The Way It Should Have Been(Alternate History)

[Bryan Swartz]

The title is admittedly overly grandiose. Contained herein will be an alternate history based on the concept of creating an even playing field throughout boxing's history. Compared to most here I know very little of it, and that's one of the attractions for me: getting to know fighters I know little about or even have never heard of. A lot of the setup I've borrowed from the excellent work of others, particulary Conn Chris, but I haven't seen anything quite like what I'm going to attempt here.


RULES


** All historical fighters will be used, none will be created. I'm not modifying any nationalities or weight classes, everything will be taken as is in the database(2.5).
** Default aging numbers will be used(45-95 bouts) with one change to make 15 fights required for a fighter to be ranked. This was chosen so that at a minimum, everyone will be ranked by the time they hit Prime.
** All fighters will debut at age 18 and fight four times a year(except for times when an odd number of fighters requires one to be idle for a season).
** Eventually three tiers of titles will be created: world, regional, and national. World and national are pretty self-explanatory: the regions I will be using are North America, Central America(including the Carribean), South America, Europe, Africa, Middle East, Asia, and Oceania -- eight in all.
** At the beginning, fighters can only compete against others in their own region. Because of this, two fighters in the same region(even if not of the same class) are required for informal competition involving random fights against a pool of all possible opponents. Sanctioning of an official title fight and more structured scheduling will occur when there are six ranked fighters(to create a champion and Top 5 challengers) in the same region and class; and as the number of fighters grow the sophistication of each division will grow with it.
** Once there are enough retired fighters to justify it, I'll run a double-elimination GOAT tournament at the start of each decade to keep a running account of who the 'greatest ever' is as the history progresses. Entrance into this competition, which I'll refer to as the Champions pool, requires a fighter to have held, however briefly, the top spot at the highest level of competition available to them. Nobody will be officially added until they retire.


That should be enough explanation for now, I hope this proves entertaining.

[Bryan Swartz]

PROLOGUE: 14 years of slightly organized chaos

1839

The first-ever 'organized bout' occurs May 24, between Americans Tom Hyer(20) and George McChester(18). Hyer's defense proved the difference as McChester landed just 20% of his punches, winning the middle two rounds but unable to do anything at the beginning or conclusion of the fight.


1841

With the addition of Bill 'The Butcher' Poole, Chris Lilly, and Tom McCoy, the US pool grew to five within a little under two years. This 'American Quintet' of pugilists would prove to be the core around which the sport would grow. In December, McCoy handed Hyer his first loss(9th career bouts, he was 5-0-3 coming in) to put his status as the unofficial 'champion' under question for the first time.


1842

Hyer won a rematch with McCoy, and his 'throne' was secure once more. This one was by TKO at 1:58 2nd round, bleeding cut above his right eye.


1844

A February loss to sub-.500 McChester by Hyer throws the division into a bit of chaos. Only Hyer and Lilly(5-8-3, the worst record of the group) are ranked though, so he maintains the top spot. Everyone else has lost at least six times, and it's only his second defeat -- there's still no question who the top dog is.

In June, despite beating McCoy again, Hyer is dropped to second as McChester is given the #1 spot. All five are ranked now, but a sixth is required for the formation of an official title bout. Still, this puts the 6-7-2 McChester(second-best mark to Hyer's dominant 12-2-3) in the position of unofficial champ of the moment, and so the Champions pool will make room for him.

That spot was given more credence in September when the two fought to a draw, Hyer taking the first two rounds, McChester the next three and Hyer edging the final round to claim a share. Overall McChester outfought him, landing nearly 59% of his blows to 46% with both fighters equally busy. Still, McChester retains the #1.

In November, Hyer took it back with a win over Poole while McChester was idle.


1845

The roller-coaster continues. A shocking upset by Bill 'The Butcher' Poole in July sent Tom Hyer to another loss, and McChester regained the top spot despite having lost both his bouts this year(both to Hyer). Parity rules the day, helping maintain interest here in the fledgling sport.


1846

The Butcher got a shot in March, but lost a split decision to McChester, then dropped another fight in May as Hyer got his revenge. November saw Hyer finally end McChester's year and a half reign and five-fight winning streak with a majority decision to put himself back on top ... but for how long?


1847

A draw in May against McChester broke a fine winning run for Hyer, but he retained the #1 position, then got his second knockout against the now-hapless McCoy in August. October brought all sorts of chaos as another bout against McCoy was lost and Poole upset McChester.

That was the break the Butcher needed as he takes the top position! Only Chris Lilly(last at 7-15-3) has failed to be the man on top of the mountain to this date.


1848

In February, McChester wins a return bout against Poole and makes his run very short-lived, while Hyer's unlikely nemesis McCoy holds him to a draw. May brought an inconclusive end to the McChester-Butcher rivalry as it ended in a draw. Then an apparently overconfident McChester lost to Chris Lilly in July, allowing Poole back into the lead.

Shockingly, Hyer fought three bouts this year, losing two and drawing one. It appears that at 29, his career is at a crossroads.


1849

For the first time in almost a decade, there is fresh meat as John Morrisey joins the crowd. Meanwhile, over in England the first organized fight is being planned ...

Morrisey debuted in April against current #1 Poole, losing a surprisingly close unanimous decision. Meanwhile in June, the first fight in England featured Tom Sayers(23) and youngster Jem Mace. Sayers was clearly the more skilled, but Mace was relentless and his spirit earned him an unexpected draw.

Poole did just enough to retain his perch throughout the year ...


1850

Another fighter ended the fray on each side of the Atlantic: George Thompson in the US and Sam Hurst in England.

January -- John Morrisey's first win comes in a shocking upset of Poole, handing Hyer the top spot again as he easily defeats Thompson in the latter fighter's debut.

February -- In the fourth meeting between the two, finally a decisive battle as Mace defeats Sayers to earn the nod as England's first 'champ'. Sayers would then beat Hurst, who would follow that by beating Mace in August ... so at first blush, it seems random parity abounds in England even moreso than here in the States.

Tom Hyer's resurgence is the story of the year as he has now won seven straight, besting his previous streak and rebounding decisively after a horrid '48.


1851

No newcomers this year, so matters continue on as before.

February -- Tom Hyer's streak comes to an end as young Morrisey(3-2-3) gets his second top scalp, and he's off to a fantastic start against older, more experienced fighters. With #2 Poole also losing, Hyer retains the top spot despite the loss.

April -- Hyer rights the ship with a bell-beating 4th-round KO(3rd overall) of George McChester.

Morrisey won all four of his fights this year, and is looking primed to be a top contender once he gets enough bouts in to be ranked ...


1852

Irishman Pat McGowan joins the fray against the trio from England over in Europe.

August -- Morrisey is still on a roll, this time with his first stoppage, a final-round TKO over Chris Lilly.

November -- Another win for Morrisey and he debuts in the top spot over idle Hyer! The stage is set for the first official North American title fight to begin next year, and more than a little controversy to go with it.

[Bryan Swartz]

Before we get to the main event, there are a couple new faces this year, one on each side of the pond. American John C Heenan and a second Irish combatant, Joe Coburn, are added to the roster. There are now eight active fighters in North America, five in Europe(though none have enough fights yet to be ranked). Both of the newcomers won't debut until the middle of the year however.


#1 John Morrisey(10-2-3, 1 KO) vs. #2 Tom Hyer(34-6-6, 4 KO).
March 18, 1853


This has nearly everything you could ask for from the first title bout in our universe. The United States and North American heavyweight title belts are on the line, both inaugurated here today. Morrisey comes in as the up-and-coming star, having won eight straight including a unanimous decision against Hyer back in February of '51 in their only meeting. Hyer has won 13 of 14, the only blemish this decade being that defeat almost two years ago. Unquestionably these two are the dominant forces in the sport today, none of their challengers able to touch them recently. Age vs. experience.

