My Universe

[JCWeb]

This report includes bouts from the first half of July 1948. One WBA title bout is included in this report.

July 2, 1948: The month kicks off with a Friday night card at Seattle. In the main event, top 10 FW contender Sal “the Pride of East Boston” Bartolo takes on Eddie Compo, who has recently emerged from the Pre-Prime ranks with an unbeaten record marred only by three draws. The two have not met before, and thus it is a cautious start by both fighters. In fact, neither is able to make much progress in the opening few rounds, and the bout remains very close into the middle stages. However, despite losing the fifth round, the unofficial scorer has Bartolo ahead (49-46) at the halfway point. In the second half of the bout, Compo takes on the role of aggressor while Bartolo adopts a more passive approach. Late in round nine, Compo connects with a three-punch combo that sends Bartolo reeling, forcing him to cover up for a second time in the bout. The bout goes the distance and, despite some good moments for Compo, Bartolo escapes with a razor-thin UD 10 (96-95 on all three cards) to run his career record to 35-11-4 (10). The loss, his first, leaves Compo at 18-1-3 (5).

July 3, 1948: To the Sports Palace in Rome for the next fight card, and Italian WW Egisto Peyre, a former EBU WW Champ, faces Joe Legon, the reigning LABF titleholder, in a 10-round, non-title bout that headlines the card. No prior meetings, and yet, Peyre wastes little time, connecting with an uppercut to the head midway through the opening stanza that puts Legon down and out. Impressive KO 1 for Peyre in front of an appreciative hometown crowd. Post-bout career marks: Peyre, 27-6-3 (13); Legon, 35-20-6 (14).

July 4, 1948: Next up is a big fourth of July card at Washington, D. C.’s Uline Arena. The undercard includes top up-and-coming prospect Rocky Marciano, who remains unbeaten by taking out another TC opponent, this time being extended to a sixth round for the first time in his career, with the 6th round KO running his career record to 7-0 (7); this is the first time that Marciano has had to go this many rounds in any bout. Then, in the main event, the NABF FW title is on the line as Sandy Saddler, unable to arrange a WBA title bout matchup with Willie Pep, makes his first defense of the NABF belt against Phil Terranova, who is the current USBA FW Champion and a one-time NABF FW titleholder. In one prior encounter, in a stepping stone to his current position, Saddler dropped Terranova with a final round knockout to win the USBA FW title as a stepping stone to his current position as a NABF Champion. This time, the bout lasts only two plus minutes as Saddler drops Terranova with a wicked hook to the head. Terranova goes down in a heap and cannot beat the count. KO 1 for Saddler, now 22-0 (18), leads to more calls for a WBA title match with Pep. Terranova ends the bout at 26-9 (11).

July 9, 1948: Next, Joe Brown and George LaRover, two top 10 LW contenders, square off in the main event in a Friday night card at Chicago. This is the third meeting of the two, with each having won once previously. Through the early rounds, Brown amassed a large lead in the punches landed category. By the midway point, there is a mouse under LaRover’s left eye, and he faces a large points deficit as Brown continues to dominate, up by five (50-45) on the unofficial scorer’s card. Late in round seven, a left-right combination to the head from Brown rips open a cut over LaRover’s injured left eye. From here on, Brown goes on to take a lopsided UD 10 (100-89, 99-91, 100-89). Impressive performance by Brown, who has previously held the NABF and USBA LW title belts, and is certainly putting himself in the picture for another title shot. Post-bout career marks: Brown, 31-3 (20); LaRover, 24-6-2 (13).

July 10, 1948: Next card takes place at Vancouver’s Exhibition Gardens, and there is excitement in the air in anticipation of the main event, as Canadian BW Lou Alter is the challenger for the WBA BW title held by Manuel Ortiz. The two met once before, in Montreal in early 1945, and Ortiz took a MD win. This time around, after a couple of close opening rounds, Ortiz moves inside and begins to assert himself in round three. After the first five rounds are in the books, Ortiz has a slight points lead (49-47) on the unofficial scorer’s card. In the middle rounds, Alter is forced to switch tactics and take a more aggressive approach to the contest. However, Alter is able to make little impression on Ortiz and, at the two thirds mark, Ortiz has extended his lead (to 99-93) on the unofficial card. Not much changes in the final third of the bout, and Ortiz goes on to scoop up a fairly comfortable UD 15 (147-141, 148-140, 148-140) to retain the belt, running his record to 35-8-3 (17); the loss drops Alter to 23-8-2 (14).

July 16, 1948: Next is a Friday night card at Manila’s Rizal Arena. Two Flyweight contenders take to the ring in the main event, with Japan’s Yoshio Shirai facing Aussie Tuffy Hancock. No titles at stake, but an OPBF title shot could be in the offing for the winner. First meeting of the two and Hancock, who is still at Pre-Prime, puts an undefeated career mark on the line in this bout; Shirai, on the other hand, is attempting to bounce back from a WBA title bout loss to Rinty Monaghan. In round two, Hancock seizes the initiative, swinging away freely and scoring with some solid punches. In round three, Hancock moves inside to inflict more damage, causing Shirai’s left eye to swell up. Shirai is able to battle back to almost even terms with a strong round in the fourth. At the midway point, Shirai has edged in front (by 48-47) on the unofficial card. Hancock takes a more aggressive approach in the second half of the contest, but he is unable to break down Shirai’s defenses. The bout goes to the judges, and Shirai picks up a MD 10 (97-93, 95-95, 96-94), although one judge thought Hancock did enough to secure a draw. Shirai improves to 23-3 (11) with the win, while Hancock’s first career loss leaves him at 16-1-1 (12).

[JCWeb]

This report includes bouts from the second half of July 1948. One WBA title bout is included in this report.

July 17, 1948: The next fistic action takes place at the Rand Stadium in Johannesburg. No titles at stake, and the main event matches multi-time WBA BW Champ Johnny King with another veteran of the ring wars, Aussie Mickey Miller. One prior encounter resulted in a fourth round KO for King, and there are no titles at stake in this one, scheduled for 10 rounds. King is on target with his punches in the early going, and Miller has some visible puffiness around his left eye as early as round two. After a slow start, Miller gradually works his way into the bout and, at the halfway mark, he trails King on the unofficial scorer’s card by just a single point (48-47). Not much changes in the second half of the bout and, by the later rounds, King has amassed a solid lead in the punches landed count. Both men tire badly down the stretch, and their punches lack steam as the bout goes the distance with no cuts or knockdowns, and very little in the way of excitement. King goes on to pick up a somewhat closer than expected MD 10 (96-94, 95-95, 96-94) as one judge even called the bout a draw. King, who will be at End career stage with his next outing, ended the bout at 65-14-5 (26). Meanwhile, Miller, who has accumulated enough retirement points to hit Post-Prime with his next outing, slips to 41-19-2 (21) with the loss.

July 17, 1948: To Los Angeles on the West Coast for the next fight card, and the main event matches two LHs, with triple regional titleholder “Fearless” Freddie Mills, the current EBU, Commonwealth and GBU LH Champ, taking on Joey Maxim, who has recovered from a rather inconsistent start to his career to rack up four wins in succession, before dropping a decision to Archie Moore, who then went on to take the WBA LH title belt. No titles at stake in this 10-rounder, and the actions picks up in the middle of the second round, when Mills connects with a sweet uppercut that sends Maxim reeling. Maxim covers up and manages to last the round, but in round four, more trouble for the American fighter as Mills rips open a cut over his left eye. At the halfway point, perhaps with the assistance of some hometown judging, Maxim is fortunate to be tied with Mills (at 48-48) on the unofficial scorer’s card. In round seven, the cut over Maxim’s eye is reopened. Finally, when the cut is reopened a second time, it leads to an early end to the contest, as it is deemed too serious to allow the bout to continue. Mills is declared a TKO 8 victor on the cuts stoppage. Post-bout career marks: Mills, 33-17-2 (16); Maxim, 21-8-4 (5). Tough loss for Maxim, who was in front on all three cards at the time of the stoppage.

July 23, 1948: Next up is another of the Friday night fights “Down Under” series, and this time it is a huge event, featuring a WBA title clash as the centerpiece. First up, in the main supporting bout, FWs take to the ring as former WBA FW Champ “Homicide Hal” Hoshino, who career has taken a nosedive (losing four of his last five) since hitting Post-Prime career stage, faces Eddie Miller, an Aussie who holds the OPBF FW title who just slipped past Hoshino in the FW rankings. The two have not met before, yet less than a minute into the opening round Hoshino connects with a powerful hook that forces Miller to cover up. Miller lasts the round, recovers in between rounds, and he gradually works his way into the bout. At the midway point, Hoshino holds a narrow one-point lead (48-47) on the unofficial scorer’s card. By round six, Hoshino has inflicted enough punishment to cause some puffiness to appear around Miller’s left eye. The Aussie FW soldiers on and, despite running low on energy, he takes the fight to Hoshino as the bout enters its latter stages. The bout goes the distance, and Hoshino manages to walk away a MD 10 winner (99-92, 95-95, 98-92), despite one judge calling the bout even. Post-bout records: Hoshino, 40-10-3 (21); Miller, 31-14-2 (12). Then, in the feature, Aussie Dave Sands puts his WBA MW title to the test, making his first defense and facing a formidable challenger in former WBA Champ in Charley Burley. The two met once before, in Boston in 1945, and Burley handed Sands his first career defeat in a 10-round, non-title affair. This time, with a WBA title on the line, Burley comes on strong with a furious assault near the end of the opening stanza, doing enough damage to cause some initial swelling to appear under the left eye of Sands. Although Sands is able to settle himself, Burley continues to be active and on target with most of his punches, keeping Sands on the defensive. However, late in round four, Sands rocks Burley with a sharp combination, forcing the veteran challenger to cover up. At the one-third mark, Burley has a narrow edge (48-47), according to the unofficial scorer at ringside. Into the middle rounds, and Sands appears to be making progress until Burley connects with a sweet uppercut in round seven. Late in round nine, Burley connects with a big hook, and Sands takes a tumble to the deck, arising after taking a four count but wisely covering up to survive the round. At the 10-round mark, Burley has opened a sizable lead (97-92) on the unofficial card. With the rounds ticking off, Sands decides to take a more aggressive approach, but Burley manages to bring the bout to an early end, flooring Sands twice more in the 12th round, all while inflicting enough damage to force the ref to call a halt. TKO 12 for Burley, who regains the WBA MW crown for the second time, improving to 48-4 (34). Meanwhile, Sands ends the bout at 31-4 (20).

July 24, 1948: Next is another big card, taking place at the Polo Grounds in New York City. On the undercard is another talented HW prospect who, like Rocky Marciano, is looking to make his mark, and this is Roland LaStarza, who scores an impressive first round KO over a hapless TC opponent to run his career record to 8-0 (3). The two main events both feature MWs and, in the first co-feature, the “Bronx Bull,” Jake LaMotta, faces Mike “Spider” Belloise, a former WBA MW Champ, in a 10-round, non-title contest. The two have not met previously. In round one, LaMotta starts well, and he is able to bloody Belloise’s nose. In the second stanza, LaMotta does not let up, continuing to apply pressure and landing more good punches, sufficient to cause some puffiness around Belloise’s left eye. By round three, the cut on Belloise’s nose is reopened. However, midway through the fourth round, Belloise connects with a cross, and LaMotta resorts to the cover up to avert further damage. The two continue to battle away through round five, at which point the unofficial scorer has LaMotta in front (49-46). The cut is reopened once again in round seven and, later in the round, it worsens and leads to an immediate stoppage, making LaMotta a TKO 7 victor. Post-bout career marks: LaMotta, 31-4 (21); Belloise, 31-10-2 (15). Finally, the second co-feature sees two grizzled veterans, both at the Post-Prime of their respective careers, both former WBA MW Champions, do battle, as Tony Zale challenges Holman Williams for Williams’ NABF MW title. Three prior meetings, and Zale holds a 2-1 lead. This time around, with Zale stalking his opponent, Williams is able to pick his spots, defending well and scoring enough for a solid early lead in the punches landed stats. At the halfway point, Williams leads on the unofficial card, but only by two (58-56) as Zale has recovered from his rather slow start to make the bout competitive. Into the second half of the bout, and Zale continues to initiate most of the action, while Williams is content to lay back on the outside, always looking for counterpunching opportunities. As the rounds tick off, the endurance factor favors Zale, as Williams begins to tire as early as round nine. In round 10, however, an overly aggressive Zale leaves himself open for some solid blows from Williams, who manages to cause some swelling to appear under the right eye of the challenger. In round 11, the action heats up, and Zale connects with a three-punch combo that forces Williams, in full retreat, to cover up to last the round. The duo battles down to the wire, but, in the end, the judges side with Williams, who retains the title via a UD 12 (116-112, 116-112, 118-110), running his career record to 56-14-1 (24). Zale ends the bout at 46-10-2 (27).

July 30, 1948: Next card takes place in Miami, and featured is a USBA HW title clash matching “Tampa” Tommy Gomez, in his fifth title defense, with challenger Curtis “Hatchetman” Sheppard. The two met once before, with Gomez prevailed via a knockout. This time, Gomez takes charge when he puts Sheppard down for an eight count with a hard cross near the end of round two. In the third round, Sheppard bounces back, connecting with a hook that sends Gomez to the canvas where he also takes an eight count, then covers up to last the round. With the score at one knockdown apiece, the action intensifies as the bout heads into the middle rounds. In round five, Gomez floors Sheppard for a second time, also with a cross; arising at the count of six on shaky legs, Sheppard covers up, but Gomez continues the assault until Sheppard is unable to fend for himself. Impressive TKO 5 for Gomez, who improves to 36-6-1 (33) with the win and, despite coming up short in two prior attempts, he is looking for a third shot at Joe Louis’ WBA HW crown. The loss drops Sheppard to 29-11-2 (19).

July 31, 1948: The month concludes with a card at London’s Harringay Arena. Topping the agenda is an EBU Flyweight title bout, and Terry Allen is making his fourth defense, with Teddy Gardner as the challenger. The two met once before, with Gardner taking a points win at London back in 1945. Gardner goes on the offensive right away, and he decks Allen with a cross midway through the opening round. Allen scrambles to his feet as the count reaches five, and he covers up in order to last the round. Allen recovers from his slow start and finally gets going with an impressive two-fisted assault in round four, resulting in some initial puffiness around the right eye of Gardner. However, Gardner is able to hold his own and, at the halfway point, Gardner holds a narrow lead (57-56) on the unofficial card, largely as a result of the extra point from the first round knockdown. Into the second half of the bout, and Allen has pulled out to a slight lead in the punches landed stats. The bout remains an extremely close one into the final few rounds; however, near the end of round 10, Gardner puts Allen down for a second time with a strong hook. Allen barely beats the count, but the bell sounds before Gardner is able to follow up. The bout goes the rest of the way without incident and, based on the strength of the two knockdowns, Gardner is able to lift the belt, taking a close UD 12 (114-112, 114-112, 114-113), holding off a late surge by Allen who took the last two rounds. Post-bout career marks: Gardner, 30-9-2 (11); Allen, 27-4 (3).

[JCWeb]

This report includes bouts from the first half of August 1948. No WBA title bouts are included in this report.

Aug. 6, 1948: The month kicks off with an intriguing matchup at Atlantic City’s Convention Hall. Traveling from the UK is reigning GBU, EBU and Commonwealth HW Champ Bruce Woodcock and, in his first visit to the States, he faces the “Cleveland Spider Man,” Jimmy Bivins, who briefly held the WBA LH title and is now making a foray into the HW ranks. The bout is scheduled for 10, and the two have not met before. The early edge in the punches landed stats goes to Bivins, who gets off to a strong start. Early in round five, Woodcock finally gets going, dropping a right on to the chin of Bivins, who is staggered momentarily but then covers up, retreating to a neutral corner to avoid further difficulty. At the midway point, the unofficial scorer at ringside has the bout as even (48-48). In the second half of the bout, Woodcock seizes the initiative, taking a more aggressive posture while Bivins adopts a safety first attitude. By round eight, some effective counterpunching from Bivins has had an effect, as it has caused some minor swelling around the left eye of Woodcock. Despite a solid punches landed lead for Bivins, Woodcock is able to make inroads with the judges, so the bout remains extremely close. In the end, Bivins prevails, taking a close UD 10 (97-95 96-95, 96-95) to run his career record to 29-5-3 (20). Meanwhile, it is only the third career loss for Woodcock, is now 30-3 (25) with the loss.

