[JCWeb]

This report covers a total of 55 bouts taking place during the first half of May 1942. One WBA title bout is included in this report. (Having some computer issues right now, so the usual bolding will have to wait for editing after whatever it is clears itself up.)

May 5, 1942: The month kicks off with a Friday night card at Buffalo. In the feature match, two MWs do battle as long-time Commonwealth MW Champ, Canadian Lou Brouillard, faces Billy Soose, who briefly held the USBA MW title. It is the first meeting of these two, and both are now at Post-Prime career stage. Soose decks Brouillard with a big hook in the opening round; the Canadian fighter scrambles to his feet, and covers up to prevent further mishap and to last the round. Soose cannot follow up on his earlier success and, despite some puffiness under his right eye, the early KD provides the margin on the unofficial scorecard which has Soose up by two (48-46) at the halfway point. Into the later rounds, and Soose is the aggressor, but some smooth boxing and counterpunching from Brouillard is sufficient to negate his efforts. In round nine, a cut suddenly appears over Soose’s left eye. However, the bout goes the rest of the way without incident and, in the end, the winner in a close SD 10 is Brouillard (95-94 Brouillard, 94-95 Soose, 95-94 Brouillard). The win enables Brouillard to improve his career record to 35-16-3 (15). For Soose, another setback leaves him at 18-6-1 (12).

May 6, 1942: To the UK for the next fight card at the Stadium in Liverpool. The main event matches two Brits for the GBU BW title, currently held by Tom Smith. Smith’s challenger is former WBA BW Champ and current EBU BW titleholder Johnny King. It’s a rematch of a 1941 GBU title matchup that saw Smith the upset winner via a final round KO. Not much in the way of action until round three, when Smith suffers a cut over his left eye. By the end of round five, there is a trace of swelling around Smith’s injured left eye. At the midway point of the bout, the unofficial scorer has King in front (by a count of 58-56). In round eight, Smith battles back, and he manages to win the round, while also ripping open a cut over King’s left eye. Thus, the cornermen for both fighters have to deal with managing cuts. In round 10, King floors Smith with an uppercut; although Smith bounces back up after the count of two, the damage has been done. A second KD for King follows in round 11, and he goes on to wrap up a solid UD 12 triumph (118-108, 118-109, 1117-109) to capture the GBU belt. Post-bout career records: King, 54-9-1 (22); Smith, 21-11-6 (11).

May 6, 1942: Back to the States for the next fight card, at New Orleans’ Coliseum Arena. Featured is a USBA WW title tilt, with Izzy Jannazzo defending against challenger Jimmy Garrison. For Jannazzo, it is his fifth title defense of the belt he won back in 1940, and he holds a prior UD win over Garrison, who is seeking to end a three-bout losing streak. Jannazzo, the more skilled boxer of the two, pulls ahead after a strong showing in round three. Garrison does well to keep the bout close and, at the halfway point, Jannazzo is up by just two (59-57), according to the unofficial scorer at ringside. Into the second half of the bout, and Garrison tries to become more aggressive, but he is met by some stubborn defense from Jannazzo, who seems reluctant to lose his belt in this encounter. An all-out assault by a tired and frustrated Garrison in the last couple of rounds goes for naught; in the end, Jannazzo retains his belt, taking a UD 12 by a fairly comfortable points margin (119-110, 118-111,118-111). This win boosts Jannazzo’s career totals to 34-5-4 (13), and the loss leaves Garrison at 26-7-3 (2).

May 12, 1942: Next up is a Friday night card in a little used venue, the Nueva Circa in Caracas, Venezuela. The main event matches a veteran Cuban fighter with a Venezuelan newcomer – veteran Filio Julian Echevarria and prospect Oscar Calles – for Echevarria’s LABF FW title. First meeting of the two, and it is Echevarria’s first defense of the title he won back in 1940. Things seem to be going well for the defending Champ until round four, when he suffers a cut over his right eye. In round six, the cut is reopened, but a peek at the unofficial scorecard shows Echevarria well in front (by a count of 59-55). Calles mounts a rally, winning rounds eight and nine to keep the bout close. Echeverria bounces back with a big round in round 10, and Echevarria holds on to take a tense but UD 12 (115-113, 115-113, 116-112). Post-bout career records: Echevarria, 40-17-2 (12); Calles, 14-2 (6). Creditable effort by Calles in his first title bout.