First Round
A great start by Hyer had Morrisey reeling a bit, but a nice combination late seemed to settle him into the fight.

Second Round
This one was all Morrisey, Hyer was unable to find a way through his guard, and it appears the youngster has rallied well from the poor start.


Third Round
Morrisey's defense continues to stymie the storied veteran.


Fourth Round
More holding than fighting, the pace definitely seemed to have slowed. Hyer might have edged that round.


Fifth Round
Lots of missing until a monstrous body shot by Morrisey staggers Hyer in the latter stages, and the last 45 seconds feature impressive flurries by both men. Good recovery by Tom Hyer, but he still probably lost that round.


Great ringside reaction as the end of that round was fantastic stuff from both competitors.


Sixth Round
Some quick and powerful body shots give Hyer control, though Morrisey gets in a decent hook late in the round to make it respectable.


Seventh Round
This time Morrisey is by far the aggressor, controlling from opening to closing bell.


Eighth Round
Hyer connects with a cross and then seconds later a hook about a minute in, and Morrisey spent the rest of the round just trying to survive. It didn't look like he would for a while, but he stays on his feet.


Ninth Round
Hyer looks exhausted, and doesn't get much in. He expended a lot of energy going for the knockout and didn't get it.


Tenth Round
Still looks an even fight heading to the final stanza. An uppercut about a minute in swung momentum Hyer's way ... was it enough to get him revenge and the title?




The ringside opinion is that this should be a draw. Both fighters had their moments. Young John Morrisey was more accurate and a bit more active, Tom Hyer moved better and there was more power behind his punches.

The three scorecards are 95-95, 97-93 for Hyer ... and 96-95 for Morrisey! By the narrowest of margins we have a draw! They'll have to do it again in the spring, both titles remain vacant for now. It was a heck of a fight, but ultimately nothing was decided. Meanwhile, Chris Lilly won a split decision over Tom McCoy to move up to the #3 spot, and is now best-positioned to take advantage of whatever happens in the rematch if he can back up that win.

[Bryan Swartz]

In the June 3 rematch, Morrisey was more prepared to start it appeared, throwing everything but the kitchen sink at Hyer in the second half of the first round and the veteran was fortunate to survive the first stanza. The second round was nearly as bad, but he caught Morrisey with an uppercut early in the third which seemed to change the momentum.

The middle rounds were pretty cautious and dull, but the general opinion seemed to be that Morrisey had done enough to take the lead. In the seventh, Hyer controlled the action getting in several combinations and closing the gap significantly. Morrisey responded with a big right hand late in the 8th, and that might have all but sewed it up for him. The ninth was explosive with big shots both ways, but neither fighter went down. Hyer had his chances in the tenth, both fighters tired and Morrisey slipped, then absorbed several big shots when the fight resumed.

The scorecards read 96-94 Morrisey, 95-95, and 96-94 Morrisey ... another good fight though not as consistently good as the last one, a majority decision for 21-year-old John Morrisey who becomes the first heavyweight champion(North America and US)! Hyer was more accurate by far and actually landed more punches, but Morrisey's activity won over the judges. I have to say you could make a really good argument for Tom Hyer on this one -- but the only verdict that matters went against him.


Morrisey went on to defend against Butcher Poole(solid UD12) but had a lot more trouble with George McChester in a fight a couple days before Christmas to end the year. McChester had the better of the first three rounds against the sluggish and possibly overconfident champ, but then Morrisey did much better espescially in the fifth and it looked like he might be on his way to rally. McChester dropped him with a big right early in the sixth, and Morrisey struggled to get up after an eight-count, somehow surviving the round. A great recovery and a dominant seventh put him back in the fight, though definitely behind.


McChester restored order in the 8th, but it was short-lived. A real slugfest in the ninth round as both fighters were staggered but stayed up. Morrisey continued to pound away, hurting McChester in the 11th and putting him down for the first time midway through the final 12th round. He was up at 8, and the champion couldn't finish him off -- which looked like it would cost him the title.


This was a real brawl, unlike the more cautious and technical fights he's had against Hyer and Poole. Both fighters took a lot of damage. The cards are in, 114-112 Morrisey in a surprise, 114-113 McChester ... and 115-114 Morrisey! He retains the title by a very controversial split decision, Morrisey finished well but most thought McChester had done enough in the first several rounds to overcome that. This definitely calls for a rematch ...


Meanwhile, over in Europe Jem Mace(11-1-4) has established himself as the clear class of the informal circuit across the water.

[Bryan Swartz]

1854

No new fighters this year. Morrisey put down McChester twice in their rematch, the last one nearly a KO in the tenth. It went the distance but ended in a clear unanimous decision. Tom Hyer got another shot after that but it served only to demonstrate that he's not the fighter he once was. A completely dominant UD12 including three knockdowns.

Tom McCoy was up next, and Morrisey was given a point deduction in the second round for a low blow, then had a cut above his left eye later in the round. A troubling start to be sure. McCoy reopened the cut in the fifth, and the ref paused the action, then determined they could fight on. By the end of the ninth, McCoy had put in some hard shots on the champion three rounds in a row, yet was unable to put him down. Morrisey's superior technical skill was still making its presence felt, and both men were bloodied.

To begin the 10th, Morrisey rocked McCoy and down he went, barely able to get up at the count of 9. Another knockdown at the tail end of the 11th, but he got up immediately. A minute into the final round, the tales were turned as McCoy finally got his timing right and Morrisey hit the canvas. A hook ... than an uppercut and with 1:07 left he was down again! Up at the count of 2. Again he goes down just before the bell, but is up at 1 immediately, so this one will go to the judges.

It was Morrisey's fight despite the cut problems early, but that last round really muddied the waters. 112-110 Morrisey, 112-111 McCoy, and 112-110 Morrisey again from the final judge! John Morrisey really does have nine lives, yet another controversial split decision, and once again he retains his belts!

After setting a record for five knockdowns in one bout, there was no question there was going to be another meeting. In the rematch, Morrisey hit McCoy with a left hook that had his nose gushing blood before the first round was complete. The cut was stopped, then reopened in the third and the doctor took a look at it. Even without that handicap, it was all Morrisey in the early rounds. An uppercut dropped McCoy for a 7-count late in the fifth, and between that and the damage to his nose, they're going to call it here! A strong TKO performance for John Morrisey, 2:54 in the 5th!


North American Rankings(Heavyweight)


CH John Morrisey(USA, 17-2-4, 2 KO) -- 6 consecutive title defenses now for the division's first and thus far only official champion, and 7 straight wins.
#1 Tom McCoy(USA, 15-31-7, 4 KO)
#2 George Thompson(USA, 5-10-0, 2 KO)
#3 Bill 'The Butcher' Poole(USA, 21-19-12, 1 KO)
#4 Chris Lilly(USA, 17-26-8, 1 KO)
#5 Tom Hyer(USA, 36-11-7, 4 KO)
#6 George McChester(USA, 15-28-2, 2 KO)
NR John C 'Benicia Boy' Heenan(4-3-0, 2 KO)


It's a statement to the weakness of the challengers right now that McCoy is still the top contender. Age has definitely caught up with the original 'American Quintet', and it's time for a new group to emerge -- otherwhise Morrisey is simply going to yawn on his throne. Hyer has fallen off a cliff, McChester has lost five straight, and thus-far inept newcomer George Thompson is all the way up to #2 and set to get the next title shot. Right now the best hope for a new face is John C 'Benicia Boy' Heenan, who has had some solid initial results but won't be ranked for a couple of years yet.

