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1933 Title Bouts

WBA: Pablo Dano started the year with the belt, made his first defense against Bushy Graham (MD 15). He then retained the title via a draw with countryman Little Pancho (D 15). Then, Kid Francis stopped Dano (TKO 8) to regain the title he had held back in 1930-31.

NABF: Bobby Leitham began the year as NABF Champion, and he successfully defended twice, beating Bobby Green (TKO 11) and K. O. Morgan (TKO 8), both wins coming inside the distance.

USBA: Pete Sanstol had won this title in 1932, but he faltered in his first defense, losing to K. O. Morgan (KO 3). Morgan has yet to make his first title defense.

CBU: Bobby Leitham, who held the belt at the beginning of the year, defended it once, besting Dick Corbett (UD 12). However, Leitham was dethroned by Johnny King (KO 5) who added this belt to his EBU title won earlier in the year (see below).

GBU: Benny Sharkey had been awarded this title after it was vacated by King (who had won the WBA title), but, in late 1933, the title belt moved to Dick Corbett who decisioned Sharkey (SD 12).

EBU: Sharkey had held this belt from 1932, but he lost it in his first defense to Kid Francis (SD 12). Then, Johnny King dethroned Francis (UD 12) and Baltazar Sangchili (UD 12).

OPBF: Speedy Dado began the year with this belt, and retained it with a successful defense over Pete Sarmiento (KO 5).

BW Division Stats

Total: 91 RL: 55 TC: 36

End: 5
Post: 15
Prime: 21
Pre: 10
Beginning: 4
New: 2

Rated: 42
800+: 16
500+: 29
200+: 39

Jan 1934 BW Rankings (Perf Pts and Changes from 1933 in Parens):

Champion: Kid Francis 29-12-3 (17) (1126) (+8)
1. Johnny King 30-3-1 (15) (1278) (+1) (EBU, CBU)
2. Bobby Leitham 27-5-1 (11) (1164) (-1) (NABF)
3. Pablo Dano 26-3-3 (14) (1125) (-3)
4. Speedy Dado 24-9-2 (13) (1112) (NC) (OPBF)
5. Panama Al Brown 41-7 (16) (981) (+9)
6. Sixto Escobar 19-1 (9) (979) (+5)
7. Pete Sanstol 26-5-2 (8) (970) (-1)
8. Archie Bell 33-10-3 (9) (967) (-5)
9. Vic Foley 36-16-2 (10) (920) (+3)
10. Bushy Graham 32-16-1 (10) (908) (-5)

Others: 13. Dick Corbett 27-7 (10) (885) (+5) (GBU)
16. K. O. Morgan 18-3-3 (14) (787) (NC) (USBA)

Comments: All those listed above will be at Prime except for Leitham who joins Bell and Foley at Post in 1934. Kid Francis recovered from an early season loss to capture the WBA title for the second time. As in a couple of other divisons, the Champ does not have the highest PP rating; in this division, that honor falls to Johnny King, who as held four different titles at one time over the last three years. Panama Al rebounded after a couple of off-years, with a trio of UD 10 wins over Young Tommy, Sixto Escobar and Pete Sanstol. Escobar won four of five to propel his advance in the ranks, the wins coming over Eddie “Cannonball” Martin, Memphis Pal Moore, Bud Taylor and Alf Pattenden with the one loss to Panama Al. Veteran Vic Foley, despite being at Post-Prime, clawed his way back into the top 10 with wins over Bud Taylor (SD 10) and Bobby Green (MD 10). The three dropouts from last year’s top 10 are Memphis Pal Moore, #7 in 1933, who retired after 21 years in the ring; Bobby Green, who dropped two spots to #11 with the loss to Foley; and Eddie Martin, down four to #14 after suffering a TKO loss to Escobar. Corbett, in addition to capturing the GBU belt, took a pair of UD 10s from Pete Sarmiento and Alf Pattenden. USBA Champ K. O. Morgan managed a draw with King but fell to Little Pancho (UD 12), who zoomed up the rankings (+10 to #12) after winning five of sixth bouts, the only non-win being the draw in his title bout with Dano. Pancho’s career totals are now 20-2-3 (7). Also making a strong move was Lew Farber, who is riding a six-bout winning streak to a spot in the top 20 at #19, now 20-2-1 (11) overall. It was a disappointing year for Baltazar Sangchili, who lost his first three bouts at Prime to slip to 19-4 (15) and is mired in 26^th spot. One spot higher at #25 is the top newcomer to the list, the unbeaten Jo Teiken, who checks in at 16-0 (13) who added UD wins over Frisco Grande and Mickey Cohen, a TKO over Gustave Humery, on top of 12 TC wins.

Prospects: Star Frisco has kept a clean slate, going 12-0 (6) thus far, including a UD 10 over fellow prospect Henry Hook. Hook checks in at 9-2 (5), having suffered a loss to a TC early in his career. Aurel Toma (10-0, 7 KO); Raul Casanova (9-0, 9 KO); Horace Gwynne (9-0, 7 KO); Lou Salica (7-0, 5 KO); and Mickey Miller (6-0, 6 KO) are all off to great starts, thanks to a steady diet of TC opposition.

Retirements:
Five BWs hung up the gloves during 1933, including two ex-WBA Champs:
Tommy Milton (ITA) 1921-33 22-19-4 (9) EBU Champ Highest Rank: 15
Harry Lake (UK) 1919-33 29-23-3 (17) EBU, CBU Champ Highest Rank: 19
Charley Phil Rosenberg (USA) 1921-33 33-10-6 (13) WBA Champion 1925-27
Vic Burrone (USA) 1923-33 23-17-3 (5) No Titles Highest Rank: 20
Memphis Pal Moore (USA) 1913-33 55-26-9 (15) WBA Champion 1925 Highest Rank: 1

Outlook: A bit more stability at the upper echelons of this division, although titles have changed hands with relative frequency as well. Francis’ second stint as WBA Champion may not last more than his first, which was less than a year. Johnny King appears to be right at the top in terms of talent; Sixto Escobar is a top newcomer to the short list of top contenders; and Panama Al Brown seems ready for another title shot. Some great fighters from the Far East, not just the duo of Dano and Dado, but also guys like Little Pancho, Jo Teiken and Young Tommy could also become significant factors. Lou Salica appears to be the best of the young prospects. Georgie Pace is set to debut in 1934.