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1925 FW Title Bouts

WBA

Louis Kaplan CH (21-3-1) vs Al Foreman (14-5)

Foreman, the newly crowned GBU Champ, earns a title shot.

Good start by Kaplan, who takes the opening round and is doing well in round two until Foreman comes on strongly at the end. Round three, Foreman fights inside, but Kaplan counters effectively to take the round. Foreman's left eye is starting to swell. Kaplan presses forward in round four, padding his lead. Another strong round for the Champ after some inside fighting in round five; the unofficial card has Kaplan well ahead (50-46) at this point. Foreman suffers a cut over the right eye in round six. Foreman tries to get more aggressive, but after repeated frustration, he starts to tire and carry his hands low. The cut is reopened in round 10 and again in round 11, finally causing a stoppage. Kaplan by TKO 11.

Louis Kaplan CH (22-3-1) vs Andre Routis #2 (23-5-2)

Routis challenges Kaplan after a DQ win over veteran Bud Ridley. Kaplan has won his last four. No prior meetings.

Action is slow to develop in round one. Kaplan comes on strongly in round two, and Routis' right eye starts to puff up. Routis moves inside for round three, an even round. Kaplan then moves inside in round four, another close round. Round five sees some good toe-to-toe action, favoring the Champ who has the lead on the unofficial card (49-46) at this point. Routis gets more aggressive, but Kaplan builds his points lead in the middle rounds. Kaplan, leading, retreats into a defensive shell in the later rounds. Key moment of the fight comes in round 13, when a severe gash is opened over Kaplan's left eye. Bleeding from the cut is too severe to allow the bout to continue, and Routis wins via a TKO 13 (cuts stoppage).

Andre Routis CH (24-5-2) vs Young Johnny Brown #5 (21-3-1)

No prior meetings. Brown, the reigning EBU Champ, has won his last four while Routis has won his last three.

Routis takes an early lead in the opening stanza. Both men stay outside in round two, and Brown is on target more often to take the round. The challenger moves inside in round three, which is a close round. Routis takes charge, fighting inside in round four, slight edge to Brown. Both men battle on the inside in round five, a good action round which sees the Champ outhit Brown, putting him on the canvas late in the round with a vicious right cross. The 10-8 round puts Routis ahead (48-46) in the unofficial scoring. Routis tries to follow up in round six, but Brown recovers quickly to take the round. Brown is more aggressive in round seven, making the bout an even contest. Both men fight inside in round eight, slight edge to Routis. Brown steps up the pace in round nine, another even round. Brown forces the action on the inside in round 10, outscoring the Champ. At this point it's anyone's bout; the unofficial scorer has Routis up by one (95-94). Brown gets more aggressive in rounds 11 and 12, and the Champ begins to tire. Late in round 12, Brown suffers a cut over his left eye. Undeterred, Brown battles back to take round 13. The cut is reopened in round 14, but Brown battles on and the bout goes to the scorecards. Young Johnny Brown, who impressed the judges in the late rounds, takes the title via a SD 15 (143-142, 141-144, 144-142).

NABF: Incumbent Benny Bass defends versus Canadian Leo Roy, the current CBU Champ, taking a decisive UD 12 after putting Roy on the canvas in round 9. Bass then takes on Panama's Jose Lombardo, in a thrilling bout which sess Bass down twice the opening round. Bass battles back, turning the tables on Lombardo who is out on his feet as Bass whales away in round five. Bass by TKO 5 to retain the belt.

USBA: Mike Dundee defends versus Chick Suggs, and both men battle through cut and swollen eyes before Dundee emerges as the victor via a MD 12. Dundee is back to take on Babe Herman, who surprised Dundee with a wicked cross that put the Champ on the canvas in round seven. Dundee battled back to escape with a draw, retaining the belt. Then veteran Bud Ridley took the measure of Dundee, taking charge early and coasting to a win as Dundee battled cuts and swelling for most of the bout. UD 12 win for Ridley. Ridley then accepted the challenge of "the Bronx Express," Carl Duane, who put up a good effort but fell short as Ridely triumphed again, this time via a MD 12.

CBU: Canadian Leo Roy defended versus Australian Jimmy Hill, with Roy taking an early points lead into the later rounds, then surviving despite suffering a cut on the bridge of his nose. Roy by UD 12.

GBU: Foreman, lacking credible RL challengers, selected veteran British TC Arthur Bradford who served as nothing more than a glorified punching bag. Foreman put Bradford down and out in round one with a strong combination, KO 1 for Foreman.

EBU: Veteran French challenger Eugene Criqui takes on Young Johnny Brown, and it's an action-filled bout as Brown has Criqui down once in each of rounds six and seven. Criqui battles back, putting Brown on the deck with an uppercut in round eight. Brown sustains a cut eye a round later, but soldiers on to take the belt with a UD 12 win. He then defends in a much more placid bout versus Johnny Cuthbert, scoring an early KD en route to a solid UD win. Brown vacates the belt after winning the WBA title, leaving it open for Andre Routis to return to the fray, pounding out a UD 12 win over the Dane, Knut Larsen, who suffers an early cut and does not offer much resistance.

OPBF: OPBF Champ Elino Flores had a busy 1925, defending three times. First up was Mike Flynn, a journeyman Aussie slugger who put a surprisingly spirited challenge before losing the UD 12 to Flores. Next up was the previously unbeaten Filipino prospect, Johnny Hill (not to be confused with Aussie vet Jimmy Hill); Hill suffered an early cut that proved to be problematic, leading to a TKO 4 for Flores. Finally, Filipino vet Johnny Datto made his third try for the OPFBF belt, but Datto lacked the firepower to contend with Flores, who sealed a UD 12 win (and his fourth successful title defense) with a 9th round knockdown.