Aug. 7, 1948: To Manila’s Rizal Arena for the next fight card, and twin bill main events involve two Japanese fighters, both of whom are named Horiguchi. In the first of these, ex-WBA FW Champ Harold Hoshino, now on the downside of his career, faces former OPBF FW Champ Tsuneo “Piston” Horiguchi, who is still at Prime and ranked above Hoshino, among the top 10 FWs. Two prior contests ended up in wins for Hoshino, so Horiguchi is hoping to change things in this bout. Hoshino is on target early, and he gains some additional momentum after a welt appears under Horiguchi’s right eye. Midway through round five, Horiguchi gets on track, rocking Hoshino with a sharp combination that causes the ex-Champ to cover up. At the midway point, the unofficial card has Hoshino up by one (48-47). As the bout wears on, Horiguchi’s superior stamina kicks in, and he gradually wears down a weary looking Hoshino in the second half of the bout. Nevertheless, Hoshino manages to keep the bout close and, after going the full 10 rounds, Horiguchi walks away a MD 10 winner (97-93, 95-95, 96-94), running his career totals to 44-16-3 (21). Hoshino slips to 40-11-3 (21) with the loss. Then, in the second co-feature, another former WBA titleholder, ex-WBA BW Champ David Kui Kong Young takes on another Horiguchi, this time it is Hiroshi Horiguchi, who is the current OPBF BW Champ. No prior meetings, and a notable age difference as the younger fighter, Horiguchi, is only 20, or 12 years Kui Kong Young’s junior. With neither fighter giving any quarter, the bout remains extremely close into the middle rounds. At the halfway point, Kui Kong Young has pulled ahead on the unofficial scorer’s card (50-45), this despite a solid effort from Horiguchi. By round seven, there is a trace of swelling under Horiguchi’s right eye, and the Japanese fighter begins to show signs of fatigue as well. The bout goes the rest of the way without incident, and Kui Kong Young takes a rather routine UD 10 (98-92, 99-91, 99-91) in a rather drab affair that appeared to be closer than the final scores would indicate. Post-bout career marks: Kui Kong Young, 45-4-4 (20); Horiguchi, 17-4-4 (4).

Aug. 7, 1948: An NABF title clash headlines the next card, taking place in Chicago. Ike Williams is on hand to make his third defense of the NABF LW title, facing challenger Santa Bucca. The two are meeting for the first time, and it is Bucca’s first title bout ever. Bucca is able to hold his own in the early going, but then is forced to cover up when Williams connects with a big cross in round three. Bucca is able to last the round by covering up, but by this time, Williams has pulled out to a solid lead in the punches landed stats. Near the end of round six, Williams decks Bucca with a vicious cross, but the bell sounds as the count reaches three. Surprisingly, at the midway point, the unofficial scorer at ringside has the bout as even (57-57) despite some obvious moments of dominance by Williams. Bucca is able to win some exchanges in the eighth round, plus there is an added bonus as some puffiness appears around the left eye of Williams. Late in round nine, a hard right from Williams staggers Bucca, who once again resorts to covering up to last the round. This time, Williams follows up, putting Bucca down twice before, once again, Bucca is saved by the bell. After surviving the round, Bucca comes out more aggressively in round 10, but it is just more target practice for Williams, who forces a stoppage as the ref steps in to save Bucca from further punishment. TKO 10 for Williams in a bout that proved more difficult that many had forecast. Post-bout records: Williams, 35-4-1 (30); Bucca, 19-5-3 (8). Surprisingly strong performance by Bucca, who is only rated a “3” while the heavily favored Williams is an ”11.”

Aug. 13, 1948: Next is a Friday night card at Havana’s Gran Stadium, and a doubleheader of title bouts tops the agenda. In the first of these, two Cuban fighters face off, as Ciro Morasen challenges Diego Sosa for Sosa’s LABF FW title belt. This is a rematch of a 1947 title bout for this same belt, which resulted in a points win for Sosa. Since then, a five bout winning streak has set up Morasen for another title bid. This time around, Morasen takes the fight to Sosa, and he is able to keep the bout competitive through the opening rounds. Morasen continues to hold his own through the middle rounds and, at the halfway point, the unofficial scorer has the bout as even (58-58). By the end of round six, Morasen has managed to open a cut on Sosa’s upper lip. After a big round for Morasen in round seven, more trouble for Sosa who experiences some puffiness under his right eye. In round eight, Sosa battles back, and he manages to open a cut over Morasen’s right eye. As the bout wears on, Morasen gets stronger, pulling to a wide lead in the punches landed category. The bout goes the full 12, and a strong second half translates to a comfortable UD 12 (119-111, 118-112, 118-112) for Morasen, who lifts the belt. Post-bout career marks: Morasen, 22-3-3 (3); Sosa, 29-8-2 (16). The second co-feature pairs two top 10 WWs, with another Cuban regional titleholder, Kid Gavilan, in action, defending his NABF WW title, and the challenger is a former WBA WW Champ in Tommy Bell. The duo has not met before, and there is a long feeling out process that lasts through the opening few rounds. By the end of round four, Bell has landed enough telling blows to cause some swelling to appear around Gavilan’s left eye. At the midway point, Bell has a nice lead (60-55) on the unofficial scorer’s card. After eight rounds, there is noticeable swelling under Gavilan’s other eye. Gavilan steps up the pace in the later rounds, but he is unable to break down Bell’s defenses, so Bell becomes the NABF Champ for the second time, via a UD 12 (117-112, 117-113, 118-111), running his career record to 29-3 (15). Gavilan ends the bout at 20-3-1 (4).

Aug. 14, 1948: Next up is a card at Gothenburg’s Ullevi Stadium. In the main event, Luc Van Dam is defending the EBU MW title against challenger Leon Fouquet, whom he has defeated twice before. In this rematch, the bout comes to a sudden end less than halfway through the opening round, when Fouquet nails Van Dam with an overhand right, sending the Dutch fighter tumbling to the canvas. Van Dam is unable to beat the count, and Fouquet captures the EBU belt in a stunning KO 1 result. With the win, Fouquet advances his career mark to 23-5-1 (17), while Van Dam falls to 29-11-1 (12) with the loss.

Aug. 14, 1948: A inter-generational clash tops the next card, at New Orleans, where a past great takes on a future Champion in the main event. Henry “Homicide Hank” Armstrong faces unbeaten Johnny Bratton in a 10-round WW encounter. No titles at stake, and no prior meetings, and Armstrong, who is staving off the ravages of time in his post-Prime career, proves he cans still pack a punch, as he decks Bratton with a hard shot less than a minute into the opening stanza. Bratton tries to cover up, but Armstrong continues to pursue his quarry around the ring, connecting with a wild overhand right that puts Bratton down again, and this time Bratton does not arise but is lucky enough to be saved by the bell as the count reached eight. After the shaky start, Bratton steadies himself, holding his own in round two and even outpointing Armstrong in round three. Then, in round five, Bratton connects with a right hand that causes Armstrong to wince, and the aging ex-Chap covers up to last the round. At the halfway point, it appears that the unofficial scorer considers Bratton’s progress in the bout sufficient to erase the early two-point lead for Armstrong, and he has Bratton up by two (48-46). Into the second half of the bout, with both fighters showing signs of fatigue, Armstrong takes an aggressive posture, applying pressure on Bratton who, at 21, is 15 years his junior. However, for all his troubles, by round eight, Armstrong is suffering from a swollen right eye. Per his nickname, Armstrong keeps hammering away, while Bratton wisely keeps his distance, staying out of trouble in the final two rounds. The bout goes the distance and, in the end, Armstrong’s aggressive posture allowed him to win the three final rounds from two of the three judges, enabling the grizzled veteran to emerge a narrow UD 10 victor (95-92, 94-93, 95-94), running Armstrong’s impressive career totals to 54-11-3 (43). The loss, Bratton’s first, drops him to 19-1-1 (11).

[JCWeb]

This report includes bouts from the second half of August 1948. One WBA title bout is included in this report.

Aug. 20, 1948: Next up, the Friday Night fights “Down Under” series continues, with a modest card in Sydney. Topping the agenda is an OPBF LW title contest, pitting Norm Gent (the titleholder) against a fellow Aussie, Charlie Ashenden, for the title belt. Three prior meetings between the two all ended in close decisions, with two draws and one MD favoring Gent. This time around, Gent is able to build an early lead in the punches landed stats, with little resistance from Ashenden. By the middle rounds, though, Ashenden has gradually worked his way into the bout. At the midway point, the unofficial scorer has the bout as even (57-57). As the bout enters the later rounds, it is Ashenden who steps up the pace, initiating most of the action, seeking to land the knockout punch. However, the stamina factor favors Gent, and he manages to repeat his earlier success, eking out a MD 12 (115-113, 114-114, 115-113) to retain the OPBF title. With this win, Gent runs his career record to 19-4-3 (7). Meanwhile, the loss drops Ashenden to 18-6-6 (5).

Aug. 21, 1948: Two LHs take to the ring in the main event at the next fight card, at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh. Former WBA LH Champ Billy Conn, “the Pittsburgh Kid,” faces up-and-comer and unbeaten Harold Johnson in another of those “crossroads” fights (matching the Post-Prime Conn versus the Pre-Prime Johnson). The two have not met before, and they do battle in a 10-round, non-title affair. It is a cautious start by both men, neither of whom seems willing to take any major risks in the opening rounds. Conn, the more accurate puncher of the two, grabs an early lead in the punches landed stats. At the halfway point of the bout, Conn has pulled ahead on the unofficial scorer’s card (49-46). In the second half of the bout, the onus is on Johnson to seize the initiative, and he takes a more aggressive approach as the rounds tick off. In round six, the tide begins to turn in Johnson’s favor as he rips open a cut over Conn’s right eye. Conn’s corner goes to work in between rounds, and the cut is quickly patched up. Johnson continues to press the action until the very end, but the defensive minded Conn proves to be an elusive target, and the cut ends up being a non-factor. The bout goes the rest of the way without incident, and – in a minor surprise – Johnson takes a SD 10 (95-97, 97-95, 98-95), as his aggressive approach to the second half of the bout is recognized and rewarded by two of the three judges. Thus, Johnson remains unbeaten and moves a step closer to his first title shot. Post-bout career marks: Johnson, 17-0 (8); Conn, 44-11-4 (16).

Aug. 21, 1948: To the West Coast, and a WBA title contest tops the card. First up, in the main supporting bout, two LW contenders are paired together as the “Dorango Dropper,” reigning LABF LW titleholder Enrique Bolanos, faces Chester Rico in a 10-round, non-title affair. The two have not met previously, and it is not until round four when Rico, banging away on the inside, makes some progress, as he causes some initial puffiness to appear under the left eye of the Mexican fighter. However, the bout remains a close one and, after the first five rounds are in the books, the unofficial scorer calls it even (48-48). In the second half of the bout, Bolanos seizes the initiative, working his way inside to apply pressure on Rico. Other than causing some minor swelling around Rico’s left eye, Bolanos’ efforts have little impact. The bout goes the rest of the way without incident, no cuts or knockdowns, and the UD 10 goes to Bolanos by a slim margin (96-95, 97-95, 97-94). This runs Bolanos’ career totals to 25-3 (19), while Rico ends the bout at 27-14-5 (12). Then, in the feature, Archie Moore, newly crowned WBA Champion, puts the WBA LH title on the line against a local hero, Oakland Billy Smith. Moore wastes little time, asserting himself by landing a crushing hook in the opening minute that sends Smith reeling against the ropes; a hurt fighter, Smith covers up and hopes to last the round. However, Moore is not to be deterred; he causes some initial puffiness to appear under Smith’s right eye, rips open a gash on Smith’s forward, and then finally forces the challenger into submission with time still left in the opening stanza. Impressive one-sided TKO 1 for Moore over an overmatched opponent. Post-bout records: Moore, 44-4-5 (31); Smith, 26-8-4 (20). Like Joe Louis, Willie Pep and “Sugar” Ray Robinson, it looks like Moore may be prepared for a long stint as WBA Champion.

Aug. 27, 1948: Next is a Friday night card at Mexico City. In the main event, Mexican Flyweight Otilio Galvan challenges Dado Marino for Marino’s NABF Flyweight title. (Marino’s USBA Fly title belt is not at stake.) Marino enters the bout on a four-bout winning streak, including a points win over Galvan in a non-title bout earlier in the year (also in Mexico City). In this rematch, Gavilan gets off to a decent start, However, by the time the bout enters the middle stages, it is Marino who has the upper hand, with Galvan’s corner forced to deal with a rapidly swelling right eye. At the halfway point, the unofficial scorer at ringside has the bout scored as even (57-57). The action heats up near the end of round seven, when Galvan suffers a hand injury after missing with a cross, then Marino walks into a Galvan combination, dropping to the canvas only to be saved by the bell. In the next round (the eighth), an energized Galvan is unable to follow up on this unexpected success. Despite suffering the one knockdown, Marino pulls out a large lead in the punches landed stats. In the final few rounds, it is Galvan who tires badly, and he takes some wild swings but is unable to find the target. Marino goes on to retain the title via a close but UD 12 (115-112, 115-112, 114-113), running his career record to 32-9 (14). Galvan ends the bout at 20-10-2 (5).

Aug. 28, 1948: To the Olympia in London is the venue for the next fight card. In the main event, two British Flyweights – Jackie Paterson and Peter Kane – battle for the Commonwealth Flyweight title, currently held by Paterson. The duo has had two prior encounters, and Paterson has prevailed in both. This time around, Kane is able to rip open a nasty looking cut over Paterson’s right eye less than a minute into the opening round. The cut is quickly patched up between rounds, and Paterson does his best to prevent further damage. However, midway through round four, Kane rocks Paterson with a hard right hand, and the cut is reopened. Into the middle rounds, and the cut continues to ooze blood, and it is reopened a second time in round six. At the halfway point, Kane is well ahead on the unofficial scorer’s card (60-55), as the cut has begun to seriously impede Paterson’s effort to defend his title. Paterson becomes more aggressive in the second half of the bout and, by round eight, there is some puffiness under Kane’s right eye. In round 10, with both fighters swinging away freely, Paterson catches Kane with a good shot, and Kane crumples to the canvas. Kane is able to beat the count, arising at a count of seven, but the damage has been done. Undeterred, Kane bounces back in round 11, decking Paterson with an uppercut. Paterson manages to beat the count, but the cut over his eye is reopened and, with the blood flowing freely, a stoppage is ordered. Third time is a charm for Kane, as he captures the CBU belt via a TKO 11. Thus, Kane runs his career totals to 40-10-1 (15), while Paterson, who still has the GBU Fly title, drops to 32-8-2 (19) with the loss.

Aug. 28, 1948: A twin bill of MW bouts top the final card of the month, at New York’s Madison Square Garden. In the first of the two co-features, former WBA MW Champ Marcel Cerdan is on hand to face the “Bronx Bull,” Jake LaMotta, in a non-title bout. It is the first meeting of the two, both of whom are angling for a WBA title shot in the near future. Given that these two hard hitting MWs have combined for a total of 54 knockouts, it is a cautious start as both seek to avoid the power punching of their opponent. LaMotta gradually builds an early lead in the punches landed stats, then the two elect to trade blows on the inside in an action packed round five. At the midway point, despite a strong fifth round for Cerdan, the unofficial scorer has LaMotta up by one (48-47). Into the second half of the bout, and both fighters continue to adopt an aggressive approach to the bout. Early in round eight, with both men swinging away freely, a Cerdan uppercut stops LaMotta in his tracks, forcing the “Bronx Bull” to cover up. The bout remains close right down to the final round, and LaMotta takes the final round to secure a majority draw (95-95, 96-95 Cerdan, 95-95), with one judge holding out for Cerdan. Post-bout career marks: Cerdan, 50-8-4 (33); LaMotta, 31-4-1 (21). Then, in the second co-feature, the USBA MW title, recently vacated by Charley Burley who moved up to win the WBA MW crown, is at stake. Matched for the vacant belt are Artie Towne and Rocky Castellani. These two met once before, with Castellani coming away with a points win. In the opening round, Castellani is able to open a cut over Towne’s right eye. The cut is quickly patched up, and Towne builds a solid early lead in the punches landed stats. In round five, the cut over Towne’s eye is reopened, but Towne ignores the cut and puts Castellani on the deck with an overhand right in the final seconds of the round. Castellani beats the count, and there is not enough time for Towne to take advantage of the situation. At the midway point, the one knockdown has Towne in front by two (58-56) on the unofficial card. In round seven, the cut over Towne’s eye is reopened a second time. Worried about the cut, Towne adopts a more defensive minded posture as the bout heads into the later rounds. By the end of round 10, a mouse has formed under Castellani’s left eye. With Towne protecting the cut, Castellani continues swinging away in the final two rounds of the contest, but to no avail as Towne goes on to capture the title via a fairly comfortable UD 12 (116-111, 116-110, 117-110). Post-bout career records: Towne, 20-1-2 (8); Castellani, 18-3-1 (3).

