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JCWeb · 05-23-2017, 02:10 PM

This report covers fistic action from the second half of May 1940, encompassing a total of 60 bouts. Only WBA title bout is included in this report.

May 18, 1940: Next card takes place at Washington, DC’s Uline Arena. Featured is a non-title bout matching MW contender Freddy Apostoli, “the Boxing Bellhop,” who takes on LABF MW Champ Kid Tunero in a 10-round, non-title contest. First meeting of the two, Apostoli is on the comeback trail, coming in with a recent win after an early 1940 loss to one-time WBA MW Champ Holman Williams; Tunero has won his last three since his last loss, in 1939, to EBU MW Champ Marcel Cerdan. Not much in the way of action until round five, when Apostoli drops Tunero who takes a two-count before arising and covering up to last the round. Solid points edge for Apostoli (49-45) at the midway point, according to the unofficial scorer. Tunero battles back to make the bout a close one, with Apostoli sitting on the lead and becoming perhaps too passive. This enables Tunero to steal a SD 10 (95-94, 94-95, 95-94) by taking the final two rounds. Post-bout career marks: Tunero, 32-9-5 (10); Apostoli, 23-6-1 (20).

May 18, 1940: New Orleans is the venue for the next fistic action. An NABF BW title matchup tops the card, preceded by a co-feature involving two veteran, battle-scarred FWs: Battling Battalino and Pete DeGrasse. Fourth meeting of the two, with each having one win, one loss and one draw. “Bat” holds the early lead in punches landed, and he forges a sizable points lead (49-46, on the unofficial card) by the midway point. DeGrasse manages to keep the bout reasonably close, but Battalino manages to escape with a MD 10 win (96-94, 95-95, 96-94) to run his career record to 42-13-2 (15). The loss drops DeGrasse to 38-18-4 (10). Then, in the main event, the vacant NABF BW title (recently vacated by newly-crowned WBA Champion K. O. Morgan) is on the line, with LABF Champ Sixto Escobar matched with Pete Sanstol. Both men are coming off two successive losses, and Escobar won their only prior meeting. Near the end of the opening stanza, a Sanstol hook finds the target, hurting Escobar, who covers up to last the round. Escobar moves inside in an effort to become more aggressive in round three. By the midway point, Sanstol appears to have matter well in command (his points lead is 59-55, according to the unofficial observer at ringside. Escobar continues to press forward in the later rounds, but he is unable to break through Sanstol’s defenses. Solid UD 12 win for Sanstol (118-111, 117-111, 117-111) who lifts the belt. Post-bout career marks: Sanstol, 39-13-5 (9); Escobar, 31-9-3 (10).

May 24, 1940: Next is a Friday night card at Mexico City. Solid twin bill of feature bouts, headlined by an NABF title bout showcasing the talents of the very popular Mexican fighter, Baby Arizmendi. In the first co-feature, a non-title affair, two top 10 LWs lock horns as Tony Chavez takes on Laurie Stevens. First meeting of the two. First blood is drawn (literally) in round four, when Chavez rips open a cut over the right eye of Stevens. By the midway point, a round later, there is noticeable swelling under the injured eye, and Chavez holds a narrow points lead (48-47) at the midway point, according to the unofficial card. Stevens bounces back to drop Chavez for a six-count in round six, but it goes to no avail as the cut is re-opened and, with the bleeding uncontrollable, Chavez is declared the winner via a TKO 7 on the cuts stoppage. This result pushes Chavez’s career record to 29-8-2 (12), while Stevens drops to 26-7-1 (19) with the loss. Then, in the main event, popular Baby Arizmendi defends his NABF FW title against a familiar foe, Cuban Filio Julian Echevarria, who is the reigning LABF FW Champ. Huge edge to Arizmendi (4-1) in five prior meetings; their most recent encounter, in 1937, ended in a controversial DQ win for Arizmendi. Solid start for Arizmendi, who seems energized in front of a very appreciative hometown crowd. By the end of the fifth round, there is noticeable swelling around the left eye of the challenger. Arizmendi has forged a solid points lead (60-55, according to the unofficial card) by the midway point, and he exhibits superior stamina as the bout heads into the later rounds. Echevarria does mount a minor rally with a big round nine, causing some swelling to appear around the left eye of Arizmendi. But the Mexican Champ regains control, pounding out a solid if unspectacular UD 12 win (119-110, 118-111, 119-110) in a bout with no cuts or knockdowns. Post-bout career marks: Arizmendi, 41-9-2 (10); Echevarria, 36-14-4 (12). Arizmendi’s connections are now angling to set up a WBA title shot later in 1940 as the Mexican is now the #1 contender.