May 13, 1942: Next card takes place at the Forum in Montreal. Impressive young LH prospect Ezzard Charles is an added attraction on the undercard, where he pummels a TC opponent in a scheduled eight-rounder, winning via a third round TKO to boost his career record to 7-0 (6). In the main event, top 10 LW, a popular Canadian Dave Castilloux, carries a five-bout winning streak into a 10-round, non-title bout with Lew Jenkins, the “Sweetwater Swatter,” a former USBA LW Champion. In the opening round, Jenkins lands a sharp three-punch combo that causes Castilloux to cover up. More of the same in round three, when a Jenkins cross rocks Castilloux, and the cover up is employed once again. Then, two minutes into round five, Jenkins connects with a big hook and, this time, Castilloux goes down and is unable to beat the count. Impressive KO 5 for Jenkins, who improves his career record to 25-2-3 (12), moving into the top 10 as a result. The loss drops Castilloux to 29-10-3 (9).

May 13, 1942: And, to the West Coast and the Cow Palace in San Francisco for an exciting fight card, topped by a WBA title clash. In the main supporting bout, two top LHs do battle, as former WBA LH Champ Tony Shucco takes on the current GBU LH titleholder, Freddie Mills, in a non-title affair. First meeting of the two, and Shucco is looking to bounce back from a title loss to Archie Moore, while Mills is looking to move up the ranks after an impressive win over another former WBA Champ, Gus Lesnevich, in his most recent outing. Mills strikes in the opening round, dropping Shucco with a sharp combination; the ex-Champ is forced to cover up to avoid further damage after scrambling back to his feet. Shucco relies on his slick boxing ability, trying to stay out of range of Mills’ power, while Mills remains the aggressor, seeking to force the action on the inside. At the halfway point, the unofficial scorer at ringside calls it a stalemate (47-47, including a 10-8 for Mills in opening round where he scored the knockdown). It is a close bout, and the issue remains in doubt down to the final few rounds. Mills finishes with a slightly swollen right eye, the target of much of Shucco’s counterpunches. After a long wait, the judges’ decision is announced, and Mills comes away as a SD 10 winner (94-95 Shucco, 96-95 Mills, 96-94 Mills), with Mills taking the final round on all three cards to squeak through with another win over a former WBA LH Champ. Post-bout career marks: 23-4-1 (13) for Mills; 37-16-1 (13) for Shucco. These two recent wins certainly enhance Mills’ standings as a future WBA title contender. Speaking of WBA titles, the main event matches WBA BW Champ K. O. Morgan, who makes the first defense of that belt, won last year from Panama Al Brown; his opponent is another former WBA BW titleholder and #1 contender, Georgie Pace. It’s a rematch of a 1940 matchup for this same belt that resulted in a TKO win for Pace, ending Morgan’s first title reign. Overall, it is the fourth meeting of these two, with the scorecard standing at one win, one loss, and one draw apiece. A lot of posturing and dancing around the ring by both men in the opening few rounds, with most of the early exchanges seeming to favor the Champion. After the first five rounds, it’s anyone’s bout as indicated by the unofficial scorecard that has the bout even (48-all) at the one-third point. In the middle rounds, Pace begins to assert himself, scoring well with a big round in the eighth, and by the end of round nine, Morgan is suffering from a rapidly swelling right eye. After 10, the unofficial card shows a dramatic swing toward the challenger, who leads by a solid margin (98-93) after winning the last six rounds on the unofficial scorer’s card. In order to reverse this alarming trend, Morgan steps up the pace and intensity of his attack, actively pursuing his opponent in the hope of a knockout or at least a knockdown. Pace is content to stay on the outside, keeping his distance, but the punches landed stats show a much narrower margin, plus Morgan might have the edge as the defending Champ in judging any close rounds. In the final few rounds, with both men on the verge of exhaustion, very little in the way of solid blows are landed, and after the full 15, the outcome is in the hands of the three judges. To the surprise of many who had Pace lifting the belt, the verdict goes the way of Morgan, who retains his title via a MD 15 (143-142, 143-143, 145-140) and, as in the prior bout, the final round – with all three judges going for the defending Champ – proved decisive. With the win, Morgan improves to 36-12-8 (17). The loss drops Pace’s career totals to 28-11-2 (19) overall. Another exciting WBA title bout in the books.