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This report covers a total of 47 bouts taking place during the first half of April 1942. One WBA title bout is included in this report.

Apr. 3, 1942: The month kicks off with a Friday night card at Atlantic City’s Convention Hall. Featured in the main event are two top 10 ranked WWs – Eddie Dolan and Jackie Wilson – in a 10-round, non-title affair. The two have not met before. Action in the early rounds seems to favor Dolan, a former WBA WW Champion who is still in Prime career condition. Wilson bounces back, dominating the action in round five; the unofficial scorer has Wilson up by two (48-46) at the halfway point, although the punches landed stats tell a different story, putting Dolan on top. Urged on by his corner, Dolan takes a more aggressive posture for the second half of the bout. Early in the eighth round, Wilson connects with a three-punch combination that stuns Dolan, who covers up and manages to last the round. Both men appear weary headed into the final two rounds. Wilson maintains the edge with a strong round nine, and – with the outcome hanging in the balance -- Dolan battles back, taking the final round and eking out a close SD 10 win (95-94 Dolan, 94-95 Wilson, 95-94 Dolan) to improve his career record to 36-9-5 (13). For Wilson, this is just his third loss, leaving him at 24-3-2 (15).

Apr. 4, 1942: A huge crowd has gathered at Johannesburg’s Rand Stadium, for a WBA Flyweight title contest. In the title matchup, Jackie Jurich – making the fifth defense of the WBA belt he won in 1940 – faces EBU Fly Champ Peter Kane, who has defended that title twice after losing a WBA title matchup with Jurich a little more than a year ago. However, Kane did take a UD over Jurich in his native London, but that was back in 1938, when both men were still at Pre-Prime career stage. In this bout, Kane – the slugger – starts well, outboxing Jurich to take the opening round. After another solid round in the second, Kane moves inside in round three and tries to apply pressure on the defending Champ. This does not turn out so well, as Jurich begins to find the range, landing repeatedly and causing a trace of swelling to appear under Kane’s right eye. After a close round four, Jurich appears to be comfortably in control; after the first five rounds, the unofficial scorer has him in front (49-46, which seems a bit generous). In round six, there is an accidental clash of heads, and a gash is opened over the right eye of Jurich as a result. Kane becomes more aggressive, targeting the cut, but in round seven, Jurich’s defense remains solid and he lands enough punches to take the round, while the cut (due to some great cornerwork) remains closed. In round eight, another clash of heads, and this time it is Kane who suffers the cut, also over the right eye. Meanwhile, Jurich has remained active, and his two-fisted attack has caused additional swelling, this under Kane’s other (left) eye. With both eyes now puffing up, and a cut to boot, Kane’s corner has suddenly become very busy, particularly since the cut appears to be in a difficult spot. After 10 rounds, it’s a solid lead for Jurich (98-92) on the unofficial scorecard. Into the later rounds, and Kane is already tiring badly, while Jurich remains energetic and active, confident of victory at this point. Jurich eases up some in the last few rounds, but Kane is unable to mount any kind of a sustained rally. The bout goes the distance, and Jurich goes on to register a UD 15 triumph (146-139, 143-142, 145-140) – although it was surprisingly close on one judge’s card. Post-bout career records: Jurich, 24-3-1 (17); Kane, 24-4-1 (11). All in all, a rather lackluster performance by the British challenger after such a promising start in the opening two rounds.

