My Universe

[JCWeb]

Los Angeles, October 23. 1915 -- After a brief layoff, the "Fighting Marine," LH prospect Gene Tunney, is back in action for the second time. His opponent, TC Mitch Truman, is making his debut. Fred Hernandez referees. The bout is one of many on the undercard of a USBA HW title clash involving Harry Wills and Joe Jeannette.

Tunney starts off slow but warms up midway through the opening round when he finds the range with a quick hook to head, followed by a straight right that stuns Truman, who retreats to a neutral corner. Tunney pursues his man, tagging him with a lead right. Truman did not land a single punch in round one, which was thoroughly dominated by Tunney.

Tunney is quick off the stool for round two, moving inside where he punishes his opponent with some fierce body shots. He then goes upstairs for a sharp combination and Truman is in trouble. Tunney shows good lateral movement, and Truman hangs on, despite some swelling that is now visible around his right eye from the accumulated effect of Tunney's blows.

Round three, Tunney fights from the outside, and is warned for holding and hitting. Gene comes to life near the end of the round, landing an uppercut which he follows up with a big cross. Truman again appears to be ready to go when the bell sounds.

Final round, and Tunney is looking for the knockout. He lands repeatedly but nothing to hurt his opponent until there are about 15 seconds or so left in the bout. A strong uppercut finds its way to Truman's chin and he collapses to the canvas. Truman is counted out with just seven seconds left in the fight.

Gene Tunney wins by KO at 2:53 of round four.

His record is now 2-0 (2 KOs), with 283 pp. He is next due to fight in Dec. 1915, perhaps on the same card as Jack Dempsey.

[Ric915]

JC
Really loving this universe Great stuff

[Jeff1787]

Good little write up...we'll see how "The Fighting Marine" compares to how he really did!! So far, so good!!

[JCWeb]

Thanks, Ric and Jeff. As 1915 action draws to a close (up to the last month now) I have been inspired to introduce a new feature to this thread -- I call it "champs or chumps." What I propose doing from time to time is comparing how real-life champs fared in this fictional universe versus what they accomplished in real-life. So this first installment will feature the HWs:

Here are the RL HW champs with the dates they won the World Crown in real life versus the dates (if at all) they won the WBA crown in my uni:

John L Sullivan RL: Feb 1882 Uni: Feb. 1882
James Corbett RL: Sep. 1892 Uni: Feb. 1892
Bob Fitzsimmons RL: Mar. 1897 Uni: Apr. 1890
Jim Jeffries RL: Jun. 1899 Uni: Apr. 1902
Marvin Hart RL: Jul. 1905 Uni: Never
Tommy Burns RL: Feb. 1906 Uni: May 1908
Jack Johnson RL: Dec. 1908 Uni: Feb. 1905
Jess Willard RL: Apr. 1915 Uni: Not Yet
Jack Dempsey RL: Jul. 1919 Uni: Too Soon to Tell
Gene Tunney RL: Sep. 1926 Uni: in LHW ranks

Looking at the list, surprised to see how close the dates were for Sullivan and Corbett. Dates were flipped for Fitz and Corbett mainly because in my Uni, Fitz had no MW career to speak of, cleaned up versus the early LHW division, and moved up to HW alot sooner than IRL. He was unbeaten (18-0) as a LHW before stepping up to the heavies in 1886, winning the WBA belt four years later after holding the Commonwealth and British belts for awhile as well. Sullivan did not dominate as IRL, losing and regaining the belt twice. Corbett also lost and regained the belt, but did a bit better than John L. in hanging onto it. Jeffries took longer to reach the top than IRL, as he suffered early losses to Tom Sharkey and Corbett (twice) before hitting his Prime career stage. He won the belt on his third try after a loss and a draw to Corbett, taking the title from (all of people) Bob Armstrong. Jeff then lost the belt to Jack Johnson, five years before their historical real-life encounter of 1910. Burns developed much later than Johnson (he became WBA champ by dethroning Phila Jack O'Brien who had taken the belt from Johnson in a stunning upset).

Marvin Hart has been perhaps the biggest disappointment so far, as he had a miserable 1-9 record in title bouts, holding the USBA belt briefly and finally getting a WBA title shot at Johnson very late in his career, in 1910, when he was already past his prime. The jury is still out, of course, on Jess Willard, who so far has not looked like a future champ, whereas based on what we have seen so far, Dempsey certainly does.

Keep in mind this list does not include the numerous WBA champs in my Uni who were not World Champs in real life, including the likes of Tommy Chandler, George (Old Chocolate) Godfrey, Joe Coburn, the great Peter Jackson, Jimmy Elliot, John C. Heehan, Jake Knifton, Peter Courtney, Dick Matthews, Bob Armstrong, Phila Jack O'Brien (who like Fitz before him, moved up from the LH ranks), and, more recently, the triumvirate of Sam Langford, Joe Jeannette and Sam McVey. All in all, a total of 20 different champions when there were just eight in real-life.

Hope this retrospective has been informative and I plan to post something similar for the other divisions soon.

[JCWeb]

Part 2 of the "Champs or Chumps" feature focuses on the LH Division. Here's the list of real-life champs with the dates they ascended the throne compared to similar dates in my Uni:

Jack Root RL: Apr. 1903 Uni: Jun. 1905
George Gardner RL: July 1903 Uni: Apr. 1903
Bob Fitzsimmons RL: Nov. 1903 Uni: Mar. 1885
Phila Jack O'Brien RL: Dec. 1905 Uni: Mar. 1901
Jack Dillon RL: Apr. 1915 Uni: Apr. 1912
Battling Levinsky RL: Oct. 1916 Uni: Not Yet
Georges Carpentier RL: Oct. 1920 Uni: Not Yet
Battling Siki RL: Sept. 1922 Uni: Too Soon to Tell
Mike McTigues RL: Mar. 1923 Uni: Too Soon to Tell

Batting 5 for 5 so far as all RL champions have also managed to ascend to the WBA LH throne in my fictional universe. The 18-year difference for Fitz is probably the biggest gap to be seen anywhere, since he started in my Uni as a LH (did not have MW ratings for him) and then moved up to HW, rather than dabbling in the LH division toward the end of his career, when his best HW battles were behind him in 1903. Pretty close to the mark with George Gardner, and O'Brien and Dillon rose to the top sooner primarily due to the paucity of talent in the division at the time, plus the fact that I had Fitz at HW until the end of his career. Jury is still out on Levinsky, who has not impressed in bouts he would have been expected to win for the lesser NABF and USBA titles, whereas Carpentier (alreayd the EBU LHW champ) has looked like a world-beater and certainly is a likely future WBA champ, and probably some time before 1920 (of course, IRL his career was interrupted by military service in WW I). Too soon to tell about Siki and McTigue of course.

(Keep in mind I did not wait until the early 1900s, as happened IRL, to stage LHW title bouts, which is why you see Fitz as LH champ back in the 19th Century.)

By way of comparison, seven LHs who were not World champs IRL have made it to the top in my Uni: Joe Butler, Joe Choynski, Charlie Haghey (big surprise there -- a "2"-rated fighter winning a World title), John Wille, Jack (Twin) Sullivan, Leo Houck and the current champion, Tommy Gibbons. Interestingly, Gene Tunney, who moved from LH to defeat Jack Dempsey for the H crown, was never considered a LH champ, although in 1922 and 1923 he (along with Harry Greb) were listed as holding something called the American Light Heavyweight title.

Next post up will deal with Tunney and Dempsey in action on the same card as part of a star-studded lineup in a "supercard" in New Orleans in Dec. 1915 as the year rolls to a close.

[Lee]

Good stuff JC, nice addition to the Universe.

[JCWeb]

December 11, 1915 -- New Orleans, LA: Jack Dempsey "The Manassa Mauler" and the "Fighting Marine" Gene Tunney appear on the same card in a jampacked evening of pugilistic excellence featuring such boxing luminaries as Harry Greb ("The Human Windmill'), Abe "Lil Champ" Attell, and Fred Fulton, aka "The Rochester Plasterer." Greb and Fulton, two top prospects who are each 14-0 will be going for their fifteenth wins and a spot in the top 20 rankings of their respective divisions. Lew Tendler, Mike O'Dowd and and Little Jack Sharkey are all appearing on a huge 18-bout card. Attell defends his NABF title in the main event, and Dempsey is scheduled to go 10 in the co-feature/main support bout. Tunney is set for one of the preliminary 6-rounders in what promises to be an action-packed evening.

Tunney is up first, taking on TC Tom Tubner, a LH who enters the bout with a 1-3 career mark. Tubner is a cut above the other TCs Tunney has faced thus far, and as such, he is thought to perhaps offer a stiffer test. The bout is scheduled for 6, but for the third time in three bouts for Tunney, it doesn't last the distance. A vicious hook from Gene puts Tubner down just around the midway point of round one, and Tubner is counted out. Tunney by KO at 1:30 of the first. Tunney's mark is 3-0 (3), 320 pps.

After several other exciting contests, including a 4th round KO by Fred Fulton and an exciting 10-rounder in which Harry Greb thoroughly pummeled a game Zulu Kid, who managed to last the distance despite a fearful beating, the heralded top new HW prospect Jack Dempsey enters the ring to stirring applause from the huge crowd on hand, looking for his 12th successive knockout to start out his career. His opponent is Chet McIntyre, a 2-rated boxer who sports an impressive 9-1-1 (2) mark coming into the bout. McIntyre has a decent chin, going the distance in his only loss, a UD 10 to Homer Smith, who also had him down once in the bout. Should be a good test to see where the "Manassa Mauler" is at this stage of his career.

