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FW Title Bouts

WBA: Baby Arizmendi began the year with the title, and he defended it twice, defeating Battling Battalino (UD 15) and Petey Sarron (SD 15). Then, Simon Chavez defeated Arizmendi (TKO 7) to capture the belt.

NABF: The title began the year as vacant, with Arizmendi, having won the WBA title, having relinquished the belt. Freddie Miller defeated Kid Chocolate (UD 12) to win the vacant belt, then made two defenses, defeating Jimmy Perrin (TKO 12) and Chalky Wright (SD 12).

USBA: Battling Battalino began 1938 with this title, and he made a successful defense, defeating Petey Sarron (UD 12). Later in the year, Chalky Wright beat Battalino (UD 12) to capture the belt.

CBU: Pete DeGrasse, who has held this belt since 1936, defended twice, both against Merv Blandon, winning both (UD 12 and TKO 11).

GBU: Dave Crowley made one defense, turning aside a challenge from Ginger Foran (UTD 8). Then, Frank Parkes defeated Crowley (UD 12) to become the new GBU Champion.

EBU: Frenchman Maurice Holtzer retained this belt, making one successful defense, defeating Dave Crowley (MD 12).

OPBF: Tsuneo Horiguchi, the first Japanese to hold a title in this Universe, defended this title, defeating Varias Milling (UD 12).

LABF: This title, like the NABF belt, began the year as vacant (previously held by Arizmendi). Filio Julian Echevarria captured the vacant title by defeating Simon Chavez (UD 12). The belt then changed hands after Enrique Chafferdet defeated Echevarria (UD 12).

FW Division Profile

Total: 110 RL: 66 TC: 44

RL by Career Stage:
End - 6
Post - 11
Prime - 32
Pre - 10
Beginning - 7 (4 New)

Rated: 51
800+: 16
500+: 31
200+ : 49

Jan 1939 Rankings (Perf Points and Changes from Jan. 1938 in Parens):

Champ: Simon Chavez 25-8-2 (6) (1081) (+11)
1. Kid Chocolate 36-7-7 (16) (1131) (NC)
2. Baby Arizmendi 36-8-2 (10) (1086) (-2)
3. Maurice Holtzer 40-15-3 (14) (1075) (NC) (EBU)
4. Freddie Miller 35-10-1 (15) (1074) (+1) (NABF)
5. Chalky Wright 30-10-4 (14) (1023) (+2) (USBA)
6. Battling Battalino 39-12 (13) (1022) (-4)
7. Pete DeGrasse 36-14-3 (10) (1003) (-3) (CBU)
8. Frankie Covelli 28-10-8 (7) (936) (-2)
9. Enrique Chafferdet 34-15-7 (10) (901) (+6) (LABF)
10. Filio Julian Echevarria 31-12-4 (12) (900) (-2)

Others: 14. Tsuneo Horiguchi 22-5 (14) (825) (-1) (OPBF)
18. Frank Parkes 20-2 (14) (684) (+8) (GBU)

