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JCWeb · 03-01-2006, 01:57 PM

This is part 1 of 7 devoted to the first quarter-century in each of the active divisions. Since it covers the heavyweights, it will be the longest as this division has had by far the most action (number of title bouts, number of boxers and a surprisingly large number of World Title Holders).

History of WBA World Title Lineage 1880-1905

84 title bouts
15 different champions
title changed hands 22 times
here's the history (number of successful defenses in parens)

1880-1882 Tommy Chandler (3)
1882 John L Sullivan (1)
1882 George Old Chocolate Godfrey (0)
1882-1883 John L Sullivan (2)
1883-1884 Joe Coburn (0)
1884-1888 Peter Jackson (12)
1888 John L Sullivan (0)
1888 Jimmy Elliot (0)
1888 Tommy Chandler (0)
1888-1889 John C Heehan (4)
1889-1890 Jake Knifton (0)
1890 Bob Fitzsimmons (0)
1890-1891 John L Sullivan (0)
1891 George Old Chocolate Godfrey (0)
1891 Peter Jackson (1)
1891-1892 Peter Courtney (0)
1892-1896 James Corbett (9)
1896-1897 Dick Matthews (1)
1897-1899 Peter Jackson (7)
1899-1901 James Corbett (9)
1901-1902 Bob Armstrong (0)
1902-1905 James Jeffries (10)
1905- Jack Johnson (2)

Alot of turmoil in the divison's early years, as only Jackson and Corbett put together long streaks at the top. More recently, Jeffries and Johnson have come to the fore, and Jack seems poised for a long run. (Side-note here: just finished reading "Unforgivable Blackness," a biography of Johnson that is out in paperback, and I recommend it -- many fighters from this era are in the book) All those who were champions IRL made it to the top except for Burns and Hart, who are still active. In fact, Burns will be Jack's first title defense in 1906 set where -- you guessed it -- Sydney, Australia.

CURRENT TOP TEN

Champion: Jack Johnson 49-3-2 (40)
1. James Jeffries 35-4-2 (30)
2. Sam Langford 17-1 (14)
3. Bob Armstrong 31-14-1 (25)
4. Tommy Burns 23-3 (18)
5. Sam McVey 16-1 (13)
6. Tom Sharkey 39-12-2 (36)
7. Mike Schreck 16-6 (13)
8. Marvin Hart 22-10 (13)
9. Rafe Jenkins* 17-17-3 (4)
10. Gus Ruhlin 23-16-1 (18)

Note: Fighters designated with an asterisk are fictional tomato cans.

All the above fighters are still in their "Prime" career mode except for Sharkey who is "Post-Prime" and Langford and McVey who will hit prime with their 20th bouts. Here are the lesser title holders:

NABF Champion: Armstrong (USA)
USBA Champion: McVey (USA)
CBU Champion: Langford (Canada)
GBU Champion: Jack Palmer (UK) 13-6-1 (10) ranked 15th

No EBU champion as yet -- will probably wait until Carpentier moves up to HW.

Finally, here is a list of the career records of those HWs I have retired (listed in chronological order of time of retirement). There are 20 of them; included is the career record and highest title attained. Note: You will not see Coburn, Elliot and Heehan on this list because I copied them from someone else's universe where they has already been active with an exisitng record -- the fighters listed here are ones I observed and followed from day one of their careers.

Joe Hess (USA) 1873-1889 28-27-4 (5) No Titles
Tommy Chandler (USA) 1878-1892 39-13-1 (32) WBA Champ
Herbert Slade (Aus) 1881-1892 27-18 (18) CBU Champ
Joe Lannon (Canada) 1884-1892 13-17-3 (4) No Titles
Jake Knifton (UK) 1879-1893 53-17 (43) WBA Champ
Charley Mitchell (UK) 1877-1893 32-26-2 (7) CBU, GBU Champ
George Rooke (USA) 1878-1893 32-23-1 (23) USBA Champ
Paddy Ryan (USA) 1881-1893 26-20-2 (22) NABF, USBA Champ
George Godfrey (Canada) 1879-1895 49-18-1 (34) WBA Champ
Jake Kilrain (USA) 1879-1897 28-32-3 (9) No Titles
Frank Slavin (Aus) 1882-1897 27-27 (22) No Titles
John L Sullivan (USA) 1879-1897 51-19-1 (40) WBA Champ
Dominic McCaffrey (USA) 1881-1898 46-24-3 (25) NABF, USBA Champ
Dick Matthews (USA) 1882-1899 45-19-2 (34) WBA Champ
Denver Ed Smith (UK) 1884-1899 27-23-2 (15) GBU Champ
Peter Courtney (USA) 1884-1901 40-21 (28) WBA Champ
Bob Fitzsimmons (UK) 1883-1901 58-14-2 (41) WBA Champ also LH Champ
Peter Maher (IRL) 1888-1902 26-27-1 (23) No Titles
Peter Jackson (Aus) 1882-1902 68-14-3 (54) WBA Champ
Joe Goddard (Aus) 1889-1903 36-16-3 (22) CBU Champ

In the active database, both Corbett and Joe Choynski are approaching retirement -- Sailor Jack still has a bit of a ways to go.