Dempsey comes in out in round one looking sharp, scoring with a hook to the body and a straight right hand. He follows it up wiht a three-punch combo and then a cross right before the bell that has McIntyre stunned. A solid opening round for Dempsey.

Round two, Dempsey works his way inside, while McIntyre is definitely on the defensive. Jack scores with a hook and a straight right, and McIntyre is shaken but able to fire a hasty jab back in return. Dempsey scores with a cross, takes a step back to follow up with a jab, but McIntyre remains upright despite the barrage from the Manassa Mauler.

Round three, Dempsey rushes in, eager to land a telling blow, scores with a quick hook to the head which doesn't seem to faze his opponent, who keeps punching. Dempsey misses with a few wild shots, takes a few harmless punches, scores with a hook that makes McIntyre wince late in the round.

Round four, as the round starts. for the first time there is noticeable swelling below the left eye of McIntyre. McIntyre trades blows early in the round but is then put on the defensive by another whirlwind attack by Dempsey, who lands a crushing uppercut, then forces McIntyre back against the ropes. McIntyre is visibly tired now, but he manages to lay back against the ropes and hang on to last the round.

Coming out for the fifth, it's clear McIntyre's corner worked hard between rounds to reduce the swelling which is now obvious. Dempsey presses the attack again, landing a big hook to the head. A sharp combination is followed by another right and McIntyre is in trouble. A big left scores for Dempsey, yet amazingly McIntyre survives another round and is still standing. Unofficial card at ringside has Dempsey way ahead, 49-46, with McIntyre winning the third.

Round six, Dempsey presses hard as he strives to keep the KO streak alive. McIntyre stays outside, looking to establish his jab. Dempsey is relentless, and lands a cross that cuts McIntyre just above the right eye. Dempsey follows with an uppercut to head, and finally McIntyre goes down. He gets back up at the count of 8, but his efforts to cover up are futile. Dempsey pins him in the corner, and decks McIntyre with a powerful uppercut. This time McIntyre stays down for the count. Dempsey by KO at 2:33 of round 6. The TB points tracker register an incredible 37 points for Dempsey in the last round!

Dempsey's record moved to 12-0 (all by KO), and 572 pp, with the win. Obviously, stiffer competition and a top 20 ranking are the objectives going into 1916.

[Jeff1787]

Dempsey is apparently a tough dude, to say the least...Merry Christmas to everyone and may Dempsey keep up his streak!!!

[JCWeb]

1915 HW Title Bouts

Headline News: A New Champion is crowned! Sam McVey becomes the 20th different fighter to win the coveted WBA HW Championship.

WBA Title Bouts

Joe Jeannette CH (41-4) vs Sam McVey #1 (39-10-2)

Jeannette holds a 3-1 lifetime edge over McVey heading into this bout, but McVey has won four straight since his last loss (to Jeannette in 1913).

Round one, McVey dominates the early action as Jeannette seems to be a bit lethargic. Both work the outside and Jeannette recovers with a solid effort in round two. Round three and the action shifts to the inside, and Jeannette lands a big uppercut after McVey dominated the first half of the round. McVey comes back strong in round 4, and the challenger continues his assault, landing most of the heavy leather in the fifth. Jeannette, realizing he is behind, starts becoming more aggressive, but McVey's defense is solid. Jeannette takes some punishment and his right eye begins to exhibit some puffiness at the and of round 8. Round 10, and the champ rallies, and McVey's left eye begins to redden as well. It's a titanic struggle heading into the final rounds, and the punch count favors the challenger. McVey withstands a tremendous onslaught from Jeannette in the 13th and hangs on for the UD 15 win and the WBA belt. McVey by UD 15 (145-141, 144-142, 145-141).

Sam McVey CH (40-10-2) vs William Hague UNR (19-2)

Hague, the British champ, gets his second WBA title shot despite not being ranked in the Top 20 HWs. Hague is confident, however, coming off a first round blowout over Gunner Moir, but the bettors have McVey down as a heavy favorite.

After a close opening stanza, McVey makes quick work of his opponent in round two. He lands a hard hook means lights out for Hague -- McVey by KO in the 2nd.

Sam McVey CH (41-10-2) vs Tom Kennedy UNR (14-4-1)

Again, McVey opts for the easier title defense as all the other top guys are unavailable or committed elsewhere. The bout has difficulty getting sanctioned, but it goes ahead as the challenge is one of the long line of "White Hopes" that were popular draws in this era. McVey comes in riding a 6-bout win streak, whereas Kennedy squeaked by McLaglin and Schreck via MDs to "earn" this title shot. No prior meetings of the two.

McVey seems in great shape, forcing Kennedy to retreat as he lands repeatedly to pile up the points. A big straight right near the end of the second staggers the challenger, punctuating McVey's early dominance. Kennedy tries to work the inside in the third, but it is no dice as McVey's quick hands mete out more punishment and cause swelling about the left eye of the game challenger. McVey presses the attack in round four, scoring big with an uppercut and an overhand left. Kennedy appears in desperate straits again in round five, but somehow he manages to stay upright despite a pounding from McVey. McVey steps off the gas a bit as Kennedy begins to tire midway through the scheduled 15. Kennedy tries to mix it up with the Champ in round 8, but instead he lands on the canvas for the bout's first knockdown. Three more KDs for McVey follow in rounds 9, 11 and 14, but Kennedy gets up each time, so it goes the distance. McVey retains his title via a lopsided UD 15 (150-131 on all three cards).

NABF: After not defending the belt in 1914, Tommy Burns is goaded into a title bout with his old nemesis, Jack Johnson. After a cagey start by both men, Johnson appears to be outboxing the Canadian when Burns scores a quick knockdown in round six, followed by a second KD late in the round. Johnson wisely decides to adopt a more cautious approach the rest of the way and is rewarded with a UD 12 victory (116-110, 115-111, 116-110). He defends against Battling Jim Johnson, who was on a three-bout win streak to set up his first title shot of any kind. Both work the outside mostly, and Jack Johnson totally outclasses his less skilled counterpart to register a UD 12 win (118-110, 118-109, 117-113).

USBA: There is a battle for the vacant belt previously held by McVey between Joplin Ghost Jeff Clarke and young up and comer Harry Wills. Wills announces he is ready for the challenge as he puts the veteran Clarke on the deck 45 seconds into the bout. Clarke hangs on to make the final scores respectable, but Wills does enough to win a UD 12 (116-112, 115-113, 116-112). He defends versus Carl Morris, landing a perfect combination to put Morris down in round 2 and then finishing him off with a TKO in round three. Next up is ex-Champ Joe Jeannette, and it is a classic battle over the 12-round distance between the veteran Jeannette and the younger, quicker "Black Panther," as Wills is known. Jeannette is cut above the left eye in the 5th, and Wills lands some big shots but Jeannette does not go down. Another solid UD 12 for Wills (116-112, 115-114, 116-112) -- the sensational result of this bout caused many to tab Wills as a future WBA champion.

CBU: Sam Langford began the year with the belt, going down under to defend versus Aussie Colin Bell. Langford was cut above the right eye early (in round two) and Bell did a good job of targeting the cut while staying away from Langford's power to wind up lifting the belt in a huge surprise by a TKO in round 9 (stoppage due to the cut which had gradually worsened during the bout). Bell defended versus Tommy Burns, in a rematch of the 1911 CBU title bout won by Burns. It turned out to be a repeat performance by Tommy, who survived a late surge by Bell to win a close but unanimous verdict (116-113, 115-114, 116-113).

GBU: William Hague defended versus aging vet Gunner Moir, dominating the bout from the get-go when Moir was cut over the left eye and ending it in the first with a dramatic KO. Then he took on Bombadier Billy Wells, whom he had bested twice before, most recently in a UD for the GBU belt back in 1913. Wells shocked Hague by putting him down with a cross to the head in round one. But in round 2, Bombadier Billy had problems of his own, as he was cut. Hague sustained a cut as well in round three, along with swelling developing around the left eye. The bruising battle ended with Wells scoring two more KDs in round 6 before the bout was stopped. TKO 6 for Wells, crowning a new British champion.

EBU: German Otto Flint managed to maintain the belt, defending it first versus Irishman Jim Coffey, whom he dominated from the opening bell in a rout ended with a TKO in the 2nd. Then Ragnar Holmberg made history by becoming the first Swede to challenge for a title, and he acquitted himself well before tiring in the later rounds. At this point Flint's power took over, landing his second KD in round 8, two more in round 9, another in round 11, and three in the final round for a total of 8 in the entire bout. Flint by TKO 12.