[JCWeb]

This report includes bouts from the first half of September 1948. No WBA title bouts are included in this report.

Sep. 3, 1948: The month commences with a Friday night card at Havana’s Gran Stadium. The main event is a rematch, with Cuban HW Omelio Agramonte challenging, once again, for the LABF HW title currently held by Argentina’s Alberto Santiago Lovell. The two met in 1947, also for the LABF title, with Lovell taking a SD 12. This time around, Agramonte starts well, landing some effective blows in the opening two rounds, sufficient to cause some initial puffiness to appear under the left eye of Lovell. By the time the bout heads into the middle rounds, Agramonte has the early lead in terms of the punches landed stats. Early in round five, Agramonte staggers Lovell with a big hook, and Lovell covers up in order to avoid further damage. At the midway point, the unofficial scorer has Agramonte up by two (58-56). Lovell steps up the pace as the bout heads into the later rounds in an effort to rebound from his slow start. Finally, near the end of round seven, Lovell’s approach begins to pay dividends, as he rocks Agramonte with a big hook near the end of the round; plus, Agramonte is bleeding from a cut under his right eye as well as showing some signs of swelling around his left eye. Then, early in the 10th, Lovell connects with a hard shot that puts Agramonte on the deck. Agramonte beats the bout and cover ups to last the round, but he shows more signs of weariness as his right eye also begins to puff up. Not to be outdone, Agramonte turns the tables, putting Lovell down with a hook in round 11. The two continue to battle until the end, with Agramonte doing just enough to capture the belt via a MD 12 (115-111, 113-113, 114-113). With this win, Agramonte runs his career record to 24-7 (14). Meanwhile, the loss drops Lovell to 41-19-1 (30).

Sep. 4, 1948: Next card takes place in Liverpool, and the featured bout sees Tommy Davies on hand to make his first defense of the Commonwealth MW title he won earlier in the year. Davies’ opponent is Alfie Sands, brother of Aussie Dave Sands who previously held the belt before going on to capture the WBA MW crown. Although the two have not met before, Sands announces his arrival on the scene by flooring Davies right before the bell sounds to end the opening round. Then, only a few seconds into the second round, the bout comes to a sudden halt as Davies’s face is contorted in pain from an injured hand. After consultation with the ref and the ring physician, it is clear that Davies is unable to continue. Thus, the bout goes into the books as a TKO 2 for Sands, who follows in his older brother’s footsteps and lifts the CBU MW belt. Post-bout career records: Sands, 19-3 (11); Davies, 24-12-4 (8).

Sep. 4, 1948: Next card takes place in Philadelphia. The main event showcases the talents of unbeaten FW contender Sandy Saddler, who makes the second defense of his NABF FW title, facing a tough challenger in the “Austin Atom,” Jackie Graves. The two have not met previously, and Graves, who briefly held the NABF title in 1947, is coming off a difficult period in his career, losing two of his last three (both losses in title bouts) but is still deemed worthy of another title shot. After a cautious start by both men, Saddler takes the initiative, moving inside in round three. With some effective punching, Saddler is able to build a solid early lead in the punches landed stats. In round five, as the two exchange blows on the inside, Saddler soon gains the upper hand and begins to dominate the action. Finally, with Graves unable to fend for himself, the ref has seen enough and orders a halt. TKO 5 for Saddler, who runs his career totals to an impressive 23-0 (19). The loss, his third in his last four bouts, leaves Graves at 20-5-1 (15). It seems only a question of time before Saddler tests himself against the best in the division, none other than WBA FW Champ Willie Pep.

Sep. 10, 1948: Next is a Friday night affair at Miami. “Tampa” Tommy Gomez is featured in the main event, making his sixth defense of his USBA HW title. The challenger this time around is Joe Baksi, who has progressed rapidly through the ranks, winning four of his last five (the one loss coming on a NABF title challenge to then-Champ Roscoe Toles). Although it is the first meeting of the two, Gomez begins to dominate early with a strong round in the second. Baksi battles back and, early in round five, he lands a right that opens a cut over Gomez’s eye. Gomez counters with a hard left that rocks Baksi, who covers up in order to last the round. With the cut still bleeding, Gomez manages to land sufficient blows to force an early stoppage late in round five. Another impressive performance by Gomez, who records a TKO 5 win for his 34th career win by knockout, running his career totals to 37-6-1 (34). The loss drops Baksi to 26-10 (17).

Sep. 11, 1948: North of the border to Toronto’s Maple Leaf Gardens for the next fight card, and LHs are featured in the main event, as NABF LH Champ Lloyd Marshall locks horns with Aussie Jack A. Johnson. The two have not met before, and thus the action in slow to develop. Marshall pulls in front in the punches landed category after a strong showing in the third round, and he gains an even larger advantage when Johnson walks into a combination and goes down in round four. At the midway point, Marshall has a wide lead (49-45) on the unofficial scorer’s card. By the end of round seven, a mouse has formed under Johnson’s right eye. Midway through round eight, Marshall drops Johnson for a second time with a short, clean hook. Marshall then coasts for the final couple of rounds before registering a lopsided UD 10 win (98-89, 98-89, 97-90). Post-bout career marks: Marshall, 38-6-5 (30); Johnson, 27-13-1 (19).

Sep. 11, 1948: Two regional titleholders do battle in the featured bout in the next fight card, at the Mexico City Arena. Taking to the ring is GUB BW Champ Ritchie “Kid” Tanner, and he faces his LABF counterpart, Luis “the Pocket Battleship” Castillo. The two have not met before, and they square off in a non-title contest scheduled for 10 rounds. Solid start from Tanner, who manages to take charge and land sufficient punches to cause some minor swelling under the right eye of Castillo by the end of round three. However, by the midway point, Castillo has worked his way into the bout and has a narrow one-point edge on the unofficial scorer’s card (48-47). Into the second half of the bout, the bout remains close, and Castillo is the more aggressive of the two. Slight edge in the punches landed count for Tanner, but Castillo has the support of the Mexican fight fans in attendance. Then, suddenly, in the waning seconds of the ninth round, Tanner connects with a hard shot that draws blood. A gash appears over Castillo’s injured right eye and, as the blood flow is out of control, and an immediate stoppage is ordered. The bout goes into the books as a TKO 9 for Tanner, who improves to 28-15-3 (14) as a result. Tough loss for Castillo, now 26-13-1 (11), who was ahead on all three cards at the time of the stoppage.

[JCWeb]

Back posting here after a bit of a break in December ...

This report includes bouts from the second half of September 1948. One WBA title bout is included in this report.

Sep. 17, 1948: The French Riviera in Cannes sets the scene for a Friday night card at the Palais des Sports there. The featured bout is for the EBU FW title, won recently by Spainard Luis de Santiago. The still unbeaten de Santiago faces Frenchman Ray Famechon as his first challenger. Not much happens in the opening few rounds, with Famechon more than holding his own, in fact, pulling ahead to an early lead in the punches landed category. By the midway point of the contest, de Santiago has battled his way into contention and, in fact, has a narrow points lead (58-56) according to the unofficial scorer, this despite trailing in the punches landed stats. As the bout heads into the later rounds, de Santiago continues to adopt an aggressive posture, pressuring his opponent on the inside. As the bout heads into its final few rounds, de Santiago shows definite signs of fatigue and, in round 10, Famechon decks him with a hard cross that connects. De Santiago regains his footing after taking an eight count, but the damage has been done. A swollen left eye adds to de Santiago’s troubles, and he is unable to mount a comeback as Famechon retreats into a defensive shell, confident of a points win. In the end, it is a comfortable UD 12 for Famechon (117-110, 118-109, 118-109) who lifts the belt, handing de Santiago his first career setback. Post-bout career marks: Famechon, 21-2-1 (5); de Santiago, 16-1 (11).

Sep. 18, 1948: Next card takes place in New Orleans. Twin featured bouts, and the first co-main event matches two top 10 HW contenders, with Lee Q. Murray facing Nathan Mann in a 10-round, non-title affair. Mann prevailed via a fifth round stoppage in their one earlier encounter, but since that time, Mann has hit Post-Prime career stage, so Murray is a heavy favorite in this rematch. Murray starts well, landing a couple of sharp blows in the opening round, enough to cause a trace of swelling to appear under Mann’s left eye. Then, in the waning seconds of round three, Murray staggers Mann with a crippling right to the head, then follows up quickly, dropping him for the count. Impressive KO 3 for Murray, avenging the prior loss and running his career record to 32-10-2 (25). Mann slips to 35-19-3 (23) with the loss. Then, in the main event, the USBA WW title is at stake, with Jimmy Sherrer making his first defense of that belt, facing an accomplished challenger in Billy Graham. The two have not met before, and both are coming off unsuccessful WBA title challengers, losing to Ray Robinson. In the early rounds, Graham, the slugger, takes the initiative, putting the pressure on Sherrer, the boxer. In round five, Sherrer doubles up on the hook and Graham, staggered by the impact of the twin blows, covers up to last the round. More trouble for Graham in the sixth round, as a small cut appears under his right eye. At the midway point of the contest, Sherrer has a wide points lead (59-55) on the unofficial scorer’s card. Into the second half of the bout, and Graham, with the cut and swelling under control, tries to work his way inside and put more pressure on Sherrer. Late in round 11, Sherrer decks Graham for a second time with a strong combination, but the bell sounds before Sherrer has a chance to follow up. The bout goes the full 12 rounds, and Sherrer takes a fairly comfortable UD 12 (118-109, 117-110, 118-109) to retain the title. Post-bout career records: Sherrer, 23-2 (12); Graham, 23-9-1 (10).

Sep. 18, 1948: Next card takes place in Phoenix, at the Dodge Theater. The main event matches an aging veteran, former multi-time WBA Champ Johnny King, who faces USBA BW Champ Tony Olivera. M King, who still holds the EBU BW title belt, faced Olivera once before, in Rome in 1946, and the American came away an upset UD 10 winner. This time, on Olivera’s home turf, the duo meets again in a 10-roound, non-title bout. This time, Olivera wastes little time, decking King with a strong combination less than a minute into the opening round. King takes a four count and manages to last the round with an effective use of the cover up strategy. King is able to battle his way into the fight, taking the initiative by working inside in round three. By round five, King has managed to land sufficient punches to cause some initial swelling to appear under Olivera’s left eye. However, late in the round, another Olivera combination sends King toppling to the canvas a second time and, this time, King is unable to beat the count. The KO 5 for OIivera runs his career record to 34-12-2 (21), while the loss drops King, now near the End of his long career, to 65-15-5 (26). Olivera, now at Post-Prime, still has a ways to go before hanging up the gloves becomes a consideration.

Sep. 24, 1948: Next is another Friday night “Down Under” session at Sydney, and a doubleheader of feature bouts tops the agenda. Two top 10 LW contenders face each other in the first co-feature, with Aussie Vic Patrick, a one-time WBA LW Champion, paired with Lulu Costantino, a former NABF LW titleholder. First meeting of the two, and Patrick’s hometown advantage is offset by the fact that he is at Post-Prime for this encounter. After a couple of indifferent opening rounds, Patrick moves inside in round three to put pressure on his opponent. There is little to choose between the two as the bout remains a close one into the middle rounds. At the midway point of the bout, Patrick is ahead on the unofficial card (49-46), although several rounds were close and could have gone either way. In the second half of the bout, and the stamina factor favors Costantino, yet Patrick continues to take the initiative, pressing the action on the inside. Despite trailing on the unofficial card, Costantino has a healthy edge in the punches landed stats, so he is comfortable in letting Patrick continue to dictate most of the action. The bout goes the full 10 rounds and, despite tiring badly in the final few rounds, Patrick’s aggressiveness enables him to secure a draw (95-95, 96-95 Patrick, 95-96 Costantino). Post-bout records: Patrick, 30-6-1 (22); Costantino, 30-9-4 (11). In the second co-feature, Eddie Miller is on hand to defend his OPBF FW title against a familiar foe, former OPBF Champ Tsuneo Horiguchi. These two have a long history, with Horiguchi holding a 4-3 edge in seven (!) prior bouts. Not much happens in the early rounds of this, their eighth meeting, which sees Miller quietly amassing a solid lead in the punches landed count. By the end of the fifth round, Horiguchi is seen to be taking a beating, with noticeable swelling apparent under his right eye. At the halfway point of the contest, Miller has a three-point lead (59-56) on the unofficial scorer’s card. In the second half of the bout, Horiguchi takes a more aggressive posture; these efforts begin to have an impact, and there is swelling under Miller’s right eye by the end of round nine. Then, in round 10, Miller catches Horiguchi with an uppercut, putting the Japanese challenger on the deck for a count of three. Horiguchi covers up and lasts the round, but the damage has been done. Miller goes on to record a relatively comfortable UD 12 win (115-113, 116-111, 116-111) to retain the OPBF title, running his career totals to 32-14-2 (12). The loss drops the Post-Prime Horiguchi to 44-17-3 (21).

Sep. 25, 1948: Not one, not two, but a tripleheader of main events tops the action in the next card at the Olympia in London. First up is a 10-round, non-title bout matching unbeaten and fast rising American LH Harold Johnson with Brit “Fearless” Freddie Mills, the reigning EBU, GBU and Commonwealth LH titleholder. First meeting of the two, and a stern test for young Johnson, who comes into the bout after a couple of split decision wins over two former WBA Champions in Gus Lesnevich and Billy Conn. Facing a hostile pro-Mills crowd here in London, Johnson comes out swinging and manages to connect with an uppercut that puts Mills on deck in the opening round. After covering up to last the round, Mills tries to battle his way into the bout, but he suffers a split lip in round two. Johnson continues to dominate the action through the early rounds, scoring a second KD in round three and fashioning a solid lead (50-45) by the halfway point, according to the unofficial scorer’s card. By the end of round six, a mouse has formed under Mills’ right eye. Despite having a point deducted for a low blow near the end of round eight, Johnson coasts the rest of the way to take a lopsided UD 10 (98-89 on all three cards). Post-bout career marks: Johnson, 18-0 (8); Mills, 33-18-2 (16). In the second of the trilogy of main events, the GBU LW title is on the line as Harry Hughes makes his initial defense of that belt, facing challenger Billy Thompson. This is the first title bout for the still pre-Prime Thompson, who defeated Hughes with a final round knockout in one prior encounter, in early 1947. This time, Hughes gets off to a strong start, compiling an early lead in the punches landed stats. By the end of round three, there is noticeable puffiness under the right eye of the challenger. By the halfway point of the bout, Thompson is already low on energy and continuing to struggle, allowing Hughes to compile a massive points lead (60-54), according to the unofficial scorer’s card. In the second half of the bout, Thompson attempts to become more aggressive and, in round nine, he finally breaks through, putting Hughes down with a hard shot. Hughes arises at the count of two, and he manages to recover while covering up to last the round. Despite the one trip to the canvas, Hughes maintains a large lead in the punches landed stats, and he hangs on to retain the title via a SD 12 (112-115 Thompson, 117-111 Hughes, 117-110 Hughes), as one dissenting judge had a widely divergent view as to the outcome. The win upped Hughes’ career totals to 18-5-1 (8), while Thompson drops to 13-4-1 (10). In the finale, Flyweights take to the ring as France’s Maurice Sandeyron challenges Brit Teddy Gardner for Gardner’s EBU Flyweight title. The two met once before, earlier in 1948, battling to a draw – this before Gardner won the EBU title belt. In this rematch, the action heats up midway through the second round, with Gardner landing a perfect hook that sends Sandeyron toppling to the canvas. Sandeyron rights himself after taking a seven count, and he wisely covers up to avert further damage. Sandeyron settles into the bout after the slow start, but Gardner continues to have the upper hand as he quietly builds a solid early lead in the punches landed count. In round five, a Gardner cross puts Sandeyron on the deck for a second time. This translates into a large lead (59-53) for Gardner at the midway point, according to the unofficial scorer’s card. Later in the bout, Sandeyron begins to have some limited success, and he manages to cause a trace of swelling to appear under Gardner’s right eye. However, based on the strength of the two knockdowns, Gardner is able to retain his early lead to take a UD 12 (117-109, 118-108, 118-108). Post-bout records: Gardner, 31-9-2 (11); Sandeyron, 25-8-3 (5).

