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JCWeb · 03-03-2006, 01:45 PM

History of Middleweight Division

58 World Title Bouts so far
Title Changed Hands 12 Times
7 Different Champions

Title Lineage (successful defenses in parens):

1884- NP Jack Dempsey (0)
1884-1885 George LaBlanche (0)
1885- Mike Donovan (0)
1885- George LaBlanche (1)
1885-1897 NP Jack Dempsey (28)
1897-1898 Tommy Ryan (2)
1898-1899 Charles Kid McCoy (1)
1899-1900 Tommy Ryan (3)
1900-1904 Charles Kid McCoy (9)
1904- Tommy Ryan (0)
1904- Frank Craig (0)
1904-1905 Cyclone Johnny Thompson (0)
1905- Tommy Ryan (1)

After an unsettled start in the early years with the title going back and forth between LaBlanche, Donovan and Dempsey, the Nonpareil settled into a very impressive title run lasting 12 years where he ran his record up to a gaudy 60-2-1 (lost only to LaBlanche and LH Billy Stift). Then former WW champ Tommy Ryan took the title, and since then Ryan and Kid McCoy have proved to be the cream of the crop. Craig and Thompson snuck in there, and now the Italians (Hugo Kelly and Kid Locke) are bidding to take the title to Europe.

Top Ten Ratings and Records as of Jan 1906:

WBA Champ Tommy Ryan (USA) 69-7 (57)
1. Hugo Kelly 14-3 (9)
2. Charles Kid McCoy 50-9 (44)
3. Cyclone Johnny Thompson 15-3 (12)
4. Kid Carter 24-8-1 (19)
5. Kid Locke 16-4-1 (2)
6. Frank Craig 20-6 (14)
7. Stanley Ketchel 12-0 (12)
8. Will Carney* 10-5-1 (1)
9. Frank Fields 14-6-2 (10)
10. Paddy Levin 12-2 (8)

Lesser Titles:

NABF - McCoy (USA)
USBA - Ketchel (USA)
CBU - *Carney (CAN)
GBU - Gary Overly (UK)* 16-14-3 (6) ranked 11th

Ketchel's rise to prominence has been meteroric, taking the USBA crown in his 11th bout--he likely will be gunning for a World title shot in the next year or so. Look for an inaugural EBU title bout with 2 Italians and one Irish boxer (Levin) in the Top Ten. Ryan is now in Post-Prime, but has sufficient career points left to set new marks for most bouts, wins and KOs. Look for new prospects Eddie McGoorty and Billy Papke to move up the ranks quickly. Kelly, Thompson, Ketchel, Levin still at pre-Prime until they hit 20 bouts.

Retired MW Boxers

Mike Donovan (USA) 1880-1981 49-5 (24) WBA Champ
George LaBlanche (CAN) 1882-1896 41-17-1 (23) WBA Champ
NP Jack Dempsey (IRL) 1882-1899 63-6-1 (55) WBA Champ
Johnny Reagan (USA) 1887-1900 40-12 (32) NABF, USBA Champ

correction from earlier posts: HW Gus Ruhlin and LH Jack Root now post-prime as 1906 was their retirement years IRL

03-03-2006, 01:45 PM	#6
JCWeb Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 2,042	Part III - Middleweights Through 1905 History of Middleweight Division 58 World Title Bouts so far Title Changed Hands 12 Times 7 Different Champions Title Lineage (successful defenses in parens): 1884- NP Jack Dempsey (0) 1884-1885 George LaBlanche (0) 1885- Mike Donovan (0) 1885- George LaBlanche (1) 1885-1897 NP Jack Dempsey (28) 1897-1898 Tommy Ryan (2) 1898-1899 Charles Kid McCoy (1) 1899-1900 Tommy Ryan (3) 1900-1904 Charles Kid McCoy (9) 1904- Tommy Ryan (0) 1904- Frank Craig (0) 1904-1905 Cyclone Johnny Thompson (0) 1905- Tommy Ryan (1) After an unsettled start in the early years with the title going back and forth between LaBlanche, Donovan and Dempsey, the Nonpareil settled into a very impressive title run lasting 12 years where he ran his record up to a gaudy 60-2-1 (lost only to LaBlanche and LH Billy Stift). Then former WW champ Tommy Ryan took the title, and since then Ryan and Kid McCoy have proved to be the cream of the crop. Craig and Thompson snuck in there, and now the Italians (Hugo Kelly and Kid Locke) are bidding to take the title to Europe. Top Ten Ratings and Records as of Jan 1906: WBA Champ Tommy Ryan (USA) 69-7 (57) 1. Hugo Kelly 14-3 (9) 2. Charles Kid McCoy 50-9 (44) 3. Cyclone Johnny Thompson 15-3 (12) 4. Kid Carter 24-8-1 (19) 5. Kid Locke 16-4-1 (2) 6. Frank Craig 20-6 (14) 7. Stanley Ketchel 12-0 (12) 8. Will Carney* 10-5-1 (1) 9. Frank Fields 14-6-2 (10) 10. Paddy Levin 12-2 (8) Lesser Titles: NABF - McCoy (USA) USBA - Ketchel (USA) CBU - Carney (CAN) GBU - Gary Overly (UK) 16-14-3 (6) ranked 11th Ketchel's rise to prominence has been meteroric, taking the USBA crown in his 11th bout--he likely will be gunning for a World title shot in the next year or so. Look for an inaugural EBU title bout with 2 Italians and one Irish boxer (Levin) in the Top Ten. Ryan is now in Post-Prime, but has sufficient career points left to set new marks for most bouts, wins and KOs. Look for new prospects Eddie McGoorty and Billy Papke to move up the ranks quickly. Kelly, Thompson, Ketchel, Levin still at pre-Prime until they hit 20 bouts. Retired MW Boxers Mike Donovan (USA) 1880-1981 49-5 (24) WBA Champ George LaBlanche (CAN) 1882-1896 41-17-1 (23) WBA Champ NP Jack Dempsey (IRL) 1882-1899 63-6-1 (55) WBA Champ Johnny Reagan (USA) 1887-1900 40-12 (32) NABF, USBA Champ correction from earlier posts: HW Gus Ruhlin and LH Jack Root now post-prime as 1906 was their retirement years IRL