[JCWeb]

Jan 1916 Division Profile

Total: 155 RL: 81 TC: 74

RL by Career Stage:
End - 3
Post- 16
Prime-40
Pre - 17
Beginning - 5 (3 New)

Rated: 62
800+: 8
500+: 19
200+: 51

Jan 1916 Rankings (Perf Pts and Changes from Jan 1915 in Parens):

Champ: Sam McVey 42-10-2 (27) (1403) (+2)
1. Sam Langford 51-7-1 (39) (1338) (NC)
2. Jack Johnson 70-9-6 (51) (1240) (+2)
3. Joe Jeannette 42-6 (29) (1175) (-3)
4. Tommy Burns 44-11-4 (31) (1166) (-1)
5. Harry Wills 22-2 (19) (1125) (+3)
6. Colin Bell 20-8-3 (10) (1057) (+3)
7. Jeff Clarke 25-7-2 (20) (829) (NC)
8. Bartley Madden 20-1-2 (11) (782) (+4)
9. Frank Moran 26-10-1 (16) (778) (-3)
10. Jess Willard 20-2 (14) (751) (+1)

Comments: All the top guys are at Prime, except for Johnson, who is at Post. McVey emerged as the new Champ, sweeping aside Jeannette for the title and winning two defenses. Langford lost the CBU title to Bell, but then won four in a row, including a rematch with Bell (UD 10 win), and KOs over Charley Miller, Willard, and finally, on the last day of the year, a one-round TKO of Harry Wills in a great inter-generational matchup. Johnson managed to move up two spots to prove that, despite the advancing age (38 in 1916), the skill level remains high. Jeannette lost the WBA belt, scored an impressive TKO 5 over EBU champ Otto Flint, but was disappointing in the USBA title loss to Wills -- he has just one more year before he hits Post-Prime due to advancing age; he will turn 37 in 1916. Burns continued a roller-coaster career, losing the NABF title but defeating Bell to regain the CBU belt. He scored a draw with Bartley Madden but has been inactive since August. Willd won the USBA belt and appeared on the verge of a WBA title shot until the setback losing in dramatic fashion to Langford. Bell moved up with that surprise win over Langford but lost to Burns next time out. Clarke was unable to take advantage of the title opportunity presented him; he continues to dominate second-rate opposition (witness TKO wins over Miller and Rodel) and so remains in the Top 10 for now. Madden had three wins and a draw (with Burns) to ascend to the top group for the first time; he is eagerly seeking a rematch for the EBU belt with Flint, with whom he drew in 1914. Moran appears back on track after losing two straight to Wills and Willard, with KOs over Savage and Miller -- there is still time left for him to prove himself agains top-flight opposition. Willard scored a SD10 over Miske and a UD10 over Moran to build a three-bout win streak that was snapped in a TKO 6 loss to Langford, which has prevented him from moving further up the rankings.

Other Notables: Gunboat Smith was nosed out of the top 10, falling one spot to #11, faltering with a UD 10 loss to Madden but scoring a KO 4 over Kaufmann and a UD over McMahon to remain in the hunt. Charley Miller tumbled out of the top 10 with an 0-3 year, as losses to Clarke, Langford and Moran dropped him nine spots all the way down to #14. Debuting at #12 is Fred Fulton, who has racked up 15 straight, 10 by KO in a brilliant start to his career. He looked most impressive in a KO 7 of previously unbeaten fellow prospect Bill Brennan, which he followed up with KOs of George "One Round" Davis, Al Reich and Dan Daily. Billy Miske debuts at #13, despite the SD loss to Willard and being held to a draw by Fireman Jim Flynn; his career mark stands at 17-1-1 (11). EBU Champ Flint checks in at #15 with a 19-3-2 (16) record and 663 pp. He defended the EBU title twice but the KO loss to Jeannette once again raises questions about his ability to hold his own against the top echelon of HW fighters. New British champ Bombadier Billy Wells is only rated #39 (!) after his win over Hague; his career mark of 16-7-2 (10), worth only 289 pp, means British HWs are getting no respect in the rankings. Bill Brennan, who debuts at #16, had won his first 14 in a row before the losses to Miske (UD) and Fulton (by KO 7) have put his career at the proverbial crossroads. Carl Morris stands at #18, registering KO wins over Palzer, Geyer and John L. Johnson to go with the setback to Wills in the US title bout. Sailor Willie Meehan is on an impressive run of six wins in a row to climb into the #20 spot, sporting a 19-10-2 (2) record. Luther McCarty climbed back to #21 with a UD 10 win over Arthur Pelkey, the man who ended his career and his life in a RL ring battle. Charlie Penwill of the UK debuts at #21 (higher than the current GBU champ), with a 14-1 (9) mark but he has not yet been severely tested (one loss to Swede Ragnar Holmberg). On the downside, John Lester Johnson has now lost five in a row after starting 15-0 to fall all the way to #34. Al Palzer, loser of his last six, slid all the way to #44 from what was an undefeated mark of 15-0-2 a couple of years back.

Prospects: Jack Dempsey's exploits have been well-chronicled here, but another HW prospect also with an unbeaten streak is Kiwi Albert Pooley, who checks in at 13-0 (10), but only one of his victims ("Bandman" Dick Rice) is a named, non-TC fighter. Homer Smith is 10-0-1 (5) after taking a split duke from Soldier Kearns and posting a win over the only fighter to hold him to a draw, Chet McIntyre (Dempsey's most recent victim). Ireland's Bob Devere is still unbeaten, going 10-0 (8), and in one of those bouts he handed British prospect Frank Goddard his only loss; Goddard's mark now stands at 10-2 (8). Jack Thompson, who lost to Dempsey as well as Brennan and Fulton, has a 9-3-1 (6) career mark. Winning all their bouts so far by knockout were newcomers Agile Andre Anderson (4-0) and Bud Gorman (2-0).

Retirements: None, surprisingly. However, several fighters are reaching the end of their careers, so look for a few to hang 'em up in 1916.

Looking Ahead: McVey will probably be forced into a 1916 title defense against a top contender (unlike the last two defenses), and it will be interesting to see how long he can keep the crown against the elite of the division. Wills' career has been stalled momentarily, but Langford and Jack Johnson have been resilient. Look for Madden to seek out a EBU title rematch with Flint, and for Willard, Fulton or Moran to try to take down a lesser (NABF or USBA) belt. Only three newcomers to the division; they will be another German, Paul Samson-Korner, Aussie George Cook, and American Fat LaRue. Also, look for Jack Dempsey's march to greatness to continue as he gets to bout #15 and a spot in the top 20 (perhaps even the top 10) in the rankings.

FINALLY, A NEW FEATURE!

Bold Prediction(s) for 1916: I will try to make at least one of these for each division per year, and check back later to see if it came true. For the HWs, I predict Jack Johnson will regain the WBA title belt in 1916 despite his advancing age. Lesser predictions: Dempsey will start to take on some rated guys and will move into the Top 20 even if the KO streak is snapped. Fulton will find it difficult once he starts facing top 10 opponents -- so I guess that means he will lose at least once next year. Expect Wells to lose the GBU belt to one of the younger guys, either Penwill or Joe Beckett. And Flint will lose the EBU belt to Madden, should he face him again.

[JCWeb]

Highlight of the Year: A New World LH Champ is Crowned!

1915 LH Tittle Bouts

WBA

Jack Dillon CH (28-2-3) vs Leo Houck #3 (32-13-4)

Dillon holds a win and a draw versus Houck in two prior meetings, the most recent being a win in an October 1913 title defense. Leo has gone 3-1 since then -- Dillon enters as a heavy favorite for his ninth WBA title defense.

Dillon moves ahead in the early going, with slick defense combined with quick counterpunching ability. Jack "the Giant Killer" moves inside in round four, landing a huge uppercut to stagger Houck. Houck presses forward on the inside in round five, has some success, but is penalized for hitting after the bell. Dillon's repeated blows produce some swelling around Houck's right eye toward the late middle rounds of the fight. Houck manages to hang tough, las the distance, and when the scores are announced the bout is surprisingly close -- Dillon by UD 15 (144-143 on all three cards).

Jack Dillon CH (29-2-3) vs Tommy Gibbons #4 (17-2-1)

Gibbons had three successive wins over Morrow, Dave Smith, and Levinsky and is just hitting his stride as he enters the Prime of his career. Yet Dillon remains the favorite in this first meeting between the two.

Gibbons gets off to a fine start, landing a straight right to stun the Champ, and there is some puffiness about Dillon's right eye already. Round two, both seek to establish their jabs, it's essentially an even round although Dillon had Gibbons trapped on the ropes, he couldn't do much damage. Dillon tries unsuccessfully to pressure Gibbons on the inside in round three. Both land well in the fourth stanza, slight edge to Gibbons who was the aggressor. Gibbons breaks through on the inside with a strong round five, punishing Dillon with a cross followed by a huge uppercut. Gibbons continues to press home the attack in round six, piling up a points lead. Dillon is cut just above the right eye in round seven, and the cut is in a bad spot. Gibbons targets the cut, which takes a couple of rounds for Dillon's corner to bring under control. Dillon starts to tire in round 10, and in round 11 Gibbons rips the cut open, leading to a stoppage. Dillon's three year reign as WBA LH Champ is at an end. Gibbons by TKO 11 (cut).

Tommy Gibbons CH (18-2-1) vs Frank Farmer #5 (15-3-1)

Gibbons' first defense is against USBA Champ, Frank Farmer, the "Old Bald Eagle." The two have not met before.

Farmer starts well in the opening round, and in round two he opens a cut above the left eye of the Champ. Farmer is himself cut above the left eye in round four, and the battle of the cuts continues as Gibbons' cut is reopened in round five. Gibbons bears down and gradually asserts control in the middle rounds, aided by some great cornerwork to close the cut. The cut above Farmer's eye is reopened in round 8, and the cut above Gibbons' eye is reopened a second time in round 9. Gibbons perseveres and Farmer suffers some swelling around the right eye by the end of the 9th. The cut over Farmer's eye gradually worsens, and it leads to an 11th round stoppage. Gibbons by TKO 11 (cut).