Sep. 25, 1948: Final card of the month takes place at New York City. Main event is for the WBA WW title, preceded by an NABF MW title clash, pitting Holman Williams against challenger Artie Levine. No prior meetings of these two. Huge surprise when, less than two minutes into the bout, Levine connects with a big hook that puts Williams down and out. Impressive KO 1 upset win for Levine, who captures the NABF title over a former WBA MW Champ. With the win, Levine improves to 27-8-1 (16), while the loss leaves the Post-Prime Williams at 56-15-1 (24). Then, in the main event, one of the current stars, “Sugar” Ray Robinson, makes his fourth defense in his second stint as holder of the WBA WW title. The challenger this time around is George Costner. Costner faces Robinson once before, back in 1942 when both were at Pre-Prime career stage, and he came away a third round knockout victim. This time, Robinson’s accurate punching from the outset puts Costner on the defensive. By the second round, Costner is struggling, and Robinson’s domination forces the ref to step in and call an early halt, despite the fact that Costner has managed to stay on his feet. The bout goes in the books as a TKO 2 for Robinson, another impressive win for “Sugar Ray,” who is likely to contemplate a move up to MW in the near future. Post-bout career marks: Robinson, 36-2-1 (26); Costner, 27-9-2 (16).

[bob_bask]

This is amazing. Great to see it still going strong

[JCWeb]

Thanks, Bob. On to the next report ...

This report includes bouts from the first half of October 1948. One WBA title bout is included in this report.

Oct. 1, 1948: The month kicks off with a Friday night card at Havana’s Gran Stadium. In the feature, Cuban Joe Legon, the LABF WW titleholder, faces Charley Fusari in a non-title bout. As the two have not met before, there is a feeling out process that lasts through the opening few rounds. The action picks up midway through the third round, when Fusari lands a hard shot off the top of Legon’s head that causes the Cuban Champion to cover up. Fusari continues to press his advantage and is rewarded with a nice points lead (49-4) at the midway point, according to the unofficial scorecard. With plenty of support from the Cuban fight fans in attendance, Legon, who is trailing in the punch count as well as on the unofficial card, attempts to stage a comeback as the bout enters its later stages. Despite having to deal with a hostile crowd, Fusari holds on to take a fairly close but UD 10 (96-95, 97-94, 96-95) for his fourth consecutive win, running his career record to 22-3-1 (12). Indeed, Fusari has remained unbeaten for the past two years, since 1946, propelling a rapid rise up the WW ranks. For the post-Prime Legon, the loss leaves him at 35-21-6 (14).

Oct. 2, 1948: To Rome for the next fistic action, and the main event matches two familiar foes for the EBU WW title, as Michele Palermo defends that belt versus countryman Egisto Peyre. These two Italian WWs are squaring off for the fourth time, with Peyre having won twice previously with a third bout ending in a draw. In this rematch, neither fighter seems to have the upper hand in the opening few rounds of action. A couple of good rounds in the fifth and sixth enable Peyre to pull ahead of the post-Prime Palermo at the midway point, and he leads by two (58-56) on the unofficial card. Sensing the title slipping away, Palermo becomes more and more aggressive as the bout enters the later rounds. The stamina factor comes into play, favoring Peyre as Palermo shows signs of fatigue as the bout winds down. In the final round, Palermo does manage to stun Peyre with a big hook, but the challenger covers up and manages to survive. In the end, his strong showing in the middle rounds is sufficient to carry Peyre to victory and the title, but only via a MD 12 (116-112, 114-114, 116-112), as one judge called the bout as even. Post-bout career records: Peyre, 28-6-3 (14); Palermo, 48-17-10 (12).

Oct. 8, 1948: Next up is a Friday night card at the Forum in Montreal. The main event and main supporting bout both feature BWs and one homegrown Canadian fighter in each. First up, in the co-feature, Canadian Lou Alter faces Brit Gus Foran. The two have not met before, and Alter is coming off an unsuccessful WBA BW title challenge, while Foran has fashioned a two-bout winning streak after losing his GBU BW title in late 1947. The action takes awhile to heat up as the two boxers warily circle each other, probing with jabs while remaining mainly on the outside through most of the early going. Finally, in round five, the two decide to mix it up on the inside; at the midway point, the unofficial scorer has Foran up by two (49-47), this despite awarding the fifth round to Alter. Into the second half of the contest, and both the punches landed and stamina factors indicate a very close contest, with little to choose between the two. Buoyed by the support of the hometown crowd, Alter presses forward a bit more in the later rounds. No cuts or knockdowns as the bout goes the distance without incident; in fact, in a rather boring, dreary affair, Alter manages to squeak out a MD 10 win (96-94, 95-95, 96-94), winning the final two rounds from all three judges to seal the verdict, running his career record to 24-8-2 (14). The loss leaves Foran at 26-8-3 (14). In the main event, another Canadian BW, Fernando Gagnon, is featured, as he defends his NABF BW title against a challenge from American Harold Dade. Two prior encounters, both in non-title contests, resulted in unanimous points wins for Gagnon. This time around, in the opening stanza, a cross from Gagnon draws blood, ripping open a cut over Dade’s left eye. Despite the best efforts from Dade’s corner, the cut continues to ooze blood through the following round, but then it is reopened in round four. At the halfway point of the bout, with the cut continuing to bleed, the unofficial scorer has Gagnon with a healthy points advantage (59-56). In the second half of the bout, with the cut now seemingly under control, Dade begins to make some offensive forays, attempting to put some pressure on Gagnon who seems well ahead in the punches landed count. Instead, in round eight, the cut is reopened a third time, plus Dade’s cornermen must also deal with a rapidly swelling right eye. In round 10, Gagnon strikes, decking Dade with a hard shot; the challenger arises at the count of nine, barely beating the count. Dade goes down a second time in round 11 and, finally, with the cut reopened once again and looming as an even bigger concern, the ref calls a halt. TKO 11 for Gagnon on the cuts stoppage. Post-bout marks: Gagnon, 27-5 (17); Dade, 23-8-3 (6).

Oct. 9, 1948: Soldier Field in Chicago sets the scene for the next fight card. No titles are at stake, and the main event matches two top 10 LWs, as veteran Sammy “the Clutch” Angott takes on Freddie Dawson, who represents a younger generation of LW contenders. It is the first meeting of the two, both fighters are at Prime career stage, and Dawson is coming off an impressive win over EBU LW titleholder Aldo Spoldi, while Angott is looking to rebound from an unsuccessful NABF LW title challenge. After a couple of indifferent opening rounds, Dawson tries his luck on the inside, but he is thwarted by some excellent defense by Angott. Then, in round four, things get worse for Dawson as a glancing cross from Angott draws blood, opening a cut over Dawson’s left eye. Dawson bounces back with a strong round five, causing some puffiness to appear under Angott’s right eye; as a result, Dawson is rewarded with a two-point lead on the unofficial card (49-47) at the midway point of the contest. Into the second half of the contest, and Angott tries to take advantage of the fact that blood is still visible from the cut over Dawson’s eye. With Dawson being distracted by the need to protect the cut, Angott is able to take advantage, delivering some solid blows in round seven that cause some initial swelling to appear around Dawon’s other (right) eye. However, some solid cornerwork and good defense from Dawson prevent Angott from making further progress. The bout goes the full 10 rounds, with Dawson prevailing via a close but UD 10 (96-94, 96-94, 98-95). Post-bout records: Dawson, 22-2-3 (5); Angott, 36-13-6 (12).

Oct. 9, 1948: A WBA LW title clash tops the next card, at Seattle’s Sicks Stadium. “Bobcat” Bob Montgomery defends the belt, and he faces a stiff challenge from #1 contender and reigning NABF LW Champ Ike Williams. This is a rematch of their 1946 encounter in which Williams took the title from Montgomery via a TKO stoppage, ending his initial reign as WBA Champ. After a couple of close opening rounds, the two sluggers – who have a combined total of over 50 KOs to their credit -- take turns trying to work their way inside in rounds three and four. Then, with the two sluggers whaling away on the inside in round five, late in the round Montgomery catches Williams with a short, clean cross that puts the challenger down for a count of three. This puts Montgomery ahead on the unofficial scorecard (48-46) after the first five rounds are in the books. Midway through the sixth, Williams stuns Montgomery with a sharp combination, and the “Bobcat” covers up, remains upright, but is sporting a puffy left eye as he retreats to his corner at the end of the round. In the middle rounds, with Montgomery continuing to grind away on the inside, Williams has pulled out a slight edge in the punches landed count. In round 10, Williams opens a cut on Montgomery’s lip. Late in the round, with the cut oozing blood, Williams lands a perfect cross, and Montgomery is counted out with just four seconds remaining in the round. KO 10 for Williams, who becomes WBA Champion for the second time, running his career record to 36-4-1 (31). The loss leaves Montgomery at 38-5-2 (21).

Oct. 15, 1948: Next up is another edition of the Friday night fights “Down Under” series. This time, the action takes place in Melbourne, and the main event sees Aussie Norm Gent seeking to defend his Commonwealth LW title against the veteran Canadian, Dave Castilloux, a former WBA LW Champion. Gent, who won the title in September of 1947, also holds the OPBF LW title and is making his first defense of this belt; the two have not met before. After the first few rounds go by with little action, Gent is able to pull out to a slight lead in the punches landed count. Late in round five, there is a clash of heads, and Castilloux comes out the worst for it, as he ends up sporting a cut over his right eye as a result. At the midway point of the contest, the unofficial scorer has Gent up by two (58-56). Meanwhile, while Castilloux’s corner is dealing with the cut over his eye, Gent sustains a split lip. By round seven, the cut on Gent’s mouth has been patched up, but the cut over Castilloux’s eye has been reopened. As the rounds tick off, an increasingly frustrated and exhausted Castilloux tries in vain to turn things around, but Gent is able to hang on to the belt and take a UD 12 (116-112, 116-114, 118-112). Post-bout career marks: Gent, 20-4-3 (7); Castilloux, 38-22-3 (11).

[JCWeb]

This report includes bouts from the second half of October 1948. No fewer than three (!) WBA title bouts are included in this report.

Oct. 16, 1948: Next card takes place at the Coliseum Arena in New Orleans. In the main event, Artie Towne and Ernie Vigh square off for the USBA MW title, currently held by Towne. The early round action sees Towne with a slight edge in the punches landed category, but some punishing blows from Vigh manage to produce a welt under Towne’s right eye. By the midway point of the bout, the challenger (Vigh) has pulled in front by two (58-56) on the unofficial scorecard. In spite of this, the punches landed stats and the stamina factor weigh heavily in favor of Towne. Towne gradually takes control of the bout as Vigh begins to tire badly in the later rounds. As a result, Towne goes on to retain the belt via a UD 12 (116-112, 115-113, 116-112). Post-bout marks: Towne, 21-1-2 (8); Vigh, 29-12 (17).

Oct. 22, 1948: To Mexico City for the next fistic action, and featured in this Friday night card is former two division WBA Champ Baby Arizmendi, as the aging veteran attempts to reach back for one more day of glory. He faces another former Champ from the FW division, Mike Belloise. The two did battle for the WBA FW title once before, back in 1949, with Arizmendi grinding out a unanimous points win to capture the belt. This time around, however, both are no longer in Prime shape; Arizmendi is at End career stage, in fact, while Belloise is at Post-Prime. Slight edge in points for Belloise, but Arizmendi manages to keep the bout close. At the halfway point, the unofficial scorer at ringside has the Mexican ex-Champ up by one (48-47). In the second half of the bout, Belloise begins to move forward, working on the inside to apply more pressure. Meanwhile, Arizmendi is content to remain on the outside. By round eight, both fighters are showing signs of fatigue, and some slick defense and clever boxing enable Arizmendi to rack up another win via a UD 10 (97-93, 98-92, 98-92) as Belloise simply lacked the firepower to mount a sustained rally. With the win, Arizmendi – who is now just one bout away from retirement – improves to 61-17-4 (14) overall. The loss leaves Belloise at 39-23-8 (11).

Oct. 23, 1948: Next is a return to Europe and the French Riviera in Cannes where popular French MW Marcel Cerdan is seeking to regain the EBU MW title, as he challenges Belgium’s Leon Fouquet for the belt in the main event. No prior meetings, and Cerdan enters the bout as a heavy favorite; after two stints as WBA MW Champ, he is aiming to claim the EBU MW title for the third time. Less than two minutes into the opening round, Cerdan stuns Fouquet with a straight right that forces the Belgian to cover up. The bout continues to be a one-sided affair through the opening rounds, with Cerdan hammering away, dominating the action. At the halfway point of the bout, the lopsided nature of the contest is illustrated by the huge lead for Cerdan (60-54) on the unofficial scorer’s card. In the second half of the bout, Fouquet continues to struggle, suffering from the effects of a rapidly swelling left eye. The end comes late in round seven, with Fouquet nearly out on his feet, and the ref steps in to save him from further punishment, ending the one-sided affair. TKO 7 for Cerdan, who captures the EBU belt for the third time. Post-bout marks: Cerdan, 51-8-4 (34); Fouquet, 23-6-1 (17).

Oct. 23, 1948: Back in the States for the next card, this one at New York City’s Madison Square Garden. LHs dominate the top slots on the program, with a 10-round non-title clash between Melio Bettina and Harry Matthews serving as the preliminary for a WBA title contest. Bettina, who has a prior win via points over Matthews on his resume, has since slipped to Post-Prime, so the issue is in doubt. A solid start from Matthews gives him an early lead in the punches landed stats. Midway through round five, Matthews delivers a wicked uppercut to the head that drops Bettina to the canvas. Bettina arises at the count of seven, but Matthews swarms all over him, and a second KD – this from a Matthews cross – soon follows. Bettina barely manages to survive the round after covering up. The two knockdowns put Matthews in front, but not by much (46-46) on the unofficial card as the bout reaches the halfway point. The second half of the bout is characterized by some aggressive forays by Bettina, but all he gets is a swollen right eye. Then, in round eight, Bettina is decked twice near the end of the round, being saved by the bell after the second KD. A late surge by Bettina is squelched by Matthews, who connects with a fifth KD just before the final bell sounds. In the end, it is a comprehensive UD 10 win for Matthews (99-85, 97-88, 97-88), who improves to 32-9 (21) with the win, possibly setting himself up for a title shot in his next outing. Meanwhile, the loss leaves Bettina at 43-12-7 (18). Next is the main event, with Archie Moore defending the WBA LH title against challenger Teddy Yarosz. The two have not met before, so it takes some time for action to develop. After a couple of indifferent opening rounds, Moore moves inside in round three, looking to do some damage. Yarosz, who is a boxer type versus Moore’s slugger, is able to hold his own and even manages some small success after working his way inside in the fourth round. After the first five rounds are in the books, a peek at the unofficial card shows Moore leading (by a count of 50-47), after having been rewarded some of the close rounds. Into the middle rounds, and Moore, facing a slight deficit in the punches landed count, continues to apply pressure on the inside. At the two thirds point of the contest, Moore is even further ahead (100-94) on the unofficial scorecard, but it is Yarosz who holds a slight edge in the punches landed count. In the final few rounds, Moore eases up, allowing Yarosz to take the initiative. The two battle to the final round, and Moore prevails via a UD 15 (148-139, 146-140, 147-139), retaining the title in a bout that seemed much closer than the scorecards might indicate; despite an edge for Yarosz in the punches landed count, the judges ruled in favor of Moore, who landed the more telling blows. Post-bout career records: Moore, 45-4-5 (31); Yarosz, 27-6-2 (9).

