Background
A native of Florida, Griffin was born in Blountstown, a small community which is the county seat of Calhoun County.
A native of Florida, Griffin was born in Blountstown, a small community which is the county seat of Calhoun County.
After winning his first fight, a 1930 bout with Charles "Ranger" Pond, he turned professional in 1931 with much promise, but was KO"d by Bob Godwin in 1933. The heavily publicized fight with Braddock in Madison Square Garden the following year was the highlight of his career and, as dramatized in Cinderella Manitoba, had Russell Crowe (as Braddock) punching it out with Polish boxer Art Binkowski, portraying Griffin. After the war, Griffin became a police officer in Columbus, Georgia.
According to the August 25, 1950 issue of the Panama City News-Herald, he didn"t carry the traditional policeman"s club "since his old one-two sledgehammer-like fists are as good as ever, but may be not as fast".