NABF: Bob McAllister started the year with the belt and made three defenses in 1915. First up was Bob Sweeney, who had looked impressive in a KO of Charley Haghey in his last bout. This one was all one-sided as McAllister turned in an impressive performance to register a dominate UD 12 win. He then took on the aging ex-Champ, Phila Jack O'Brien, who seemed a shell of his former self, taking a beating until the ref stopped it. McAllister by TKO in 5. Then it was Battling Levinsky, trying once again to win an elusive title belt to jump-start his stalled career. It was a close bout, but an early cut that gradually worsened led to the end for Levinsky, TKO 10 for McAllister as he held a narrow lead on all the cards when the ref stepped in.

USBA: Charles Grande defended the belt he won in 1914 by taking on Frank Farmer, who was coming off a KO of Phila Jack O'Brien. Farmer looked sharp early, then coasted to an eaay UD 12 win as Grande tired in the later rounds. Then Farmer gave aging vet Charlie Haghey one last shot. Farmer seized control early but could not put Haghey away, but the ref put a stop to it late in round two. TKO 2 for Farmer, and Haghey retired right after this loss.

CBU: Australia's Dave Smith defended versus British champ Harry Reeve in a repeat of their 1914 encounter, this time in London. Smith trapped Reeve in the corner in round one, putting him down for a quick KD. Smith had Reeve on the defensive for most of the rest of the way until the ref called a halt in round 7. TKO win for Smith. He defended late in the year against fellow Aussie Albert Lloyd, who surprised Smith with a big uppercut for a knockdown in round one. Lloyd was unable to follow up on his early success, and Smith gradually applied the pressure, scoring two knockdowns in round 8 and three in round 9 for a TKO win. Smith by TKO 9.

GBU: Not much to report, as Harry Reeve found the aging TC ex-GBU champ Chuck Carrick an easy opponent, scroing three KDs to end it by TKO in round one. Looks like this was the last we will see of Carrick in any kind of title bout.

EBU: Georges Carpentier put his EBU belt on the line against the Senegalese, Battling Siki, who is fighting under the French flag and thus eligible for the EBU belt. Siki acquitted himself well in his first title try, recovering after the Orchid Man applied some early pressure that had Siki on the defensive. Siki opened a severe cut over Carpentier's right eye late in the bout and did enough to secure a draw (scores were 115-113 for Carpentier, 115-113 for Siki, 114-114 even). After this narrow escape, Carpentier then took on an easier foe, Brit Harry Reeve. The bout was shaping to be an interesting, action-packed affair until a right hook by Carpentier floored Reeve for the count. Carpentier by KO 5.

[JCWeb]

Jan 1916 LH Division Profile

Total: 58 RL: 28 TCs: 30

RL by Career Stage:
End - 1
Post - 1
Prime - 13
Pre - 8
Beginning - 5 (3 New)

Rated: 18
800+: 4
500+: 11
200+: 17

Jan 1916 Rankings (Perf Pts and Changes from Jan 1915 in Parens):

Champ: Tommy Gibbons 19-2-1 (11) (845) (+6)
1. Georges Carpentier 29-1-1 (21) (1110) (NC)
2. Bob McAllister 26-5-1 (18) (957) (NC)
3. Jack Dillon 30-3-3 (15) (812) (-3)
4. Leo Houck 33-15-4 (11) (660) (-1)
5. Frank Farmer 15-4-1 (9) (599) (+3)
6. Dave Smith 24-8 (20) (574) (+4)
7. Phila Jack O'Brien 62-12-4 (27) (571) (+2)
8. Battling Levinsky 24-8 (13) (553) (-1)
9. Battling Siki 14-2-2 (10) (531) (new)
10. Bob Sweeney 16-4 (12) (519) (-6)

Comments: All the above at Prime, except for O'Brien who is at End career stage (only a few more bouts) and Siki, who is still at Pre-Prime. Gibbons ascended to the top rung, going 4-0 for the year with UD 10 wins over Dave Smith and Levinsky before taking the crown. Carpentier remained the top-rated LH, despite being held to a draw by Siki, as he pounded out UD wins over McAllister, Williams and Houck in addition to his two EBU title defenses. McAllister went 3-1, keeping his NABF belt but losing to Carpentier. Dillon lost the title but bounced back with a technical win over the lowly-ranked Clay Turner. Houck had a 2-2 year, slipping with two losses to Dillon and Carpentier despite a MD 10 win over Dave Smith. Frank Farmer rose in the rankings but was beaten by Gibbons in his WBA title challenge. Dave Smith had a busy year, winning three and losing two, one of the non-title bouts wins being a UD 10 over hot newcomer, Battling Siki. Phila Jack O'Brien is still there, turning in a UD win over Grande and a draw with Siki, whom he had beaten earlier. Levinsky continued to struggle, turning in a MD over Williams but losing to Gibbons. Siki was the top newcomer, shooting up the ranks despite the fact that his only win in 1915 was against a TC. Draws with Carpentier and O'Brien made him the top new sensation in the division. Bob Sweeney dropped to #10 despite a KO over aging vet Jack "Twin" Sullivan for his only win in 1915.

Other Notables: Sullivan dropped out of the Top 10, tumbling seven spots to #12 after KO losses to Morrow and Sweeney. Larry Williams at 15-6 held down the #11 spot despite two losses in 1915. GBU Champ Harry Reeve is ranked 16th, with a 15-6 (12) mark and 320 pp. His only wins came versus TCs and he was totally outclassed by both Smith and Carpentier.

Prospects: Mike McTigue continued to impress, racking up KO after KO for a perfect 13-0 (13) mark, albeit all versus TCs. Kid Norfolk also feasted on TC opposition in compiling his 11-0 (9) record. Dick Smith kept his unbeaten record at 8-0-1 (2), and Chuck Wiggins ("The Hoosier Playboy") avenged an earlier loss to a TC to go 8-1 (5). Steve Choynski is now 5-0-1 (1), being held back with a draw to a TC as well. Newcomers Eddie Trembley and Gene Tunney did all that was asked of them, blasting out KOs over all TC opposition to get their careers off on the right foot -- Trembley with 4 KO wins and Tunney with 3.

Retirements: Two ex-Champs hung them up in 1915. Their records:

John Wille (USA) 1900-15 37-19-4 (23) WBA Champ 1904-05
Charlie Haghey (USA) 1900-15 33-28-3 (24) WBA Champ 1903-04

These two guys got to the top when the talent was real thin in the division, and both were upset winners in title bouts versus the same man, Ireland's George Gardner.

Looking Ahead: Expect to see Carpentier ready for a try at the WBA belt in 1915, while guys like Dillon and Levinsky try to get things back on track. Farmer is unlikely to remain USBA champ for long, with some strong contenders out there. Mike McTigue, who has been handled carefully so far, should be ready to step up and become an instant factor in this still thin division, talent-wise. The three newcomers in 1916 will be led by Lou Bogash and with everyone except O'Brien and Sullivan at or near their peak, the division should be more competitive in the next few years.

Big Prediction(s) for 1916: Tommy Gibbons will hang onto the WBA belt for another year. Dillon is likely to be the only top contender out there likely to offer a serious challenge right now. Farmer will lose the USBA belt to Levinsky, but the other titles are unlikely to change hands.

[JCWeb]

1915 MW Title Bouts

Headline: Mike Gibbons Keeps WBA MW Title Bout, so the Gibbons Brothers (Tommy and Mike) Now Hold Two WBA Titles (LH and MW) Simultaneously!

WBA

Mike Gibbons CH (23-3-1) vs Joe Borrell #5 (17-3-1)

First meeting of the two -- Gibbons has now won seven in a row; Borrell has won his last two, a TKO of aging vet Frank Klaus and a MD over Jake Ahearn.

Gibbons starts well, outboxing Borrell over the first few rounds. The St. Paul Phantom moves inside in round four and continues to dominate with lightning quick blows. Round five sees little action, slight edge to the challenger. The Champ continues to dominate in round seven, scoring heavily with some toe-to-toe action, and Borrell is suffering from a swollen eye from the repeated blows. Borrell gets more desperate and tired as the bout goes on, flailing away ineffectively. Gibbons is cut above the right eye in round 10, but is able to maintain the advantage to the end. Gibbons by UD 15 (147-138, 147-139, 147-138).

Mike Gibbons CH (24-3-1) vs Albert "Buck" Crouse #6 (19-4-1)

Next up for the St. Paul Phantom is "Buck" Crouse, a heavy puncher with lots of knockout power. It is Crouse's first title shot which seems long overdue after a series of KO wins over Italian Joe Gans, George (KO) Brown and Jack McCarron.

Crouse surprises Gibbons with a quick hook to the head in round one. Gibbons shows some swelling below the right eye at the end of the opening stanza, not a good sign. Crouse presses the attack in rounds two and three, but Gibbons wisely elects to stay on the outside and not mix it up. Gibbons battles back but Crouse gets in a few shots in rounds four and five. Crouse lands a strong shot, putting Gibbons down in the sixth. The St. Paul Phantom recovers, managing to open a cut over Crouse's left eye in the next round. Crouse is clearly bothered by the cut as the bout heads into the later rounds. Gibbons then reasserts control and manages to pull out a win against a tough, game challenger. Gibbons by UD 15 (143-139, 144-138, 143-139).

