Obie Walker (September 19, 1911 – May 23, 1989), born Obie Dia Walker in Cochran, Georgia, was a professional boxer. Walker was the penultimate World Colored Heavyweight Champion from October 9, 1933, when he out-decisioned title holder George Godfrey in a 10-round fight at the Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to July 20, 1935, when he lost the title on a decision in a 15-round bout to former colored heavyweight champ Larry Gains in Tigers Rugby Stadium, Leicester, England.

A heavyweight contender of the 1930s, he was avoided by many boxers. Sportswriter Ed Danforth praised the "Bearcat" in the Atlanta Georgian in a column published on July 5, 1938:

"Walker became the toast of Paris. He knocked cold every topnotcher he met on the continent. Max Schmeling shrewdly dodged him, the best of the Englishmen too, sidestepped the squatty brown man who carried lightning bolts in both fists. Competent critics say he could have knocked out Schmeling, Joe Louis and Jim Braddock in one night within the space of 10 rounds."

Though short, Walker was quick on his feet, could take a punch on the chin, and was a strong puncher. Among the top heavyweight contenders he defeated was Two-Ton Tony Galento, who fought Joe Louis for the heavyweight championship. It was Louis's long reign as champ that ended the World Colored Heavyweight Title.

In his career, Walker won 77 fights (53 by K.O.) and lost 16, with 5 draws. He was never K.O.'ed himself.

Legacy and honors

In 2020 award-winning author Mark Allen Baker published the first comprehensive account of The World Colored Heavyweight Championship, 1876–1937, with McFarland & Company, a leading independent publisher of academic & nonfiction books. This history traces the advent and demise of the Championship, the stories of the talented professional athletes who won it, and the demarcation of the color line both in and out of the ring.

For decades the World Colored Heavyweight Championship was a useful tool to combat racial oppression—the existence of the title a leverage mechanism, or tool, used as a technique to counter a social element, "drawing the color line."

Professional boxing record All information in this section is derived from BoxRec, unless otherwise stated.