Oct. 29, 1948: October’s fistic action begins to wind down with a Friday night card at Detroit. HW Champ Joe Louis is in action, making yet another defense of his WBA HW title. First up, in the main supporting bout, are another pair of long-time HW contenders: Pat Comiskey and Roscoe Toles. Both are ranked among the top five HW contenders, the two have not met before, no titles are at stake, and Comiskey has the advantage because Toles has hit Post-Prime career stage. Both are coming off recent TKO losses, Comiskey to WBA Champ Joe Louis in a title bout, Toles to LH Champ Ezzard Charles who had just moved up to HW. The action heats up early in round two, when Comiskey rips a cross to the head that opens a cut over Toles’ left eye. In the fourth round, Comiskey decks Toles, who picks himself up off the canvas after taking an eight count. Despite the 10-8 round for Comiskey in the fourth, Toles has otherwise managed to keep the bout close, and the unofficial scorer has the bout scored as even (48-48) after the first five rounds are in the books. As the bout heads into the second half, Toles has the edge in stamina as well as the punches landed count, but it is the cut that decides the outcome, leading to a stoppage in the middle of round two after being reopened. TKO 7 for Comiskey on the cuts stoppage. Post-bout records: Comiskey, 31-8 (21); Toles, 45-18-6 (17). In the main event, a Post-Prime Jersey Joe Walcott, who recently captured the NABF HW title, is awarded yet another shot at Joe Louis’ WBA HW title. In two prior meetings, Walcott was able to last until the later rounds but Louis prevailed by late stoppages in both. This time around, Louis comes out swinging, dominating the action in the early rounds. By the end of the third round, a mouse has formed under Walcott’s right eye. Then, in round five, with both fighters mixing it up on the inside, Louis connects with an overhand right that lands flush. Walcott goes down and is unable to beat the count. The KO 5 for Louis marks his 36th successive title defense, running his stellar career mark to 61-1-1 (59). The loss drops Walcott, who will be at End career stage after this bout, to 55-16 (32).

Oct. 30, 1948: The month wraps up with a huge fight card at London’s Harringay Arena. Another WBA title clash tops the agenda, preceded by two supporting bouts featuring British Champions in action, facing tough opponents who have come from across the seas. In the first co-feature, Commonwealth and GBU FW Champ Ronnie Clayton takes on Sal Bartolo, who has held the USBA and NABF FW belts in recent years. The two are meeting in the ring for the first time. In the waning seconds of the opening round, Clayton serves notice as he drops Bartolo to the canvas in a flash knockdown just before the bell. Bartolo is able to recover between rounds, bouncing back to grind his way to a solid points lead (48-46) at the halfway mark, despite conceding a 10-8 opening round to Clayton. Midway through round six, however, Clayton turns things around by connecting with a hard shot, putting Bartolo on the deck a second time, and this time, Bartolo is barely able to beat the count. Bartolo covers up to last the rest of the round and returns to his corner with a puffy right eye. At this point, the punches landed stats are fairly even, and the crowd is vociferous in urging Clayton to continue pressing forward. The two continue battling until the very end, and the final round sees Clayton flooring Bartolo for a third time, just before the final bell. On the basis of the three knockdowns, Clayton takes a well earned UD 10 (96-91, 98-90, 96-91) and improves his career totals to 28-3 (14). Meanwhile, Bartolo, who is slated to hit Post-Prime starting in 1949, ends the bout at 35-12-4 (10). In the second main supporting bout, LABF MW Champion Raul Rodriguez has come all the way from Argentina to face Vince Hawkins, the current GBU MW titleholder. No prior meetings, and the heavy hitting Rodriguez is the aggressor and the more successful of the two in the early going. However, by the fourth round it is Hawkins who is in charge, using a penetrating jab to set up a powerful blow that puts Rodriguez down for the count of three. Rodriguez is able to scramble to his feet, covering up to survive the round, but he has a mouse under his left eye as he returns to his corner at the end of the round. By the halfway point, Hawkins – perhaps with the aid of some hometown judging – has forged ahead (by 49-45) on the unofficial scorecard. In the second half of the bout, Hawkins prefers to sit back, forcing Rodriguez to move forward and press the action. However, the Argentinian boxer can make little progress, as Hawkins’ defense remains firm, and he goes on to take a solid UD 10 (97-92, 98-91, 96-93). Post-bout records: Hawkins, 22-13-4 (8); Rodriguez, 25-11-1 (14). In the finale, the WBA Flyweight title is on the line, as Rinty Monaghan, in his fourth stint as WBA Champ, faces challenger Raoul DeGryse. The two have not met before, and DeGryse has moved steadily up the ranks with five wins and a draw in his last six outings to secure a title bid. DeGryse does well to keep the bout close through the opening rounds, but Monaghan manages to rip open a cut over the challenger’s right eye in round five. At the one third mark of the contest, the unofficial scorer has the bout as even (48-48). In the middle rounds, Monaghan presses the action, working his way inside, but with limited success as DeGryse offers some surprisingly strong resistance. In fact, with 10 rounds in the books, it is DeGryse with a narrow lead (96-95) on the unofficial card. With the issue very much in doubt, Monaghan continues to take an aggressive approach as the rounds tick off, and the stamina factor favors the Champ, while the challenger clings to a narrow lead in the punches landed stats. In round 14, a hard shot from Monaghan reopens the cut over DeGryse’s eye; however, the bout is allowed to continue. The bout then goes to decision, and a strong showing in the final five rounds enables Monaghan to keep the belt via a close but UD 15 (145-141, 145-142, 144-142). The win lifts Monaghan to 44-14-1 (12). DeGryse, who will be at Post-Prime starting with his next outing, ends the bout at 32-16-5 (17).

[djday45]

Fantastic universe, I have always loved following along.

[JCWeb]

Well, DJ, the pace has slowed considerably in recent months ... but some cards from Nov. 1948 action have been recently completed, so here goes.

This report includes bouts from the first half of November 1948. No WBA title bouts are included in this report.

Nov. 5, 1948: The month commences with a Friday night card at Havana. A double feature of FW bouts top the card. In the first co-feature, local favorite Diego Sosa, a former LABF FW Champ, takes on former WBA FW titleholder Harold “Homicide Hal” Hoshino. No prior meetings of the two, but Hoshino is at Post-Prime while Sosa has a few more good years at Prime. Ther early round action favors the Cuban, Sosa, who compiles a solid points lead. At the midway point of the bout, Sosa is up by one (48-47) on the unofficial card, while Hoshino’s corner is forced to deal with a rapidly swelling right eye. After licking his wounds, Hoshino elects to take a more aggressive posture in the second half of the bout. However, in round eight Sosa asserts his superiority, ripping open a cut over Hoshino’s left eye, then flooring the ex-Champ with a combination right before the bell. Although Hoshino is helped to his corner after having been saved by the bell, the damage has been done; Sosa goes on to take a UD 10 (95-93, 96-93, 97-92), thus improving to 30-8-2 (16). Meanwhile, Hoshino drops to 40-12-3 (21) with the loss. The second main event matches USBA FW Champion Phil Terranova with LABF FW titleholder Ciro Morasen for the NABF FW title being vacated by Sandy Saddler, who later this month challenges Willie Pep for the WBA FW crown. These two FWs, both in the Prime of their respective careers, have not met before, and Morasen emerged as the new LABF FW Champ by dethroning Sosa, who prevailed over Hoshino in the previous bout. By round two, Terranova seems to be gaining the upper hand, but Morasen uncorks a hard shot that rips open a gash over Terranova’s right eye. The cut is in a bad spot, and Terranova’s corner finds it difficult to patch it up. Unfortunately for Terranova, just after the cut is brought under control, early in round four, another Morasen punch causes it to reopen, leading to an immediate stoppage. Due to the cut, Morasen is declared a TKO 4 winner, and thus becomes the new NABF FW Champion. Post-bout career marks: Morasen, 23-3-3 (4); Terranova, 26-10 (11). Terranova, who still retains his USBA title belt, will hit Post-Prime with his next outing, some time in early 1949. With two Cuban fighters prevailing in both featured bouts, the fight fans in Havana go home happy.

Nov. 6, 1948: Across the bay from Cuba to Florida for the next fistic action at Miami. The main event sees Beau Jack making the first defense of his USBA LW title against a first-time title contender in Rudy Cruz. The two have not met before, and Cruz has worked his way up through the LW ranks by fashioning a four-bout winning streak to set up this, his first title shot. Not much happens in the opening couple of rounds, so in round three, Jack moves inside in an effort to control the action. Although Jack is able to edge ahead in the punches landed stats, Cruz does well to keep the bout reasonably close. However, by the midway point, the unofficial scorer at ringside has awarded every round to Jack, who has a wide lead (60-54) as a result. Then, late in the ninth round, a ray of hope for Cruz, as he manages to open a cut over Jack’s right eye. However, the cut is quickly patched up between rounds and, in round 10, Jack lands a hard shot, dropping Cruz. Early in round 11, Cruz bounces back, connecting with a big hook that causes Jack to cover up. Despite the cut being reopened in the final round, Jack hangs on to retain the title via a UD 12 (117-110, 117-110, 118-109), thus improving to 34-6 (21). The loss leaves Cruz at 23-4-3 (6).

Nov. 6, 1948: To the West Coast of Canada for the next card, which takes place at Vancover’s Exhibition Gardens. The main event features a pair of former WBA WW Champions, both of whom are in the twilight of their respective careers, as Henry “Homicide Hank” Armstrong faces Marty Servo for the fifth time, with Armstrong having prevailed in three of their previous four outings, three of which were for the WBA title. This time, no titles are at stake, and Armstrong has a big opening round, putting Servo on the defensive from the outset. Servo, the consummate boxer, bounces back with a strong round two, but then Armstrong moves inside, dominating the action in the third. By the end of round four, Armstrong’s accurate punching has had an impact, as there is a trace of swelling beneath Servo’s left eye. However, Servo manages to keep the bout close and, at the halfway point, Armstrong’s lead is only a single point (48-47) on the unofficial scorer’s card. In round seven, Armstrong connects with a combination that puts Servo on the deck; after taking an eight count, Servo is able to resume, and he attempts to cover up in an effort to last the round. However, Armstrong’s killer instinct has taken hold, and, after a second KD and with a weary Servo now out on his feet, the ref finally steps in to save Servo from further punishment. The bout goes into the books as a TKO 7 for Armstrong. Post-bout career marks: Armstrong, 55-11-3 (44); Servo, 36-10-2 (13). Both fighters are slated to hit End career stage with their next outings, some time in early 1949.

Nov. 12, 1948: Next is a Friday night card at San Juan, Puerto Rico. The main event matches LABF LW Champion Enrique Bolanos with a former WBA LW Champ, Lefty Satan Flynn. At stake is the NABF LW title recently vacated by Ike Williams. First meeting of the two, and Bolanos draws blood in the opening round when he opens a cut over Flynn’s left eye. The cut is reopened late in round three, and, two rounds later, it is the cut that decides the outcome as an immediate halt is ordered, and Bolanos is declared a TKO 5 victor. Bolanos, now 26-3 (20), adds the NABF title to his LABF belt. The loss leaves Flynn, already at Post-Prime career stage, at 39-19-4 (19).

Nov. 13, 1948: To Europe for the next fistic action in Rome, Italy. Featured in the main event is a bout matching long-time EBU LW Champ Aldo Spoldi and Vic Patrick, a former Commonwealth and OPBF LW titleholder. In one prior meeting, in Patrick’s native Australia in 1945, Patrick emerged a KO 7 victor. In this rematch, on Spoldi’s home turf, Spoldi’s accurate punching yields an early edge in the punches landed stats. However, Patrick does well to keep the bout close and, at the halfway point, Spoldi has a narrow one-point lead (48-47). Then, suddenly, in round seven, in a repeat of the earlier bout, Patrick connects with an overhand right that puts Spoldi on the deck; this time, instead of being counted out, Spoldi is able to pick himself off the canvas and resume after the count reaches six. The action heats up early in round eight, with Spoldi ripping open a cut under Patrick’s right eye. Undaunted, Patrick uncorks a powerful uppercut that appears to hurt Spoldi, who remains upright. Patrick goes on to dominate the final two rounds of the bout, flooring Spoldi again in round nine, twice in round 10, with Spoldi ending the bout on the canvas as the bell sounds to save him from further punishment. Patrick repeats his earlier success, taking a lopsided UD 10 (97-87, 96-88, 97-87). Post-bout records: Patrick, 31-6-1 (22); Spoldi, 50-18-7 (18). Both Spoldi and Patrick were at Post-Prime for this bout.

Nov. 13, 1948: Next card takes place in New Orleans. In the main event, USBA WW Champ Jimmy Sherrer looks to move up, challenging Tommy Bell for Bell’s NABF WW title. The two have not met previously, and Sherrer takes advantage of a sluggish opening round by Bell to forge an early lead in the punches landed category. Bell battles back with a strong round in the second, then seizes the initiative by moving inside in round three. Sherrer, who has been carrying his hands low in order to fend off Bell’s inside attack, does well to keep the bout close as it heads into the crucial middle rounds. At the halfway point, the unofficial scorer at ringside has the bout even (57-57). In the second half of the bout, Bell continues to apply pressure and, by the end of round seven, a welt has formed under the left eye of the challenger. Sherrer, who feels things gradually slipping away as the rounds tick off, finally decides to get more aggressive and, suddenly, a minute into the 10th round, he unleashes a barrage of blows that put Bell down and out. KO 10 for Sherrer, who annexes the NABF WW belt in an interesting bout with lots of twists and turns. With the win, Sherrer’s career totals stand at 24-2 (13). The loss leaves Bell at 29-4 (15).

[JCWeb]

This report includes bouts from the second half of November 1948. Two WBA title bouts are included in this report.

Nov. 19, 1948: Next, the Friday night fights “Down Under” series resumes with another card at Sydney. OPBF WW Champ Jack McNamee is in action in the featured bout, and he takes on Brit Cliff Curvis in a 10-round, non-title affair. No prior meetings of these two, and the action therefore takes awhile to develop. Lots of feinting and posturing through the opening rounds, Curvis, the better boxer of the two, pulls ahead in the punches landed stats, but otherwise, a dull first half of the contest. At the midway point, Curvis is ahead on the unofficial scorecard (49-46) as well. A weary and tired looking McNamee continues to press the action in the second half of the bout, but his punches lack power, so Curvis remains in control and largely unscathed. Thus, Curvis goes on to take a lopsided UD 10 (98-91 on all three cards) in a rather dreary bout. The win improved Curvis’ career record to an impressive 20-1-1 (1). McNamee, already at Post-Prime, ends the bout at 41-22-2 (23) with the loss.

Nov. 20, 1948: Next card in Philly is topped by a WBA clash, amply supported by a pair of bouts matching some younger fighters against established veterans. In the first of these, Al “Savage Slav” Hostak is paired with Carl “Bobo” Olson. The two have not met before and Olson, who just recently wrapped up the Pre-Prime stage of his career, is some 12 years younger than the post-Prime Hostak. Olson is on target early, landing enough leather to cause some puffiness to appear under the right eye of Hostak. However, Hostak battles back and manages to keep the bout a close one. In fact, at the halfway point, the unofficial scorer at ringside has it as even (48-48). Then, a minute into the sixth round, Olson stuns Hostak with a quick hook to the head that forces the veteran fighter to cover up. In round seven, even after some more strong shots have caused the condition of his swollen eye to worsen, Hostak is able to rip open a gash on Olson’s forehead. Then, in round eight, it is Olson who manages to open a cut over Hostak’s swollen eye. While Hostak continues to soldier on, he is unable to make any impression on Olson, and it is the cut -- the one over Hostak's eye -- that finally decides the contest in the 10th and final round. There, the cut is reopened and this time, an immediate stoppage is ordered; Olson, already well ahead on all three cards, is declared a TKO 10 victor. Post-bout career marks: Olson, 18-2-1 (12); Hostak, 47-16-3 (33). In the second of these intergenerational battles, LHs take to the ring as up-and-comer Harold Johnson, who has yet to taste defeat in 18 pro bouts, faces former WBA LH Champ Billy Conn; this bout is a replay of an August encounter in which Johnson took a SD 10. In this rematch, Johnson, who is 10 years Conn’s junior, bears down with a strong showing in the second round to amass a huge early lead in the punches landed stats. By the end of round three, there is a trace of swelling under Conn’s left eye – evidence that Johnson’s punches are having an impact. At the midway point of the bout, Johnson has a fairly substantial points lead (49-46) on the unofficial scorer’s card. In the second half of the contest, Johnson continues to grind away and, in the final stanza, he puts Conn on the deck with a nice combination. Conn picks himself off the canvas and is able to finish the bout, but Johnson takes a lopsided UD 10 (100-90, 97-93, 99-91) to run his career record to a perfect 19-0 (8). Conn, whose days as a top-flight contender may be numbered, ends the bout at 44-12-4 (16). Then, in the finale, a long-awaited confrontation takes place for the WBA FW title, with Willie Pep defending against unbeaten challenger Sandy Saddler, the reigning NABF FW Champion. Midway through the opening round, Saddler serves notice, decking Pep with a wicked cross to the head. Pep scrambles to his feet at the count of five, and manages to survive the onslaught from a determined Saddler by covering up. Even so, a mouse has formed under Pep’s left eye, something that would trouble the defending Champ for the remainder of the bout. At this point, Pep, who had held the WBA crown for over three years and survived 13 challenges, knew he was in for a tough challenge. By round four, Pep had steadied himself and, working mainly from the outside, pulled ahead on the punches landed stat. The fifth round saw some furious exchanges on the inside, mostly favoring the challenger. After five, however, Pep had turned things around and pulled ahead (by a count of 48-46) on the unofficial scorer’s card. Midway through the sixth, Pep catches Saddler with a big hook, and this time, it is Saddler who is forced to cover up to avert further damage. In the middle rounds, Saddler takes an aggressive posture, working on the inside in an effort to regain the upper hand. However, Pep’s defense remains solid, and he continues to grind away while his opponent begins to run low on stamina. At the two-thirds mark of the contest, Pep is well ahead on the unofficial card (97-93). Into the final few rounds of the bout, and Saddler continues to whale away on the inside, but without much success until the final round, when he decks Pep a second time with a solid uppercut. However, as in the opening round, Pep beats the count, and covers up to last the round. The knockdown in the final round is just enough for Saddler to eke out a MD 15 win (143-140, 142-142, 143-141), taking the title away from Pep. Post-bout records: Saddler, 24-0 (19); Pep, 37-3 (24). A strong contender for Fight of the Year honors, particularly given the dramatic turnaround in the final round.