NABF: Jeff Smith defends the belt versus Al McCoy, a former USBA champ. It's a close bout all the way with Smith pulling it out with a strong finish in the 12th and final round. Smith by MD 12 (116-114, 115-115, 116-114). Smith then takes on reigned USBA champ and former WBA champ Billy Papke, who gets off the mark early, scoring four KDs en route to a dominant UD 12 win to lift the belt (117-107, 116-108, 116-108). Papke then defends versus Al Grayber, nailing the challenger with a wild overhand right in round two, following it up with several strong shots in rounds seven and eight that lead to an early stoppage. Papke by TKO 8.

USBA: "Illinois Thunderbolt" Billy Papke starts the year with the belt, which he defends versus Al McCoy. Papke looks sharp early, causing swelling about the left eye of McCoy. But a resurgent McCoy comes back with a strong second half of the bout, and the result is a well-deserved draw (114-113 for Papke, 113-115 McCoy, 114-114 even). Papke vacates the title after claiming the NABF belt, and McCoy meets Eddie McGoorty for the vacant crown. After a couple of close opening rounds, McGoorty gradually asserts himself, aggressively dominating on the inside until he scores two knockdowns in the 10th that lead to a stoppage. McGoorty by TKO 10. Eddie gives George Chip his first title shot late in the year, but Chip is on the defensive from round three on and Eddie finishes it with a strong shot to the body that puts Chip down for the count in the 6th. McGoorty by KO 6.

CBU: Jake Ahearn defends versus Aussie Mick King in a savage, brutal bout that sees King fall behind early. Ahearn is coasting on a points lead when the ref, Cavanaugh, calls him for holding and hitting and King is awarded the belt on a controversial DQ decision. King wins by DQ in round 11.

GBU: Ahearn defends the belt versus Gus Platts, aka "The Sheffield Blade." Ahearn establishes his jab early but Platts is relentless, attacking hard on the inside. A rally by Platts in the later rounds makes the difference as he wins a narrow SD 12 to lift the belt. (115-114 Platts, 113-116 Ahearn and 115-114 Platts).

EBU: Ahearn, who started the year with three belts, lost two of them but retained the one he did not defend (the EBU belt).

[JCWeb]

Jan 1916 MW Division Profile

Total: 127 RL: 66 TC: 61

RL by Career Stage:
End - 3
Post - 5
Prime - 35
Pre - 16
Beginning - 7 (3 New)

Rated: 51
800+: 4
500+: 25
200+: 46

Jan 1916 Rankings (Perf Pts and Changes from Jan 1915 in Parens)

Champ: Mike Gibbons 25-3-1 (10) (1199) (NC)
1. Billy Papke 33-4-2 (22) (1181) (NC)
2. Jeff Smith 24-3 (12) (1027) (NC)
3. Eddie McGoorty 32-10-1 (28) (890) (+4)
4. Joe Chip 22-7-2 (15) (766) (+18)
5. Les Darcy 23-5-1 (16) (765) (+14)
6. Albert Crouse 19-5-1 (16) (742) (+6)
7. Al Grayber 18-5-3 (9) (737) (+3)
8. Joe Borrell 18-5-1 (13) (717) (-3)
9. Frank Mantell 27-9-5 (15) (705) (+2)
10. Jack McCarron 21-8-2 (11) (699) (-6)

Comments: Almost 700 pp required to make the top 10, once again showing how deep the talent in the MW division is. All the above at Prime except for Darcy, who hits Post in 1916 which was his last year IRL. (Too short a career for the "Maitland Wonder.) All are Americans except for Darcy and Mantell. Gibbons is riding a 9-bout win streak, having made five straight defenses of his belt. Papke, who has 5 wins, one draw since his last loss (to Gibbons for the WBA belt), fought only title bouts in 1915. Jeff Smith styad up despite a loss to Papke, coming back with a SD 10 win over McCarron. McGoorty re-established himself as a top contender, going 3-0 for the year with KO wins over Al McCoy and George Chip. Joe Chip, George's forgotten sibling, leapfrogged his way to #4 with a TKO of Walter Coffey, a UD over Platts, a KO of George Ashe, a SD over Johnny Wilson and a draw with Grayber. Not great results, but a 13- bout unbeaten string (11 wins 2 draws) was enough to make his PP total sufficient to climb up the ranks. Darcy had a very good year with 5 wins and just one loss (TKO to Grayber) but no title and unfortunately the aging effects starting next year will doubtlessly hamper his efforts. Crouse registered KO wins over Brown and McCarron to set up his losing WBA title shot, but he remains in the top 10. Grayber fought to draws with Al Rogers and Joe Chip and had wins over Darcy and Levin by was TKO'd by Papke. Borrell dropped a few spots after a loss to Darcy but defeated George Brown to maintain a top 10 position. Mantell returned to the top group, registering wins over ex-Champ Thompson and "Wild Bill" Fleming. McCarron hangs onto #10 spot despite dropping three in a row to McGoorty, Crouse and Jeff Smith.

Other Notables: All-time MW Harry Greb debuts at #11 with a sterling 15-0 (11) mark; his victims in 1915 included Len Rowlands (KO 10), Silent Martin (UD 10) and Zulu Kid (UD 10). EBU Champ Jake Ahearn holds down the #12 spot despite losing the CBU and GBU title belts, as he scored SD wins over George Chip and Al McCoy. His record now stands at 23-5 (13) with 654 pp. McCoy dropped 10 spots down to #13 after going winless in 1915, losing to Smith, Ahearn and McGoorty after a well-fought draw with Papke. George (KO) Brown dropped from #9 to #14 with a pair of KO 7 losses to Crouse and Borrell, and a SD win over Ashe was his only bright spot. Ashe dropped 20 spots to #16 with the losses to Joe Chip and Brown, although he did manage a MD 10 win over Frank Klaus. Walter Coffey was the big loser, sliding 21 spots down to #29 after an 0-3 year (losses to McCarron, Palmer and Joe Chip). Mike O'Dowd debuts at #15 with a 14-1 (9) mark, his only loss to Greb. He had wins over Littleton, Rowlands, and a TKO 9 over the Zulu Kid to justify his ranking. Newcomer Johnny Howard went 4-0 in 1915 and debuts at #19 with a 14-1-1 (8) record. GBU champ Gus Platts is ranked #22 with a 18-6-2 (8) record and 535 pp; further down the list you will find CBU champ Mick King at #30 with a 15-4 (9) mark and only 452 pp. Joe's more famous brother, George Chip, is mired in the #36 spot after a frustrating year in which wins over O'Hagan and Sailor Burke set him up for a title shot, which he lost in addition to dropping a SD to Jake Ahearn who is banging on the door of the Top 10.

Prospects: Bryan Downey heads the list this time, with a 11-0 (8) mark, all TCs until a recent UD 10 win over Len Rowlands. Silent Martin checks in at 11-2 (8), his record marred by losses to Greb and Littleton. Rowlands at 10-3-1 (4) would be unbeaten except for losses to Greb, O'Dowd and Downey. Zulu Kid at 10-4 (8) is unbeaten versus TCs but winless versus the RL guys (losses to Greb, O'Dowd, Littleton and Howard). All the younger guys are still unbeaten versus TC opposition. Panama Joe Gans is now 8-0 (7), Augie Ratner went 7-0 (6), all in 1915, and Brit Frank Moody is 6-0 (4). Off to good starts are Battling Ortega at 4-0 (3), Jimmy Darcy at 3-0 (1), Frankie Denny at 2-0 and Oakland Jimmy Duffy at 1-0.

Retirements: Two MWs retired in 1915, look for more in 1916.

Eddie Moha (USA) 1911-15 8-11-2 (5) No Titles highest rank: UNR
Frank Fields (USA) 1901-15 28-23-3 (19) USBA Champ highest rank: 7

Moha, incidentally, is one of the few guys I have had to exit the Uni based on a losing record and a die roll following a loss (possibility of one in 20 multiplied by each loss below 500).

Looking Ahead: Papke or McGoorty likely to challenge for Gibbons' WBA belt in 1916; top prospect Harry Greb ready to challenge for a Top 10 ranking and perhaps a USBA or NABF belt. Mantell is looking to take on Ahearn for the EBU title. Joe Chip likely to get his first title chance after such a dramatic rise up the rankings. Aussie Les Darcy looking to try for the CBU belt versus Mick King, and perhaps step up to a WBA title shot as well. Johnny Gill, Kid Mexico and Tillie Herman will join the fray in 1916.

Bold Prediction(s) for 1916: Mike Gibbons will retain the MW belt until he faces Harry Greb, which probably is at least a year off. Greb to annex the NABF or USBA title. Joe Chip will lose if he gets a title shot. Darcy will best Mick King for the CBU belt.

[JCWeb]

1915 WW Title Bouts

Headline: World WW Title Changes Hands -- Twice !! -- in 1915

WBA

Jack Britton CH (33-5-2) vs Packey McFarland #1 (31-1-2)

A rematch of their 1913 title clash, won by Britton. McFarland, the #1 contender, seeks to take the title from Britton and avenge his only career loss.

Little action in the early rounds. McFarland takes on the role of aggressor as Britton prefers to hang back a bit. Britton's strategy proves effective as he outboxes McFarland in round three, causing swelling around the left eye of the challenger. McFarland tries to cut off the ring, and lands his best blow with an uppercut to the head in the fifth that momentarily stuns the Champ. Britton continues to pile up points and continually works on the swollen eye of McFarland. Packey takes round 10 with a late rally but it is pretty much all Jack Britton the rest of the way. Britton coasts to a UD 15 win (144-141, 147-138, 147-138) over his most feared rival.