03-01-2006, 01:57 PM	#4
JCWeb Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 2,042	Part I-Heavyweight Division First 25 Years This is part 1 of 7 devoted to the first quarter-century in each of the active divisions. Since it covers the heavyweights, it will be the longest as this division has had by far the most action (number of title bouts, number of boxers and a surprisingly large number of World Title Holders). History of WBA World Title Lineage 1880-1905 84 title bouts 15 different champions title changed hands 22 times here's the history (number of successful defenses in parens) 1880-1882 Tommy Chandler (3) 1882 John L Sullivan (1) 1882 George Old Chocolate Godfrey (0) 1882-1883 John L Sullivan (2) 1883-1884 Joe Coburn (0) 1884-1888 Peter Jackson (12) 1888 John L Sullivan (0) 1888 Jimmy Elliot (0) 1888 Tommy Chandler (0) 1888-1889 John C Heehan (4) 1889-1890 Jake Knifton (0) 1890 Bob Fitzsimmons (0) 1890-1891 John L Sullivan (0) 1891 George Old Chocolate Godfrey (0) 1891 Peter Jackson (1) 1891-1892 Peter Courtney (0) 1892-1896 James Corbett (9) 1896-1897 Dick Matthews (1) 1897-1899 Peter Jackson (7) 1899-1901 James Corbett (9) 1901-1902 Bob Armstrong (0) 1902-1905 James Jeffries (10) 1905- Jack Johnson (2) Alot of turmoil in the divison's early years, as only Jackson and Corbett put together long streaks at the top. More recently, Jeffries and Johnson have come to the fore, and Jack seems poised for a long run. (Side-note here: just finished reading "Unforgivable Blackness," a biography of Johnson that is out in paperback, and I recommend it -- many fighters from this era are in the book) All those who were champions IRL made it to the top except for Burns and Hart, who are still active. In fact, Burns will be Jack's first title defense in 1906 set where -- you guessed it -- Sydney, Australia. CURRENT TOP TEN Champion: Jack Johnson 49-3-2 (40) 1. James Jeffries 35-4-2 (30) 2. Sam Langford 17-1 (14) 3. Bob Armstrong 31-14-1 (25) 4. Tommy Burns 23-3 (18) 5. Sam McVey 16-1 (13) 6. Tom Sharkey 39-12-2 (36) 7. Mike Schreck 16-6 (13) 8. Marvin Hart 22-10 (13) 9. Rafe Jenkins* 17-17-3 (4) 10. Gus Ruhlin 23-16-1 (18) Note: Fighters designated with an asterisk are fictional tomato cans. All the above fighters are still in their "Prime" career mode except for Sharkey who is "Post-Prime" and Langford and McVey who will hit prime with their 20th bouts. Here are the lesser title holders: NABF Champion: Armstrong (USA) USBA Champion: McVey (USA) CBU Champion: Langford (Canada) GBU Champion: Jack Palmer (UK) 13-6-1 (10) ranked 15th No EBU champion as yet -- will probably wait until Carpentier moves up to HW. Finally, here is a list of the career records of those HWs I have retired (listed in chronological order of time of retirement). There are 20 of them; included is the career record and highest title attained. Note: You will not see Coburn, Elliot and Heehan on this list because I copied them from someone else's universe where they has already been active with an exisitng record -- the fighters listed here are ones I observed and followed from day one of their careers. Joe Hess (USA) 1873-1889 28-27-4 (5) No Titles Tommy Chandler (USA) 1878-1892 39-13-1 (32) WBA Champ Herbert Slade (Aus) 1881-1892 27-18 (18) CBU Champ Joe Lannon (Canada) 1884-1892 13-17-3 (4) No Titles Jake Knifton (UK) 1879-1893 53-17 (43) WBA Champ Charley Mitchell (UK) 1877-1893 32-26-2 (7) CBU, GBU Champ George Rooke (USA) 1878-1893 32-23-1 (23) USBA Champ Paddy Ryan (USA) 1881-1893 26-20-2 (22) NABF, USBA Champ George Godfrey (Canada) 1879-1895 49-18-1 (34) WBA Champ Jake Kilrain (USA) 1879-1897 28-32-3 (9) No Titles Frank Slavin (Aus) 1882-1897 27-27 (22) No Titles John L Sullivan (USA) 1879-1897 51-19-1 (40) WBA Champ Dominic McCaffrey (USA) 1881-1898 46-24-3 (25) NABF, USBA Champ Dick Matthews (USA) 1882-1899 45-19-2 (34) WBA Champ Denver Ed Smith (UK) 1884-1899 27-23-2 (15) GBU Champ Peter Courtney (USA) 1884-1901 40-21 (28) WBA Champ Bob Fitzsimmons (UK) 1883-1901 58-14-2 (41) WBA Champ also LH Champ Peter Maher (IRL) 1888-1902 26-27-1 (23) No Titles Peter Jackson (Aus) 1882-1902 68-14-3 (54) WBA Champ Joe Goddard (Aus) 1889-1903 36-16-3 (22) CBU Champ In the active database, both Corbett and Joe Choynski are approaching retirement -- Sailor Jack still has a bit of a ways to go. Last edited by JCWeb; 03-01-2006 at 02:02 PM.