Nov. 20, 1948: Next card in Los Angeles is a headlined by a triple feature, with another WBA title clash topping the card. In the first of two supporting bouts, former WBA BW Champion Daid Kui Kong Young faces a post-Prime Benny Goldberg, who is also a former WBA BW Champion; the two have met twice before, with each having won once. Kui Kong Young moves inside in round three, but Goldberg offers some surprisingly stubborn resistance. By the end of the fourth round, Goldberg has continued to land repeatedly, causing some initial puffiness to appear under the left eye of Kui Kong Young. At the halfway point, the unofficial scorecard has Goldberg up by two (48-46). Kui Kong Young bears down in the ensuing rounds, stalking the defensive-first Goldberg who remains an elusive target. Both men appear to be exhausted as the bout enters its final stages, with Kui Kong Young continuing to apply pressure on his opponent right down to the final bell. In the end, Goldberg is able to resist and manages win two of the three judges for a SD 10 victory (94-95, 95-94, 95-94) by the narrowest of margins. Post-bout marks: Goldberg, 36-7-3 (14); Kui Kong Young, 45-5-4 (20); Kui Kong Young is slated to hit Post-Prime with his next outing. In the second of the trio of headliner matchups, Ezzard Charles continues to campaign as a HW, and he faces veteran Lee Q. Murray in 10-round, non-title bout action. Less than a minute into the opening round, Murray rocks Charles with a hook to the head, but Charles covers up, remains upright, and lasts the round. The two continue to do battle through the early rounds, and then Charles begins to turn things around, connecting with a hard cross midway through the fourth round, and this time it is Murray who must cover up to avoid further damage. At the midway point of the bout, the two are deadlocked (at 48-all) on the unofficial scorecard, and Murray is suffering from a rapidly swelling left eye. Despite holding an edge in the punches landed count, Charles continues to press forward in the second half of the contest. Late in round eight, Charles finally breaks down Murray’s defenses, flooring the veteran HW with a right-left combination. Murray is able to resume after taking a five count, but the one KD is sufficient for Charles to take a UD 10 (97-92, 96-93, 96-93) to run his career record to 27-5 (22). The loss leaves Murray at 32-11-2 (25). Then, in the finale, USBA BW titleholder Tony Olivera challenges Manuel Ortiz for Ortiz’s WBA BW title. Their two prior meetings both resulted in points wins for Ortiz, and Olivera is now Post-Prime for this, their third encounter. In this rematch, Ortiz gets off to a solid start and, by the end of round two, there is puffiness visible under the right eye of Olivera, indicating that Ortiz’s accurate punches are having an impact. Ortiz continues to dominate most of the early action, and, as the two exchange blows on the inside in round five, he manages to pull even further ahead. At the one third mark of the bout, the unofficial scorer has Ortiz winning every round to compile a solid points lead (50-45). In round seven, more trouble for the challenger, as he is bleeding from a cut under his right eye. At the two thirds mark, Ortiz retains a commanding lead (99-91) on the unofficial scorer’s card. However, the bout comes to an end just a round later, as the swelling becomes too severe to allow the bout to continue, and Ortiz is declared a TKO 11 victor. Post-bout records: Ortiz, 36-8-3 (18); Olivera, 34-13-2 (21).

Nov. 26, 1948: Next, to Pittsburgh’s Forbes Field next for some Friday night fistic action. Featured in the main event is “the man of Steel,” veteran MW Tony Zale, a former WBA titleholder now in the post-Prime of his career. Tony Janiro is Zale’s opponent in the 10-round, non-title bout billed as the main event, and the two have not met in the ring before. Zale, who is some 13 years older than the youthful Janiro, sets the early pace by moving inside in the opening few rounds. Janiro, a consummate boxer, appears unfazed by Zale’s tactics, and he gradually compiles a large lead in the punches landed count. At the halfway point, Janiro has a narrow one-point lead (48-47). In the second half of the contest, Zale continues pressing forward, but the age and stamina factors conspire to prevent him from making much of an impression on Janiro. Janiro’s purely defensive approach to the later rounds may have hurt him some with the judges, but he manages to prevail via a close but still UD 10 (96-94 on all three cards). Post-bout records: Janiro, 22-2-2 (2); Zale, 46-11-2 (27). With this loss – his third in as many bouts – Zale’s days as a top MW contender may be numbered.

Nov. 27, 1948: To the Olympia in London for a packed card. In the first co-feature, two top 10 Flyweights do battle as Yoshio Shirai faces Brit Terry Allen, who will have the backing of the British fight fans in attendance. The two have not met before, and not much happens in the first few rounds of the bout as the two protagonists feel each other out. Over the first half of the contest, Allen has managed to build a comfortable lead in the punches landed count and, after five rounds are in the books, he is well ahead (49-46) on the unofficial scorer’s card. Shirai steps up the pace in the second half of the bout, while Allen is content to lay back on the outside, emphasizing defense and counterattack. Despite Shirai’s best efforts, Allen retains his early lead and goes on to take a UD 10 (99-91, 97-93, 99-91), running his career record to 28-4 (3). The loss drops Shirai to 23-4 (11). Then, in the main event, Ronnie Clayton, the reigning Commonwealth and GBU FW Champion, seeks to add the EBU FW title to his collection, as he challenges Emile Famechon for the EBU title belt. One prior meeting of the two, when Famechon was still at Pre-Prime, resulted in a points win for Clayton. This time around, Clayton establishes control after moving inside in round three, and Famechon’s left eye shows signs of puffiness, indicating that Clayton’s punches have had an effect on the Frenchman. Famechon battles back, winning most of the inside exchanges in round five. At the midway point, Clayton has a solid lead (58-55) on the unofficial scorecard. Famechon manages to keep the bout close, and he has a slight edge in the punches landed stat as the bout enters the later rounds. By the start of the 10th round, both men look tired, and there is a mouse under Clayton’s left eye. Rather than rest on his points lead, Clayton decides to mix it up in the final few rounds. The two battle down to the final bell, and Clayton becomes the new EBU FW Champion via a SD 12 (113-114 Famechon, 114-113 Clayton, 114-113 Clayton). Post-bout career marks: Clayton, 29-3 (14); Famechon, 21-3-1 (5).

Nov. 27, 1948: The month wraps up with a card in New York City. Preceding the main event, an NABF title clash, is a supporting bout matching veteran LH contender Harry “Kid” Matthews with Joey Maxim, who has been rising through the ranks after a rough start in the early stages of his career. The two have not met before, and Maxim, despite a couple of recent losses to titled fighters, gets a shot versus the #2 ranked Matthews who is hoping to set up a WBA title bout with Archie Moore after some inconsistent recent results. In this 10-round, non-title affair, it is Matthews who presses the early action, moving inside in round three, but he is unable to inflict much damage on Maxim, who has adopted a safety-first approach to the opening few rounds. Near the end of round four, Matthews connects with a straight right that stuns Maxim. Then, in the fifth round, Matthews uncorks a quick hook to the head that rips open a cut over Maxim’s left eye. At the halfway point, the unofficial scorer at ringside has Matthews leading, but only by a single point (48-47). In the second half of the bout, Matthews continues in an aggressive posture, and, late in round seven, he manages to put Maxim on the deck for the first time. Maxim struggles to regain his footing but does so as the count reaches eight and, fortunately for him, the bell sounds before Matthews can follow up. After the knockdown, Maxim seems compelled to go on the offensive, and, while Matthews eases up and assumes a more defensive posture, Maxim is able to land some good shots, enough to cause some puffiness to appear under the left eye of Matthews. The bout goes the distance, and the end result – a majority draw (95-95, 95-95, 97-93 Matthews) – seems justified, despite the one 10-8 round for Matthews, based on the one knockdown. Post-bout career marks: Matthews, 32-9-1 (21); Maxim, 21-8-5 (5). The main event follows, with the NABF MW title on the line. Fan favorite Jake LaMotta, the “Bronx Bull,” challenges Artie Levine for Levine’s NABF MW title. The two have met twice before, with LaMotta winning both, so the challenger enters the ring as a prohibitive favorite. A strong opening round from LaMotta gives him the early edge in the punches landed stat. Then, in round three, LaMotta takes charge, dropping Levine with a big shot near the end of the round, but there is not enough time remaining for LaMotta to finish him off, so Levine survives after arising at the count of three. In the middle rounds, Levine battles back to keep the bout close and, at the midway point, LaMotta is ahead by just one point (57-56), according to the unofficial scorer at ringside. LaMotta continues to press forward and, a minute into round seven, he connects with a big hook that sends Levine reeling. Artie remains upright, and he wisely elects to cover up and manages to last the round intact. After a huge round for LaMotta in the eighth, Levine returns to his corner sporting a rapidly swelling left eye. In round 10, with both fighters looking for a knockout, LaMotta scores with a combination near the end of the round, putting Levine on the deck a second time; this time Artie is saved by the bell. In round 11, a cut appears over Levine’s injured left eye. Confident of victory, LaMotta eases up in the final round, and he takes the NABF title via a comfortable UD 12 (116-109, 115-110, 117-108), running his career record to 32-4-1 (21). Levine, who hits Post-Prime with his next outing, ends the bout at 27-9-1 (16).

[JCWeb]

This report includes bouts from the first half of December 1948. No WBA title bouts are included in this report.

Dec. 3, 1948: The month kicks off with a Friday night card at Miami Arena. In the feature bout, George LaRover faces Sammy “Clutch” Angott, a former USBA LW titleholder, in a 10-round, non-title bout. The two have not met before, and LaRover is looking to establish his credentials for a possible title shot in early 1949, and a win over the veteran Angott would greatly assist in that endeavor. After a quiet couple of opening rounds, LaRover moves inside in round three, seeking to establish control of the bout. However, Angott is well prepared, and some aggressive counterpunching from the outside causes some initial puffiness to appear under the eight eye of LaRover. Angott continues with more accurate punching into the middle rounds and, at the halfway point, he has a healthy lead (49-46) on the unofficial scorer’s card. As the bout wears on, the stamina factor also favors the veteran Angott, and a haggard looking LaRover goes through the motions of trying to get more aggressive in the later rounds, but to no avail. Angott goes on to grind out a solid UD 10 win (97-93, 97-93, 98-92) to run his career stats to 37-13-6 (12). LaRover ends the bout at 25-7-2 (13), and he will have to put any title aspirations on hold for the time being.

Dec. 4, 1948: To Western Canada and Vancouver’s Exhibition Gardens for the next fight card. Featured bout has two WWs doing battle for the second time, as Canadian Johnny Greco attempts to avenge an earlier technical decision loss to “the Garfield Gunner,” Tippy Larkin. In this rematch (scheduled for 10 rounds), Larkin is on target early, and by the end of the opening round, there is already some puffiness visible under Greco’s right eye. In round two, Greco battles back, drilling Larkin with a sharp uppercut that draws blood – a cut has opened up over Larkin’s right eye. More trouble for Larkin a round later, in the third, when Greco finds the range with a cross to the head that puts Larkin down, but he recovers and regains his footing after taking an eight count. The cut over Larkin’s eye is reopened in round four, and it continues to ooze blood in the fifth round. While Larkin works to protect the cut, Greco moves inside to apply even more pressure in the fifth and, what turns out to be, the final round. Late in the round Greco lands a huge shot that puts Larkin down and out, with just seconds remaining. Impressive KO 5 for Greco, who has been struggling to find his form in recent outings. Post-bout records: Greco, 25-11-2 (15); Larkin, 34-16-3 (15).

Dec. 10, 1948: Next up is a Friday night affair at the Rizal Arena in Manila. In the main event, the OPBF BW title is at stake, as Hiroshi Horiguchi defends that belt for the first time, facing the man he won the title from, hometown favorite Tirso Del Rosario. This is the third meeting of the two, with Del Rosario taking a points win in a non-title bout. After a quiet couple of opening rounds, Horiguchi takes the initiative, moving inside but Del Rosario, unfazed, quietly builds up a lead in the punches landed stats. This translates into a huge points lead (59-55) at the halfway point, so Horiguchi takes a more aggressive approach to the second half of the contest. Not much changes in the remaining rounds, with Horiguchi unable to make much of an impression on a very determined challenger. As a result, Del Rosario scoops up a UD 12 (118-112, 119-111, 117-113) to regain the OPBF title. Post-bout career marks: Del Rosario, 22-9-2 ( 4); Horiguchi, 17-4-4 (4).

Dec. 11, 1948: Next card is at Detroit and in the main event there, Ezzard Charles, the “Cincinnati Cobra,” continues to campaign as a HW, taking on another top contender, Turkey Thompson. The two have not met before, and the bout, with no titles at stake, is scheduled for 10 rounds. After a fairly strong start by both men, Charles, with some more accurate punching, emerges with a slight edge in the punches landed count. In round four, Thompson move inside, but he leaves himself open for Charles to connect with a combination. Thompson hits the canvas, but recovers to regain his footing after taking a five count. Although there is plenty of time remaining in the round, Charles is unable to finish off Thompson who wisely decided to cover up to avert further punishment. By the midway point of the bout, the unofficial scorecard shows Charles with a comfortable points lead (50-44). In round seven, Charles puts Thompson down a second time, courtesy of a devastating uppercut. This time, Thompson barely manages to beat the count, and he, once again, resorts to the cover up to last another round. Charles eases up in the final few rounds, as Thompson tries in vain to mount a comeback, but his effort falls short of the mark. Thus, Charles takes a lopsided UD 10 (99-90, 99-90, 98-91), further enhancing his status as a top HW contender. Post-bout records: Charles, 28-5 (22); Thompson, 28-10-2 (21).

Dec. 11, 1948: To the West Coast and San Francisco for the next fight card. In the main event, former WBA LH Champ Jimmy Bivins continues to campaign as a HW, following up on his points win over Brit Bruce Woodcock by taking on Pat Comiskey; no titles at stake but Comiskey is the #2 ranked HW, so a future title shot could be in the offing for the winner. No prior meetings of the two, and Comiskey gets off to a strong start, dominating the action from the outside for the opening couple of rounds. Near the end of round three, Comiskey rocks Bivins with a solid right hook, but the bell sounds before Comiskey can follow up. Then, in round four, Bivins finally gets on track, moving inside and fighting more effectively. With five rounds in the books at the halfway point, Comiskey is up by two (48-46) on the unofficial scorer’s card. In round six, Comiskey connects with an overhand right, decking Bivins who arises at the count of three. Bivins last the round but then, with seconds remaining in round seven, a barrage of blows from Comiskey puts Bivins down a second time, but Bivins is saved by the bell just as the count commences. Despite the two knockdowns, Bivins continues to battle on until the end, but the damage cannot be undone, so Comiskey prevails via a UD 10 (96-91, 98-89, 97-90) to run his career totals to 32-8 (21). With the loss, Bivins ends the bout at 29-6-3 (20).