May 25, 1940: Next card is back in the UK at the Earls Court in London. A couple of Flyweight bouts top the agenda. In the main support, the Fighting Jockey,” Jimmy Gill, faces “the Rose of San Jose,: newly crowned USBA Fly Champ Jackie Jurich. It is a 10-round, non-title affair as the visiting American faces a pro-Gill, hostile crowd. Both men have had some recent success, with Gill winning four of his last five, while Jurich has recorded three wins and a draw in his last four. Nothing much happening until round five, when Jurich decks Gill with a solid combination. Slight points edge for the American (48-47, on the unofficial card) at the halfway point. In round six, Gill sustains a cut over his right eye. The cut proves serious enough to result in a late stoppage when it is reopened in round nine. TKO 9 for Jurich on the cuts stoppage, improving his career totals to 18-3-1 (15). Not much in the way of protest from Gill’s corner, as his man was losing the bout anyway; post-fight, he slips to 26-7-3 (10). In the feature, the EBU Flyweight title is on the line, as Jackie Brown (who still holds the GBU Flyweight belt) defends against French challenger Valentin Angelmann. First meeting of the two, and it is Brown’s third EBU title defense. After a big round four for Brown, Angelmann goes on the offensive, ripping open a gash over the left eye of Brown. A pair of KDs in round five swing the bout in the Frenchman’s favor, and he leads by a narrow margin (56-55, on the unofficial card) at the midway point. Then end comes in round nine when the cut is reopened, and the bleeding is uncontrollable. TKO 9 for Angelmann, who becomes the new EBU Fly Champ. Post-bout career totals: 36-18-1 (13) for Angelmann, who is now pursuing a WBA title shot; 37-15-5 (12) for Brown, who is lobbying for a rematch but also has the GBU Fly title to fall back on.

May 25, 1940: Big fight night at Seattle’s Sicks Stadium, featuring a clash of two WBA Champions and a NABF title bout as the main co-feature. In the first of these, the NABF HW title is at stake as Roscoe Toles defends versus Lee Ramage. The two fought to a draw in a prior meeting. This time the bout devolves into a defensive struggle, with the early points lead going to Toles (who has a 59-57 margin at the midway point, according to the unofficial scorer at ringside). Toles almost has Ramage out on his feet in round nine, doing enough damage to cause some major swelling under the right eye of the challenger. Solid performance by Toles, who goes on to record a fairly lopsided UD 12 win (119-112, 118-114, 119-111) as Ramage offered little, particularly in the later rounds. Post-bout career marks: Toles, 32-6-3 (6); Ramage, 34-11-1 (11). Toles’ connections are now looking for a shot at Joe Louis’ WBA HW title. In the feature, hometown favorite Freddie Steele, the “Tacoma Assassin,” makes the sixth defense of his WBA MW title, facing the formidable “Homicide Hank” Henry Armstrong, the reigning WBA WW titleholder, who is seeking a record fourth WBA title after previously winning the FW and LW belts in addition to the WW one. After a couple of close opening rounds, Steele moves inside in round three, and two-thirds of the way through the round, he connects with a hook to the head that sends Armstrong reeling against the ropes. The challenger is able to cover up, remain upright and last the round without further damage. Then, in round five, with both men throwing caution to the wind and locking horns on the inside, Steele again finds the target, first with a hook to the body, then an unanswered four-punch combination followed by a huge cross. Again, Armstrong is reeling and vulnerable, so the ref steps in and calls a halt. It goes down as a TKO 5 for Steele, despite howls of protest from Armstrong’s corner. Impressive win for Steele to lift his career totals to 47-6-1 (31). The loss leaves Armstrong at 32-4-3 (26), but he still has the WW title, having abandoned the LW belt earlier in the year. Of course, it’s hard to rule out another crack at the MW crown as well …

May 31, 1940: Friday night card at New York’s St. Nicholas Arena. Topping the agenda is a USBA LH title matchup, featuring Al Gainer in his first title defense against the formidable ex-Champ, Tiger Jack Fox. Fox holds a prior win, via a TKO, that date backs to 1935, for this same title belt. This time around, Fox seems off his regular form, and Gainer takes full advantage, landing a big shot early in round four that causes Fox to cover up. Gainer’s killer instinct kicks in, and he manages to deck Fox with a huge combination about two-thirds of the way through the round. Fox is unable to beat the count, and Gainer is a KO 4 winner. Post-bout career totals: Gainer, 28-7-1 (18); Fox, 47-6-1 (33). Possible “Upset of the Year” candidate as Fox was the heavy favorite of most pundits.