European Rankings(Heavyweight)


#1 Jem Mace(ENG, 13-1-4, 1 KO)
#2 Sam Hurst(ENG, 6-9-3)
#3 Tom Sayers(ENG, 6-8-5)
NR Joe Coburn(IRL, 1-2-2)
NR Pat McGowan(IRL, 1-7-2, 1 KO)


Jem Mace continues to rule here. Some are clamoring for a 'superfight' between Mace and Morrisey, but until the European circuit expands to the point of anointing an official champion all one can do is speculate as to what the results might be.

[Bryan Swartz]

1855

Mike McCoole(USA) and Joe Goss(ENG) will join this season, though Goss doesn't turn 18 until mid-November so we might not see him in action until the following year.

George Thompson's first title shot ended brutally as John Morrisey punished him throughout and knocked him down three times in the ninth. The last time he couldn't get up and it ends at 2:31.

At this point it's really little more than a game of whack-a-mole deciding who the next challenger/sacrificial lamb is. It was McCoy again in the summer, but after the first couple of rounds went Morrisey's way he was surprisingly ineffective. McCoy spent much of the next several rounds keeping him away with an unusually precise jab. Finally able to get inside for a couple of hooks in the 7th and 8th rounds, Morrisey made a move in the middle rounds to get back into it. At the end of the 8th he was perhaps too aggressive, and a pair of big shots sent him crashing into the ropes.

By the 10th, McCoy was clearly tiring and Morrisey badly outpunching him, but the challenger was still landing a big shot every now and then. More power punches in the 11th, and heading into the final round opinions at ringside were split. Some thought Morrisey had done enough to win, others that McCoy just needed one more good round to give the judges a reason to put him over the top. A big right hand by Morrisey with a minute left ended those thoughts, and an uppercut with just seconds before the bell put McCoy down for a count of 2. That might have been the nail in the coffin. It was a much closer fight than anticipated, no question about that. When the announcement came, nobody was really happy about it. 115-113 Morrisey, 114-114, and 114-114. A majority draw! Morrisey's streak of eight straight wins is over, but he retains the title once again at least.

And so it was that Tom McCoy and John Morrisey met for the fourth time in five title bouts in September. Again a fast start for the champion, but this time after McCoy got at least an even third round, he jumped on him again in the fourth. No complacency this time around. A hook to the temple late in the round dropped McCoy for a count of 4, and it looked like the script was already written. Good counterpunching for McCoy to start the fifth, but Morrisey might have stolen the round with a late flurry. An uppercut with about a half-minute to go in the sixth floored McCoy after another dominant round by the champion, and this time he couldn't beat the count. A KO6 here, 2:42 was the time, and there's no doubt about the rematch victor.

Chris Lilly ends the year with his first title fight, and he looked done by the sixth round. Several times it looked like it would have to be stopped, but somehow he stayed in it to the end. A completely one-sided demoliton, though, UD12 for Morrisey.



North American Rankings(Heavyweight)

CH John Morrisey(USA, 20-2-5, 4 KO)
#1 George Thompson(USA, 7-12-0, 2 KO)
#2 Tom McCoy(USA, 16-33-8, 4 KO)
#3 George McChester(USA, 16-30-9, 3 KO)
#4 Chris Lilly(USA, 19-27-8, 1 KO)
#5 Tom Hyer(USA, 37-12-8, 4 KO)
#6 Bill Poole(USA, 21-24-1, 1 KO)
NR John C Heenan(USA, 7-4-0, 2 KO)
NR Mike McCoole(USA, 0-2-0)

European Rankings(Heavyweight)

#1 Jem Mace(ENG, 15-1-5, 2 KO)
#2 Sam Hurst(ENG, 8-10-4)
#3 Tom Sayers(ENG, 8-9-5, 1 KO)
NR Joe Coburn(IRL, 2-4-2)
NR Pat McGowan(IRL, 1-10-2, 1 KO)

[Bryan Swartz]

1856

Along with Goss finally getting his debut, the first non-heavyweight fighter joins with George Seddons of England(Featherweight) getting started. He'll definitely have a huge disadvantadge going up against bigger fighters.

3.28 John Morrisey vs. George Thompson.

Another chance for Thompson who was KO'd in the 9th round at about this point last year. This time it didn't take nearly that long. Morrisey set a record by putting him down at 2:01 of the opening round, and Thompson was still motionless as he was counted out.

6.20 John Morrisey vs. Chris Lilly

Lilly is back after sending Tom McCoy, once the top challenger, to his third straight loss. The carousel continues. He's been the least impressive overall of the original quintet, but that is changing as he's proven to have greater longevity.

Morrisey dominated the first three rounds, but then a wrench got thrown in to the mix as Lilly hurt his hand in the third, Morrisey did something to his in the fourth. Lilly definitely tried to take advantadge, opening a cut near the champion's left eye in the seventh, then landing some huge shots in the 8th and 9th rounds. Morrisey opened the 10th with a big combination to put him down for the first time, up at 6 though and the fight continued. A wild final round saw the best couple of minutes I've seen anyone put up against Morrisey, Lilly just hit him with a barrage of power punches but he stayed on his feet and delivered some of his own in the final minute.

The toughest fight John Morrisey has had in a while, and it was close. 115-112, 114-114, and 114-113, he retains the title by majority decision.

9.19 John Morrisey vs. Bill 'The Butcher' Poole

It's the first title fight in three years for the 35-year-old 'Butcher'. He's not been overly impressive lately, but is undefeated in his last three(two draws and a win) and that's all it takes in the division right now.
Morrisey controlled the first couple of rounds with his jab from the outside, Poole bounced back with a good third round, and then an accidental headbutt opened a cut above the champion's left eye at the end of the fourth. In the fifth, he bounced back for another strong round but had a point taken away for holding and hitting, his second warning of the day. Yet another point deduction in the seventh, and Morrisey is handing over rounds that otherwhise would have him staked to a prohibitive lead. The Butcher's age is showing however, and he's seriously out of gas with several rounds yet to go ...

Lots of action in the 9th as Morrisey's cut was reopened early, but he more than made up for that by flooring Poole with a hook late in the round. He was up at 2, but that might have been a decisive knockdown. Early in the 10th, a second low blow of the day from Morrisey ....
and that's going to cost him the title! He's been disqualified for a blatant foul three rounds away from another successful defense!! Nobody to blame but himself there. 12 straight successful title defenses, and he let frustration over a pesky veteran's approach goad him into handing this one over. If he'd fought a disciplined bout, which he's done many times before, this would not even have been close, probably at least seven point edge on the cards.

12.12 Bill 'The Butcher' Poole vs. Tom Hyer

John Morrisey wanted an immediate rematch and nearly got it, but nobody wanted to reward him for his deplorable display in committing at least five fouls. Hyer meanwhile has won four of his last five, the blemish coming in a draw against Poole last year. These two have matched up no less than ten times, though only twice this decade. Hyer has won six, with three draws -- The Butcher has won just once. 35 and 37 years old, youth movement be damned. Both are considered likely to retire within the next year or two, but for this fight at least that will wait.

Lots of holding by Hyer early in the first round, but he lands a big right later that changes the flow. They trade solid rounds, then a few that were really too close to call. Midway through the fight it looked like fatigue might decide a solid but unspectacular battle with nobody gaining a clear advantage.

In the seventh, a stoppage mid-round as a big right hand from Hyer split open the Butcher's lip pretty badly. A shot from nowhere by Poole in the next round dropped Hyer for an eight-count at center ring. In the 9th, a number of big shots from Poole but Hyer partially made up the difference with a very active and smart round.

A stoppage in the 10th for a cut above Poole's right eye, this is the third time that has become an issue but so far it hasn't been a major factor. A good round overall for Hyer as Poole landed only a big uppercut late. A big finish by Poole nets him another round in the 11th, and the general opinion is that should be enough for him to retain the title. Several big shots by Hyer in the final round, but all Poole needs to do is hang in there ... and he's dropped by a combination to his chin within seconds of the bell! He's not even close to getting up from that, and Tom Hyer takes the crown with a dramatic bell-beating final-round KO12!

