Jimmy Cannon
Jimmy Cannon (April 10, 1909 – December 5, 1973) was a famous American sports writer known for his boxing coverage. He is in the International Boxing Hall of Fame for his work.
He grew up in New York City and began his journalism career at 17 with the New York Daily News. He later wrote for the New York Post, the New York Journal-American, and King Features Syndicate. During World War II he served as a war correspondent for Stars and Stripes. In the 1950s he wrote a column for Newsday.
Cannon was a longtime boxing writer who often spoke his mind. He once called boxing “the red light district of sports.” He wrote about Sugar Ray Robinson’s comeback and told him not to return to the ring. He also praised Joe Louis, saying he “is a credit to his race, the human race,” showing his support for Black athletes.
He admired Ernest Hemingway, and the feeling was mutual. When he had no sports news to report, he would start his column with “Nobody asked me, but…” and share random thoughts about non-sports topics. This habit inspired many other columnists to use the line.
Cannon was a personal friend of Frank Sinatra. He is mentioned in Ian Fleming’s Diamonds Are Forever, where Bond is told that Cannon is a good sports writer who “knows what he’s talking about.” Fleming describes Cannon as an attractive young man with wide eyes and a thin-lipped smile.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 13:10 (CET).