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This report includes bouts from the first half of April 1950. No WBA title bouts are included in this report.

Apr. 1, 1950: The month commences with an April Fool’s Day card at Atlantic City’s Convention Hall. Featured in the main event are two LWs who are newcomers to main event status, as Rudy Cruz takes on Jimmy Carter in a 10-round, non-title bout. These two are paired together for the first time. Cruz has the edge in the punch count totals in the early going, and this translates into a narrow points lead for Cruz (50-48) at the halfway point, according to the unofficial scorer at ringside. In the second half of the contest, Carter, a slugger, takes a more aggressive approach and, with a few rounds to go, Carter pulls ahead in the punches landed count. With the outcome in doubt until the very last few rounds, a key moment takes place in round nine, when Cruz drops Carter with a big hook. Carter is able to barely beat the count, arising as the count reaches nine, and he covers up to last the round although the damage has been done. The bout goes the distance, and the late knockdown enables Cruz to take a UD 10 (97-92, 96-93, 96-93) and run his career record to 26-5-3 (6). Post-bout, Carter ends up at 18-3-1 (3).

Apr. 8, 1950: Next, the venue shifts to the Amor Bahn in Munich, and the main event is a rematch of a Flyweight matchup of two regional Champions: USBA Fly Champ Dado Marino and OPBF Fly kingpin Yoshio Shirai. The two met a year ago, in Atlantic City, and Marino walked away a UD 10 winner. This time, the two face each other in neutral territory, and Shirai makes a solid start and, by the end of round three, there is a trace of swelling appearing under Marino’s right eye. At the halfway point, Shirai has a narrow lead (48-47) on the unofficial scorer’s card. Marino manages to keep the bout close, but neither fighter is able to break through, so it comes down to the final few rounds as the rounds tick off. In the end, although Marino is able to earn the nod from one judge, the other two have it even, resulting in a draw (96-94 Marino, 95-95, 95-95). Post-bout career records: Marino, 38-11-1 (14); Shirai, 26-5-2 (12).

Apr. 8, 1950: The next fistic action takes place in New Orleans, and, in the main event, two MWs vie for the NABF MW title, as Freddie “the Boxing Bellhop” Apostoli challenges Steve “Spider” Belloise for the belt, now held by Belloise. The two have met twice before, with each winning once. Both are at Post-Prime for this encounter. The action heats up at the end of the opening round when Belloise drops Apostoli with a right cross; the bell sounds just as the ref begins the count, so Apostoli is able to regain his composure in between rounds. Apostoli is able to recover and then gradually works his way into the bout as it heads into the middle rounds. After a heavy exchange of blows in an action-packed round four, there is some noticeable puffiness under the left eye of Apostoli. However, at the halfway point, the momentum has swung in the director of the challenger, who leads (58-55) on the unofficial scorer’s card. In the second half of the bout, Belloise, sensing that relying on the early KD may not be enough, decides to go on the offensive. In the middle of the ninth round, an Apostoli counter manages to open a cut over Belloise’s left eye. Not much of note the rest of the way and, despite the early knockdown, Apostoli is able to take the title via a UD 12 (117-110 on all three cards). Post-bout records: Apostoli, 42-21-3 (26); Belloise, 34-12-2 (15).

Apr. 14, 1950: Next up is a Friday night card in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Headlining the event is an LABF MW title bout, with Jose Basora facing challenger Mario Diaz. The two have met twice before, with each winning once. Basora dominates most of the action in the early going, enabling him to pile up an edge in the punches landed count. Despite the punch count deficit, Diaz manages to keep the bout reasonably close into the middle rounds; indeed, at the halfway point, the unofficial scorecard has the bout scored as even (57-57). Feeling some pressure, Diaz elects to ramp up the pace, moving inside and applying more pressure on the inside. Basora is able to regain the momentum with a surge in the 11th round, after which Diaz returns to his corner with a swollen right eye. The bout goes the distance, and Basora is able to retain the LABF title via a razor-thin MD 12 (115-113, 114-114, 115-113). With the win, Basora improves to 37-10-1 (24), while Diaz slips to 20-13-3 (7).