Apr. 4, 1942: Back to the States for a packed card at Chicago’s Comiskey Park. A USBA title bout tops the agenda, and the main supporting bout features hot WW prospect “Sugar” Ray Robinson, who looks to add another notch to his belt, as he faces journeyman Leonard Del Genio in a 10-round, non-title affair. Robinson dominates the action for the first couple of rounds but, as the bout progresses, Del Genio offers some stubborn resistance. By the midway point, there is some puffiness around the right eye of “Sugar” Ray, but the unofficial scorecard has Robinson ahead (49-46). Into the later rounds and, while both men begin showing signs of fatigue, Robinson appears to have matters well in hand despite a game effort from Del Genio. Robinson puts Del Genio down in the eighth, and again in the 10th and final round. The bout goes the distance, with the result – a solid UD 10 win for Robinson (98-91, 97-91, 98-91) never really in doubt. Robinson, still unbeaten, improves to 13-0 (10) with the win, while Del Genio, who has seen better days, ends up 17-13-3 (12) after the loss. Then, in the main event, Mike Belloise is on hand to make his initial defense of the USBA FW title he won earlier in 1942. His opponent, Everett Rightmire, managed to nick a SD win over Belloise back in 1937, but was TKO’d in a rematch several years later. Cagey start from both men, with the Rightmire holding his own in the early going. Not much in the way of heavy leather landed by either fighter but the punches landed stats favor the challenger who, according to the unofficial card, has forged a two-point edge (59-57) at the midway point. Into the second half of the bout, and Belloise tries to counter by applying more pressure, but he is unable to find any weaknesses in a solid defensive front presented by Rightmire. In the final few rounds, sensing the title slipping away, Belloise goes headhunting, looking for the knockout, but he simply is unable to break down Rightmire’s defenses. Rightmire manages to lift the belt via a close, but UD 12 (116-113, 116-114, 116-114), regaining a title he had held once previously. Post-bout career records: Rightmire, 32-12-3 (14); Belloise, 29-13-7 (11).

Apr. 10, 1942: Next is a Friday night card in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The main event, a non-title affair, features unbeaten MW prospect and hometown favorite Jose Basora, who faces an aging but veteran campaigner, former WBA MW Champ Freddie Steele, in a 10-round bout. After a close three opening rounds, Steele takes charge in round four, rocking Basora with a hard jab, forcing the Puerto Rican fighter to cover up. At the halfway point, the unofficial scorer – perhaps influenced by the pro-Basora crowd – has the bout even (48-all). Into the second half of the bout and, to the delight of the crowd, both men take an aggressive approach, looking to land some damaging blows. By the end of the seventh round, there is noticeable swelling around the right eye of Basora. Into the final three rounds, with both men beginning to tire, the action slows somewhat, but the outcome remains in the balance. Then, late in the ninth round, Basora drops Steele with a short, clean right cross that comes out of nowhere. Steele, who is saved by the bell, returns to his corner, with blood streaming from a gash over his left eye. He manages to finish the bout, but the damage is done, as the one KD is sufficient to propel Basora to a close but UD 10 win (95-94 on all three cards). With the win, Basora remains perfect, running his career totals to 19-0 (15). The loss drops Steele to 50-9-1 (34).

Apr. 11, 1942: Philadelphia is the scene for the next fistic action. Topping the card is a non-title bout involving two MWs, as Aaron Wade faces Coley Welch. First time either of these fighters – both of whom are still seeking their first title shot – in a main event. The two battle on relatively even terms through the opening few rounds, with Welch holding a slight edge in terms of the punches landed stat. At the halfway point, and a after a big fifth round for Welch, the unofficial scorer at ringside has Welch ahead by only by a point (49-48). Into the later rounds, and Wade, sensing the bout slipping away, opts to step up the pressure, going on the offensive. Welch remains alert and vigilant, and his defense remains solid. The bout proceeds to decision without incidents (no cuts or knockdowns), and the UD 10 goes to Welch, although by a close margin on all three cards (96-95, 96-94, 96-94). Post-bout career marks: Welch, 22-3-3 (10); Wade, 26-5-1 (12).

Apr. 11, 1942: To Canada and Toronto’s Maple Leaf Gardens for the next card, and the main event matches up current EBU LW Champ Aldo Spoldi with a former CBU LW titleholder, South Africa’s Laurie Stevens. The two have met once before, in 1938, with Spoldi claiming a TKO win in his native Italy. Good action bout from the opening bell, with both men active and seeking to land some heavy blows. Despite all this activity, neither man can break through; at the halfway point of the 10-rounder, Stevens has a slight edge (48-47) on the unofficial scorecard. Punches landed stat favors Spoldi, but the stamina factor seems to favor Stevens. Then, in round seven, Stevens rips open a gash over Spoldi’s right eye. The cut continues to ooze blood in the following round, and Spoldi follows up, stunning Stevens with a good shot as well as causing some puffiness around the other (left) eye of the Italian fighter. With the cut finally under control, Spoldi lets loose on an all-out offensive in the final two rounds, but Stevens manages to stay out of range, and he is rewarded with a UD 10 (98-94, 98-92. 97-93), although the bout seemed a bit closer than the 98-92 score from one judge. With the win, his third in succession, Stevens improves to 30-8-1 (19) overall. The loss drops Spoldi to 41-10-5 (15).