Dec. 17, 1948: Next up is another edition of the Friday night fights “Down Under” series, highlighted by a double feature of twin main events, neither of which is for a title. In the first co-feature, Aussie fan favorite Eddie Miller, the reigning OPBF FW Champion, faces Simon Vergara, whose status among FW contenders improved with a recent win over former WBA FW titleholder National Kid. First meeting of the two and the bout, as is the case with other featured non-title contests, is scheduled for 10 rounds. Early edge to Vergara in the punches landed stat, but Miller bears down, working his way inside and he drops Vergara with a hard shot midway through round three. A second KD follows, but Vergara is able to survive the round by resorting to the cover up strategy. At the halfway point, Miller’s lead is just two points (48-46) on the unofficial scorecard, this despite the pair of knockdowns. Vergara is able to maintain a slight edge in the punch count into the later rounds, and, in round nine, he causes significant problems for Miller, ripping open a cut over an already puffy right eye. In the final round, Vergara puts Miller on the deck, but the Aussie bounces back and makes it to the final bell. Tough bout to score, yet the judges agree to call it a draw (93-93 on all three cards) – an unusual outcome. Post-bout career marks: Miller, 32-14-3 (12); Vergara, 20-3-4 (6). A rematch in early 1949 is likely, but Miller will be at Post-Prime then, as 1949 was his real-life retirement year. In the second co-feature that follows, another prominent Hispanic fighter, former LABF MW titleholder Jose Basora, ventures to Aussie-land to face Alfie Sands, the current Commonwealth MW Champ. Again, no prior meetings of these two, and the action heats up early in round two, when Basora fires a fusillade of blows that rips open a cut over Sands’ right eye. In round three, the cut is reponed, yet Sands is able to connect with a powerful hook that forces an overly aggressive Basora to cover up near the end of the round. Another powerful hook from Sands in round four, this one to the midsection, causes Basora to cover up again. However, it is the cut over Sands’ eye that decides the outcome. After being reopened a second time in round five, the ref calls in the ring physician and the bout is waved off. To the dismay of the Australian fight fans, the result is a TKO 5 for Basora on the cuts stoppage, lifting the lifting the Puerto Rican fighter’s career totals to 33-9-1 (23). The loss leaves Sands at 19-4 (11).

[JCWeb]

This report includes bouts from the second half of December 1948. Two WBA title bouts are included in this report.

Dec. 18, 1948: Next card takes place at the Ullevi Arena in Gothenburg, Sweden. A WBA title clash tops the card, but first up, in an interesting main supporting bout, undefeated MW prospect Cyrille “Tarzan” Delannoit takes on former EBU MW Champ Luc Van Dam, who recently lost the EBU title to Delannoit’s countryman, Leon Fouquet. No prior meetings of the two and, since Van Dam has been dethroned, the bout has been relegated to the status of a 10-round, non-title contest. Van Dam has the upper hand in the early going and, at the halfway point of the bout, Van Dam is well ahead (50-45) on the unofficial scorer’s card. As the bout wears on, Delannoit attempts to spark a rally by becoming more and more aggressive, but Van Dam’s early points lead holds up, and he goes on grind out a UD 10 (98-92, 97-93, 96-95), handing the Belgian fighter his first career loss. With the win, Van Dam improves to 30-11-1 (12); Delannoit, now two bouts away from Prime career stage, ends the bout at 17-1 (7). After this, it is time for the main event, with Rinty Monaghan defending the WBA Flyweight title against #1 ranked contender and reigning Commonwealth Flyweight titleholder Peter Kane. The two have met five times previously, with Kane having won four and Monaghan, just once. After a close couple of opening rounds, Kane is warned for hitting low just before the bell sounds to end round two. In the third round, Kane takes charge, pulling ahead in the punches landed count. Monaghan manages to keep the bout close and, after the first five rounds are in the books, Kane has a slim one-point lead (48-47) on the unofficial scorer’s card. In the middle rounds, the momentum swings back to Kane, who works his way inside with some effective punching. At the two thirds mark, both men are beginning to tire. Meanwhile, Kane has pulled ahead to an even larger points lead (96-93) on the unofficial card. The punches landed numbers favor Monaghan, however, indicative of the fact that the bout could go either way. In round 11, Kane connects with a right that opens a cut on the inside of Monaghan’s right eyebrow. In the final few rounds, Kane targets the cut, which continues to bleed through the end of round 12. In round 14, Kane decks Monaghan with a hook, but Monaghan scrambles to his feet. Monaghan lasts the round and the bout goes to decision a round later. The late knockdown makes all the difference, as Kane takes the title via a SD 15 (141-142, 144-139, 142-141). Post-bout career marks: Kane, 41-10-1 (15); Monaghan, 44-15-1 (12). Monaghan will hit Post-Prime in his next outing, given 1949 was his real-life retirement year.

Dec. 18, 1948: To New Orleans’ Coliseum Arena for some more fistic action. No titles at stake, and the main event sees two LWs do battle, as Joe “Old Bones” Brown faces Art “Golden Boy” Aragon. The two have not met before, and the bout lasts less than two minutes. Brown connects with a wicked cross to the head, and Aragon goes down and is unable to beat the count. Impressive KO 1 for Brown, now 32-3 (21), who is biding his time in anticipation of a possible WBA title shot. Meanwhile, the loss leaves Aragon, who had risen to the top 20 in the LW ranks, at 20-3 (12).

Dec. 23, 1948: Next card takes place at New York’s Madison Square Garden, and a WBA title contest tops the card. First up, in the main supporting bout, former WBA LH Champ Lloyd Marshall is in action, defending his USBA LH title against challenger Fitzie Fitzpatrick. The two have not met before, and it takes some time for the action to develop. Marshall gets going after moving inside and doing some damage in round three. Midway through the fourth, Marshall drops Fitzpatrick for a seven count; Fitzpatrick resumes and is able to last the round by covering up, although he shows further signs of wear and tear in the form of a rapidly swelling right eye. At the midway point, Marshall’s lead is just two (58-56) on the unofficial scorer’s card. However, the punch count as well as the stamina factor suggest a more comfortable edge for Marshall as the bout heads into the later stages. Fitzpatrick tries to take a more aggressive approach, but Marshall remains confident, decking the challenger with a cross in round eight, then finishing him off with a third KD in round 10, and this time Fitzpatrick is unable to beat the count. The KO 10 for Marshall moves him to 39-6-5 (31) overall. The loss drops Fitzpatrick to 24-10-3 (18). Then, in the finale, Charley Burley faces #1 contender and former Champ Marcel Cerdan for Burley’s WBA MW title. In two prior meetings, both WBA title bouts, each has won once. In this, their third meeting, the bout remains a close one through the opening few rounds. Then, with both fighters pressing forward, Burley lands a solid hook in round five, dropping Cerdan, who barely manages to beat the count, arising as the ref reaches eight. With two minutes remaining in the round, Cerdan looks vulnerable, but he manages to last the round by covering up. The 10-8 round for Burley meant the unofficial scorer, having awarded some of the earlier rounds to Cerdan, had the bout as even (47-47) after the first five rounds were in the books. In the middle rounds, Burley continues to press the action on the inside, gradually wearing down a weary looking Cerdan. Burley lands a big cross in round nine, and while Cerdan remains upright, a welt has formed under his right eye. At the two thirds mark of the contest, Burley has pulled ahead (96-93) on the unofficial scorer’s card. In round 13, Cerdan appears to go down a second time, but it is ruled a slip and not a knockdown. More trouble for the French challenger when a cut appears above his now badly swollen right eye in round 14. Nonetheless, the bout goes the distance, and Burley takes a well-earned UD 15 (148-137, 147-139, 146-139), having seized control after the fifth round knockdown. Post-bout career marks: Burley, 49-4 (34); Cerdan, 51-9-4 (34).

Dec. 24, 1948: Staying on the East Coast for the next fight card, a Christmas Eve Friday night affair at the Boston Garden. A doubleheader of twin features tops the agenda; in the first of these, two aging, Post-Prime veterans are paired together, as Izzy Jannazzo faces Ernie Roderick, who still holds the GBU and Commonwealth WW belts. Their one prior meeting resulted in a points win for Jannazzo, and this rematch (another non-title bout) is scheduled for 10. Early edge in the punches landed count for Jannazzo, who is the more accurate puncher of the two. At the halfway point, Jannazzo is up by two (50-48) on the unofficial scorer’s card, with several rounds being scored as even. Not much happens in the second half of the bout, other than Jannazzo doing just enough to maintain his early lead in the punches landed stat. No cuts or knockdowns, and it is not a surprise that Jannazzo grinds out a UD 10 (97-94, 97-94, 97-95) to run his career totals to 43-15-5 (13), while the loss leaves Roderick at 39-35-6 (8). The second and final featured bout is for the USBA MW title, and Artie Towne makes his second defense of the belt he won earlier in the year. His opponent, Tony Janiro, is out to avenge a prior defeat to Towne (a SD 10 loss) from earlier in 1948. This time around, as in their first encounter, the two appear to be fairly even matched through the opening rounds. Towne pulls ahead in the punches landed count after a strong showing in round four. Neither man has the upper hand as the two lock horns on the inside in round five. At the midway point, the two are tied (57-57) on the unofficial scorer’s card. Towne presses forward, working on the inside in rounds seven and eight, and he opens up a larger gap over Janiro in punches landed count. As the rounds tick off, the stamina factor also works in Towne’s favor. Janiro goes for an all-out attack in the final two rounds, while Towne eases up a bit. In the end, the bout goes to decision and Towne repeats his earlier success, winning a fairly close but UD 12 (116-113, 115-114, 117-112) to retain the title. Post-bout records: Towne, 22-1-2 (8); Janiro, 22-3-2 (2).

Dec. 26, 1948: To London for the traditional Boxing Day card, this one taking place at the Earls Court. A twin bill of co-features involving GBU titleholders in two different divisions tops the card. In the first of these, GBU LW Champ Harry Hughes is paired with Laurie Stevens, who is on the downside of a long career that included a brief spell as WBA LW Champion. No prior meetings, and Stevens wastes little time, decking Hughes with a ferocious hook to the head that puts the British Champ down and out – all in less than a minute into the opening stanza. Surprising KO 1 lifts Stevens to 40-21-1 (22). Meanwhile, Hughes slips to 18-6-1 (8) after the loss. In the second co-feature, reigning GBU FW Champ Al Phillips, the “Aldgate Tiger,” is matched with Tsuneo “Piston” Horiguchi, a former OPBF FW titleholder. It is the first meeting of the two, and Phillips starts well, building an early edge in the punches landed count after the first couple of rounds. Then, in round three, things begin to turn around in Horiguchi’s favor after he uncorks a powerful uppercut that rips open a cut over Phillips’ right eye. The cut is quickly patched up, and the bout comes to a sudden and surprising end in the fifth round, with Phillips dominating the inside exchange, landing blow after unanswered blow until Horiguchi is unable to fend for himself. Impressive TKO 5 for Phillips, and the British fight fans go home happy. Post-bout records: Phillips, 29-11-1 (13); Horiguchi, 44-18-3 (21).

Dec. 31, 1948: The year concludes with a New Year’s Eve card at Havana’ Gran Stadium. Twin feature bouts top the card, and both feature Cuban fighters in non-title bouts. In the first co-feature, Luis Galvani faces Theo “Le Petit Prince” Medina. It is the first meeting of the two, and the issue remains very much in doubt through some highly competitive opening few rounds, as both boxers trade blows, remaining quite active. In the middle rounds, Galvani gradually pulls in front, and he has a solid points edge (49-46) at the halfway point, according to the unofficial scorer’s card. In the second half of the bout, Galvani continues to hammer away, gradually wearing Medina down and landing a three-punch combo in round seven that forces the French fighter to cover up. In round eight, more trouble for Medina, as a sharp exchange sees a cut opened over his left eye. Then, a round later, a cut appears over Galvani’s right eye. With the cut patched up between rounds, Galvani goes back to work in the final round, decking Medina twice before the ref calls a halt, with less than half a minute remaining before the final bell. TKO 10 for Galvani, who improves to 25-5 (16) as a result. The loss leaves Medina at 31-12-6 (8). In the second co-feature, Kid Gavilan, who has retained his status as a top 10 WW despite a couple of title losses (for the NABF and LABF WW belts) faces Charley Fusari, who is taking a 10-bout unbeaten streak (9 wins, one draw) into the bout. First meeting of the two, but Gavilan, the “Cuban Hawk,” has the advantage of performing before an appreciative hometown crowd. It’s a solid early start from Gavilan that enables him to build a strong edge in the punches landed count. By the midway point, Gavilan has a comfortable lead in points (49-46), according to the unofficial scorer at ringside. Despite Fusari’s best efforts in the second half of the bout, he is unable to mount a rally, so Gavilan goes on to take a lopsided UD 10 (98-92, 99-91, 98-92), so the Cuban fight fans go home happy. Post-bout records: Gavilan, 21-3-1 (4); Fusari, 22-4-1 (12).

Another year in the books, so the year-end reports will be forthcoming …

[JCWeb]

HW
Division Profile

Total: 187 RL: 109 TC: 78

RL by Career Stage:
End - 11
Post - 21
Prime - 33
Pre - 29
Beginning - 15 (8 New)

Rated: 67
800+: 15
500+: 33
200+ : 59

Jan 1949 Rankings (Perf Points and Changes from Jan. 1948 in Parens):

WBA Champ: Joe Louis 61-1-1 (59) (2314) (NC)
1. Tommy Gomez 37-6-1 (34) (1604) (+1) (USBA)
2. Pat Comiskey 32-8 (21) (1430) (+3)
3. Ezzard Charles 28-5 (22) (1366) (+3)
4. Bruce Woodcock 30-3 (25) (1282) (NC) (EBU, CBU, GBU)
5. Jimmy Bivins 29-6-3 (20) (1227) (new)
6. Roscoe Toles 45-18-6 (8) (1204) (-5)
7. Jersey Joe Walcott 55-16 (31) (1040) (+10) (NABF)
8 Turkey Thompson 28-10-2 (21) (994) (-1)
9. Lee Q. Murray 32-11-2 (25) (955) (NC)
10. Joe Muscato 26-7 (13) (826) (+19)

Other Notables: 11. Olle Tandberg 30-8-3 (9) (825)
12. Omelio Agramonte 24-7 (14) (824) (LABF)
14. Nino Valdes 21-8-2 (17) (800)
15. Freddie Beshore 22-3-4 (2) (772)
24. Joe Weiden 17-2 (9) (593)

Top Prospects: Johnny Williams 14-0 (7)
Don Cockell 10-3 (8)
Roland LaStarza 9-0 (4)
Rocky Marciano 8-0 (8)
Earl Walls 6-0 (3)
Clarence Henry 3-0 (2)
Jack Gardner 1-0 (1)

Retirements:

Al Delaney (CAN) 1933-1948 30-24-4 (8) No Titles Highest Rank: 48
Arturo Godoy (ARG) 1930-1948 38-23 (16) LABF Champion Highest Rank: 12
Jack Trammell (USA) 1931-1948 41-22-1 (19) USBA Champion Highest Rank: 9
Buddy Millard (USA) 1938-1948 25-14 (19) No Titles Highest Rank: 18
Tony Musto (USA) 1937-1948 24-16-3 (6) No Titles Highest Rank: 46
Steve Dudas (USA) 1933-1948 32-24-4(18) No Titles Highest Rank: 56

Outlook for 1949: Still looking for a successor to Joe Louis to emerge and, interestingly, it was a resurgent Jersey Joe Walcott who bounced back from a long losing streak to regain the NABF HW title and once again emerge as a top 10 contender, this despite hitting End career stage late in the year. Ezzard Charles and Jimmy Bivins have moved up from the LH ranks to announce their arrival as challengers, although Charles has come up short in two title challengers, one in early 1948 and one back in 1945. Top contender and USBA title holder Gomez has won five in a row and is hoping that the third time around versus Louis produces a better result, having lost to Louis twice before. Triple title holder Bruce Woodcock solidified his position as top contender by fashioning an eight bout winning streak before a points loss to Bivins; nonetheless, the Brit holds out hope for a WBA title challenge to test himself versus the great Joe Louis. The biggest jump up the rankings was made by new LABF Champ Agramonte, who improved by 37 spots on his position from 1948. Hot prospects Roland LaStarza and Rocky Marciano continued to impress, and the careers of these two young American HWs are likely on a collision course for a meeting some time in 1949, and eventually one or both are expected to challenge for titles. The eight newcomers to the HW ranks in 1949 are led by South Africa’s Johnny Arthur, American Rex Layne and Canadian James J. Parker.

