[Rocco Del Sesto]

As mentioned in the first post, the 1940 Ring had an article about some of the prominent British fighters of the time who were now in the service at the start of the war. One of those was from whom the title of the article was based on..."It's Lieut. Petersen Now". Before getting on with Cominsky and some of the others mentioned in the Mike Jacobs interview, I decided to look through this article.

Jack Petersen was former heavyweight king of the British Empire the article started with and was actually in the Royal Air Force for England several months before the start of the war, being now Lieutenant Jack Petersen. So Petersen was already retired, but his career looked impressive considering how quickly he attained the British titles. The short excerpts from newspaper articles below illustrate that.

Jack Petersen - Welsh HW
Career Record: W35(KO 21) / L5(KO 4) / D0

TITLES:
BBBofC Welsh Area Heavyweight Title
BBBofC British Light Heavyweight Title
BBBofC British heavyweight Title
Commonwealth (British Empire) Heavyweight Title

Unknown information has been left blank.
DOB and DOD confirmed on Wiki website.
Real name, John Charles Peterson.

The default rating record, original from TB 1 found a posting that it may have been done by LeeSkye.

I retested the TBCB3 Team rating and thought is was way underpowered averaging only about 1/2 the stoppages Jack had. Articles I've read give me the impression he was a pretty hard puncher. Good power espeically in his right. So I changed things actucally back to some numbers like the original (LeeSkye?) rating. Tweeking a bit, results like a lot better to his record. All three ratings still included.

The following are some newspaper accounts following Jack Petersen's rise in a rapid one and half year time from amateur boxer to the British HW and LHW Championship along with the Welsh HW title! Within 2 years he would also capture the British Empire Commonwealth crown!

03 Jan 1931 Portsmouth Evening News, England - While still an anateur heavyweight, who was considered the most promising fighter Wales had ever turned out, was unable to make a trip with the Welsh Amateur Association to Norway, when he broke a leg!

14 Sept 1931 Daily News, London - Account of Jack Petersen's decision to turn pro. Mentions he's only 19 years old and the son of a physical culture expert in Cardiff. Mr. Teddy Lewis, manager of Jimmy Wilde is interested in Petersen. He's 6 ft 4 inches tall and has a terrific punch according to this article.

Several newspaper articles around 18-19 Sep 1931 mention that Petersen is to make his professional debut against Bill Partridge on the 26th. These articles also say Petersen was the A.B.A. light heavyweight champion back in March.

28 Sept 1931 Daily News, London states Jack Petersen is scheduled to debut this evening at the Stadium Club agains Bill Partridge.

29 Sept 1931 Staffordshire Sentinel, England along with several other papers on this date account Petersen's first professional fight on the 28th again Bill Partridge at the Stadium Club defeating Partridge in the 4th round of a scheduled 12. The BoxRec entry for Petersen's first fight, against Bill Partridge but places it on Sept 21t and it at Holborn Stadium, Holborn, also called The Stadium Club.

13 Oct 1931 Western Mail, Glamorgan, Wales - Petersen won his second fight against experienced heavyweight, Alf Noble. Petersen showed he had a punch as he brought Noble to his knees for a two count with a left hook to the jaw. Then after some brisk exchanges in close quarters, Petersen connected with a right to Noble's jaw sending Noble down for good within 30 seconds of that first round.

20 Oct 1931 Sheffield Daily Telegraph, Yorkshire, England- This account of Petersen's 3rd fight, with Jim Campbell notes he put Campbell down twice in the fight the first time within 9 seconds and the second and final time at 20 seconds in. BoxRec notes 22 seconds. This Telegraph account notes Campbell as a 17 st fighter. The Western Mail, Wales account puts the end of the fight at 22 seconds, the first time flooring Campbell for a count of 7.

27 Oct 1931 Sheffield Independent, Yorkshire, London - Petersen make short work of his opponent again as he dropped Jeff Wilson in the first round for a count of two with a right. Petersen forced the exchanges throughtout the first round. A left hook following with a right to the head forced Wilson back with Wilson just swinging wildly and holding. The second and third rounds were more of the same with Petersen doing the scoring and Wilson mainly covering up. At the end of the fourth round Wilson was forced to retire with a badly cut left eye.

03 Nov 1931 Daily News, London - At the Stadium Club, Jack Peterson decisioned George Porter in six rounds but Petersen showed the much better fighter and sent Porter down for a count of nine in the last round.

17 Nov 1931 Western Daily Press, Bristol - Took Jack Petersen just 1 minute into the 1st round against Tom wailes who was substituting for Jack Taylor with Wailes no match for Petersen.

