Melio Bettina LHW/HW USA
Career Record: W82(KO 36) / L14(KO 3) / D3
His career though ranked by NBA and Ring right after the war would turn to be in it's downward swing over 1946 thru 1948 never factoring in being any kind of consideration to competing for Louis' title.
File again is just some personnel and bio updates to update your records with if need be. Bettina another of those really good light heavyweights in the 1930s to mid 1940s moving up to heavy division but never becoming a serious contender there.
TITLES:
NYSAC World Light Heavyweight Title
Unknown information has been left blank.
Defeated Tiger Jack Fox in February 1939 for the NYSAC World Heavyweight Title. Lost that title and a bout also for the vacant National Boxing Association World Heavyweight Title to Billy Conn in July 1939. Lost a return match to Conn for those titles in September 1939.
Lost a 15 round decision in January 1941 to Anton Christoforidis for the vacant National Boxing Association World Heavyweight Title when the NBA ruled that Billy Conn had relinquished the title for failing to defend it in six months and by signing to fight Joe Louis for the heavyweight title.
Bettina after fighting a 10 round draw with Jimmy Bivins in March 1945 then is not in the ring again till July 1946 to win a 10 round decision over Eddie Blunt.Bettina including that fight manages to win 12 fights over the next couple years and found him self rated back to #7 heavyweight in the Feb 1947 Ring ratings but his lone fight then in 1947 turned into a 1st round KO defeat to Gus Lesnevich. Bettina would not fight again for a year, managed 7 of those last 12 career wins but none against any top rated opponents. A 6th round KO loss to Johnny Flynn in Dec 1948 finished his career.
In 1934 he beat Tony Zale to win the Intercity Golden Gloves light heavyweight title, a competition that pitted New York's best young boxers against thier Chicago counterparts.
A good account of Bettina's career can be found also at..
https://highlandscurrent.org/2016/01...s-world-champ/
Breakdown of record LHW/HW taking Bettina's March 1941 fight against heavyweight Buddy KNox as his move to Heavyweight...
LHW W52(KO 24) / L11(KO 1) / D2
HW W30(KO 12) / L3(KO 2) / D1