Jack Britton CH (34-5-2) vs Ted "Kid" Lewis #3 (21-2-3)

It doesn't get any easier for Britton as he now faces the reigning CBU and GBU champ, Ted Kid Lewis, who narrowly lost a MD 10 to McFarland before recently retaining his GBU belt.

Britton looks sharp early, causing swelling about the right eye of Lewis that gradually worsens throughout the bout. Lewis responds with a strong fourth round and maintains the edge into the fifth, but Britton ("the Boxing Marvel") gradually regains control of the bout. Britton's two-fisted attack has Lewis off-guard, and the end comes late in the bout when a severe cut is opened on the forehead of the challenger in round 12. Two rounds later, the cut is reopened, and the bout is stopped with Britton well ahead on all three cards. Britton by TKO 14 (cut).

Jack Britton CH (35-5-2) vs Dick Nelson #2 (30-12-4)

Britton gives a rematch to the last man to take his title, Denmark's Dick Nelson, this being the rubber match as the two are 1-1 in title encounters. A UD 10 win over Shevlin has kept Nelson high in the rankings to justify the return encounter.

Nelson looks sharp and takes the opening stanza. Round two, Nelson continues to rain blows and there is swelling developing around the left eye of the Champion as a result. Nelson continues to look strong in the third and into the fourth, when history repeats itself -- Britton goes below the belt, is called for repeated low blows, and the Dane is awarded the WBA title for the second time on a foul. Nelson by DQ in round 4.

Dick Nelson CH (31-12-4) vs Ted "Kid" Lewis #3 (21-3-3)

This time instead on an immediate rematch for Britton, Nelson offers the first title shot to young Brit, Ted Kid Lewis. First meeting of the two resulted in a draw back in 1913, but two years later and Lewis is more mature and experienced.

Once again, Nelson is out of the gate quickly and the challenger absorbs some hard shots in the early going. Round two, Lewis steps back, working well from the outside with the jab. Nelson switches to the inside in round three -- even round. Rounds four and five, Lewis continues to impress, as not much is working for Nelson at this point. Round seven, Nelson lets loose, but Lewis stays calm and has a big round, as both the Dane's eyes exhibit signs of swelling. Nelson becomes more and more frustrated, tiring badly in the later rounds. A solid performance by Ted Kid Lewis, who becomes the 15th WBA WW champion. Lewis by UD 15 (146-139, 147-138, 146-139).

NABF: This belt has been Packey McFarland's property since 1910, and in 1915 he made three more successful defenses to bring the total to 13. First up was Johnny Alberts, and a cut on the bridge of the nose was repeatedly targeted by McFarland, who also had Alberts down in round 9. McFarland won on a TKO in the 10th when the cut got out of control. McFarland's next foe was Dixie Kid, who was looking for revenge from a 1910 debacle in which he took a drubbing from Packey in a bout that lasted less than two rounds. McFarland had to overcome a cut above his left eye by opening and re-opening one above Kid's right eye that gradually worsened and led to an 8th round stoppage for McFarland. Then Willie Schaeffer took on McFarland and looked to be pulling ahead when McFarland's left eye starting to swell after just four rounds, then Packey stepped up the pace to eke out a very close MD 12 (116-112, 114-114, 116-112) to keep the belt he has held for over five years now.

USBA: Kyle Whitney began the year with the belt, defending it versus Art Magirl, the "Oklahoma Whirlwind" who had won his last six and was seeking his first title belt. Whitney staggered Magirl with an uppercut in round four but got overly cautious in the middle rounds, allowing Magirl to take advantage. An uppercut put Whitney on the canvas in round six, and Magirl then finished it with a solid combination. Magirl by KO 6. Magirl's first defense was against Battling Bill Hurley, a solid veteran. Magirl got off to a furious start, surprising Hurley with two quick knockdowns leading to a first round stoppage. Magirl by TKO 1.

CBU: No title defenses, and the belt will be up for grabs in early 1916 as Ted Kid Lewis, the holder, just won the WBA title.

GBU: Ted Kid Lewis defended once, versus former GBU champ Matt Wells. A solid hook scores for Lewis in the first, and Wells' right eye starts to swell up in round two. Not much of a contest, and it turns out to be a lopsided UD 12 win for Lewis. Like the CBU belt, this one will be up for grabs in 1916.

EBU: Johnny Summers defended versus Frenchman Albert Badoud in a rematch of their 1914 title clash, won by Summers. This time, in Paris, Badoud walks into a Summers cross and goes down in a quick knockdown in the first. He soon recovers, and has Summers down with a strong combination in round four but can't put him away. A hard hook in the fifth has Summers realing, and both his eyes are swelling up. An uppercut resulting in a second knockdown punctuates the win for Badoud, a lopsided UD 12 victory (116-108, 116-108, 115-109) is enough to take the title. He defends versus another Brit, Johnny Basham, starting well when Basham is cut above the left eye in round one. Basham fights a defensive bout, primarily to protect the cut. Trailing going into the late rounds, he summons his reserves to put Badoud on the canvas in round 9 with a big cross. The end result -- a draw (113-113, 111-115 Basham, 113-113) seems justified. Badoud keeps the belt.

[JCWeb]

Jan 1916 WW Division Profile

Total: 91 RL: 46 TC: 45

RL by Career Stage:
End - 2
Post - 10
Prime - 24
Pre - 7
Beginner - 3 (2 New)

Rated: 39
800+: 5
500+: 26
200+: 35

Jan 1916 Rankings (Perf Pts and Changes from Jan 1915 in Parens):

Champ: Ted Kid Lewis 22-3-3 (10) (1034) (+4)
1. Packey McFarland 33-2-2 (19) (1308) (NC)
2. Jack Britton 35-6-2 (15) (1173) (-2)
3. Dick Nelson 31-13-4 (19) (1033) (-1)
4. Dixie Kid 48-16-2 (20) (894) (+2)
5. Art Magirl 19-2 (16) (788) (+19)
6. Albert Badoud 19-5-1 (14) (776) (+8)
7. Willie Schaeffer 20-6-2 (14) (715) (+5)
8. Kid Graves 29-8-1 (9) (708) (+11)
9. Waldemar Holberg 26-9 (12) (684) (+1)
10. Matt Wells 20-10-1 (3) (664) (-2)

Comments: All these boxers are at Prime, except for Schaeffer who will be at Post starting in 1916 (his RL retirement year). Ted Kid Lewis stormed to the top with his WBA title win over Nelson, but McFarland remains the highest ranked WW -- able to beat just about everyone in the division except for Britton, the man who has handed him is only two defeats. Britton dropped to #2 with the two DQ losses to Nelson his only defeats since 1911. Nelson regained the title but lost it, registering a UD 10 over Schaeffer in a non-title bout. Dixie Kid is still high on the list with UD 10 wins over Summers and Whitney, despite the NABF title loss to McFarland. Magirl shot up the rankings like a rocket, going 5-0 for the year with wins over Mike Sullivan, Connolly and Willie Lewis to set up his USBA title tilt. Badoud also surged into the top 10, with a TKO 3 over Whitney plus strong showings in EBU title action. Schaeffer moved up with a 2-1-1 record on the year, beating Barrieau and Wells and drawing with Summers. Kid Graves has won four in a row, all in 1915, UDs versus Deshler, Hurley and Joseph, and a MD over Shevlin, and seems overdue for his first shot at a title. Holberg recovered from a SD loss to Jimmy Clabby with wins over Fryer, Glover and Barrieau to stay in the top group. Wells dropped with looses to Lewis and Schaeffer but hung on to a top 10 ranking with a TKO 7 over aging vet, Blink McCloskey.

Other Notables: Summers dropped 4 spots to #11 after going winless for the year, losing the EBU belt and losing to Dixie Kid but managing a draw with Schaeffer. Hurley dropped 4 to #13, being blown out by Magirl and losing to Graves; since 1916 was his last career year, he will be at Post starting his next bout. Whitney took a huge tumble from #3 to #16, losing all three bouts in 1915: KO losses to Badoud and Magirl, and UD to Dixie Kid. Willie Lewis, another veteran, dropped 14 spots all the way to #19 after suffering KO losses to Magirl and Clabby plus a UD loss to Shevlin. Ireland's Jimmy Gardner, a former Champ, holds down the #12 spot, bouncing back from a UD loss to Basham with a TKO 2 of Tom McCormick and a UD 10 win over Honey Mellody. Basham is rated #14 with wins over Clabby (MD), Gardner and Marty Cross but only a draw when matched with Badoud for the WBU belt. Eddie Shevlin is #15 despite losses to Nelson and Gardner. Clabby checks in at #18 with a TKO win over Willie Lewis and a UD over Fryer, but a SD loss to Spike Kelly on his 1915 resume. Long-time contender Mike Glover could only manage 20th this year, losing to Holberg, whom he had beaten back in 1913. Top newcomers to the rankings were Aussie Tommy Uren, who debuts at #24 with a 14-2 (8) mark, featuring UD 10 wins over fellow Aussie Fred Kay and Spike Kelly but suffered a surprise TKO defeat at the hands of Sid Burns, and Soldier Bartfield, #25 with a 15-4 (8) mark, after recovering from consecutive losses to Kelly and Marty Cross with a UD over Cy Flynn and a TKO 9 over aging vet Mike "Twin" Sullivan.