[JCWeb]

LH
Division Profile

Total: 124 RL: 78 TC: 46

RL by Career Stage:
End - 2
Post - 20
Prime - 20
Pre - 24
Beginning - 12 (6 New)

Rated: 49
800+: 12
500+: 28
200+ : 42

Jan 1949 Rankings (Perf Points and Changes from Jan. 1948 in Parens):

WBA Champ: Archie Moore 45-5-4 (31) (1751) (+1)
1. Lloyd Marshall 39-6-5 (31) (1735) (+1) (USBA)
2. Harry Matthews 32-9-1 (21) (1353) (+2)
3. Melio Bettina 43-12-7 (18) (1274) (-3)
4. Harold Johnson 19-0 (8) (1162) (new)
5. Tommy Yarosz 27-6-2 (9) (1086) (+1)
6. Billy Conn 44-12-4 (16) (1022) (-3)
7. Gus Lesnevich 41-21-3 (17) (896) (+2)
8 Bert Gilroy 36-15-4 (20) (879) (+7)
9. Freddie Mills 33-18-2 (16) (849) (-1) (EBU, CBU, GBU)
10. Jack A. Johnson 27-13-1 (19) (835) (+1)

Other Notables: 11. Oakland Billy Smith 26-8-4 (20) (800) (NABF)
12. Anton Christoforidis 31-21-3 (13) (740)
15. Joey Maxim 21-8-5 (5) (726)
23. Bob Murphy 17-2 (16) (541)
24. Leonard Morrow 14-1 (10) (541)

Top Prospects: Willie Bean 13-1 (9)
Bob Foxworth 12-2 (9)
Charley Williams 12-0-1 (7)
Jimmy Slade 11-0-1
Eddie Cotton 11-1 (10)
Julian Keene 8-0 (4)
Yvon Durelle 3-0 (1)
Gustav Scholz 2-0 (1)

Retirements:

Jack Coggins (USA) 1933-1948 26-15-4 (20) No Titles Highest Rank: 28
Adolf Heuser (GER) 1929-1948 45-25-3 (20) WBA Champ 1939-40
Eddie Booker (USA) 1935-1948 44-16-3 (19) WBA Champ 1940 Highest Rank: 3
Heinz Lazek (AUT) 1932-1948 46-22-1 (26) EBU Champion Highest Rank: 11

Outlook for 1949: Archie Moore has risen to the top rung of the division after winning the WBA title, and of the remaining top contenders, only fast rising unbeaten prospect Harold Johnson appears to be in a position to offer a serious challenge to Moore, who has won 10 of his last 11, with one draw. Johnson rose through the ranks quickly with a pair of wins over Billy Conn, in addition to points wins over Lesnevich, Mills and former WBA Champ Heuser who went into the retirement this year; this makes him a strong contender for top newcomer honors. Others, such as Bettina, Conn, Lesnevich and Gilroy are past their prime, although Gilroy managed to fashion a four bout winning streak to regain top 10 status. Joey Maxim, who went into the year having put himself in position to rise further up the ranks, failed to impress, losing to Moore and Mills, then only managing a draw with Matthews. No really strong prospects or newcomers on the immediate horizon, however; Conny Rux, an “8,” is the highest rated, and he has only a couple of bouts in, having just started his career.

[JCWeb]

MW
Division Profile

Total: 181 RL: 121 TC: 60

RL by Career Stage:
End - 5
Post - 24
Prime - 39
Pre - 36
Beginning - 17 (6 New)

Rated: 77
800+: 24
500+: 52
200+ : 71

Jan 1949 Rankings (Perf Points and Changes from Jan. 1948 in Parens):

WBA Champ: Charley Burley 49-4 (34) (1846) (+2)
1. Jake LaMotta 32-4-1 (21) (1621) (+4) (NABF)
2. Marcel Cerdan 51-9-4 (34) (1610) (-2) (EBU)
3. Dave Sands 31-4 (20) (1523) (+3) (OPBF)
4. Holman Williams 56-15-1 (24) (1429) (NC)
5. Artie Levine 27-9-1 (16) (1388) (+23)
6. Steve Belloise 32-10-2 (15) (1289) (+1)
7. Tony Zale 46-11-2 (27) (1246) (-6)
8 Artie Towne 22-1-2 (8) (1113) (+17) (USBA)
9. Tony Janiro 22-3-2 (2) (1112) (+10)
10. Freddie Apostoli 39-20-3 (25) (1021) (-7)

Other Notables: 11. Carl Olson 18-2-1 (12) (943)
12. Al Hostak 47-16-3 (33) (942)
16. Bobby Jones 19-1-1 (2) (883)
25. Vince Hawkins 22-13-4 (8) (770) (GBU)
26. Raul Rodriguez 25-11-1 (14) (769) (LABF)
39. Alfie Sands 19-4 (11) (592) (CBU)

Top Prospects: Lee Sala 13-1 (8)
Tiberio Mitri 12-1 (3)
Paddy Young 12-0 (9)
Eddie Smith 11-0 (1)
Lester Felton 10-0 (3)
Pierre Langlois 9-0 (2)
Joey Giardello 2-0 (1)
Charles Humez 2-0 (1)
Holly Mims 2-0

Retirements:

Ken Overlin (USA) 1931-1948 44-22-7 (14) WBA Champ 1936-37
Antonio Fernandez (CHI) 1929-1948 41-36-6 (13) LABF Champion Highest Rank: 7
Freddie Cabral (USA) 1938-1948 25-18-3 (14) No Titles Highest Rank: 36

Outlook for 1949: The MW remains a highly competitive division, with Charley Burley recapturing the WBA title belt from three-time Champ Marcel Cerdan. However, some new blood at or near the top may be called for as five of the top 10 (Cerdan, Williams, Levine, Zale and Apostoli) will be at Post-Prime career stage. Look for WBA WW Champ “Sugar” Ray Robinson to move up, looking for a new challenge to take on the likes of Burley, LaMotta and others, as he attempts to become a two-division titleholder. Bobo Olson and Bobby Jones have wrapped up the Pre-Prime stages of their respective careers and will be angling for top 10 status. Alfie Sands may have to face his brother, Dave, who seeks to regain the Commonwealth title that he surrendered to brief reign as WBA MW Champ. Cyrille Delannoit and Randy Turpin are good bets to displace Cerdan and Hawkins as EBU and GBU titleholders, respectively. Lots of talent working their way through the Pre-Prime stage among the prospects, notably Felton, Giardello and Mims (all “9” rated guys who sport unblemished records thus far). To add to this plethora of new talent, George Benton, Joey Giambra and Paul Pender are among the newcomers set to join the MW ranks in 1949.

[JCWeb]

WW
Division Profile

Total: 163 RL: 119 TC: 44

RL by Career Stage:
End - 12
Post - 24
Prime - 41
Pre - 20
Beginning - 22 (11 New)

Rated: 76
800+: 24
500+: 42
200+ : 67

Jan 1949 Rankings (Perf Points and Changes from Jan. 1948 in Parens):

WBA Champ: Ray Robinson 36-2-1 (26) (1731) (NC)
1. Henry Armstrong 55-11-3 (44) (1721) (NC)
2. Jimmy Sherrer 24-2 (13) (1411) (+17) (NABF)
3. Tommy Bell 29-4 (15) (1410) (-1)
4. Marty Servo 36-10-2 (13) (1403) (-1)
5. Georgie Crouch 38-15-4 (19) (1226) (NC)
6. Kid Gavilan 21-3-1 (4) (1189) (+10)
7. Egisto Peyre 28-6-3 (13) (1172) (+2) (EBU)
8 Billy Graham 23-9-1 (10) (1138) (NC)
9. Cocoa Kid 54-15-7 (13) (1107) (+1)
10. Norman Rubio 29-10-4 (13) (1104) (-4)

Other Notables: 11. Izzy Jannazzo 43-16-6 (13) (1079)
12. George Costner 27-9-2 (16) (1051)
15. Johnny Bratton 19-2-1 (11) (1031)
18. Cliff Curvis 20-1-1 (1) (934)
20. Joe Legon 35-21-6 (14) (891) (LABF)
21. Ernie Roderick 39-25-6 (8) (886) (CBU, GBU)
28. Jack McNamee 41-22-2 (23) (733) (OPBF)

Top Prospects: Vince Foster 14-0 (8)
Bobby Dykes 13-0 (3)
Luther Rawlings 10-0 (2)
Don Williams 9-0 (5)
Vic Cardell 8-0 (1)
Virgil Akins 4-0 (2)
Carmen Basilio 2-0
Ross Virgo 1-0

Retirements:

Jimmy McDaniels (USA) 1938-1948 22-16-3 (7) No Titles Highest Rank: 27
Saviero Turiello (ITA) 1927-1948 40-27-13 (17) EBU Champion Highest Rank: 9

Outlook for 1949: The division is about to be thrown into a state of turmoil, as WBA Champ Ray Robinson has plans to move up to MW and contend for a title there. This would make it two vacant titles at once, as the USBA WW title was recently vacated after Jimmy Sherrer claimed the NABF crown. Other than Sherrer, Bell, Gavilan, Peyre and Graham, however, it is an aging group of top contenders, given that both Armstrong and Servo are at End career stage, while the others are at Post-Prime. Looking further down the rankings list, Johnny Bratton and appears to be well positioned for a breakthrough year, and Brits Cliff Curvis and Eddie Thomas are likely to put an end to Roderick’s domination of the Commonwealth and GBU titles. A plethora of prospects has flooded the WW ranks in recent years, and of these, Dykes, Williams and Cardell are best positioned to make a run in the next year or two, but guys like Basilio and Akins are the better long-term prospects. Cuban Isaac Logart and American Johnny Saxton top the new talent slated to enter the division in the coming year.

Finally, should mention Duilio Loi, who is classified as a JWW, and debuted with a win in 1948. He's rated a "13," and, as a JWW, is eligible to contend for titles in both the LW and WW ranks.

[JCWeb]

LW
Division Profile

Total: 157 RL: 102 TC: 55

RL by Career Stage:
End - 3
Post - 19
Prime - 42
Pre - 25
Beginning - 13 (5 New)

Rated: 77
800+: 20
500+: 46
200+ : 72

Jan 1949 Rankings (Perf Points and Changes from Jan. 1948 in Parens):

WBA Champ: Ike Williams 36-4-1 (31) (1651) (+1)
1. Bob Montgomery 38-5-2 (21) (1603) (-1)
2. Joe Brown 32-3 (21) (1369) (+5)
3. Vic Patrick 31-6-1 (22) (1284) (-1)
4. Beau Jack 34-6 (21) (1267) (-1) (USBA)
5. Freddie Dawson 22-2-3 (5) (1126) (+1)
6. Sammy Angott 37-13-6 (12) (1118) (-2)
7. Enrique Bolanos 26-3 (20) (1070) (+4) (NABF, LABF)
8 Lulu Costantino 30-9-4 (11) (1055) (-3)
9. George LaRover 25-7-2 (3) (992) (+4)
10. Norm Gent 20-4-3 (7) (963) (+5) (CBU, OPBF)

Other Notables: 11. Lew Jenkins 36-13-4 (17) (958)
12. Santa Bucca 19-5-3 (8) (950)
17. Aldo Spoldi 50-18-7 (18) (851) (EBU)
19. Art Aragon 20-3 (12) (816)
24. Harold Jones 17-1-2 (3) (703)
25. Tommy Collins 15-0 (12) (689)
26. Jimmy Carter 16-1 (7) (681)
62. Harry Hughes 18-6-1 (8) (299) (GBU)

Top Prospects: Orlando Zulueta 11-1-1 (2)
Frank Johnson 11-0 (10)
Sonny Boy West 11-1 (3)
Phil Kim 10-0 (8)
Bob Sandberg 7-0 (5)
George Araujo 3-0 (1)
Johnny Gonsalves 2-0 (1)

Retirements:

Chino Alvarez (USA) 1928-1948 44-27-5 (24) LABF Champion Highest Rank: 2
Al Davis (USA) 1937-1948 29-18-1 (13) No Titles Highest Rank: 23
Pete Lello (USA) 1936-1948 28-28-6 (17) No Titles Highest Rank: 19
Luther White (USA) 1935-1948 30-19-6 (9) No Titles Highest Rank: 27
Allie Stolz (USA) 1937-1948 26-12-4 (10) NABF Champion Highest Rank: 12
Tony Chavez (USA) 1931-1948 41-25-4 (16) USBA, LABF Champion Highest Rank: 1
Juro Fukuda (JPN) 1941-1948 19-13-2 (13) No Titles Highest Rank: 49

Outlook for 1949: Ike Williams dethroned “Bobcat” Bob Montgomery as WBA Champ in this division; the two, who have been trading the title back and forth in recent years, appear to be the two strongest LWs at the present time. Moving into a strong #2 contender spot is Joe “Old Bones” Brown, who had a perfect year, winning all five of his outings. USBA Champ Beau Jack has also established his credentials as a likely title contender, as have Freddie Dawson and Mexican knockout artist Enrique Bolanos, aka “the Dorango Dropper.” However, there remains a dearth of credible LW contenders from overseas, particularly from the British Isles, as exemplified by the lowly ranking of Harry Hughes, the current GBU LW Champ, who is not even ranked among the top 50. Plenty of young talent working is way up the ranks, in particular, Cuban Orlando Zulueta who suffered a surprising defeat at the hands of Mexican Lauro Salas, this before a hostile crowd in Mexico City. However, the best of the six new additions to the division in 1949 are three guys rated “6” (Joey Lopes, Tommy Tibbs and another Mexican, Baby Vasquez).
.

[JCWeb]

FW
Division Profile

Total: 132 RL: 85 TC: 47

RL by Career Stage:
End - 8
Post - 15
Prime - 32
Pre - 19
Beginning - 11 (9 New)

Rated: 63
800+: 9
500+: 33
200+ : 55

Jan 1949 Rankings (Perf Points and Changes from Jan. 1948 in Parens):

WBA Champ: Sandy Saddler 24-0 (19) (1371) (+6)
1. Willie Pep 37-3 (24) (1370) (-1)
2. Ciro Morasen 23-3-3 (4) (1129) (+12) (NABF, LABF)
3. Diego Sosa 30-8-2 (16) (1120) (-2)
4. Ronnie Clayton 29-3 (14) (983) (+1) (EBU, CBU, GBU)
5. Sal Bartolo 35-12-4 (10) (930) (-2)
6. Baby Arizmendi 61-17-4 (14) (929) (-4)
7. Eddie Miller 32-14-3 (12) (858) (+12) (OPBF)
8 Phil Terranova 26-10 (11) (829) (NC) (USBA)
9. Jackie Graves 20-5-1 (15) (775) (NC)
10. Simon Vergara 20-3-4 (6) (775) (+15)

Other Notables: 11. Eddie Compo 19-1-3 (5) (742)
12. Al Phillips 29-11-1 (13) (735)
16. Harold Hoshino 40-12-3 (21) (712)
28. Keith Francis 16-0 (12) (591)
30. Glen Flanagan 15-3-1 (2) (542)

Top Prospects: Harry LaSane 12-1 (7)
Elis Ask 11-1 (1)
Joey Velez 10-0 (7)
Jackie Blair 9-0 (4)
Arron Joshua 8-0 (1)
Percy Bassett 7-0 (5)

Retirements:

Chalky Wright (USA) 1928-1948 47-25-7 (16) WBA Champ 1936, 1939-40
Jackie Wilson (USA) 1929-1948 42-29-6 (11) NABF Champion Highest Rank: 8
Simon Chavez (VEN) 1931-1948 38-31-6 (9) WBA Champ 1938-39
Frankie Donato (USA) 1940-1948 20-14-4 (5) No Titles Highest Rank: 35
Bill Speary (USA) 1940-1948 18-18-2 (6) No Titles Highest Rank: 46

Outlook for 1949: Sandy Saddler remained unbeaten as he moved swiftly to the top of the division, dethroning Willie Pep as WBA Champ in a thrilling title bout. The Saddler-Pep duo is likely to remain at the top of the FW ranks for some time, as no other challengers are rated above an “8” while the two are rated “13” and “14,” respectively Morasen and Clayton emerged to claim multiple regional titles during the year, and the NABF FW belt is up for grabs as it was recently vacated by Saddler as a stepping stone to his ultimate goal, a WBA title. Not much to get excited about in the ranks of the current crop of prospects, either. Gene Smith (an “8”) is the best of the nine newcomers slated to join the FW ranks in 1949.