05-23-2017, 02:10 PM	#1257
JCWeb Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 2,042	May 1940 - Part 2 of 2 This report covers fistic action from the second half of May 1940, encompassing a total of 60 bouts. Only WBA title bout is included in this report. May 18, 1940: Next card takes place at Washington, DC’s Uline Arena. Featured is a non-title bout matching MW contender Freddy Apostoli, “the Boxing Bellhop,” who takes on LABF MW Champ Kid Tunero in a 10-round, non-title contest. First meeting of the two, Apostoli is on the comeback trail, coming in with a recent win after an early 1940 loss to one-time WBA MW Champ Holman Williams; Tunero has won his last three since his last loss, in 1939, to EBU MW Champ Marcel Cerdan. Not much in the way of action until round five, when Apostoli drops Tunero who takes a two-count before arising and covering up to last the round. Solid points edge for Apostoli (49-45) at the midway point, according to the unofficial scorer. Tunero battles back to make the bout a close one, with Apostoli sitting on the lead and becoming perhaps too passive. This enables Tunero to steal a SD 10 (95-94, 94-95, 95-94) by taking the final two rounds. Post-bout career marks: Tunero, 32-9-5 (10); Apostoli, 23-6-1 (20). May 18, 1940: New Orleans is the venue for the next fistic action. An NABF BW title matchup tops the card, preceded by a co-feature involving two veteran, battle-scarred FWs: Battling Battalino and Pete DeGrasse. Fourth meeting of the two, with each having one win, one loss and one draw. “Bat” holds the early lead in punches landed, and he forges a sizable points lead (49-46, on the unofficial card) by the midway point. DeGrasse manages to keep the bout reasonably close, but Battalino manages to escape with a MD 10 win (96-94, 95-95, 96-94) to run his career record to 42-13-2 (15). The loss drops DeGrasse to 38-18-4 (10). Then, in the main event, the vacant NABF BW title (recently vacated by newly-crowned WBA Champion K. O. Morgan) is on the line, with LABF Champ Sixto Escobar matched with Pete Sanstol. Both men are coming off two successive losses, and Escobar won their only prior meeting. Near the end of the opening stanza, a Sanstol hook finds the target, hurting Escobar, who covers up to last the round. Escobar moves inside in an effort to become more aggressive in round three. By the midway point, Sanstol appears to have matter well in command (his points lead is 59-55, according to the unofficial observer at ringside. Escobar continues to press forward in the later rounds, but he is unable to break through Sanstol’s defenses. Solid UD 12 win for Sanstol (118-111, 117-111, 117-111) who lifts the belt. Post-bout career marks: Sanstol, 39-13-5 (9); Escobar, 31-9-3 (10). May 24, 1940: Next is a Friday night card at Mexico City. Solid twin bill of feature bouts, headlined by an NABF title bout showcasing the talents of the very popular Mexican fighter, Baby Arizmendi. In the first co-feature, a non-title affair, two top 10 LWs lock horns as Tony Chavez takes on Laurie Stevens. First meeting of the two. First blood is drawn (literally) in round four, when Chavez rips open a cut over the right eye of Stevens. By the midway point, a round later, there is noticeable swelling under the injured eye, and Chavez holds a narrow points lead (48-47) at the midway point, according to the unofficial card. Stevens bounces back to drop Chavez for a six-count in round six, but it goes to no avail as the cut is re-opened and, with the bleeding uncontrollable, Chavez is declared the winner via a TKO 7 on the cuts stoppage. This result pushes Chavez’s career record to 29-8-2 (12), while Stevens drops to 26-7-1 (19) with the loss. Then, in the main event, popular Baby Arizmendi defends his NABF FW title against a familiar foe, Cuban Filio Julian Echevarria, who is the reigning LABF FW Champ. Huge edge to Arizmendi (4-1) in five prior meetings; their most recent encounter, in 1937, ended in a controversial DQ win for Arizmendi. Solid start for Arizmendi, who seems energized in front of a very appreciative hometown crowd. By the end of the fifth round, there is noticeable swelling around the left eye of the challenger. Arizmendi has forged a solid points lead (60-55, according to the unofficial card) by the midway point, and he exhibits superior stamina as the bout heads into the later rounds. Echevarria does mount a minor rally with a big round nine, causing some swelling to appear around the left eye of Arizmendi. But the Mexican Champ regains control, pounding out a solid if unspectacular UD 12 win (119-110, 118-111, 119-110) in a bout with no cuts or knockdowns. Post-bout career marks: Arizmendi, 41-9-2 (10); Echevarria, 36-14-4 (12). Arizmendi’s connections are now angling to set up a WBA title shot later in 1940 as the Mexican is now the #1 