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Old 05-05-2006, 04:57 AM   #58
JCWeb
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Join Date: Jun 2005
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1909-Bantamweights

WBA Title Bouts

Johnny Coulon Ch (20-1) vs Harry Harris #5 (43-6-1)

Coulon elects to test his mettle against the legendary but aging ex-champ, Harris. After an inconsequential opening round, Harris' long-range jabs begin to tell as he takes round 2, also causing swell around the champ's right eye. After an even 3rd round, Coulon moved inside against a defensive-minded Harris in the 4th, landing a few good shots while missing on others to control the action. Harris was more active in round 5, landing a combination to send Coulon to the canvas. Harris then moved inside while Coulon tried to clear his head. A more aggressive posture by Coulon in round 7 did no good as Harris was able to land his countershots and score at will. Both work outside in rounds 8 and 9, and Harris is gradually wearing Coulon down. Coulon tries hard to pin down Harris in the later rounds, but the ex-champ sticks and moves, executing well to give the younger Coulon a boxing less. Harris wins Title with UD 15.

Harry Harris CH (44-6-1) vs Biz Mackey #1 (28-6-2)

Tough first defense right off the bat-- Harris carries a 1-0 lifetime mark versus the top-ranked challenger into the bout. Mackey, looking to change things, applies pressure right from the start. Harris lands some effective countershots. Mackey mixes it up, working outside in round 2. Harris, at 37, may not have the legs to stay with the younger challenger. Harris tries to work inside, but Mackey keeps him off base, and then lands a strong blow at the end of the 5th that forces the champ to cover up. Harris comes right back to stagger Mackey in round 6, forcing another cover up and then the champ scores the first KD of the bout. Mackey barely hangs on and both men take a breather in the middle rounds. Mackey backs Harris up in round 9 but can't land any decisive blows. Harris uses his boxing skills to dominate and surprisingly, it is the younger Mackey who tires first. A split lip doesn't deter the challenger from pressing forward in rounds 12 and 12, but Harris holds his own to win the nod from the judges. Harris by UD 15 (143-141, 143-141, 145-139).

Harry Harris CH (45-6-1) vs Johnny Coulon #1 (21-2)

An opportunity for Coulon to regain the Title he lost to Harris earlier in the year--and not much action in the initial rounds as both men elect to keep their distance. Coulon lands the more telling blows to take round 3. Round 4 is even, and both move inside to start round 5. Coulon does well on both the inside and outside, mixing it up, while Harris is perhaps too defensive-minded, allowing the younger challenger to pile up a points lead. Not much action in the middle rounds as both conserve energy for the final push. Coulon works inside in round 10, lands a few good shots, but Harris is doing enough to keep the bout close. As the bout winds down, Coulon sits on his lead and Harris, in the end, is unable to overcome his younger foe. Coulon by UD 15 (147-142, 147-142, 146-143).

Johnny Coulon CH (22-2) vs Tommy Feltz #13 (24-14-2)

Feltz qualified for a title shot with an upset win over Frankie Conley. No prior meetings, and Coulon enters the ring as a heavy favorite. Flet works inside but Coulon's superior defense thwarts his efforts. Both work outside in round 2, slight edge to Feltz. Both mix it up in round 3, and the Champ takes control with a dominating performance in round 5. A game Feltz is still full of fight, however. The Chicago Spider dominates from the outside in round 7, and Feltz's right eye starts swelling up as a result of the accumulated blows. In round 9, Feltz able to work on the champ's left eye, which also puffs up. Coulon sticks and move to take round 11 then goes into a defensive shell the rest of the way. Coulon is cut in the 13th but some feverish cornerwork patches it up. Coulon by UD 15.

Lesser Titles

NABF: Kid Murphy wrests the belt from Al Delmont (MD 12), then Coulon takes it from Murphy (UD 12). After Coulon regains the WBA crown, Hugh McGovern defeats Joseph Biderberg (aka Louisiana) for the vacant title (MD 12). Three new champs in three title bouts.

USBA: The year starts off with the crown vacant (Coulon had held it prior to winning the World title for the first time) and Frankie Neil finally wins a belt with a convincing 5-round KO win over Harry Forbes. Neil follows up with a KO 9 over Monte Attell, but then manages to lose it when is called for a foul and DQ'ed against Frankie Conley, who ends the year as the US titleholder.

CBU: Joe Bowker kept the crown when he fought a 12-round draw with Digger Stanley (Stanley's EBU belt was up for grabs at the same time).

GBU: One defense by Digger Stanley, a KO 6 over the aging and ineffective Thomas Pedlar Palmer.

EBU: Stanley kept the crown, only risked it in the above-referenced match with Bowker that ended in a draw, no titles changing hands.

Jan 1910 Rankings (perf pts and changes from prior year in parens)
Champ: Johnny Coulon 23-1 (13) (886) (NC)
1. Biz Mackey 28-7-3 (12) (770) (NC)
2. Harry Harris 45-7-1 (30) (740) (up 2)
3. Kid Murphy 21-8 (16) (664) (NC)
4. Digger Stanley 23-13-2 (8) (610) (up 8)
5. Frankie Neil 26-13-1 (16) (584) (up 1)
6. Hugh McGovern 24-9-1 (12) (560) (up 4)
7. Al Delmont 25-8-1 (14) (555) (up 1)
8. Frankie Conley 16-4 (12) (533) (down 3)
9. Harry Forbes 28-21-4 (12) (499) (down 7)
10. Monte Attell 16-8-1 (10) (485) (up 1)

Of the top guys, Forbes, Harris and Neil are all at Post-Prime, the others (including Conley now) are at Prime. Bowker, the CBU champ, stands at 27-12-3 (14) with 435 PP and is ranked 12th (he dropped from 9th the prior year after consecutive losses to Neil and FW Johnny Kilbane). Phil McGovern took the biggest tumble, dropping from 7th down to 15th after losing 3 of 4 to Delmont, Feltz and prospect Phila. Pal Moore). Mackey stayed at number one despite winning only one bout in 1909 and only managing a draw against Delmont. Kid Murphy has won 5 of his last 6 and may be ready to challenge for a title. Digger Stanley is on a bit of a roll, winning 4 of his last 5. Conley suffered losses to Feltz and M Attell earlier in the year and needed the US title win to salvage his year.

Top prospect appears to be Phila Pal Moore, who is 10-0-1 (5) with quality wins over Biderberg and Phil McGovern, being held to a draw by the other top prospect, Frankie Burns, who has a 9-1-1 (6) record, losing a SD 10 to Neil. Biderberg (Louisiana) is now 9-3 after losing three times in 1909 to Kid Murphy, Pal Moore and H McGovern. Frenchman Charles Ledoux is a perfect 5-0 (all KDs) versus TCs. Debuting in 1910 will be Eddie Campi and Kid Williams.

There is one ranked TC in the division, Carl DeWitt who is #17 with a 12-10-1 (4) mark and 128 pp. All the others (with at least 10 bouts) have losing records.

No retirements in 1909, but Morris Rauch and Pedlar Palmer are at the End stage and likely to hang it up in 1910.

Overall Division Stats:

Total Boxers: 61 (25 real-life, 36 TCs)
Real-life career stage: 3 at Beginner (all new), 5 at Pre, 12 at Prime, 3 at Post, 2 at End
Ranked: 19
800 + : 1
500 + : 9
200 + : 16
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