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This report covers a total of 63 bouts taking place during the second half of December 1942. One WBA title bout is included in this report.

Dec. 18, 1942: It’s a relatively small gathering for a light Friday night card at San Juan, Puerto Rico. Featured in the main event is a LW clash with Tony Chavez, a former USBA and LABF LW titleholder, seeking revenge versus “His Satanic Majesty,” Lefty “Satan” Flynn, who took a controversial DQ win versus Chavez some eight years previous to this. Not much in the way of action for the opening few rounds, with but Chavez seems to have the edge after a big round in the third. In round five, a Chavez combination drops Flynn to the canvas. Although Flynn is able to continue, the damage was done and Chavez has the lead (but only by one, 48-47), on the unofficial card as mysteriously, the unofficial scorer had it as a 10-9, not the standard 10-8 round, for Chavez in the fifth. Flynn takes a second tumble to the deck in round seven, but he continues with an aggressive approach after recovering and covering up to last the round. Chavez coasts in the final two rounds, not wanting a repeat of what happened in their prior encounter, back in 1934. The bout goes to decision and, with the two KDs, it goes down as a comfortable UD 10 for Chavez (98-91, 97-91, 98-90), who boosts his career totals to 35-11-4 (12). The loss leaves Flynn at 27-11-2 (13).

Dec. 19, 1942: To Detroit’s Briggs Stadium for the next fistic action. A couple of exciting bouts headline the card and, in the first of these, unbeaten young WW prospect “Sugar” Ray Robinson faces a grizzled veteran of the ring wars, Andy Callahan. As Callahan, at 32, is nearing the end of a long 15-year career, many are predicting an easy win for young Robinson, despite the fact he is stepping up in class against a much more experienced opponent in Callahan, who has been a fringe contender in the WW ranks for years and briefly held the NABF WW title, back in 1937. Just a minute into the bout, a lightning quick hook to the head by Robinson stuns Callahan, who immediately covers up and nearly last the round until the final 30 seconds, when “Sugar Ray” lands a vicious hook that puts the veteran WW down and out. An impressive KO 1 for Robinson to push his career record to an unblemished 16-0 (13). Callahan ends the bout at 35-19-7 (12). Welterweights are again featured in the second main event, with Fritzie Zivic putting his NABF WW title on the line, facing challenger another veteran WW contender, Barney Ross. For Zivic, who has been fairly active since winning this belt in mid-1941, this is his fifth title defense, and he faces Ross, a former WBA and NABF WW titleholder, for the first time. Action is slow to develop, but Zivic seems to have the better of it through much of the early going. By the midway point, the defending Champion is well ahead (59-55) on the unofficial card. Beginning in round seven, Ross steps in the pace, becoming more and more aggressive. By round nine, there is noticeable swelling around Ross’ left as the accumulated impact of Zivic’s blows has taken its toll. No cuts or knockdowns, and the bout goes the rest of the way without incident, with Zivic coming away a rather convincing UD 12 winner (118-111, 117-112, 117-111). Post-bout records: Zivic, 32-10-6 (15); Ross, 37-15-4 (11).

Dec. 19, 1942: To the West Coast for a huge card, at the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles. A WBA FW title bout tops the agenda card, held at St. Louis’ Kiel Auditorium. Main supporting bout matches two top 10 LHs, with Tiger Jack Fox, recently dethroned as NABF LH Champion, taking on Harry Matthews in a non-title affair. First meeting of the two, so there is a long feeling-out process through the opening few rounds. By round five, Fox appears to have the upper hand, and he dominates the action on the inside, stunning Matthews with a powerful hook, and continuing a one-sided assault until the ref is forced to step in and call a halt. An impressive TKO 5 win for Fox, running his record to 54-8-1 (39). For Matthews, it is just his second career loss (and first via a stoppage), leaving him at 21-2 (16), stunting his rise up the LH ranks. Then, in the main event, battle for supremacy in the topsy-turvy FW division continues as Everett Rightmire, the eighth fighter to hold the WBA FW title belt since Henry Armstrong moved up in weight some five years ago, faces challenger Petey Sarron, a guy who has twice before This time around, Sarron is hopeful of breaking through, particularly since he holds a prior UD win over Rightmire, back in San Francisco in 1941. Action is lacking in the first few rounds, with a slight punches landed edge for the Champ. After five, the unofficial card has a slim one-point edge for Rightmire (48-47). Into the middle rounds, and Rightmire’s superior conditioning begins to tell, as he gradually begins to wear down the challenger. Sarron tries to press forward, but he can make little progress against some solid defense from Rightmire. By the end of round nine, Sarron’s left eye is beginning to puff up quite a bit. Then, late in round 10, Sarron gets in his best punch of the fight, a solid cross, but Rightmire is able to cover up and last the remaining seconds left in the round. At the two-thirds mark, the unofficial scorecard has Rightmire well ahead (97-93). Punches landed stats also show a huge edge for the Champ, and Sarron is now exhibiting signs of fatigue. In round 14, more problems for Sarron’s corner as their fighter sustains a cut over his right eye. The bout goes the rest of the way without and incident and, while Rightmire retains his title, the surprise is that one judge actually had it for Sarron, the SD 15 (143-144, 144-141, 145-140) coming as a bit of a surprise, as this observer as well as the unofficial ringside scorer had Rightmire the winner by a wide margin. Post-bout career marks: Rightmire, 34-12-3 (14); Sarron, 40-23-6 (11). Game effort from Sarron, however, as he came into the bout at End career stage versus a in-prime Champion in Rightmire.