Meanwhile, Morrisey doubled down on his stupidity with a fourth-round DQ for low blows again against Chris Lilly, so until he learns to bring his brain into the ring we won't be seeing him back as a title contender. Sad. Nobody in this group can touch him when he's on. As for Hyer, he extends his bouts won record to 41, and it's his 6th knockout, also a record which breaks the tie with Morrisey's 5.


North American Rankings(Heavyweight)

CH Tom Hyer(41-12-8, 6 KO)
#1 Bill 'The Butcher' Poole(23-22-14, 1 KO)
#2 Chris Lilly(22-28-8, 1 KO)
#3 John Morrisey(22-4-5, 5 KO)
#4 John C 'The Benicia Boy' Heenan(10-5-0, 2 KO)
#5 George Thompson(8-14-0, 2 KO)
#6 Tom McCoy(16-36-8, 4 KO)
#7 George McChester(16-33-9, 3 KO)
NR Mike McCoole(1-5-0)

The disaster of Morrisey's last couple fights shows sad humanity behind the athletes in the ring: it seems there is more going on than what we see within the ropes. After just two losses in his first 29 fights, he's fallen off a cliff and his place in history dealt a serious blow. Hyer's last-second KO of the Butcher is a moment for the history books, and 'Benicia Boy' Heenan enters the rankings and will get his first important fight soon. After years of John Morrisey dominance, there are tons of compelling storylines all of a sudden.



European Rankings(Heavyweight)

#1 Jem Mace(ENG, 18-1-6, 2 KO)
#2 Tom Sayers(ENG, 9-10-7, 1 KO)
#3 Sam Hurst(ENG, 9-11-6)
#4 Pat McGowan(IRL, 1-13-2, 1 KO)
NR Joe Coburn(IRL, 2-7-3)
NR Joe Goss(ENG, 3-0-1)
NR George Seddons(ENG, FW, 0-0-1)

A controversial newspaper editorial sparked a firestorm of debate by claiming the English trio(Mace, Sayers, and Hurst) could each beat anybody in the U.S. circuit right now. Unfortuately, it's a claim that cannot as of yet be tested.

[Bryan Swartz]

1857

No new fighters this year.

The big news was that after the last two disqualifications, John Morrisey will be sitting out the first round of bouts in an attempt to give him an opportunity to 'reflect' on the status of his career and declining reputation.

Before the rematch, an interesting fight between Chris Lilly and 'Benicia Boy' Heenan, both of whom were on a good run, was worthy of attention. The winner would be the most likely choice for the next title shot, and it was a step up in competition for Heenan who has done well against the bottom of the division with a 10-5 mark. In a mild suprise, Heenan scored a sixth-round knockout of the favored veteran and served notice that he is likely to stay near the top of the division for a while.

3.13 Tom Hyer vs. Bill 'The Butcher' Poole

Revenge was on the mind of the Butcher, having been literally seconds away from retaining his belts only to see them slip away in the most dramatic finish to date in the annals of the sport. Rumors were that he was crushed by the loss, and his heart wasn't really in training this time around. Within the first 90 seconds of the bout, Hyer was warned for a low blow and not called for a head butt that got some swelling going around the eye of Poole. Dirty or gamesmanship depends on your perspective, but definitely not a clean start to this. Then a devastating hook by Hyer dropped the Butcher with still a minute left in the round, he tried to get up at 4 but failed, finally reaching his feet at 8. It was already looking like this fight might have a quick conclusion. In the third round, a headlock for Poole gets him a warning as Hyer continues to be the busier fighter. A couple of solid rounds for the Butcher in the fourth and fifth, and a cut on Hyer's nose by the end of it. A much more defensive style isn't getting him any points with the spectators, but it's been a lot more effective in keeping him from getting clobbered and protecting his ballooning right eye.

Hyer is back in control in the sixth, moving well and scoring from outside with a combination of jabs and straight rights with Poole seemingly unable to do anything about it despite a lot of screaming from his corner. Seems every round now the cut on Hyer's nose gets taken care of before the round, then re-opened during the round and the doctor gets involved only to tell them to fight on. By the ninth, the aging champion was already sitting on the lead, just wanting to prevent Poole, who is not a guy with a significant knockout threat, from getting a lucky shot and reversing the fortunes. And a shocking turn of events when the nose injury is reaggravated, and the doctors' going to stop it here! Hyer's corner protests but to no avail, the Butcher regains the title with a TKO here in the 9th!

6.12 Bill 'The Butcher' Poole vs. Tom Hyer

It was time for the rubber match. In each of the last two fights, one man has controlled the action only to surprisingly and controversially lose. This time there will be no immediate rematch for the loser regardless of the outcome or how unsatisfying it might be. Fans of the Butcher readily note that he's drawn 14 times, far more than any other fighter. If he manages to add to that figure, he'll retain the crown. At least this time both looked really ready to battle.

The early rounds went to Poole, who was cautious but managed to outpoint Hyer by picking his spots well. Hyer had his first solid round in the fourth, a clean start which everyone wanted for the decisive bout. The only issue seems to be Hyer continually using his shoulder during clinches, which he's being warned about multiple times now. A dominant sixth for Hyer looked like it had a chance to change the momentum of what is to this point an extremely even battle. The Butcher responded with a hook upstairs midway through the 7th that made the challenger a lot more hesitant in his approach.

It seems the frustration boiled over in the 8th, a blatant below-the-belt punch by Hyer gets him a warning and could have gotten him a DQ. Later in the round the momentum seemed to shift with Hyer getting more and more punches through. It continued in the 9th as he pounded Poole with a consistent barrage, finally putting him down with about a half-minute left. He was up at 2, but it definitely looks like Hyer has control of this fight now.

A desperate Poole had several big shots in the 11th, but it wasn't enough. He couldn't get anything more going in the final round. There were a lot of very close rounds in this fight, but after the first couple of rounds Hyer had the better of it far more often. The judges would have the final say ... 114-113, 115-112, and 114-113, a very close margin but by unanimous decision the Butcher is deposed again, and Tom Hyer regains the title! A fitting conclusion to a very close series between two old warhorses.

9.18 Tom Hyer vs. John Morrisey

A lot of varied opinions on what to do with the top of the division fights. Morrisey is actually the highest-ranked fighter after an impressive KO of Lilly, but Heenan has won four straight. Lilly was the only quality opponent among them though, and it was decided that he should have one more before getting a title shot. So Morrisey has a chance now to reclaim his spot at the top of the mountain. Two weeks prior, Heenan took on the Butcher and an eighth round knockout eliminated many of his detractors.

Hyer and Morrisey of course hooked up in the first two North American title fights with a draw and then Morrisey taking the second. He won again about a year later, but that was June of 1854 and they haven't fought since then, over three years ago. All three went the distance. Hyer has never beaten Morrisey, but then again few have.

Morrisey was determined to regain his crown at the outset, and had a near-perfect opening round to begin his challenge in dominating style, scoring from inside and outside and avoiding everything Hyer threw at him. By the end of the second, Hyer's right eye was showing signs of swelling. The aging champion finally got on the board with a couple of solid uppercuts in the third, but he couldn't sustain it and by the end of four, his eye continuing to swell, it looked like this fight was all but over already.

The domination continued, and then at the end of the 6th the fighters clashed heads. A bad cut was soon obvious just above Morrisey's right eye, and that's going to end this one right here! It's been ruled a technical draw, and a horrible piece of luck there for Morrisey who was in vintage form, completely dominating. Another twenty seconds and the round would have been over and the scorecards would have come into play with a clear win for him, but as it is Hyer retains the title for now.

