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Thanks, guys. Next up is the WW division, which saw some title shifts in 1926.

1926 WW Title Bouts

WBA

Ted Kid Lewis CH (46-13-4) vs Pinkey Mitchell JWW Champ (26-9-3)

Lewis takes on the reigning JWW Champion. First meeting of the two, expected to be an easy win for the "Kid."

Slight edge for Lewis in round one. Both work outside in round two, but Lewis keeps up the pressure. The Champ moves inside for round three, but Mitchell holds his own, finally finding the range. Mitchell steps inside in round four, another close round. Round five sees another close round as both men whale away from the inside. The unofficial scorer has Mitchell up by a narrow margin (48-47) after five rounds. Round six, it's Mitchell applying the pressure on the inside, but Ted Kid Lewis is on target and takes the round. Both stay outside in round seven, another good round for Lewis. Mitchell is the aggressor in round eight, but he cannot break through Lewis' tough defense. Both move inside in round nine, but Mitchell cannot find the range as Lewis continues to pile up a points lead. Round ten, Lewis is on the defensive and all of a sudden, he is called for a blatant foul. The result is a surprising DQ decision, handing the title to Pinkey Mitchell, who was trailing on all scorecards.

Pinkey Mitchell CH (27-9-3) vs Young Jack Thompson # 7 (20-0-2)

First meeting of the two. Tough test for Mitchell, facing an unbeaten challenger, Thompson, who has wins in his last three bouts after being held to draws by Tenorio and Harmon earlier in his careeer.

Mitchell is decked in the opening round, falling after a delayed reaction to a powerful cross from Thompson. Both fight outside in round two, and a big hook from Thomson stuns Mitchell. The Champ, who appears overmatched, shows signs of swelling around his left eye this early in the bout. Thompson presses forward on the inside in round three, but Mitchell keeps it even. Mitchell moves inside in round four, another close round until the challenger finishes strongly. Round five, both men battle on the inside, edge to Thompson who now has a comfortable lead (50-46) according to the unofficial ringside observer. Round six, Mitchell presses on the inside, but he runs into some heavy leather from Thompson. The swelling gradually worsens, such that the ref steps in and finally calls a halt. It goes down as a TKO 6 win for Thompson, the new Champ.

Young Jack Thompson CH (21-0-2) vs Morrie Schlaifer #11 (21-6)

Another first-time meeting in a WBA title bout. Schlaifer takes a six-bout win streak into his first title contest, including five TKO wins in his last five, most recent being a TKO 1 over Jack Zivic and a TKO 9 versus veteran Eddie Shevlin.

Thompson gets off to a strong start, taking round one. Not much action in the second as both men stay on the outside. Round three, Schlaifer is the aggressor, but he can make no impression on Thompson, so it's another strong round for the Champ. Good action round in round four, with the edge once again going to the Champ. More of the same in round five, then the bout ends prematurely when an increasingly frustrated Schlaifer is called for blatant head-butting in round six, leading to another win by DQ. This one is not nearly as controversial as the call in the Ted Kid Lewis-Pinkey Mitchell bout, as Schlaifer was clearly on the short end of the scorecards. Thompson via DQ 6 to keep the belt.

NABF: Tommy Robson starts the year with the belt, which he puts on the line versus Pete Latzo. Latzo, boxing beautifully, builds a huge points lead and hands on despite a late rally by Robson to score a UD 12 to take the belt. He defends versus Young Corbett III, who races off to a strong start in the opening round. However, a cut over the eye of Corbett turns the tables, leading to an early stoppage (TKO 4 for Latzo). Next challenger is Willie Harmon, who rips open a severe cut over Harmon's eye with a strong combination, and this time the TKO on cuts goes against Latzo, TKO 4 win for Harmon. Harmon then defends versus George Levine, scoring a KD in round seven en route to a solid UD 12 win.

USBA: Jack Sparr defends versus Young Jack Thompson, the undefeated young contender who piles up an impressive points lead, scores a KD in round eight, then takes the title with a UD 12 win. Thompson then vacates the USBA title after winning the WBA belt. Willie Harmon is matched with Johnny Adams for the vacant belt. Harmon is well ahead when he is decked by a wild overhand right from Adams in round eight. Harmon recovers, finishing strongly in the final round to secure a close UD 12 win. Harmon then successfully challenges for the NABF title, and former NABF Champ Tommy Robson continues the musical chair of champions, taking on Baby Joe Gans, building an early lead to secure a solid UD 12 verdict for the title.

CBU: Bermondsey Billy Wells defends versus British Champ Hamilton Johnny Brown, and Wells builds an early points lead and seals the win in round nine, when the challenger suffers a split lip and cut eye. Nonetheless, a late rally by Brown makes it close, so Bermondsey Billy escapes with a SD 12 victory. Next up is Aussie Jack Carroll, who entered the bout with an impressive 17-1-1 mark, one bout short of Prime. Carroll is overpowered by Wells, bothered by a swollen right eye and an easy UD 12 victim for Wells who manages to keep the belt for another year.

GBU: Hamilton Johnny Brown takes on Alf Mancini, who gets careless in round eight and is decked by a Brown hook. Still, he puts up a spirited challenge, and Hamilton Johnny escapes with a MD 12 win.

EBU: A second matchup of Wells and Brown for this, the second of Wells' two titles, occurs later in the year. Lots of action from the opening bell, and Brown's left eye is starting to swell after just four rounds. A Wells hook puts Brown on the canvas briefly in round five. A late cut over the eye adds to Brown's woes, and Wells keeps up the pressure to secure a UD 12 win to retain the belt.

OPBF: Aussie Paul Demsky accepts a challenge from Filipino Macario Flores. With the bout in Manila, Flores is inspired the hometown crowd and it takes a late surge by Demsky to secure a draw to keep the belt. He then takes on fellow Aussie Jack Carroll, who starts well, survives a strong uppercut from Demsky that nearly decks him in round eight, to take a UD 12 and capture the title. Then Carroll accepts the challenge of Filipino Lope Tenorio, who also benefits from the hometown Manila crowd in a bruising bout where both men suffer the effects of swollen eyes. Tenorio proves the tougher fighter in this one, taking a SD 12 to capture the OPBF belt.