24 Nov 1931 Dundee Courier, Angus, Scotland - Jack Petersen featured his left hand work to set up openings for his right to defeat Jack Stratton over six rounds.

8 Dec 1931 Western Mail, Glamorgan, Wales - Jack Petersen opened the fight with a series of lefts to George Browns face and was easily avoiding the swings from Brown. In the second Brown was more successful swinging with both hands and landed some to Petersen's head but did little damage. But, Petersen was getting careless some with his defense and in the fourth Brown connected with a right to Petersen's jaw staggering him. Petersen then in the last two rounds got more cautious but managed to outpoint Brown in those rounds to take the decision.

15 Dec 1931 Daily Herald, London - Jack Petersen beat Australian light heavyweight champion, Leo Bandias on points in 10 rounds. Petersen landed double handed punches in the opening rounds and sent Bandias down for a count of eight in the 3rd. In fourth round Bandias took more heavy punishment and was stunned with a right to the temple but managed to hang on and make some comeback in the fifth round getting some blows in while Patersen was missing. Petersen's speed and skill kept Bandias traveling around the ring and over the last three rounds kept the Australian in trouble but, Bandias managed to hang on to finish the fight.

22 Dec 1931 Daily Herald, London - Jack Petersen wond over 10 rounds against Gunner Mick Bennett. Petersen's quick lefts were most telling in controlling the fight as Bennett was hard pressed in evading Petersen's follow up rights. A right uppercut in the fifth round had Bennett on his heels but the bell saved him. Petersen was an easy points winner.

12 Jan 1932 Daily News, London - Up until the day of the fight, papers were reporting Jack Petersen to fight Lew Connor on the 11th. Instead he went in with apparent last minute sub, Jack Newitt and Petersen proceeded to knock out Newitt in 25 seconds! Right at the start, Petersen caught Newitt squarely "on the point", and sent him down for a count of four and in falling, Newitt banged his head hard on the canvas. Petersen immediately attacked back in and sent Newitt down again for a five count but Newitt could not make it up fully and his corner threw in the towel.

12 Jan 1932 Western Mail, Glamorgan, Wales - Newitt a boxer weighing 13st 8lbs and 6ft 3in in height crashed to the floor on receiving that first right to the jaw from Petersen and he fell forward and his forehead struck the floor very hard. The second right blow by Petersen then put Newitt out and his corner carried him off but he didn't recover there. An examination later found he suffered a concussion being examined by a doctor at ringside. He'd suffered a cut on his forehead from the fall. It was some minutes before he regained consciousness.

14 Jan 1932 Daily Herald, London - Announced that Jack Petersen would meet Dick Power, Welsh heavyweight champion over 15, 3 minute rounds at Cardiff on Feb 3rd. This fight was arrainged actually for Petersen and Power to fill in for another fight that was to have taken place for the Cardiff Infirmary Boxing Show. It was being noted in the paopers that this matchup had been in the works by various promoters for some time and being Petersen agreed to the fight to go the full championship course of 15 rounds and that Power, current Welsh champion and Petersen were the only two heavyweights within reach of each other's caliber in Wales, would this fight end up being held for the Welsh HW Title?

15 Jan 1932 Dundee Evening Telegraph, Angus, Scotland - And some other news articles are reporting of Jack Petersen's intention to first fight and win the British cruiser-weight (LHW) championship while he is still able to do the 12st. 7lb weight. So first indication he has been fighting around LHW/HW fight weights. Then after winning that his intention to fight for the heavy-weight championship. The Stadium Club was announcing it's intent to pup as much as £300 for the contest. The primary challangers being looked at by Petersen's camp were Harry Crossley(then British LHW champion) and Reggie Meen (then British HW champion).

15 Jan 1932 Western Mail, Glamorgan, Wales - Announced that the Welsh Boxing Board of Control had granted permission to the committee of the Cardiff Infirmary boxing tournament to stage a contest between Jack Petersen and Dick Power for the Welsh Heavyweight Championship.

So a number of things going on at this time for Jack Petersen as his star was rising rapidy in the British boxing arean! Within 5 months he would meet all three, Power, Crossley and Meen and take all three's titles! Then within 2 years after first loosing the British HW title to Len Harvey, he wins back the HW title from Harvey along with the British Empire (Commonwealth) Heavy Title!

JackPetersen retired in 1937 some time after he'd lost a 3rd time to German, Walter Neusel in February that year. In August the previous year he'd lost the British and Commonwealth HW titles to Ben Foord. In early 1939, Petersen joined the Territorial Army and when WW2 started he joined the regular army. His requests to serve abroad were refused. After the war he became involved with the BBBofC.