Apr. 15, 1950 : Next is a nice card at the Uline Arena in Washington, D. C. An NABF title clash tops the card, but also featured is unbeaten HW prospect Rocky Marciano, whom many are touting as a successor to long reigning WBA HW Champ Joe Louis. Marciano, a perfect 13-0, with all 13 wins coming inside the distance, is showcased in the top preliminary bout, taking on journeyman Tony Bosnich, who in his career has notched up almost as many losses as wins. So, an obvious mismatch, yet it takes awhile for Marciano to get going. Finally, midway through round three, he connects with a big hook, and Bosnich tumbles to the canvas, arising at the count of three. Late in the round, Bosnich goes down again, also from another Marciano hook, and this time he is fortunate to be saved by the bell. Though clearly outmatched, Bosnich manages to stay out of trouble for the next couple of rounds. However, at the midway point, Marciano is well ahead on points (50-44 on the unofficial card), and knockdown #3 occurs late in the sixth round, courtesy of a Marciano cross and, once again, Bosnich is saved by the bell. Nonetheless, Bosnich is able to carry the fight into the ninth round, making this the longest of all Marciano’s bouts at this point in his career. In round nine, a Marciano combination puts Bosnich down for a fourth time. Bosnich is able to pick himself off the deck, and he manages to cover up to last the round, although his left eye is now partially closed. Three more knockdowns follow in the 10th and final round, enabling Marciano’s KO streak to continue, as the three knockdown rule mandates an automatic TKO 10 for Marciano as the result. Marciano is now 14-0 (14) and looking for more meaningful competition, while Bosnich’s record is evened at 16-16-4 (8). In the main event, Ciro Morasen faces challenger Carlos Chavez for Morasen’s NABF FW title. The two have not before, and Chavez starts well, compiling an early lead in the punches landed count. Morasen begins to assert himself as the bout enters the middle rounds, but, just before the bell sounds to end round five, Chavez connects with a solid hook that stuns the Champ. At the halfway point of the contest, a peek at the unofficial scorer’s card shows the bout as even (57-57). In the second half of the bout, the stamina factor favors Chavez. While the bout remains extremely close, the punch count stat numbers have swung in Chavez’s direction as well. The bout goes the distance and the end result – a draw (112-116 Chavez, 115-113 Morasen, 114-114) – enables Morasen to retain the title by the narrowest of margins. Post-bout career marks: Morasen, 24-5-5 (4); Chavez, 33-10-4 (10).

Apr. 15, 1950: A solid card in Mexico City is up next, and a pair of LABF title bouts top the agenda. In the first of these, Black Pico faces Otilio “Zurdo” Galvan on Galvan’s home turf; at stake is Pico’s LABF Flyweight title, but his NABF Fly title is not on the line. This is the fourth meeting of these two, all for a regional title (twice for the LABF, once for the NABF), and all three of the prior meetings resulted in a points win for Pico. In the early going, it is Pico who pulls ahead in the punch count stats. Heading into the middle rounds, Galvan finally gets going, as he blunts Pico’s efforts to apply pressure on the inside in round four. At the halfway point of the contest, Pico is up by two (58-56) on the unofficial scorer’s card. Near the end of the seventh, Pico finally breaks through, dropping Galvan with a nice combination; Galvan takes a count before arising, and he manages to last the round after employing the cover up strategy. More problems for Galvan in round nine, as he must deal with a rapidly swelling left eye. Pico remains in control the rest of the way as he coasts to a comfortable UD 12 win (117-111, 116-111, 116-111) for his fourth win over the hapless Galvan. Post-bout career marks: 23-3-3 (1) for Pico; 27-13-2 (5) for Galvan. In the second co-feature, Cuba’s Humberto Sierra challenges Enrique Bolanos, aka “the Dorango Dropper,” for Bolanos’ LABF LW title. Sierra serves notice when he stuns Bolanos with a hard cross, and the Champ covers up and remains upright, lasting the round without further incident. Bolanos battles back with a strong round in the second and, after the round, Sierra returns to his corner with a mouse under his right eye. The topsy turvy nature of the contest continues in round three, when Sierra is able to land some good shots, and there is noticeable puffiness around Bolanos’ right eye. Into the middle rounds, and Sierra maintains a slight edge in the punches landed stat. Near the end of round six, Bolanos breaks through, dropping Sierra for a six count; Sierra regains his footing on wobbly legs, but the bell sounds before Bolanos can follow. At the halfway point, Bolanos is well ahead (58-55), according to the unofficial scorecard. Into the second half of the bout, Bolanos continues to hammer away and, after eight rounds are in the books, there is noticeable swelling under Sierra’s other (left) eye. Trailing on points, the punch count stats as well as suffering from a stamina deficit, Sierra takes a more active and aggressive approach into the final rounds, but Bolanos’ defense remains firm, and he even decks Sierra a second time with a cross in the final round to seal the victory. The judges’ verdict is unanimous, as Bolanos takes a solid UD 12 (116-110, 115-111, 117-109) to improve to 29-5 (21). The loss drops Sierra to 23-10-4 (7).