New Non-HW Boxers Rated

[David Myers]

Another featherweight without a photo.

<a href="http://www.boxrec.com/boxer_display.php?boxer_id=043498" target="_blank">Miki Gelb</a> was a Hungarian-born Jew who fought out of New York for three years in the early thirties, compiling a sparkling record of 31-5-3 (3). He was only stopped once, although he lost his last three fights--to the Cocoa Kid, Petey Sarron, and Jerry Mazza.
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[David Myers]

Haven't seen this guy rated before now. As always, if he has been my apologies, etc.

<a href="http://www.boxrec.com/boxer_display.php?boxer_id=043423" target="_blank">Tiger Joe Randall</a> was a black welterweight from the Pittsburgh area who fought from 1927 to 1937, putting together a career record of 48-29-3 (17).

His most impressive win was a ten-round decision over Sammy Slaughter in New Orleans in December 1935. According to the </I>Ring</i> as quoted on Boxrec, Randall "was outweighed by fifteen pounds, but carried the fight to Slaughter." He also beat Jackie Zivic, Danny Devlin, Pee Wee Jarrell, and Frankie Hughes, but he could not consistently hold his own against first-class fighters, losing repeatedly to Tommy Yarosz, Tommy Freeman (who floored him ten times), Paul Pirrone, and the Cocoa Kid.

Grainy old newspaper photo to follow.
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[David Myers]

Photo as promised.
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[jofre]

Originally Posted by David Myers

Another featherweight without a photo.

<a href="http://www.boxrec.com/boxer_display.php?boxer_id=043498" target="_blank">Miki Gelb</a> was a Hungarian-born Jew who fought out of New York for three years in the early thirties, compiling a sparkling record of 31-5-3 (3). He was only stopped once, although he lost his last three fights--to the Cocoa Kid, Petey Sarron, and Jerry Mazza.
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Here is Gelb

[David Myers]

Originally Posted by jofre

Here is Gelb

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Wow, Jofre. You are <i>the</i> man. Thanks!
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[David Myers]

One of the all-time top 100 lightweights, according to Boxrec. Not yet rated, if the search function is to be trusted.

<a href="http://www.boxrec.com/boxer_display.php?boxer_id=013853" target="_blank">Johnny Bellus</a> was a New Haven fighter who compiled a record of 69-27-7 (23) between 1931 and 1941. He beat Lew Feldman (twice), Eddie Alzek, George Zengaras, Frankie Klick, Charley Gomer, the Yucatan Kid, Tommy Spiegel, and Julie Kogon.

I can't find a photo of him, which doesn't mean that Jofre doesn't have one.
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[David Myers]

Canadian welterweight champion from 1953 to 1954, <a href="http://www.boxrec.com/boxer_display.php?boxer_id=047070" target="_blank">Rocky Brisebois</a> was a Montreal fighter who started in 1946 and ended his career the year he lost his national title. He could beat tomato cans, but not good punchers.

Lousy photo to follow.
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[David Myers]

At the contract signing before one of his two 1952 fights with Armand Savoie. Both bouts ended in draws.
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[David Myers]

According to a note at Boxrec, <a href="http://www.boxrec.com/boxer_display.php?boxer_id=016318" target="_blank">Elmer Beltz</a> was a "[t]ough journeyman fighter out of Los Angeles" and "[o]of the better American-Jewish fighters of the 1950's." He compiled a lifetime mark of 26-9-3 (7).

Beltz defeated Archie Whitewater, Freddie Herman, Joey Carkido, Gus Mell, and Walter Haines, but lost to Harold Jones, Charley Salas, Art Aragon, Phil Kim, and Willie Pastrano.

Until Jofre or Chris comes through, there is no available photo of him.
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[David Myers]

A San Diego welterweight born in New Orleans, <a href="http://www.boxrec.com/boxer_display.php?boxer_id=026398" target="_blank">Irvin Steen</a> was another "tough journeymen" who fought some of the best fighters in the division between 1946 and 1956. Career record: 41-20-7 (14).

Steen beat Charley Salas (twice), Milo Savage, Art Soto, Otis Graham, Charley Spicer, and Joe Miceli, but he lost to Bernard Docusen, Earl Turner, John L. Davis (twice), Ike Williams, Freddie Dawson, Jesse Turner, Johnny Bratton, Alan Moody, and Andrew Brown.

Again, no photo. Sorry.

