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After a few trials and tribulations following the installation of a new graphics card, 1908 is in the books. I took some notes on the World Title fights and will add them here in the form of commentary along with some additional comments on some of the up-and-coming prospects in each division. The first report, of course, covers the Heavyweight Division.

WBA Title Fights:
Phila Jack O'Brien CH (44-3-1) vs Mike Schreck #8 (21-9)

Phila Jack opted for a relatively easy opponent for his first title defense. Schreck was cut near the left eye early on, and soon thereafter the cut was reopened by O'Brien. While Schreck gamely fought on, O'Brien piled up the points lead, reopened the cut once again in round 8, then opened a cut over the other eye, all of which led to an early stoppage. O'Brien by TKO 11.

Phila Jack O'Brien CH (45-3-1) vs Tommy Burns #5 (26-5-2)

Burns got himself back in the title picture by capturing the Commonwealth title belt via a foul by Sam Langford. The bout was close in the early rounds, and when O'Brien moved inside Burns caught him with an overhand right to score the first KD in round 3. Round 4 saw Burns become even more aggressive, taking the fight to O'Brien and putting the former LH down for the count wiht a big left hook. The title changes hands! Burns by KO 4.

Tommy Burns CH (27-5-2) vs Bill Squires #19 (15-13)

Burns travels down under for his first defense against his successor as Commonwealth champ, "Boshter" Bill Squires. A pro-Squires Aussie crowd saw the Boshter charge out, looking for an early KO. But Burns outboxed the Aussie, piling up a points lead from the outside. A cut opened over the left eye of Squires in round 2, and his corner had trouble closing it. Squires was decked by Burns early in round 4, but he eschewed the cover up approach, as it was all or nothing for the Boshter. Burns countered by reopening the cut and soon thereafter another Burns hook put the Boshter down for the count. Good action fight. Burns by KO 4.

NABF: The title stayed with James Jeffries, who defended twice versus Marvin Hart (UD 12) and Mike Schreck (TKO 3).

USBA: McVey defended versus Hart (UD 12), but then ex-champ Jack Johnson bested McVey (UD 12) and defended once versus Denver Ed Martin (KO 1).

CBU: Burns, as mentioned earlier, took the title from Langford (WDQ 1), vacated it after winning the WBA belt, then Squires defeated fellow Aussie Bill Lang (KO 6) and defended versus Jack Munroe (TKO 9).

GBU: An aging Jack Palmer retained the belt with a draw versus TC Ray Farquahr (TD 5) then was ousted by up-and-comer William Iron Hague (KO 3) who ascends to the British crown in only his 9th bout.

Jan 1909 Rankings (pp and changes from last year in parens)

Champ Tommy Burns 28-5-2 (22) (1006) (up 7)
1. Jack Johnson 57-4-2 (45) (1212) (NC)
2. James Jeffries 46-5-3 (40) (1186) (NC)
3. Phila Jack O'Brien 45-4-2 (25) (980) (down 3)
4. Joe Jeannette 22-1 (18) (894) (up 1)
5. Sam Langford 26-5 (21) (850) (down 2)
6. Sam McVey 24-5 (16) (811) (down 2)
7. Bob Armstrong 38-17-1 (31) (810) (down 1)
8. Al Kaufmann 19-4 (12) (502) (up 2)
9. Denver Ed Martin 23-13-1 (20) (485) (up 4)
10. John Haines 24-14-3 (12) (473) (down 1)

Everyone is at Prime career stage except "Klondyke" Haines, who hits his retirement year in 1909 and is thus moved to Post-Prime. Mike Schreck, #8 last year, dropped just outside the Top Ten to #11. Newly-crowned GBU champ Hague at 8-1 (7) debuts at #12 (424 pp). CBU champ Squires is further back at #18 with a 15-14 (11) mark (231 pp). Top TC is Ray Farquahr at #23 with 95 pp.

Johnson and Jeffries, both rated higher than Burns, will likely be agitating for a Title shot versus the Canadian--Jeff has one more year before hitting Post-Prime in 1910. Phila Jack O'Brien faces a dilemna -- his less than scintillating draw with the aging vet Tom Sharkey (in Sharkey's final bout) means he may seriously be looking at returning to the easier competition in the LH Division. Joe Jeannette has now won 5 in a row since his only loss to McVey in 1907, and he now seeks his first Title shot. Langford lost the CBU Title and then a close bout to Johnson. McVey also suffered two losses in 1908.

Prospects: Frank Moran who compiled an impressive 7-0 (5) record in his first year is probably the top young prospect in the division. Jim Barry who sports a 10-2 (9) mark lost to Sharkey and Kaufmann but has a win over the always tough Joe Grim. Jim Stewart is 8-1-1 (6) with a win over Matthew Curran, the only fighter to defeat Iron Hague, plus a draw with Grim after an upset loss to a TC. Curran's record stands at 7-1 (4). Joplin Ghost Jeff Clarke and Irishman Jem Roche show promise and have identical 5-0-1 marks. Jim Savage is 4-0 (3). Victor McLaglen has been disappointing, with a 4-1-2 (2) record after his first year. In 1909, Aussie Colin Bell and Americans Tom McMahon and Gunboat Smith headline another strong crop of young heavyweights set to make their debuts.

Retirements: Four HWs hung up the gloves, their career records:

Frank Gotch (USA) 1901-1908 13-15 (9) No Titles
Gus Ruhlin (USA) 1896-1908 24-24-1 (19) USBA Champ
Jack Munroe (CAN) 1900-1908 16-14 (9) CBU Champ
Tom Sharkey (IRL) 1893-1908 47-15-3 (42) No Titles

Obviously Sharkey was the best of the bunch, but he had the misfortune of being matched up in his four WBA Title contests with some very strong boxers in the prime of their careers (Peter Jackson, James Corbett and twice versus James Jeffries).