Iwas an african american boxer who became the champion of the world in boxing in 1908. my success angered many whites who wanted me to be defeated by white boxers they called "great white hopes." who am i? apex

Jack Johnson

Explanation:

John Arthur Johnson, popularly known as Jack Johnson, was born on March 31, 1878 in Galveston, Texas, and died on June 10, 1946, at the age of 68, due to a car accident.  His cartel was approximately 104 fights, with 73 wins (40 by KO), 13 losses and 10 draws.

In a time of extreme racial segregation in the US, Johnson, the son of former slaves and third out of nine brothers, studied for only five years and dropped out of school to work on the docks. His start in boxing was around 1897, but he only met a famous opponent in 1901, Joe Choynski, who, although never a world champion, was included in the International Boxing Hall of Fame for being an excellent fighter.

The racial segregation of that period did not allow a black fighter to face the best white fighters (known as "great white hopes") of that time, since they were all white and refused to face African descent, even though interracial struggles already existed. So before thinking of being a world champion, the son of slaves needed to seek the title from the fighters of his ethnicity.