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[jofre]

Originally Posted by David Myers

According to a note at Boxrec, <a href="http://www.boxrec.com/boxer_display.php?boxer_id=016318" target="_blank">Elmer Beltz</a> was a "[t]ough journeyman fighter out of Los Angeles" and "[o]of the better American-Jewish fighters of the 1950's." He compiled a lifetime mark of 26-9-3 (7).

Beltz defeated Archie Whitewater, Freddie Herman, Joey Carkido, Gus Mell, and Walter Haines, but lost to Harold Jones, Charley Salas, Art Aragon, Phil Kim, and Willie Pastrano.
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Here is a photo.

[jofre]

Originally Posted by David Myers

A San Diego welterweight born in New Orleans, <a href="http://www.boxrec.com/boxer_display.php?boxer_id=026398" target="_blank">Irvin Steen</a> was another "tough journeymen" who fought some of the best fighters in the division between 1946 and 1956. Career record: 41-20-7 (14).

Steen beat Charley Salas (twice), Milo Savage, Art Soto, Otis Graham, Charley Spicer, and Joe Miceli, but he lost to Bernard Docusen, Earl Turner, John L. Davis (twice), Ike Williams, Freddie Dawson, Jesse Turner, Johnny Bratton, Alan Moody, and Andrew Brown.

Again, no photo. Sorry.

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Here is Steen.

[Jim_Kidd]

Frankie Billy Randall (born September 25, 1961) is a three-time world champion boxer who is best known as the man who handed Mexican legend Julio César Chávez his first professional defeat.
Randall, who was born in Birmingham, Alabama and grew up in Nashville, Tennessee, turned pro in 1981 after a lengthy career as an amateur boxer. He started slowly, winning his pro debut in June of that year, but was inactive in 1982 and did not fight again until February 1983.

Once his career started in earnest, Randall stayed busy, fighting and winning 23 times between 1983 and June 1985, when he fought former and future champ Edwin Rosario and lost a unanimous decision over 10 rounds. The loss probably cost him a chance to fight for the WBC lightweight title later that year. It didn't seem like much at the time, but Randall ended up waiting years for another shot.

On July 4, 1986, Randall drew with Freddie Pendleton for the USBA regional lightweight title, then watched Pendleton get a title shot instead of him even though Randall had previously defeated him. Then, in October 1987, he was knocked out by Mexican lightweight champion Primo Ramos for the NABF regional belt.

Randall then signed with promoter Don King and spent the next six and a half years fighting on the undercards of various championship fights promoted by King. But he also won all 17 of those fights, and on January 30, 1993, earned another title shot when he knocked out Rosario in the seventh round of a rematch.

That shot came on January 29, 1994 against Chávez, in the grand opening of the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas. Chávez came into the fight with an 90-0-1 record and was an 18-to-1 favorite to beat the 32-year-old challenger.

Randall felt differently, though. In a 2004 interview, he said "The moment that Don King informed that I was fighting Julio Cesar Chávez, I knew that I was going to be the first to beat him."

Randall knew the Mexican legend was a slow starter who often lost the first few rounds of a fight, only to come back and dominate. In this fight, Randall indeed won the early rounds, but kept the pressure on in the middle of the fight and began to build a large lead on the scorecards. Chávez then rallied, and by the 10th round, Randall held only a narrow lead. With the championship on the line, Randall took the fight to Chávez, compelling the champion to slow him down with an illegal low blow that cost Chávez a point. Then, in the 11th round, Randall knocked Chávez down for the first time in his career.

Minutes later, the fight ended and Randall had made boxing history, as well as claiming Chávez' WBC light welterweight championship on a split decision.

Chávez got a rematch on May 7 of the same year and regained the title from Randall on a controversial seven-round split decision. Chávez was injured due to an accidental clash of heads, and under WBC rules, this cost Randall a point on the scorecards. That deduction was the difference between keeping the title on a split draw, or losing.

It turned out to be only a temporary setback. Many believed Randall won the Chávez rematch, and on September 17, he was given a shot at the WBA version of the light welterweight title owned by Juan Martin Coggi. He beat Coggi, defended his title twice, then lost a rematch to Coggi in January 1996 in the same manner he'd lost to Chávez--a four-round decision in a fight ended early by a clash of heads.