12.25 Tom Hyer vs. John C 'The Benicia Boy' Heenan

John Morrisey's people demanded but did not receive a rematch. They have a great case as it was just bad luck, but it's also true that Heenan has earned a shot. Morrisey will be off and await the winner. A great Christmas present here for the youngster, and the 'changing of the guard' narrative got a boost when it was announced that George McChester(16-37-9, 3 KO) is retiring in the leadup to the fight -- the first retiree the circuit has seen though more are expected soon. It's certainly not premature as he's lost seven straight. There were also rumors that Heenan didn't train hard enough ...

Both fighters were staggered by huge blows within the first minute -- perhaps a little too much adrenaline and too little caution. Both stayed on their feet, but not by much. The slugfest continued in the second round, no way this goes the distance if they keep exchanging leather at this ferocity. Beginning in the third, Hyer blinked and adopted a more cautious style, staying away from power shots and picking his spots to counter. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't.

A big right by the Benicia Boy put the champ on the canvas early in the sixth, he failed to rise at 3 but was up at 8 to beat the count. Good defense avoided much further damage and he survived the round, but it seemed to many a mere delay of the inevitable. Early in the 8th a hook put him down again, and despite a game effort he couldn't get back to his feet. John C Heenan is the new champion, an 8th-round KO here at 1:03! At 22, he seems to have himself quite a bright future.


North American Rankings(Heavyweight)

CH John C 'Benicia Boy' Heenan(USA, 13-5-0, 5 KO)
#1 John Morrisey(USA, 23-4-6, 6 KO)
#2 Tom Hyer(USA, 42-14-9, 6 KO)
#3 Chris Lilly(USA, 23-30-8, 1 KO)
#4 Bill 'The Butcher' Poole(USA, 24-25-14, 2 KO)
#5 George Thompson(USA, 11-15-0, 2 KO)
#6 Tom McCoy(USA, 18-38-5, 5 KO)
NR Mike McCoole(USA, 4-6-0, 1 KO)


European Rankings(Heavyweight)

#1 Jem Mace(ENG, 22-1-6, 3 KO)
#2 Tom Sayers(ENG, 12-10-8, 1 KO)
#3 Sam Hurst(ENG, 11-12-6)
#4 Joe Coburn(IRL, 2-8-6)
#5 Pat McGowan(IRL, 1-14-2, 1 KO)
NR Joe Goss(ENG, 3-2-3)
NR George Seddons(ENG, FW, 0-4-1)

[Bryan Swartz]

1858

A record four new additions this year: it looks like the sport is ready to start growing at a more healthy pace with new fighters expected every year as far as the eye can see. American Martin Neary, the debut of our first Canadian in featherweight St. John Tommy Kelly, and two from England in Tom Allen and welterweight Bob Smith, the first combatant of that class. All are expected to be in action by late spring. The additions bring the total to new highs of 10 in North America(7 ranked), 9 in Europe(5 ranked). With the remaining four members of the 'American Quintet' expected to retire at any time, there is certainly still the need for more -- but at least the youth movement is picking up some steam.

2.26 John C 'The Benicia Boy' Heenan vs. John Morrisey

Raw power vs. superior movement and technical skill. These are the best of the 'new generation', although to be fair Morrisey is in the middle of his prime and no longer a new face. This is the most compelling matchup the division has seen since the initial title fights between Morrisey and Hyer five years ago.

A cautious start to the first round -- too cautious for the fans. The third changed things up as Morrisey found more consistent room to punish the slower Heenan, but got a bit cocky towards the end and a big hook found a home for the champion. A more aggressive round in the 4th, didn't get him much at first but he put Morrisey on the ground late with another hook. He was up at 3 and didn't seem too fazed.

In the fifth, no pretense of caution from either fighter as it has turned into another slugfest. A couple of big shots by Heenan, volume from Morrisey, but both fighters stay upright. More power punches both ways in the sixth -- how long can they survive this kind of punishment?
By the 8th both were starting to look gassed, espescially the Benicia Boy. A big right by Morrisey took advantadge, he was barely able to struggle to his feet at 9, just beating the count. A furious combination and he's down again, up again at 6. I didn't think he'd be able to respond after that. A body shot late in the round ended his game effort -- he's not getting up from that. Morrisey retakes the title here via 8th-round KO, coming at 2:50!

5.14 John Morrisey vs. John C 'the Benicia Boy' Heenan

A rematch wasn't a certainty, but seemed a better choice than any of the other options. Only Bill Poole was arguably ready for a title shot, but he'll have to take on the resurgent George Thompson to earn it having lost three straight recently.

In the early rounds, Morrisey was very effective at not giving Heenan anything to hit, and the young challenger soon became frustrated with the situation and went more conservative himself -- the opposite of how the first fight played out. Several big uppercuts from Heenan in the fourth changed the dynamic however.

By the end of the fifth, a disgusted corner was vocally yelling at Morrisey, and the champion had gotten in very little in the last couple of rounds. He came out much better in the sixth, and by this point both fighters' faces are starting to swell up. We've gotten here by a different path, but it's the same situation as the first fight -- whose body will be able to take the most punishment?

Morrisey put the Benicia Boy down twice in the 7th and it looked like it might end just like the last one, but he was able to survive the round. A desperate Heenan landed three huge blows early in the 8th, but Morrisey showed his toughness by surviving the barrage and going to work himself in the second half of the round. The 9th was pretty much a replay of the same thing, and neither fighter has much of anything left in the tank.

Heenan is down again early in the 10th, up at 6 but you have to wonder how many more times he can get up. Several more big punches later, he's down again in the final minute -- and up again at 6! After another hook, the ref jumps in and he's calling it here, a 10th-round TKO ... great heart shown by Heenan but at this point he was just getting carved up by Morrisey.

Meanwhile, Tom Hyer has decided to hang 'em up, the former champion has a final mark of 43-15-9(7 KOs), and is the standard that Morrisey is chasing.

9.10 John Morrisey vs. George Thompson

After sinking to near the bottom, Thompson has won three in a row and five out of six to get himself another chance at the title. The early rounds offered little hope that he'd fare better this time around, as he was able to do little to bother Morrisey. Nothing much seemed to change until some serious body shots in the 9th by Thompson gave him his best round of the day, but it seemed too little, too late.
Another big combination in the 10th, and then followed up by a sweet uppercut and the champion was down! Up at a 5-count, but Thompson is all of a sudden very much a danger here. More body shots but Morrisey stays up, and from somewhere finds a big right hand to make Thompson think twice about his aggression.

Midway through the 11th, the champ returns the favor and Thompson tastes the canvas for an 8-count. Again he went down with a minute left in the round, but up quickly and survived. That basically ensured a decision win for Morrisey, all he needed now was to survive the final round. It was a moderately-active, even round. There was a surprising amount of variance in the scores and overall a little closer than most expected, but John Morrisey wins and retains the title by UD12(117-109, 115-111, 114-112).

12.3 John Morrisey vs. John C 'The Benicia Boy' Heenan

It's a good thing these two are a compelling matchup, because it's looks like we're going to continue to see a lot of them. They're head and shoulders above the competition. Heenan comes out with some big shots right away in a strong start to the bout. From there it was back and forth for a while, but the Benicia Boy came away with some swelling by his left eye after the fighters came together in the third ...
A frustrated Heenan starts a clinch-a-thon in the sixth, leading to plenty of boos -- then a little more action in an even seventh. Looks like he's trying to just be unpredictable more than anything else. The eighth was finally back to more of the slugfest action that their previous fights have been known for, setting up a great finish -- but Heenan's eye is looking pretty grim.

Early in the 9th, Morrisey surprised Heenan and put him down, unable to beat the count. That punch seemed to come out of nowhere, at 0:33 he's counted out for yet another failed title challenge.