Comments: All the above at Prime except for Chocolate and Holtzer, who will be at Post in 1939. Simon Chavez is the new WBA Champion, despite starting the year off with a UD loss to DeGrasse plus an unsuccessful LABF title try; his only prior success during the year was a TKO over lowly ranked Tommy Paul, which was hardly a harbinger of a WBA title winning performance. Despite being at Post-Prime, Kid Chocolate continues in the top contender spot, despite a rather unimpressive series of 1938 outings (draws with DeGrasse and Covelli, an NABF title loss and just one win, a UD over Paul). Arizmendi slipped after the title loss to Chavez snapped a nine-bout winning streak compiled by the Mexican. EBU Champ Holtzer impressed with two defenses, but then dropped a SD to Horiguchi but finished the year with a pair of wins (a UD over Paul plus a TKO of Miller). Miller managed three NABF title wins but the loss to Holtzer prevented further progress and snapped a four-bout winning streak. Wright was 2-1 for the year, splitting two title bouts and taking a UD 10 over Brit Dave Crowley. “Bat” Battalino was 1-2, all in title bouts, and slipped in the rankings as a result. DeGrasse managed two wins, one draw and a loss in his 1938 campaign, besting Horiguchi (SD 10), drawing with Chocolate but losing to Chavez (UD 10). Covelli had a pair of draws with Chocolate and Rightmire, dropped a UD to Jimmy Perrin, and his only win during the year was a UD over aging ex-Champ Chick Suggs. Chafferdet moved into the top 10 by going 2-0 for the year, a UD 10 over Bus Breese setting up his successful try for the LABF title. Finally, Echevarria rounds out the top group, taking a UD over Horiguchi and going 1-1 in two LABF title tilts. Top 10 dropout Petey Sarron fell two spots to #11, losing two title bouts but taking a UD from Horiguchi. Jimmy Perrin dropped from #10 to #13, advancing with a UD win over Covelli but then faltering in a title try, and a late season draw with lower-ranked Mike Belloise did not help his cause. A busy Horiguchi went 2-3 for the year, his best result being a SD win over Holtzer. Top newcomer to the list, at #15, is Harold Hoshino, off to an impressive 19-0 (14) career start, taking UD wins over fellow prospects Petey Scalzo and Johnny Marcelline in addition to triumphs over veteran performers Petey Hayes and Nel Tarleton, for a total of six wins in six 1938 outings. Brit Frank Parkes continued his improvement, going 3-1 for the year, capturing the GBU belt in addition to a TKO win over Tarleton; he did falter, however, dropping a UD to Mike Belloise. Johnny Marcelline debuts at #39, dropping a UD 10 to Hoshino but registering four wins during the year – victims including Irving Eldredge (MD) and Harold “Snooks” Lacey – to check in with a 15-2 (6) mark.

Prospects: Top prospects with 10 to 15 bouts in thus far all have at least one loss on their respective ledgers. Petey Scalzo, now 13-1 (10), scored impressive KO wins over fellow prospects Eddie Miller and Jackie Callura, decisioned Harold Lacey, but lost to Hoshino. Miller, now 11-1 (7), took an impressive UD 10 win over aging vet Dom Volante, but was a Scalzo KO victim. Canadian Jackie Callura also was blasted out in two by Scalzo for his second career setback, leaving him at 10-2 (7). Still unbeaten after feasting on TC opposition are Albert Mancini, 9-0 (5); Sal Bartolo, 9-0 (4); Richie Lemos, 8-0 (4); National Kid, 7-0 (3); and Joe Marinelli, 6-0 (3).

Retirements: Eight FWs left the ranks during 1938.

Johnny Datto (PHI) 1920-38 35-28-4 (11) OPBF Champ Highest Rank: 23
Johnny Cuthbert (UK) 1920-38 35-34-2 (11) EBU, CBU, GBU Champ Highest Rank: 4
Johnny Farr (USA) 1922-38 33-24-5 (11) No Titles Highest Rank: 15
Eddie Shea (USA) 1922-38 36-23-4 (16) NABF, USBA Champ Highest Rank: 13
Bobby Garcia (USA) 1920-38 34-26-6 (17) No Titles Highest Rank: 9
Doc Snell (USA) 1922-38 31-26-8 (8) No Titles Highest Rank: 33
Seaman Tommy Watson (UK) 1925-38 32-19-4 (15) No Titles Highest Rank: 19
Steve Smith (USA) 1922-38 32-24-13 (13) USBA Title Highest Rank: 16

Looking Ahead: The FW has to be the most volatile division right now, with a revolving door of WBA Champions continuing with Chavez and no end in sight, particular since Henry Armstrong decided to take his talent to higher weight classes. With Kid Chocolate and now Holtzer at Post, Mexican Baby Arizmendi is a favorite to regain the title. It remains to be seen if hot prospect Harold Hoshino can continue his march up the ranks once hitting Prime career stage and facing the inevitable competition from higher ranked opposition. Each of the four newcomers set to join the division ranks in 1939 is rated “5” or below.