Eugene "Silent" Hairston (July 1, 1929 – November 24, 2014) was the first American professional Black Deaf boxer.
[1] Additionally, it is said that Eugene Hairston needed flashing lights to indicate when matches were over, something that fans fondly remember him for.
[5] After dropping out of school, Hairston worked odd jobs such as being a pinboy and shining shoes before he shifted to boxing to be his main source of income.
[3] Hairston struggled to have his interest in boxing be taken seriously due to him being Deaf and mute but eventually found success at the Tremont Athletic Club run by Italian brothers Mike and Joe Miele.
During his time as a professional boxer, he fought individuals such as Jake LaMotta, Kid Gavilán, Johnny Bratton, Paul Pender, and Paddy Young.
Due to his suspended license in most US states, Hairston only had one more fight as a boxer, where he went to France and fought Charley Humez on November 3, 1952.
The lights in boxing rings signifying the end of a round are accredited to Hairston's career as a boxer.
[5] Since Hairston's time as a professional boxer, flashing lights have become standard equipment in the boxing world.
In 1975 he was inducted into the American Athletic Association for the Deaf's Hall of Fame and in 1983 he was a guest of honor at the Annual Banquet of the NTID Student Congress.