[JCWeb]

This report includes bouts from the first half of January 1949. One WBA title bout is included.

Jan. 1, 1949: The year commences with a New Year’s Day card at the Rand Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa. No titles at stake, and the main event features two top 10 Flyweights, as Jackie Paterson takes on Hans Schiffers. One prior meeting, in 1947, resulted in a points win for Paterson. This time around, Paterson is the more active of the two, carrying the fight to Schiffers through the opening few rounds. By the end of the fourth round, a mouse has formed under the right eye of Schiffers. At the midpoint of the bout, Paterson has opened up a solid points lead (50-47), according to the unofficial scorer at ringside. Schiffers tries to up the pace and become more aggressive in the later rounds, but to no avail. Paterson prevails via a comfortable UD 10 (98-93, 100-91, 97-94) to boost his career totals to 33-8-2 (19). The loss drops Schiffers to 29-14-5 (8).

Jan. 7, 1949: Next is the season’s traditional Friday night offering, taking place at the “Aud” in Buffalo. Two LH contenders are paired in the main event, with former WBA Champ Gus Lesnevich being matched with Young Joe Louis. Both fighters are past their prime, and it is the first meeting of the two. It’s a cautious start by both men, and the bout remains extremely close through the opening few rounds. By the halfway point of the contest, Louis has gradually pulled ahead on points (49-46), according to the unofficial scoring at ringside. Early in round six, a sharp exchange causes a cut to appear above Lesnevich’s left eye. The cut continues to ooze blood into the following round, but then Lesnevich manages to land a sharp jab that leads to a split lip, so both corners are busy patching up cuts in between rounds. With the cut lip brought under control, Louis is able to reassert control in round eight, reopening the cut over Lesnevich’s eye. Then, when the cut over the eye is reopened a second time in the ninth round, the ref has seen enough, so Louis is declared the TKO 9 victor on the cuts stoppage. Post-bout career marks: Louis, 32-19-1 (15); Lesnevich, 41-22-3 (17).

Jan. 8, 1949: To Rome for the next card, and the EBU WW title is at stake in the featured main event, as Italy’s Egisto Peyre defends that belt versus British challenger Cliff Curvis. First meeting of the two, and Curvis outboxes the Italian to compile an early lead in the punches landed stats over the opening three rounds. Then, suddenly, midway through the fourth stanza, Peyre unleashes a barrage of blows that put Curvis down and out. KO 4 for Peyre, who retains the belt, improving to 29-6-3 (14). The loss, only the second of Curvis’ career, leaves him at 21-1-1 (1).

Jan. 14, 1949: Next is the first Friday night fights “Down Under” card, taking place at Melbourne Stadium in Aussie-land. Main event is for the Commonwealth LW title, currently held by Norm Gent. Gent is challenged for this belt by none other than Vic Patrick, veteran LW campaigner who formerly held this title as well as (briefly) the WBA LW crown. The two have not met before, and Patrick is at Post-Prime for this bout, but still a formidable competitor. The bout devolves into a typical boxer versus slugger confrontation, with Patrick taking on the slugger role. Gent, the more accurate puncher of the two, has the early edge in the punch count stats. The bout remains a close one, however, as the unofficial scorer has it even (58-58) at the halfway point. Nonetheless, the stamina factor favors Gent, as Patrick is beginning to show signs of fatigue as early as round seven. A frazzled and frantic looking Patrick steps up the pace in the latter stages, hoping to turn things around. In the end, Patrick’s efforts fall short, and Gent keeps the belt via a close but UD 12 (115-114, 115-114, 116-113), improving to 21-4-3 (7) overall. Patrick slips to 31-7-1 (22) with the loss.

Jan. 15, 1949: A big card at Philadelphia, with a couple of vacant belts in the WW division to be decided. With “Sugar” Ray Robinson moving up to WW, that leaves the WBA WW title up for grabs, and NABF Champ Jimmy Sherrer will challenge veteran and former Champ Henry Armstrong for the vacant belt. First up, however, Billy Graham and George Costner take to the ring to contest the USBA WW title, vacated by Sherrer after he won the NABF belt. Costner, who defeated Graham in an earlier contest, is attempting to bounce back after being blasted out in the second round by Robinson in his most recent outing. The action heats up in the very opening round, when Graham connects with a hard cross that draws blood, opening a cut over Costner’s left eye. It takes awhile for Costner’s corner to deal with the cut, and Graham takes advantage, building a solid lead in the punches landed count. The cut is reopened in the sixth round and, at the midway point of the contest, Graham has a nice points lead (59-55), according to the unofficial scorer’s card. Despite the cut, Costner soldiers on, taking a more aggressive posture as the bout enters its later stages. The cut continues to be a problem, as it is reopened again in round seven and also, in round eight. Finally, after being reopened once again in the ninth round, the bout comes to an end, and Graham is declared a TKO 9 victor on the cuts stoppage. Post-bout career marks: Graham, 24-9-1 (11); Costner, 27-10-2 (16). Then, in the main event, “Homicide Hank” Armstrong attempts to revive his former years of glory as he faces Jimmy Sherrer for the recently vacated WBA WW title. It is the first meeting of the two, and Armstrong comes out swinging, scoring well in the opening round. Sherrer starts slowly and is content to remain mainly on the outside, in an effort to blunt Armstrong’s power; a strong third round puts Sherrer back in contention. At the one third mark, Armstrong has a slight edge in points (48-47) on the unofficial scorecard. Into the middle rounds, and Sherrer begins to settle into a rhythm, while Armstrong seems to slow from his frantic pace in the opening couple of rounds. Near the end of round eight, however, a quick flurry to the head of Sherrer by Armstrong opens a cut over Sherrer’s right eye. The cut is quickly patched up between rounds, and some solid boxing by Sherrer in the next couple of rounds evens the score on the unofficial card (95-95) with five rounds remaining. However, the cut over Sherrer’s eye was reopened near the end of round ten, and more attention to the cut is needed by Sherrer’s corner. Late in round 11, Sherrer connects with an overhand right that drops Armstrong to the canvas. “Homicide Hank” takes an eight count, but the damage has been done, as Sherrer has the upper hand heading into the final rounds. However, Armstrong continues to battle, focusing on the cut. With seconds remaining in the penultimate round, Armstrong manages to reopen the cut a second time, and the ref orders an immediate stoppage. Over the protests from Sherrer’s corner, the bout goes in the books as a TKO 14 for Armstrong on the cuts stoppage. The win lifts Armstrong to 56-11-3 (45) overall, while the loss (Sherrer’s third) leaves him at 24-3 (13). Early candidate for Fight of the Year, but also some tough luck for Sherrer, who was ahead on all three cards and just one round away from the WBA title.