Official record

All newspaper decisions are officially regarded as “no decision” bouts and are not counted in the win/loss/draw column. ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes124Loss92–18–7 Elza ThompsonPTS10Mar 19, 1946123Loss92–17–7 Elmer RayUD10Jun 24, 1941122Win92–16–7 Frank LumpkinSD10May 1, 1940121Loss91–16–7 Elmer RayPTS10Apr 1, 1940120Loss91–15–7 Elmer RayPTS12Mar 7, 1940119Loss91–14–7 Henry TaylorUD10Feb 1, 1940118Loss91–13–7 Elmer RayPTS10Dec 4, 1939117Win91–12–7 Jimmy HarveyKO2 (8)Nov 7, 1939116Win90–12–7 Leroy HaynesUD10Jun 19, 1939115Loss89–12–7 Elmer RayNWS10Apr 13, 1939114Win89–12–7 Leroy HaynesPTS15Mar 16, 1939113Win88–12–7 Leroy HaynesSD10Mar 2, 1939112Loss87–12–7 Elmer RayNWS10Feb 23, 1939111Win87–12–7 Tiger Jack WrightKO12 (15), Nov 30, 1938110Win86–12–7 Jack ThompsonKO3 (8)Nov 16, 1938109Win85–12–7 Charlie HarveyKO2 (8)Oct 27, 1938108Win84–12–7 Elmer RayTKO6 (10)Oct 3, 1938107Win83–12–7 Elmer RayPTS10Sep 15, 1938106Win82–12–7 Jack WardTKO3 (10)Aug 29, 1938105Win81–12–7 Oscar JenkinsKO10 (10)Jul 13, 1938104Loss80–12–7 Jim HowellPTS10Jun 30, 1938103Win80–11–7 Otto McCallPTS10Jun 10, 1938102Win79–11–7 Edward Winston Jr.KO5 (10)May 19, 1938101Loss78–11–7 Elmer RayPTS10Apr 27, 1938100Win78–10–7 Charley DouglasTKO4 (10)Apr 6, 193899Win77–10–7 Edward Winston Jr.TKO5 (10)Mar 30, 193898Draw76–10–7 Edward Winston Jr.PTS10Mar 23, 193897Loss76–10–6 Jim HowellPTS10Mar 1, 193896Loss76–9–6 Jack TrammellPTS10Jan 18, 193895Win76–8–6 Al CaldwellKO3 (10)Dec 2, 193794Win75–8–6 Al HartKO2 (10)Nov 18, 193793Win74–8–6 Simpson TolliverKO4 (10)Oct 11, 193792Win73–8–6 Otto McCallRTD4 (10)Sep 16, 193791Win72–8–6 Jack RoseKO1 (10)Aug 31, 193790Win71–8–6 Jesse CaldwellKO4 (10)Aug 24, 193789Win70–8–6 Jesse CaldwellKO3 (10)Jul 26, 193788NC69–8–6 Elmer RayNC6 (10)Apr 20, 193787Win69–8–6 Elmer RayTKO6 (10)Mar 25, 193786Draw68–8–6 Elmer RayPTS10Mar 18, 193785Win68–8–5 Shorty AhearnPTS10Mar 15, 193784Win67–8–5 Jesse CaldwellTKO4 (10)Mar 2, 193783Win66–8–5 Black EagleKO1 (10)Feb 23, 193782Win65–8–5 Speedy JacksonKO3 (10)Feb 1, 193781Win64–8–5 Elmer RayPTS10Jan 26, 193780Draw63–8–5 Elmer RayPTS10Jan 19, 193779Loss63–8–4 Willie ReddishPTS4Sep 22, 193678Loss63–7–4 Jack LondonPTS10Jun 15, 193677Win63–6–4 Maurice StricklandPTS10Feb 9, 193676Win62–6–4 Norman BainesPTS12Jan 27, 193675Win61–6–4 Don McCorkindalePTS10Nov 11, 193574Win60–6–4 Gustave LimousinKO5 (10)Oct 5, 193573Loss59–6–4 Larry GainsPTS15Jul 20, 193572Win59–5–4 George CookPTS10May 8, 193571Win58–5–4 Rodolfo ValentiTKO5 (8)Mar 26, 193570Win57–5–4 Albert Di MeglioKO8 (10)Mar 15, 193569Win56–5–4 Arthur MeurantTKO1 (10), Feb 15, 193568Win55–5–4 Otto von PoratUD10Nov 17, 193467Loss54–5–4 Gustave LimousinPTS8Oct 29, 193466Win54–4–4 Hans SchönrathRTD5 (8)Sep 13, 193465Win53–4–4 Emil ScholzTKO1 (8)Sep 3, 193464Win52–4–4 Giuseppe SangaKO1 (8)Jul 25, 193463Win51–4–4 Italo ColonelloTKO2 (8)Jul 11, 193462Win50–4–4 Saverio GrizzoTKO2 (10)Jun 2, 193461Win49–4–4 Saverio GrizzoKO2 (10)Apr 7, 193460Win48–4–4 Maurice GriselleRTD7 (10)Mar 2, 193459Win47–4–4 Casimir BeszterdaKO2 (10)Feb 19, 193458Win46–4–4 Louis VerbeerenKO1 (10)Feb 2, 193457Loss45–4–4 Don "Red" BarryPTS10Nov 27, 193356Win45–3–4 George GodfreyPTS10Oct 9, 193355Win44–3–4 Salvatore RuggirelloTKO3 (6)Sep 27, 193354Win43–3–4 Humberto ArcePTS6Sep 4, 193353Win42–3–4 Sailor Jack VernonKO1 (8)Aug 22, 19335241–3–4 Humberto ArceNC9 (10)Aug 17, 193351Win41–3–4 Mickey TaylorTKO2 (10)Jul 20, 193350Win40–3–4 Leonard DixonTKO2 (6)Jun 29, 193349Win39–3–4 Tony GalentoPTS10Apr 17, 193348Win38–3–4 Meyer K.O. ChristnerTKO4 (10)Mar 13, 193347Win37–3–4 Joe DoctorKO2 (8)Feb 13, 193346Win36–3–4 Larry CrabtreeTKO3 (6)Jan 30, 193345Win35–3–4 Humberto ArcePTS8Dec 12, 193244Win34–3–4 Frankie SimmsTKO6 (6)Nov 4, 193243Win33–3–4 Red TomKO4 (10)Aug 22, 193242Win32–3–4 Willie BushPTS12Jul 25, 193241Win31–3–4 Ed "Bearcat" WrightPTS10Apr 15, 193240Win30–3–4 Tiger HendersonKO5 (10)Apr 12, 193239Draw29–3–4 Ed "Bearcat" WrightPTS10Apr 5, 193238Win29–3–3 Ed "Bearcat" WrightPTS10Mar 22, 193237Win28–3–3 Willie BushKO7 (10)Mar 15, 193236Draw27–3–3 Willie BushPTS10Mar 2, 193235Win27–3–2 Tiger HendersonKO8 (10)Feb 26, 193234Win26–3–2 Big Boy BurlapTKO6 (10)Feb 17, 193233Win25–3–2 Big Boy BurlapPTS8Jan 15, 193232Win24–3–2 Eddie CoxKO1 (4), Dec 21, 193131Win23–3–2 Ted CoolidgeTKO4 (8)Nov 20, 193130Win22–3–2 K.O. BrownKO? (10)Sep 14, 193129Win21–3–2 Seldom HeardKO3 (10)Aug 31, 19312820–3–2 Willie McGeeNC7 (10)Aug 12, 193127Win20–3–2 Roy ClarkPTS10Jul 27, 193126Win19–3–2 George CheathamKO1 (10)Jul 20, 193125Draw18–3–2 Willie BushPTS10Jun 22, 193124Win18–3–1 Willie BushPTS10May 20, 193123Loss17–3–1 Willie BushPTS10Apr 30, 193122Win17–2–1 Al WalkerPTS10Apr 24, 193121Win16–2–1 Al WalkerTKO7 (10)Apr 9, 193120Win15–2–1 Seldom HeardKO?Mar 26, 193119Draw14–2–1 Seldom HeardPTS10Mar 18, 193118Win14–2 Al WalkerPTS10Mar 11, 193117Win13–2 Bob LawsonPTS10Mar 6, 193116Win12–2 Willie McGeePTS10Feb 23, 193115Loss11–2 Willie BushDQ2 (10)Feb 5, 193114Win11–1 Bob LawsonPTS10Jan 28, 193113Draw10–1 Bob LawsonNWS10Dec 31, 193012Win10–1 Willie McGeeKO7 (10)Dec 17, 193011Win9–1 Bob LawsonNWS10Dec 8, 193010Win9–1 Edward Winston Jr.KO4 (10)Nov 5, 19309Win8–1 Speedy FreemanRTD3 (6)Jun 17, 19308Win7–1 Charlie KingKO6 (6)May 23, 19307Loss6–1 Happy HunterPTS10Feb 3, 19306Win6–0 Speedy FreemanTKO2 (6)Dec 27, 19295Win5–0 Battling BellKO3 (?)Jul 1, 19294Win4–0 Sam JonesTKO1 (4)Jun 7, 19293Win3–0 Battling CornellPTS4Apr 2, 19292Win2–0 Battling CornellTKO5 (6)Mar 26, 19291Win1–0 Battling CornellPTS4Feb 15, 1929

Unofficial record

Record with the inclusion of newspaper decisions in the win/loss/draw column.