Prospects: Not as many as seen in the more deeper divisions right now. Fred Kay, who suffered his first loss to Uren, stands at 11-1 (3). Phinney Boyle is 12-2 (4), his two losses coming to Barrieau and Kay. Still perfect with 9 bouts and 9 KO wins is Willie Loughlin, and none of his TC opponents has lasted past the fourth round. Tommy Robson is 8-1 (7), having avenged his prior loss to a TC. Alex Trambitas kicked off his career in 1915 with a win in his debut bout.

Retirements: One WW called in quits. His career marks:

Jack Goodman (USA) 1902-15 26-28-2 (5) No Titles Highest Rank: 10

Looking Ahead: Ted Kid Lewis vacates two titles (CBU and GBU) which will be up for grabs. Look for guys like Basham, Wells, Evernden, and maybe Aussie Uren to be in contention. Kid Graves should finally get that long-awaited title shot, probably for Magirl's belt. And with Britton no longer Champ, perhaps McFarland can break through and claim the WBA title belt. Overall, though, this looks like an aging division with more fighters in Post career stage than in Pre-Prime. Guys like Hurley, Schaeffer, Whitney, Willie Lewis, Honey Mellody, Young Joseph and Mike Sullivan all are on the downslide with their best years behind them now. Only two newcomers, Bermondsey Billy Wells and Belgian Piet Hobin, are set to debut in 1916.

Bold Prediction(s) for 1916: Packey McFarland will get a shot at the WBA title and make the most of it (scoring a KO win). Basham will take the CBU or GBU belt (OK, that's a less bold prediction). Kid Graves will get a NABF or USBA title shot but fall short.

[JCWeb]

1915 LW Title Bouts

Headline: New LW Champ Crowned in Controversial Decision

WBA Title Bouts

Jack Blackburn CH (50-7-1) vs Lockport Jimmy Duffy #4 (25-5)

Lockport Jimmy comes in riding a three-bout win streak, seeking to reverse the results from an earlier loss to Blackburn 2 1/2 years ago.

Both men take awhile to settle in, Blackburn landing more often in round one. Repeated blows from Blackburn cause some initial swelling around the right eye of Duffy by the end of the second round. Blackburn asserts himself again in round four, winning most of the exchanges in some exciting toe-to-toe action. Duffy tries to be more aggressive in round six, but all he gets for his troubles is a cut on the bridge of his nose. Duffy's condition deteriorates rapidly, and Blackburn finally delivers the coup-de-grace with a vicious uppercut that floors Duffy for good in round 10. Blackburn by KO 10.

Jack Blackburn CH (51-7-1) vs Ray Bronson #4 (28-7-6)

Bronson earns his second WBA title shot after wins over Battling Nelson and Willie Ritchie (the latter on a foul). First-ever meeting of these two.

Bronson serves notice with a hook to the head in round one that he will not be a pushover. Bronson lands some more good shots on the inside in the second, but Blackburn seeks to dominate from long range. Blackburn switches to the inside in round five, a fairly even round -- slight edge to the challenger after five. Bronson continues to try to apply pressure on the inside, but Blackburn shows good defensive skills. He pulls ahead with a dominant round eight, as Bronson exhibits some puffiness around his right eye. Round nine, Bronson goes for broke before he becomes fatigued, but Blackburn wards off the more telling blows. It's a tough bout to score, with many close rounds, but in the end Blackburn's superior endurance enables him to pull ahead decisively in the last few rounds to post a close win over a very stubborn opponent. Blackburn by MD 15 (144-142, 144-144, 145-141).

Jack Blackburn CH (52-7-1) vs Willie Ritchie #5 (26-10-2)

Ritchie gets a title shot despite recent losses to Benny Leonard and Ray Bronson, although his MD 10 win over Aussie Herb McCoy kept him high in the rankings. Blackburn is going for this fourth win in a row. The two met previously in a 1913 title encounter, where Blackburn captured the belt.

After a close first round, the action in round two favors the Champ. Ritchie begins pressing on the inside, while Blackburn once again prefers the outside. Blackburn carries a large points lead into the middle rounds, as Ritchie becomes increasingly more aggressive as he needs to make up lost ground in a hurry. By the end of round 9, there is telltale swelling around the left eye of the challenger; in round 10, Ritchie begins to tire noticeably. Blackburn appears to be coasting to another easy title defense when, in round 11, the unthinkable happens -- he is called for a blatant low blow and disqualified! Ritchie annexes the WBA belt in a highly controversial call. Ritchie by DQ 11.

Willie Ritchie CH (27-10-2) vs Matty Baldwin #8 (35-16-2)

Ritchie defends against the well-traveled veteran, Matty "Bunker Hill Bearcat" Baldwin, who is making his fourth try for the WBA belt (losing to Ganes, Blackburn and Driscoll, most recently almost five years ago). Baldwin has recent to hope for better results this time, as he won a MD 10 over Ritchie back in 1910, and of course Ritchie is looking for revenge.

Baldwin starts out throwing most of the heavy leather in round one. Ritchie recovers, fighting well on the outside to take round two. Baldwin tries to step up the pace, but Ritchie is not rattled, racking up the points in round three. Baldwin tries his luck on the outside and makes a late surge in round four. Round five, Ritchie takes it to Baldwin on the inside, causing some swelling around the right eye of the challenger. Both work hard in round 6, a good action round. Baldwin sneaks in with a hook to the head of the Champ in round 7. Baldwin ignores the swelling, lands solid combinations and jabs with a solid uppercut to put together a strong round 8. Round nine is the key, as Baldwin is the aggressor once again doing well when Ritchie decks him with a big cross for the bout's only knockdown. The momentum swings back to Baldwin who recovers with a good 10th round. Ritchie shows good solid boxing skills to dominate rounds 11 and 12. A cut opens just below the champ's right eye in the 14th, but it is closed between rounds. In the end, the solitary KD makes all the difference as Ritchie retains the crown with a close MD win (144-140, 142-142, 143-141). A very entertaing bout, great effort by both men. Unfortunately for Baldwin, it may be his final shot at the brass ring as he is due to hit Post-Prime career stage in 1916.

NABF: Benny Leonard kept busy in 1915, defending the belt four times. He first took on Willie Beecher, who was riding a five-bout win streak. Leonard pounded out a lopsided UD 12 win, aided by a knockdown in round 11. Then it was the veteran Harlem Tommy Murphy, who proved too slow for the elusive younger man -- another one-sided UD 12 win for Leonard. Next up for Benny was USBA champ, Lockport Jimmy Duffy, who also could not keep up with the Ghetto Wizard, as first a cut and then a hand injury ended his night. Leonard by TKO 11. Finally, Benny closed out the year by taking on veteran Charley White. Leonard seemed content to go for a points win when he suddenly dropped White twice in the 10th to lead to a stoppage win. Leonard by TKO 11.

USBA: Lockport Jimmy Duffy -- who tried unsuccessfully for the WBA and NABF belts -- finally defended this one after a 15-month hiatus, taking on Knockout Brown. Duffy had won a prior bout via TKO but didn't seem ready for this one. Brown was swarming all over him from the opening bell, landing a series of devastating hooks until Duffy was out on his feet. Brown by TKO 1 -- unfortunately for Brown, it was his last bout at Prime.

CBU: South Africa's lone champion, Arthur Douglas, defended the belt against Brit Phil Bloom, aka "The Ring Gorilla." Douglas carried a slight points lead into the later rounds when he had the misfortune to suffer a broken nose and could not continue. Bloom but TKO 12 to take the belt. Bloom defended versus the Canadian, Gilbert Gallant, both men coming up losses. It was a lacklustre bout, and Bloom walked away with a MD 10 victory.

GBU: Welsh Wizard Freddie Wlesh took on Bloom for the GBU belt, in a bout where both men were guaranteed to keep one of their other titles (EBU for Welsh, CBU for Bloom). Welsh started strongly, built an early lead, and then coasted in the later rounds as Bloom tired. Welsh by UD 12.

EBU: Welsh defended against "Peerless" Jem Driscoll, who had a 3-1 lifetime edge coming into the bout. It was another memorable encounter, punctuated by a knockdown in the 8th when Welsh nailed Driscoll with a picture-perfect hook. The KD was enough to enable Welsh to keep the belt by a draw (114-114, 113-115 Driscoll, 115-113 Welsh) as the judges couldn't agree on the outcome. Welsh then took on the talented young Frenchman, Louis de Ponthieu, using his experience to serve up a boxing lesson and take advantage of an early cut that led to an eventual stoppage in the later rounds. Welsh by TKO 10.

