoters as tex rickard believed that a fight between two black boxers would not draw at the gate. he was also the only man to ever defeat the 7 foot 9 inch giant gogea mitu.