North American Rankings(Heavyweight)

CH John Morrisey(USA, 27-4-6, 9 KO)
#1 John C 'The Benicia Boy' Heenan(USA, 14-8-0, 6 KO)
#2 George Thompson(USA, 14-16-0, 3 KO)
#3 Chris Lilly(USA, 24-32-8, 1 KO)
#4 Bill Poole(USA, 25-28-14, 2 KO)
#5 Tom McCoy(USA, 18-42-8, 5 KO)
NR St John Tommy Kelly(CAN, FW, 3-1-0)
NR Mike 'Deck Hand Champion' McCoole(USA, 8-6-0, 2 KO)
NR Martin Neary(USA, 0-3-0)


European Rankings(Heavyweight)

#1 Jem Mace(ENG, 25-2-6, 4 KO)
#2 Tom Sayers(ENG, 14-11-9, 1 KO)
#3 Sam Hurst(ENG, 13-12-7)
#4 Joe Coburn(IRL, 3-9-6)
#5 Pat McGowan(IRL, 2-16-2, 1 KO)
NR Tom Allen(ENG, 2-1-0)
NR Joe Goss(ENG, 3-5-4)
NR George Seddons(ENG, FW, 2-5-2)
NR Bob Smith(ENG, WW, 0-3-0)

Jem Mace's unbeaten streak, which lasted more than 7 years, finally ended as Sayers knocked him out early in the year. It was short-lived, and he's back on top again .

[Bryan Swartz]

1859

Harry McCort(USA, FW) and Mike Coburn[(ENG, BW) are the new faces. That leaves the current count at 10 on each side of the Atlantic.

2.18 -- Mike 'Deck Hand Champion' McCoole joins the North American rankings with an 8-6-1 mark, 2 KOs to his credit.

3.11 -- Bill 'The Butcher' Poole retires after having drawn his final bout against fellow 'Quintet' member Tom McCoy. He was competitive, unpredictable, and drawish, finishing at 25-28-15 with just 2 KOs. He was champion four times, but never managed to defend it.

3.25 John Morrisey vs. George Thompson

Flip a coin -- could have been another rematch with Heenan, but that would have been four in five fights. Thompson gave a credible accounting in going the distance in a fairly close decision last time, so he gets another crack. This is his fourth title fight, all against Morrisey and all unsuccessful so far.

It was all Morrisey in the early going, and the champion seemed to have little fear of the man he's knocked out twice. Through six, only the third round had even been competitive, and while Morrisey wasn't throwing the kind of big haymakers we've seen in the Heenan fights, it looked like Thompson was already close to done.

Just as I say that, it looks like he may have just edged the 7th ... but far too much behind to win this on points. In the 8th, a big right from the champ drops Thompson for a count of 4, and the end appeared near. The challenger did very well to survive the round without going down again, as several good punches from Morrisey landed.

Again he goes down with a minute left in the 9th, staggering to his feet at a count of 8. He can barely stand though, and the ref will end it here. A TKO for Morrisey and a very one-sided, undeniable victory.

5.13 -- Mike McCoole's first bout against a top fighter is a SD10 victory over George Thompson -- a title shot doesn't seem far away. 'Deck Hand Champion' doesn't look like a serious threat to depose Morrisey, but a fresh face to throw in every once in a while certainly won't hurt.

5.20 John Morrisey vs. John C 'The Benicia Boy' Heenan

Another slugfest is anticipated. After Heenan was leading on most cards before the fight was stopped last winter, it looks like he may have improved enough to have a puncher's chance at knocking Morrisey off his perch. Certainly the power he can deliver seems to be the only thing capable of it, barring another brain freeze disqualification situation on the part of the champion. Everyone else who has matched up with the Benicia Boy the last couple years has ended the fight on the canvas.

A minute into the fight, a hook from Morrisey results in a cut on Heenan's mouth. Not the kind of start he wanted. Several big shots by the champ in the fourth have some swelling developing, and clearly Morrisey is off to the better start. A big right to start the sixth from Heenan, then he followed it up with another and it looked like a chance for him to really do some damage. He lands a few more shots but Morrisey stays on his feet, though his right eye is starting to swell a bit after that assault. A slight edge maybe for the champ at the midpoint of the fight, but that was a big round for the challenger.

Big shots both ways to start the seventh, and like usual the slugfest is on. Morrisey's superior chin and staying power has gotten him through before ... a jab at the start of the eighth has Benicia Boy's mouth bleeding again, the first time that's been an issue since the opening round. Morrisey just blasts him repeatedly, Heenan getting in a couple good ones towards the end of the round ... it's incredible that nobody tasted the canvas there. The ninth was all Heenan, and once again he just needs to close well -- he should be about even at this point.
In the 10th, Morrisey dominated the first couple of minutes with excellent movement and counterpunching, but a couple of blows from Heenan negated most of that work towards the end. The 11th round shows Morrisey looking the fresher man which could be a huge edge, but several vicious body shots from Heenan and he's not moving all that well either.

These two have never gone the distance before, but here we are in the 12th and some rare adversity for Morrisey. He needs to do something to change the situation because right now he'd probably lose it on points. Body shots from Heenan in the early going, then a big right midway through the round by Morrisey smashes him into the ropes! Here's the chance for him to put the hammer down, and he just unloads everything in the arsenal. After a miss, Heenan responds with a decent right of his own, trying to survive. Another big right from the champ at the end, and for the first time between these two, the judges will decide it.

Really it could go either way. I'd give the slight edge to Heenan, but that was a fine closing round for Morrisey and could just have stolen it back. A great fight regardless, amazing that there were no knockdowns with the punishment they took from each other. 115-114 Heenan ... 115-114 Morrisey ... and 115-114 ... for Heenan! By split decision, and literally the narrowest of margins, John C 'The Benicia Boy' Heenan has finally beaten his nemesis! He regains the title ... and is this the beginning of the end for John Morrisey? This was his 19th title defense, and other than his DQ against Poole, the only time he's lost. A bitter pill to swallow to be sure. It's the first fight by Heenan that has gone the distance since late '56, and that was just an 8-rounder. Fantastic stuff all the way around.

9.30 Mike 'Deck Hand Champion' McCoole vs. John Morrisey

No title fight this quarter, but this one was worth noting as the winner would get the next shot. Morrisey won a close and interesting UD10, both fighters went down once apiece. This set up an exciting conclusion to the year in which there would be not one but two title fights, as the European circuit is finally ready to establish an official champion! If all goes well, a world title bout is planned for next year ... but first things first.

12.23 John C 'The Benicia Boy' Heenan vs. John Morrisey.

A quick start for Heenan, rocking Morrisey with a couple of big blows in the first round. A very busy round for Morrisey followed, a vintage display of hand speed and timing. Back and forth the rounds went, then another huge one in the fifth for Heenan, Morrisey absorbing a ton of punishment.

Midway through the sixth he goes down for a 7-count, and he's just getting rocked right now. Summoning hidden strength from somewhere, he puts in a strong round in the 8th including a big right late, but he's tired and has a lot of ground to make up. Down again to start the 9th, but he's up quickly. A couple more vicious hooks in the 11th, but Morrisey seems to be made of titanium -- he just won't accede to the obvious. Just a brutal barrage in the 12th, and finally with about a half-minute left the ref stops it. Morrisey showed incredible determination, but he no longer had the ability to avoid the damage and was just getting brutalized. It's a TKO for the Benicia Boy, who retains the title and appears to have solved the Morrisey riddle, 2:33 of the 12th.

12.30 Jem 'The Gypsy' Mace vs. Sam 'The Staleybridge Infant' Hurst

What they lack in catchy nicknames, these two make up in historic importance as they set to contest the first-ever European title bout. Mace is an overwhelming favorite, having owned the circuit for basically a decade now. He is 6-1-2 in their previous meetings.

A quick start for Hurst though, who is more accurate and lands a big uppercut late in the first round. In the second, Mace stays outside and controls the fight well, he may want to stay out there for a while. It didn't work often enough in the early rounds, which overall had Hurst landing bigger shots and working Mace's body effectively. Several times there is extracurricular activity after the bell that has to be stopped by the referee.

