Born Edward Patrick Walker on July 13, 1901, in Elizabeth , New Jersey … Father was a bricklayer who had sparred with heavyweight champion John L. Sullivan … Received his first black eye when, during his difficult birth, the doctor accidentally poked him… Fought often as a young child to protect his honour because his mother insisted on combing his golden locks into long, flowering curls… Thrown out of grammar school at the age of 14, having already experimented many of the vices that would later become his trademarks… Learned how to battle with gloves at the St. Michael’s Lyceum, a club in Elizabeth… Father wanted him to become "an intellectual", and found him a job in New York City in an architect’s office… It was a short-lived employment, however, as Walker punched out one of his bosses, who had made the mistake of playing a practical joke on him… Turned to the New Jersey shipyards at the end of World War 1, where he fought as much as he worked. Turned pro under the first of three managers, Johnny Anthens, as a featherweight in 1919… Was kayoed by Phil Delmont in one round, but was not stopped again for seven years… Received $10 for his effort, which was highlighted by a particularly bizarre occurrence: Because women were banned from attending fights, his mother was trying to sneak a peak at he son in action from the roof gave in and Mrs. Walker suddenly had a ringside seat.

Handled by his new manager, Jack Bulger, Walker grew into a lightweight and then a welterweight while compiling several wins ad no-decisions in 1920 and 1921… Fought surprisingly well against the slick boxing welterweight champion, Jack Britton, in an over-the-weight non-tittle bout in July 1921… The bout in Suffered his first defeat in Boston, a 12-round decision to Lou Bogash in June 1922…

Won the world’s welterweight title at the age of 21 on November 1, 1922, dethroning a used-up 37-year old Britton with a ceaseless body attack over the 15 rounds in New York… Nicknames "The Toy Bulldog" shortly after by a newspaperman. Fought in 13 non-title fights in 1923… Kayoed Scranton’s Steve Latzo in three rounds, and then had to answer to Latzo in three rounds, and then had to answer to Latzo’s younger brother, Pete, who seeked revenge… Battered the younger Latzo as well, over 12 rounds in Newark… Defended the 147- pound crown for the first time in June 1924 against southpaw Lew Tendler… the bout was even until Walker gained control with a vicious left hook in the eighth round… Retained his title by a score of 6-3-1- in rounds… Lost his manager when Bulger died suddenly… Following the advice of legendary sportswriter Damon Runyon, Walker joined with manager Jack Dempsey… Walker and Kearns quickly became boxing’s most memorable duo. A shrewd businessman and a gambler who supplemented his earnings by betting on his fighters, Kearns guided Walker under the assumption that the higher the weight class the bigger the purse… Temporarily left the welterweight division to challenge middleweight boss Harry Greb in July 1925…… Matched with a fighter of equal heart and power for the first time, Walker was outfought on the inside of the and lost the decision after 15 sizzling rounds… Drinking together later that night, the combatants duelled again, this time on the sidewalk… The police had to break it up… Walker ad Greb were offered a purse of &200,000 for a rematch, but both fighters turned it down… Defended the welter title two months after the Greb fight against California’s speedy Dave Shade at Yankee… Stadium in New York… After 15 bloody rounds of toe-to-toe warfare, Walker’s tremendous body attack slowed Shade enough to earn his a slight edge of points. Lost the title in May 1926 via 10-round decision against old rival Pete Latzo in Scranton… While some said Walker was the victom of the home-town.