contender. May 25, 1940: Next card is back in the UK at the Earls Court in London. A couple of Flyweight bouts top the agenda. In the main support, the Fighting Jockey,” Jimmy Gill, faces “the Rose of San Jose,: newly crowned USBA Fly Champ Jackie Jurich. It is a 10-round, non-title affair as the visiting American faces a pro-Gill, hostile crowd. Both men have had some recent success, with Gill winning four of his last five, while Jurich has recorded three wins and a draw in his last four. Nothing much happening until round five, when Jurich decks Gill with a solid combination. Slight points edge for the American (48-47, on the unofficial card) at the halfway point. In round six, Gill sustains a cut over his right eye. The cut proves serious enough to result in a late stoppage when it is reopened in round nine. TKO 9 for Jurich on the cuts stoppage, improving his career totals to 18-3-1 (15). Not much in the way of protest from Gill’s corner, as his man was losing the bout anyway; post-fight, he slips to 26-7-3 (10). In the feature, the EBU Flyweight title is on the line, as Jackie Brown (who still holds the GBU Flyweight belt) defends against French challenger Valentin Angelmann. First meeting of the two, and it is Brown’s third EBU title defense. After a big round four for Brown, Angelmann goes on the offensive, ripping open a gash over the left eye of Brown. A pair of KDs in round five swing the bout in the Frenchman’s favor, and he leads by a narrow margin (56-55, on the unofficial card) at the midway point. Then end comes in round nine when the cut is reopened, and the bleeding is uncontrollable. TKO 9 for Angelmann, who becomes the new EBU Fly Champ. Post-bout career totals: 36-18-1 (13) for Angelmann, who is now pursuing a WBA title shot; 37-15-5 (12) for Brown, who is lobbying for a rematch but also has the GBU Fly title to fall back on. May 25, 1940: Big fight night at Seattle’s Sicks Stadium, featuring a clash of two WBA Champions and a NABF title bout as the main co-feature. In the first of these, the NABF HW title is at stake as Roscoe Toles defends versus Lee Ramage. The two fought to a draw in a prior meeting. This time the bout devolves into a defensive struggle, with the early points lead going to Toles (who has a 59-57 margin at the midway point, according to the unofficial scorer at ringside). Toles almost has Ramage out on his feet in round nine, doing enough damage to cause some major swelling under the right eye of the challenger. Solid performance by Toles, who goes on to record a fairly lopsided UD 12 win (119-112, 118-114, 119-111) as Ramage offered little, particularly in the later rounds. Post-bout career marks: Toles, 32-6-3 (6); Ramage, 34-11-1 (11). Toles’ connections are now looking for a shot at Joe Louis’ WBA HW title. In the feature, hometown favorite Freddie Steele, the “Tacoma Assassin,” makes the sixth defense of his WBA MW title, facing the formidable “Homicide Hank” Henry Armstrong, the reigning WBA WW titleholder, who is seeking a record fourth WBA title after previously winning the FW and LW belts in addition to the WW one. After a couple of close opening rounds, Steele moves inside in round three, and two-thirds of the way through the round, he connects with a hook to the head that sends Armstrong reeling against the ropes. The challenger is able to cover up, remain upright and last the round without further damage. Then, in round five, with both men throwing caution to the wind and locking horns on the inside, Steele again finds the target, first with a hook to the body, then an unanswered four-punch combination followed by a huge cross. Again, Armstrong is reeling and vulnerable, so the ref steps in and calls a halt. It goes down as a TKO 5 for Steele, despite howls of protest from Armstrong’s corner. Impressive win for Steele to lift his career totals to 47-6-1 (31). The loss leaves Armstrong at 32-4-3 (26), but he still has the WW title, having abandoned the LW belt earlier in the year. Of course, it’s hard to rule out another crack at the MW crown as well … May 31, 1940: Friday night card at New York’s St. Nicholas Arena. Topping the agenda is a USBA LH title matchup, featuring Al Gainer in his first title defense against the formidable ex-Champ, Tiger Jack Fox. Fox holds a prior win, via a TKO, that date backs to 1935, for this same title belt. This time around, Fox seems off his regular form, and Gainer takes full advantage, landing a big shot early in round four that causes Fox to cover up. Gainer’s killer instinct kicks in, and he manages to deck Fox with a huge combination about two-thirds of the way through the round. Fox is unable to beat the count, and Gainer is a KO 4 winner. Post-bout career totals: Gainer, 28-7-1 (18); Fox, 47-6-1 (33). Possible “Upset of the Year” candidate as Fox was the heavy favorite of most pundits.