By the end of 7, Hurst looks to have a solid lead surprisingly, but is also tiring faster. After years of six-round bouts, can he handle the distance? Then a big cross from Mace drops Hurst for a count of 3 midway through the ninth, that might have been the break he needed. He absorbs a couple more big shots but fends off most of them and stays on his feet.

Mace got the better of it in the 10th especially as he's still moving well and picking his spots. In the 12th he continues to score from outside, keeping Hurst who appears to have lost his lead away from any big combinations. Textbook defense as he doesn't allow anything solid the entire round, and it looks like that was probably enough. It goes the distance and the judges will decide the first European champion. 115-112, 115-112, and 117-112, a competitive but unamious decision for Jem Mace!


North American Rankings(Heavyweight)

CH John C Heenan(USA, 17-8-0, 8 KO)
#1 Mike McCoole(USA, 9-7-1, 2 KO)
#2 John Morrisey(USA, 29-6-6, 10 KO)
#3 George Thompson(USA, 16-18-0, 4 KO)
#4 Chris Lilly(USA, 26-34-8, 1 KO)
#5 Tom McCoy(USA, 18-45-9, 5 KO)
NR St John Tommy Kelly(CAN, FW, 5-1-1, 2 KO)
NR Harry McCort(USA, FW, 1-1-2)
NR Martin Neary(USA, 0-5-2)

A new era dawns this year as John C Heenan has seized control over the declining John Morrisey, whose days at the top appear to be over.


European Rankings(Heavyweight)

CH Jem Mace(ENG, 29-2-6, 4 KO)
#1 Sam Hurst(ENG, 14-15-7)
#2 Joe Coburn(IRL, 5-11-6)
#3 Joe Goss(ENG, 4-7-5)
#4 Pat McGowan(IRL, 3-19-2, 1 KO)
#5 Tom Sayers(ENG, 15-14-9, 1 KO)
NR Tom Allen(ENG, 3-3-1)
NR Mike Coburn(ENG, BW, 1-3-0)
NR George Seddons(ENG, FW, 6-5-2, 1 KO)
NR Bob Smith(ENG, WW, 3-4-0, 1 KO)

The long-suffering Jem Mace has indeed claimed the champions spot, though the long-awaited superfight will no longer match him against his counterpart Morrisey. Meanwhile, Tom Sayers has fallen off a cliff and his retirement is expected fairly soon.

[CONN CHRIS]

I love this era Bryan, good presentation too!

Did Yankee Sullivan miss the boat somehow?

[Bryan Swartz]

Thanks you! Sullivan did indeed miss the boat, as he was born a few years too early to have anyone to fight in his region(15 years before Sayers who was next). So he'll only be seen in the fantasy all-time tournaments, the first of which is about to begin.

[Bryan Swartz]

Spring/Summer 1860

The 1850s are in the books, having seen the dominance of M&M(Morrisey and Mace), establishment of the European title, and a new generation replacing the 'American Quintet'. Now the 60s are set to start with some new developments: the first world title fight, and the inaugural 'all-time' tournament, known hereafter as Turn Back the Clock(TBTC). TBTC I will consist only of a Champions bracket, and five fighters.

Massa 'The New Black' Kendrick
Yankee Sullivan
Tom Hyer
Bill 'The Butcher' Poole
George McChester

The first two were not seen in action during their career as their were no historical fighters in their region to match them up with at the appropriate timeframe.

Meanwhile, a new high of five new fighters debut this year:

George Rooke(USA)
Billy Parkinson(USA, FW)
Sam Collyer(USA, LW)
George Holden(ENG, BW)
Jim Dunn(IRL)

This grows the count to a full dozen in each circuit.

2.03 -- Tom McCoy retires after his record 73rd bout ends in a loss to Sam Collyer in the latter fighter's debut. McCoy finishes at 18-46-9(5), having lost four straight and nine of his last ten. Despite his anemic record, he did have his moments: four title fights with Morrisey in 54-55 for example, though he lost three and drew the fourth. Three wins over Hyer when he was at the top of the mountain(in '41, '47, and '48) were probably the pinnacle of his career, more than a decade in the rearview mirror now. In this particular case, this was more than just losing another old warhorse.

There are now only five ranked fighters on the North American circuit, resulting in Heenan's titles being vacated and the planned world title fight that was six weeks away being canceled! It will happen eventually -- there are several unranked fighters in the pipeline -- but for now there aren't enough for the requirement of at least six ranked to form the basis for a champion.

3.30 -- TBTC I Champions Winner's Bracket First Round: George McChester(1839-1857) vs. Bill 'The Butcher' Poole(1839-1859)

They fought 11 times, with McChester having a slight 4-3-4 advantadge in those contests. Poole is a slight favorite, but really anything could happen here. A really even fight without much drama until the sixth, when Poole had a cut started near his left eye, and then a point deduction for a low blow late in the round. In the 8th both men step up the hitting, and McChester goes down for 5 midway through. A couple more big shots and he's just stumbling around the ring ... and the referee calls it. Poole advances with a TKO at 2:48 of the 8th round.

6.22 Jem 'The Gypsy' Mace vs. Joe Coburn

Our focus shifts now to Europe, where Mace holds court at the new epicenter of the boxing world. In six prior meetings, he won five with a single draw, but Coburn has improved and has won three straight to make himself a viable contender. He looked the sharper fighter in the first round, neutralizing Mace's foot speed by scoring consistently from outside. The next few rounds featured a lot of maneuvering and not all that much fighting, fairly even but definitely not the way the favored champion wanted this to go.

A good round for Mace in the fifth as he really seemed to have Coburn guessing, and more of the same in the sixth to take control of this bout. It looks like the challenger's strategy is just to try and tire him out and win it late, but he seemed to realize in the 8th that this wasn't going to happen and blasted Mace with a hook to begin the round. A wild finish to the most action-packed round of the night, and after a bad 9th in which he missed virtually everything the champion is in serious jeopardy here.

A very drab 10th sees Coburn get a point deduction that he could ill afford. He pours it on with multiple power blows at the start of the 11th, Mace survives and returns with interest in volume punching over the last two minutes of the round. The outcome is still very uncertain heading to the final round. A lot of missing and clinching, very little action and the crowd is going to leave somewhat disappointed in this fight. I don't know, it's pretty much in flip-a-coin territory for me and most other ringside observers.

115-113 Mace, 114-113 Coburn, 114-113 Mace. The Gypsy retains the title, but he didn't impress many today and doesn't seem as invincible as he did a few years ago.

6.29 TBCT I Champions Winner's Bracket Semifinals

First up was Massa 'The New Black' Kendrick taking on Bill 'The Butcher' Poole. Kendrick was a man born before his time, in a place(Saint Kitts & Nevis) that still has little market for the sport. Here he gets a chance to show what he's capable of. He didn't start well, getting called for a blatant backhand and then blasted to open a gash outside his left eye all within the first minute of the opening round. Matters didn't improve much from there, and another stoppage in the fourth was required to attend to the bleeding. There doesn't seem to be much hope of it improving, and they'll stop it here. An easy 4th-round TKO indicates the sport might not have lost much in not having an opportunity to cheer Massa Kendrick's career.

The second fight was of much more interest, with Yankee Sullivan, another man born at an inopportune time, taking on Tom Hyer, by far the most accomplished fighter in the tournament. Sullivan was a bit more accurate over the first couple of rounds, then really got things going in the 3rd when he blasted Hyer with some huge shots to the body in the early going. The American champion was called for an intentional head butt later in the round, and Sullivan ends up with a cut over his right eye that could be trouble.

