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JCWeb · 12-24-2006, 04:17 PM

Part 2 of the "Champs or Chumps" feature focuses on the LH Division. Here's the list of real-life champs with the dates they ascended the throne compared to similar dates in my Uni:

Jack Root RL: Apr. 1903 Uni: Jun. 1905
George Gardner RL: July 1903 Uni: Apr. 1903
Bob Fitzsimmons RL: Nov. 1903 Uni: Mar. 1885
Phila Jack O'Brien RL: Dec. 1905 Uni: Mar. 1901
Jack Dillon RL: Apr. 1915 Uni: Apr. 1912
Battling Levinsky RL: Oct. 1916 Uni: Not Yet
Georges Carpentier RL: Oct. 1920 Uni: Not Yet
Battling Siki RL: Sept. 1922 Uni: Too Soon to Tell
Mike McTigues RL: Mar. 1923 Uni: Too Soon to Tell

Batting 5 for 5 so far as all RL champions have also managed to ascend to the WBA LH throne in my fictional universe. The 18-year difference for Fitz is probably the biggest gap to be seen anywhere, since he started in my Uni as a LH (did not have MW ratings for him) and then moved up to HW, rather than dabbling in the LH division toward the end of his career, when his best HW battles were behind him in 1903. Pretty close to the mark with George Gardner, and O'Brien and Dillon rose to the top sooner primarily due to the paucity of talent in the division at the time, plus the fact that I had Fitz at HW until the end of his career. Jury is still out on Levinsky, who has not impressed in bouts he would have been expected to win for the lesser NABF and USBA titles, whereas Carpentier (alreayd the EBU LHW champ) has looked like a world-beater and certainly is a likely future WBA champ, and probably some time before 1920 (of course, IRL his career was interrupted by military service in WW I). Too soon to tell about Siki and McTigue of course.

(Keep in mind I did not wait until the early 1900s, as happened IRL, to stage LHW title bouts, which is why you see Fitz as LH champ back in the 19th Century.)

By way of comparison, seven LHs who were not World champs IRL have made it to the top in my Uni: Joe Butler, Joe Choynski, Charlie Haghey (big surprise there -- a "2"-rated fighter winning a World title), John Wille, Jack (Twin) Sullivan, Leo Houck and the current champion, Tommy Gibbons. Interestingly, Gene Tunney, who moved from LH to defeat Jack Dempsey for the H crown, was never considered a LH champ, although in 1922 and 1923 he (along with Harry Greb) were listed as holding something called the American Light Heavyweight title.

Next post up will deal with Tunney and Dempsey in action on the same card as part of a star-studded lineup in a "supercard" in New Orleans in Dec. 1915 as the year rolls to a close.

12-24-2006, 04:17 PM	#185
JCWeb Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 2,096	Champs or Chumps -- Part 2 the Light Heavys Part 2 of the "Champs or Chumps" feature focuses on the LH Division. Here's the list of real-life champs with the dates they ascended the throne compared to similar dates in my Uni: Jack Root RL: Apr. 1903 Uni: Jun. 1905 George Gardner RL: July 1903 Uni: Apr. 1903 Bob Fitzsimmons RL: Nov. 1903 Uni: Mar. 1885 Phila Jack O'Brien RL: Dec. 1905 Uni: Mar. 1901 Jack Dillon RL: Apr. 1915 Uni: Apr. 1912 Battling Levinsky RL: Oct. 1916 Uni: Not Yet Georges Carpentier RL: Oct. 1920 Uni: Not Yet Battling Siki RL: Sept. 1922 Uni: Too Soon to Tell Mike McTigues RL: Mar. 1923 Uni: Too Soon to Tell Batting 5 for 5 so far as all RL champions have also managed to ascend to the WBA LH throne in my fictional universe. The 18-year difference for Fitz is probably the biggest gap to be seen anywhere, since he started in my Uni as a LH (did not have MW ratings for him) and then moved up to HW, rather than dabbling in the LH division toward the end of his career, when his best HW battles were behind him in 1903. Pretty close to the mark with George Gardner, and O'Brien and Dillon rose to the top sooner primarily due to the paucity of talent in the division at the time, plus the fact that I had Fitz at HW until the end of his career. Jury is still out on Levinsky, who has not impressed in bouts he would have been expected to win for the lesser NABF and USBA titles, whereas Carpentier (alreayd the EBU LHW champ) has looked like a world-beater and certainly is a likely future WBA champ, and probably some time before 1920 (of course, IRL his career was interrupted by military service in WW I). Too soon to tell about Siki and McTigue of course. (Keep in mind I did not wait until the early 1900s, as happened IRL, to stage LHW title bouts, which is why you see Fitz as LH champ back in the 19th Century.) By way of comparison, seven LHs who were not World champs IRL have made it to the top in my Uni: Joe Butler, Joe Choynski, Charlie Haghey (big surprise there -- a "2"-rated fighter winning a World title), John Wille, Jack (Twin) Sullivan, Leo Houck and the current champion, Tommy Gibbons. Interestingly, Gene Tunney, who moved from LH to defeat Jack Dempsey for the H crown, was never considered a LH champ, although in 1922 and 1923 he (along with Harry Greb) were listed as holding something called the American Light Heavyweight title. Next post up will deal with Tunney and Dempsey in action on the same card as part of a star-studded lineup in a "supercard" in New Orleans in Dec. 1915 as the year rolls to a close.