Seven months later, Randall regained the WBA title, beating Coggi by unanimous decision in Coggi's hometown of Buenos Aires, Argentina. But he lost it in his first defense, against Khalid Rahilou on January 11, 1997.
After taking 18 months off, Randall came back in an attempt to become a four-time world champ.

He won a pair of tune-up fights, then faced contender Oba Carr in February 1999 for a chance to fight for a welterweight title. But Carr beat him on a 10-round unanimous decision.
The loss to Carr was the end of Randall's time as a contender, but he's continued to fight with mixed results over the years since.

[David Myers]

A surprisingly obscure Jersey City lightweight, <a href="http://www.boxrec.com/boxer_display.php?boxer_id=024578" target="_blank">Joey Ferrando</a> beat Fritzie Zivic and Lew Feldman twice apiece, also scoring wins against Eddie Cool, Steve Halaiko, Honey Mellody, and Chalky Wright. He only lost 11 of 54 fights between 1932 and 1940, but he had no punch, knocking out just three of his opponents.

Since I am neither Jofre nor Chris, I can't find a photo of him.
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[CONN CHRIS]

Joey Ferrando - thanks David!

[David Myers]

Still looking for Johnny Bellus's photo.

In the mean time, here is an interesting New York featherweight. <a href="http://www.boxrec.com/boxer_display.php?boxer_id=009398" target="_blank">Ray Meyers</a> fought from 1930 to 1934. Despite not knowing how to spell his last name, he beat Oscar Goldman, Charley Nelson, Koli Kolo, Honey Mellody, and Frankie Covelli. He lost to Joe Ghnouly, Freddie Miller (twice), Miki Gelb, and Lou Ambers. Meyers ended with a record of 33-8-5 (8). He was never stopped.

Can't find his photo either.
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[David Myers]

Appropriate for the day.

A Jewish bantamweight who was born in Kiev on Christmas day in 1915, <a href="http://www.boxrec.com/boxer_display.php?boxer_id=045931" target="_blank">Baby Yack</a> made the 1936 Canadian Olympic team but boycotted the Hitler games in Berlin along with teammate Sammy Luftspring. A great amateur who reportedly won 90 of 100 fights, he was a bantamweight contender in the late thirties. Yack beat Frankie Martin, Henry Hook, Carlos (Indian) Quintana, Lefty Gwynne, and Lou Transparenti. He lost to Hook in a rematch (before beating him again), and was also beaten by Small Montana, Georgie Pace, and Henry Jeffra.

As usual, no photo on this end. Merry Xmas to most and <i><u>h</u>ag urim sameya<u>h</u></i> to some!
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[Jim_Kidd]

Here's the Cruiserweight version of Vassily Jirov and James Toney. At Cruiserweight, Vassily Jirov fought like a Russian Marciano - with a high work rate, fantastic conditioning, hard punch, and great chin.

Some boxing experts considered him at the time to be the 2nd best Cruiserweight in the history of the division next to Evander Holyfield. Then came his thrilling title defense against James Toney in April of 2003.
It was a great give and take battle with Toney's defense and counterpunching making the difference in the fight.

A late surge by Toney produced the first knockdown in Jirov's career and Toney came close to a stoppage landing tremendous shots in the last two rounds but Jirov just wouldn't break.

As I said in another post, this was the best Cruiserweight fight I had ever seen next to Holyfield - Qawi I.

This marked the beginning of Toney's return to the championship ranks and the end of Jirov as dominant force in the CW division. Vassily then moved up to Heavyweight with less than thrilling results.

Both of these fighter ratings at Cruiserweight have been play tested against each other for accuracy.

[David Myers]

A search turned up nothing, but if this pug has already been rated, please forgive the duplication.

<a href="http://www.boxrec.com/boxer_display.php?boxer_id=031905" target="_blank">Al Casimini</a> was a New York lightweight who fought throughout the thirties, finishing with a record of 39-23-8 (13).

A good local fighter with a hard punch, he faltered against front-rank competition, losing to Leonard Del Genio, Izzy Jannazzo, Eddie Zivic, Steve Halaiko, Eddie Cool, Johnny Bellus, <i>et al.</I> He won a split eight-round decision from Bobby Pacho in February 1935 and outpointed Midget Mexico in March 1936. Otherwise he was best at putting an end to the dreams of other local hotshots like Johnny Barra, Dick Cabello, Andy Miratello, and Johnny Bonito.

Photo to follow.
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[David Myers]

A blurry shot of the New York lightweight.
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