He seemed more cautious for a while, then a strong round by Yankee Sullivan in the 5th put him back in control of things. A big blast by Hyer to start the sixth changed that, and late in the round the doctor puts an end to this as the cut on Sullivan's eye won't allow him to continue. Tom Hyer wins a controversial and not particularly deserved TKO6 here.

[Bryan Swartz]

Fall/Winter 1860

9.21 Jem 'The Gypsy' Mace vs. Sam Hurst

Just like the first fight, there was only sporadic action early and Mace used his movement and ability to score consistently from outside to keep Hurst at bay most of the time. In the 4th and 5th rounds, he started to work his way inside better and eliminated some of that early advantage. It was a short-lived rally though, and all he could do most of the time was land the occasional big shot without enough to back it up. By the 8th round fatigue became an obvious factor with Hurst the more tired of the two.

Little changes in the closing rounds though Hurst did get in a couple good shots in the 12th to end it. The cards show 116-113 for Mace, 114-114, and 115-114 Mace -- a lot closer than I expected but Jem Mace wins again by majority decision to retain the title. His defensive style of 'clinch and move' is not as fun to watch as the North American sluggers, but it's hard to argue with his results.

9.28 TBCT I Champions Loser's Bracket: George McChester vs. Yankee Sullivan

This is the first elimination bout, though with only five fighters all will get another chance in a decade. An immediate warning for a complete unnecessary low blow by Sullivan, but he dominated the first round anyway. Another very busy second and midway through it some damage to McChester's right eye was already visible. A good comeback makes the third the first decent round for McChester, who is warned to keep his punches up as well. A crushing hook late in the fourth staggers Sullivan, but he stays up and clearly outpointed McChester that round as well.

A big right early in the fifth to Sullivan's rib cage takes some wind out of his sails -- he's clearly winning this but doesn't have nearly the power behind his punches that his opponent does. Again he's hurt in the sixth, this time by an uppercut. McChester seems to have found a winning strategy of landing a big shot early in a round, then following it up by outpunching Sullivan in the rest.

In the second half of the fight, Sullivan returned to the better defense of the opening rounds and didn't let much get through his guard. He was much the fresher fighter, but beginning midway through the 12th McChester began to find the range again. A point deduction on Sullivan for more low punches in the 14th, a round he was winning, looked like it might be just enough of a crack to leave the result in doubt. It was closer than expected, but Yankee Sullivan wins by unanimous decision, 146-142 twice and 145-143 on the third card. McChester just couldn't land quite enough haymakers against his defensive approach.

9.28 TBCT I Champions Winner's Bracket Final: Tom Hyer vs. Bill 'The Butcher' Poole

These two need no introduction to each other. Hyer was 8-3-3 in 14 meetings, and is expected to win again here. After a decent first round, it was the Butcher who took the early lead in this one, mixing caution and aggression with surprising effectiveness. A dominant sixth gave Hyer a chance to change the momentum, but Poole turned the tables again in the 7th. Back to Hyer in the 8th ... it looked like it could swing either way.

The next two-plus went to the Butcher, but then a big combo in the 11th put him down and nearly out as he was only up at the count of 9. Hyer seized the opportunity with a withering barrage, as much punishment as I've ever seen dished out in a single round, yet Poole survived the onslaught. After an even 12th it was anyone's guess how this would end.

Hyer had another dominant round in the 13th, and Poole appeared to be on his last legs. There was an exchange of power punches early in the final round, but neither man could follow it up and the judges would have the final say. What would a final be without a little controversy? 143-141 Hyer, 142-141 Poole, and 144-141 as Tom Hyer wins a closer than expected fight in a comeback victory. The Butcher has been overachieving all year and he'll have a chance to come through the loser's bracket, while Hyer has the advantage of being able to afford a loss when his challenger is determined.

12.21 Jem 'The Gypsy' Mace vs. Joe Coburn

Rather suprising developments early, after a ho-hum bore of a fight earlier in the year, both men were fortunate to still be standing after a first round that saw them exchange heavy blows with no clear edge to either. Subsequent rounds were more of the less compelling 'clinch and move' style, though still a bit more active than last fight. The first three were close, then a masterful fourth saw Mace tag Coburn several times while avoiding any significant damage himself. Some good inside work in the 5th by his Irish challenger pretty much negated that, however. A point deduction for a low blow late in the 6th by Coburn was really the only difference at the halfway point -- you could virtually flip a coin on how this one would be scored so far.

A big right hand late contributed to a strong 7th round by the challenger, and Mace looked like he was in serious danger of losing his throne. He was more aggressive in the 8th, and Coburn spent so much time defending he didn't throw much of anything, negated the fact that many of the champion's shots didn't get through. Another good round in the 9th left him back in control.

A strong 12th had Mace scoring repeatedly from outside, his best round of the day, and appeared to be just enough to give him a clear margin. 115-113, 114-114, and 115-114, it's another just-enough defense by majority decision for Jem Mace. One of these days his luck is going to run out, but not today.

12.28 TBCT I Champions Loser's Bracket: Massa 'The New Black' Kendrick vs. Yankee Sullivan

Kendrick has a chance here to show he was better than his first fight demonstrated, while Sullivan can take the next step towards a rematch with Hyer after a controversial loss. It was soon clear that this was the sort of 'fight' that a man might have with an insect -- Kendrick just was not in Sullivan's league. Midway through the fifth 'The New Black' hit the deck for the first time, up quickly at 2. After several more shots with no real resistance, it's called at 2:19, a 5th-round TKO for Yankee Sullivan.

It's clear boxing didn't lose all that much by not getting to see Massa Kendrick more -- he's just been a sitting duck both times out.

12.31 -- After losing his fifth straight, a split decision to Thompson, is Lilly(26-37-8, 1 KO) retires. He is the final member of the American Quintet and the first fighter to retire who won't make the Champions Group. He was definitely out of his depth early in his career, but did have two title shots in 1855 and 1856. Unfortunately they were against Morrisey in his prime, both losses by decision.


North American Rankings(Heavyweight)

#1 John Morrisey(USA, 31-6-7, 11 KO)
#2 John C Heenan(USA, 19-8-0, 9 KO)
#3 Mike McCoole(USA, 11-8-2, 2 KO)
#4 George Thompson(USA, 18-19-1, 4 KO)
NR Sam Collyer(USA, LW, 3-1-0)
NR St John Tommy Kelly(CAN, FW, 7-3-1, 2 KO)
NR Harry McCort(USA, FW, 3-2-3)
NR Martin Neary(USA, 0-8-2)
NR Billy Parkinson(USA, FW, 1-2-1)
NR George Rooke(USA, 1-1-1, 1 KO)

The youth movement is definitely underway, but much of it at lighter weights. Exactly what will happen with this is very uncertain.


European Rankings(Heavyweight)

CH Jem Mace(ENG, 32-2-6, 4 KO)
#1 George Seddons(ENG, FW, 8-5-3, 1 KO)
#2 Sam Hurst(ENG, 17-16-7, 2 KO)
#3 Joe Coburn(IRL, 7-13-6)
#4 Tom Sayers(ENG, 17-16-9, 1 KO)
#5 Joe Goss(ENG, 4-10-6)
#6 Pat McGowan(IRL, 3-22-3, 1 KO)
NR Tom Allen(ENG, 5-5-1)
NR Mike Coburn(ENG, BW, 2-4-1)
NR Jim Dunn(IRL, 1-0-0)
NR George Holden(ENG, BW, 1-20)
NR Bob Smith(ENG, WW, 5-5-0)

George Seddons is the new face and flavor of the month, having backed up a solid beginner campaign with a win over Sayers. He's probably just one win away from a title shot right now despite the size differential, and Jem Mace's 9 wins in a row figure to probably come to an end soon .... Meanwhile there is a pretty even split here too between heavyweights and lighter fighters, a trend that is expected to cause some chaos down the line.