[QBL]

PITTSBURGH, PA

Today, the inaugural Federal Tournament champion was crowned in Pittsburgh, the first stop on a series of tours to take place for prizefighters barnstorming across the US with federal financial backing. A crowd of several thousand attended the event, hosted at the Exposition Grounds along the Allegheny River. A raucous crowd rallied behind local prizefight champion Jeremy Wethington, renowned by locals in the know as perhaps the most feared fighter in the northern Appalachian region. The other competitors came from far and wide to compete at the behest of their country and region, including Philadelphia's young Bob McDowell, Nathan Wright and Jacob Phillips of New York, David Moser of Buffalo, Dennis Patterson and Doug Luckett from different parts of New England, and Chicago's John Whittier.

In our first bout, Jacob Phillips, considered by some the tournament favorite, dominated John Whittier, defeating him within 3 rounds via knockout in a bout where Whitter was constantly battered from post to post. Phillips moved on to the next round with relative ease.

Local man Jeremy Wethington is likely the most veteran of competitors, the oldest in the entire tournament. He had to be resilient in a close match against David Moser, who he went to a decision with, only securing a majority decision. Waiting with bated breath, local men rejoiced when the decision was announced, though a frustrated Moser expressed to the press following the bout that he felt it unfair that judges were selected from the local populace.

Bob McDowell shocked many as the young man beat his senior Dennis Patterson with ease via KO in the third round after knocking Patterson down a second time.

Nathan Wright and Doug Luckett would go the distance in an exciting bout. Both men were worse for wear after the match, bloodied and bruised in front of an awestruck crowd amazing that they still stood after the beatings they had laid upon each other.

Jeremy Wethington met John Phillips as the local star met the tournament favorite in the semi-final a week later. This bout had perhaps the most exciting crowd of the entire tournament, with both men putting their heavy hands on display and delivering some truly devastating strikes to the other. Both still stood until the crowd exploded with the fall of Phillips, who failed to beat the ten count, granting the local man heroic status and the victory.

Bob McDowell and Nathan Wright went to a rather bore decision in which McDowell would earn the unanimous victory, moving on to face Wethington in the final.

But in the final, McDowell would be outmatched by Wethington, energized by yet another crowd frantically shouting for his victory. Wethington would knock down McDowell twice in this one, and Bob failed to rise again after being knocked down in the tenth round. Wethington earned his cash prize in front of a proud and satisfied crowd, establishing himself at the first Federal Tournament champion, likely the first legal professional boxing champion in history.