Dec. 26, 1942: Next up is the traditional “Boxing Day” card, this time at the Earls Court in London. No titles on the line, and the feature matches two long-time Flyweight contenders, as ex-WBA Champ Midget Wolgast travels to London and a hostile crowd to face Jackie Brown, a British fan favorite. The two have met twice before, including once for the WBA title, with Wolgast prevailing both times. Will this third encounter be any different? From the outset Wolgast has the upper hand, exhibiting good defensive skills and some solid counterpunching that keeps Brown off guard. Not much changes as the bout heads into the middle rounds, with Wolgast securing a two-point lead on the unofficial card (49-47) at the halfway point of the bout. Heading into the later rounds, Wolgast is content to stay on the outside, allowing Brown to take the initiative and press the action on the inside. However, the British fighter begins to tire badly, and Wolgast’s smothering defense blunts all his attempts to mount a comeback. The bout, kind of a boring one, goes into the final seconds with Wolgast firmly in command until, suddenly, Brown lands a solid punch – a hook – that puts Wolgast on the deck, but the bell sounds before the count can reach ten. The bout, therefore, goes to the judges and, despite a 10-8 final round for Brown, Wolgast scoops up the UD 10 (96-93, 97-92, 97-92). Post-bout career marks: Wolgast, 57-9-1 (19); Brown, 40-19-5 (12). A close call for Wolgast, who may have been counted out had three more seconds been left on the clock at the time of the final round knockdown.

Dec. 26, 1942: The penultimate fight card of the year takes place at Manila’s Rizal Arena. Again, no title bouts are featured, and the main event matches the popular Filipino Flyweight, Little Dado, reigning OPBF Champion, who takes on Rinty Monaghan in a rematch of their 1941 encounter that ended in a controversial MD 10 for Monaghan. Both fighters start slowly, and caution prevails through the opening few rounds. Dado gets going with a strong round in the fourth, and a peek at the unofficial card after five has the Filipino in front (by a count of 49-46), but there is a touch of swelling around Dado’s right eye. Into the later rounds, and Monaghan presses the action on the inside, targeting the cut, while Dado is content to work outside. The bout goes the rest of the way without incident and Dado, avoiding the situation in their prior outing, maintains his lead to take a UD 10 (96-94 on all cards), running his career totals to 28-4-1 (13) with the win, but it will be his last bout at Prime, as the effects of aging will begin to take effect in 1943. Monaghan, who still has plenty of Prime years left, 30-8-1 (11) with the loss.

Dec. 31, 1942: The month and year wrap up with a fine New Year’s Eve card at New York’s Madison Square Garden. It’s a packed card for the final event of the year, featuring some unbeaten young prospects, such as Jake “the Bronx Bull” LaMotta, who keeps his slate clean, now 9-0 (9), after a three-round TKO demolition of his TC opponent. Two unbeaten WW prospects do battle, with Billy Graham eking out a SD 8 (77-75, 75-77, 77-75) over O’Neill Bell, running his record to 8-0 (6), while Bell’s first career setback leaves him at 7-1 (3). Later in the card sees Beau Jack, an exciting LW prospect, take to the ring, as he takes on veteran journeyman Tommy Spiegel. Jack does not disappoint, dominating the action and flooring Spiegel in the fifth round, en route to an impressive UD 10 win (97-92, 100-89, 99-91) to run his record to 17-1 (14). Spiegel, who ended the bout with both eyes cut and swollen, is now 27-13-4 (6) and will be at End career stage starting with his next bout. Later in the evening, another unbeaten prospect, LH Ezzard Charles, the “Cincinnati Cobra,” takes to the ring to face another LH prospect, Fitzie Fitzpatrick. Charles wastes little time, dropping Fitzpatrick with a huge uppercut near the end of the opening stanza; Fitzpatrick cannot beat the count but is saved by the bell, so the bout continues. The bout doesn’t last much longer, as, after two hard shots and a rapidly swelling right eye, Fitzpatrick is finished, and the ref calls a halt. TKO 2 for Charles, running his record to a perfect 12-0 (11); for Fitzpatrick, it is his second loss, leaving him at 10-2-1 (10) heading into 1943. Then, in the first of two co-main events, two BWs on the comeback trail are matched for the first time: Manuel Ortiz, who recently lost the WBA BW title and Tom Smith, who was recently dethroned as GBU BW Champ. Ortiz goes to work quickly, dropping Smith to the deck with a huge cross in the opening round. Smith covers up and manages to last the round. Smith offers little in the following rounds, enabling Ortiz to compile a hefty points lead (50-44 on the unofficial card) by the halfway point. The end comes in round seven, when Smith (trailing badly and bothered by a puffy left eye) walks into an Ortiz combination that puts him down and out. KO 7 for Ortiz, helping re-establish his credentials as a top BW contender. Post-bout career records: Ortiz, 21-4-1 (14); Smith, 21-12-6 (11). Then, in the second co-feature, the USBA WW title is on the line, as Izzy Jannazzo makes his sixth defense of the belt against Wilson, a former NABF WW titleholder, who impressed in his last outing with a first round TKO over Jimmy Garrison. Jannazzo enters the bout coming off a loss to Fritzie Zivic for the NABF title in his last bout. It is the first meeting of the two, and so the action is slow to develop in the opening few rounds. Wilson tries to bang away inside but is largely unsuccessful, due to some good defense from Jannazzo. At the halfway point, the unofficial scorer has it even (57-57), despite a nice punches landed edge for Jannazzo. In the second half of the bout, Jannazzo continues to grind away, keeping Wilson off guard while landing enough blows to score points and win rounds. Jannazzo’s superior stamina also begins to tell, and Wilson is reduced to launching desperate attacks in the final few rounds. The bout goes the distance and, in the end, Wilson did enough to convince one judge, but Jannazzo wins the other two to take a SD 12 (115-113, 113-115, 117-111) and improve his career mark to 35-6-4 (13). The loss drops Wilson to 25-6-2 (16).