[JCWeb]

Jan 1916 LW Division Profile

Total: 116 RL: 63 TC: 53

RL by Career Stage:
End - 4
Post - 9
Prime - 31
Pre - 10
Beginning - 9 (4 New)

Rated: 47
800+: 7
500+: 25
200+: 42

Jan 1916 Rankings (Perf Pts and Changes from Jan 1915 in Parens):

Champ: Willie Ritchie 28-10-2 (10) (1241) (+6)
1. Jem Driscoll 52-8-1 (29) (1390) (NC)
2. Freddie Welsh 34-8-2 (18) (1287) (NC)
3. Jack Blackburn 54-8-1 (19) (1255) (-3)
4. Benny Leonard 23-0-1 (16) (1150) (-1)
5. Ray Bronson 29-9-6 (8) (955) (NC)
6. Harlem Tommy Murphy 30-19-1 (10) (874) (+1)
7. Knockout Brown 28-9-2 (21) (780) (+13)
8. Lockport Jimmy Duffy 25-8 (14) (779) (-4)
9. Matty Baldwin 35-17-2 (21) (769) (NC)
10. Louis de Ponthieu 18-2 (6) (700) (+2)

Comments: Everyone above at Prime, except for Murphy who was already at Post in 1915 and will be joined by Brown and Baldwin who hit their retirement years in 1916. Ritchie had a memorable year, losing on a foul to Brown, edging Herb McCoy by a MD but then regaining the WBA belt on a foul himself. Driscoll, despite not holding a title right now, is the highest rated in the division after only managing a draw with Welsh but scoring UD 10 wins over Bronson and Brown. Welsh continued to juggle the EBU and GBU belts, scoring four wins after the Driscoll bout, beating Murphy and McCoy in addition to defending both titles. Blackburn went 4-1 for the year, besting McCoy and Eddie Wallace after the controversial title bout. Leonard kept rolling with four more defenses but still lost ground because he has not yet stepped into top flight title contention, despite winning 10 in a row and remaining undefeated. Bronson went 2-2 in 1915, losing to Blackburn and Driscoll but beating Ritchie on a foul and then registering a UD 10 win over upstart Rocky Kansas. Murphy remained competitive with a UD over Bloom and a MD over Hyland, despite losing two times. Brown annexed the USBA belt in a fine 4-1 campaign, losing only to Driscoll while scoring inside the distance wins over Nelson, Cooke and Mexican Joe Rivers. Duffy slid down to #8 after losing his last four in a row -- amazing to see him still in the Top 10! Baldwin scored a UD win over Young Otto and also beat Hyland on a foul to set up his title shot. Rounding out the top group is the young Frenchman, de Ponthieu, who was 3-2 for the year, TKOing Phil Cross, decisioning Young Erne and Shugrue but loking to Young Tommy Coleman as well as to Welsh in the EBU title bout.

Other Notables: Phil Bloom, CBU champ, had a 2-2 year, defending twice but losing to Murphy as well as Welsh. His overall record of 19-7 (9) places him at #17 with 591 pp. Dropping out of the Top 10 was Aussie Herb McCoy, who went 0-3 for the year and fell from #8 to #11; all three losses were to tough opponents: Welsh, Ritchie and Blackburn. Willie Beecher tumbled from #10 to #16, losing the NABF title bout as well as a UD to Coleman. Ad Wolgast climbed back towards the contenders list with three wins in 1915, moving him to #14 with a 25-12-2 (13) record. Coleman stands at #19, having a four-bout win streak snapped by a UD loss to Arthur Douglas. Mexican Joe Rivers dropped to 24th following KO losses to Knockout Brown and Wolgast. Top newcomer was Ever Hammer, debuting at #26 -- he found it tough sledding after a 13-0 start, however, losing three of his last five. Johnny Arrousey similar had a 12-0 start but losses to Willie Jackson and Tommy O'Keefe mean he starts out at #31 despite a 13-2 (5) overall mark. Rocky Kansas also had a rough time of it, dropping three of four in 1915, losing by TKO to Otto and by decision to Rivers and Bronson -- his only win came via UD versus Special Delivery Hirsch, who still has the distinction of being the only LW to face Benny Leonard and not coming away with a loss -- the only blemish (a draw) on Leonard's unbeaten record thus far. This division is now the only one with a ranked TC fighter, Nick Scanlon, who has beat three RL guys in posting a 7-20-1 career record, good for #43 on the ratings list with just 75 pp.

Prospects: UK's Llew Edwards has stayed unbeaten, besting 12 TCs and a very weak RL fighter, journeyman Gene Delmont -- he has compiled an excellent 13-0 (11) mark. Willie Jackson, with wins over Hammer and Arrousey to his credit, is poised to debut well up the rankings list next year -- his record now stands at 13-0-1 (11). Lew Tendler, at 13-1 (9), lost by a foul to a TC but avenged the loss with a KO victory and is ready to move on. Red Dolan stayed unbeaten, at 10-0 (5), all versus TCs. Johnny Drummie, at 9-2 (4) and Johnny Ray, at 8-2-1 (5), have lost a few, but are poised to advance to the next level. Other newer fighters still in the beginner ranks and still unbeaten include Andy Chaney at 4-0 (3), Jimmy Dundee at 4-0 (2), Joe Benjamin at 2-0 (1), Frankie Farren at 2-0 (0 KOs) and Eddie Wagner at 1-0 (no KO).

Retirements: Two of the top guys in the early years of the division whose careers spanned multiple decades called it quits in 1915. Their records speak for themselves.

Battling Nelson (DEN) 1896-1915 58-17 (28) WBA Champ 1909-10
Jewey Cooke (USA) 1894-1915 65-24-2 (29) NABF, USBA Champ Highest Rank: 1

Cooke's 91 total bouts set a new record for the Uni, topping the previous high of 90 set by FW great Young Griffo.

Looking Ahead: Leonard may be ready for that WBA title bout after having been managed very carefully up to now. Ritchie is likely vulnerable to any one of a number of the top contenders, should he face them. McCoy is angling for a shot at Bloom's CBU belt. Wolgast is trying to regain some momentum, and there may be room near the top as several Top 10 guys begin to experience the aging effects. Look for Rocky Kansas, now that he has hit Prime career stage, to improve on his "rocky" start. Benny Valgar of France and Tommy O'Brien of the USA top the four newcomers to be added to the LW ranks in 1916.

Bold Prediction(s) for 1916: Benny Leonard will challenge for and win the WBA title in 1916. OK, if that's not bold enough, I predict that there will be at least four newcomers to the Top 10 list at this time next year.

[CONN CHRIS]

These are well done JC. I will be rooting for Nutmegger Lou Bogash.

[JCWeb]

1915 FW Title Bouts

Headline: Two New FW Champs Emerge, Neither of Whom is Abe Attell

WBA Title Fights

Jimmy Walsh CH (30-11-4) vs Eugene Criqui #7 (18-2-3)

Criqui, who was biding his time awaiting a EBU title shot, was available, so the match was set up. Criqui comes in off a UD 10 over Grover Hayes. It is Walsh's third defense of the title he won last year from Abe Attell, but this time he is fighting at Post-Prime, so Criqui has a real chance here.

Good start for the Frenchman as a straight right by Criqui gets through Walsh's defenses, staggering the Champ in round one. Criqui mixes well the inside and outside attack to maintain the early edge. Walsh tries to move inside but Criqui keeps firing away, causing swelling around Walsh's left eye by the end of the fourth. Criqui wins the first five rounds to take a commanding lead, easing up a bit in the middle rounds. A low blow by Walsh in the 9th winds up costing him his title, but Criqui was well ahead on all three cards anyway. Criqui wins by DQ in round 9 and becomes the first French fighter to win a World title belt.

Eugene Criqui CH (19-2-3) vs Kid Julian #5 (20-5-5)

Criqui's first defense is against the EBU champ, who scored a UD 10 over Reddy after losing to Attell in a 1914 title try. The two fought to a 10-round draw back in 1912.

Criqui backs up Julian in the first with a straight right, forcing the Italian to cover up. Criqui remains aggressive in round two, traps his opponent against the ropes and lands a crippling hook to the head. This time Julian does not cover up, and he pays the price as a few seconds later the ref steps in to stop it although Kid Julian was never off his feet. Criqui by TKO 2.

Eugene Criqui CH (20-2-3) vs Eddie O'Keefe #6 (23-6-1)

Second defense for the Frenchman, and the first WBA title shot for O'Keefe, who set up the bout with a UD 10 win over ex-champ Walsh.

Criqui methodically builds an early lead, outbpunching O'Keefe consistently throughout the first five rounds. In round 9, Criqui nails an out-of-position O'Keefe to score the fight's first knockdown. O'Keefe runs out of gas soon after and never posed a serious challenge as Criqui wins easily. Criqui by UD 15 (148-136, 149-135, 146-138).

Eugene Criqui CH (21-2-3) vs Johnny Kilbane #2 (27-6-4)

First meeting of the two, and it is Kilbane's fifth try for the WBA FW title after three prior losses to Attell and a draw with Jimmy Walsh. Kilbane looked good in recent UD 10 wins over Brooklyn Tommy Sullivan and Johnny Dundee although he had suffered another loss to Attell for the NABF belt.

After a cautious start by both men, the action heats up in round four then Kilbane tags Criqui with a big left hand near the end of the round. Both elect to mix it up on the inside in round 5, and Kilbane wins the exchanges and is ahead 49-46 at this point on the unofficial card. Both settle into a groove, working the outside and conserving stamina in the middle rounds. Criqui becomes more aggressive but in round 9, Kilbane nails him with a vicious hook that goes for the fight's first knockdown. Another big hook right before the bell in round 10 stops Criqui dead in his tracks. Criqui tires badly in the later rounds but keeps on trying hard until the end. Kilbane finally wins the WBA title belt in a well-deserved UD 15 (143-142, 145-139, 143-141) as the knockdown in the 9th proved crucial.

NABF: Abe Attell defends the belt won from Kilbane last year, first versus Eddie O'Keefe, whom he nails in round 7 with a combination to score a KD and survives a late O'Keefe rally to win a UD 12 (116-113, 116-112, 117-112). Attell then takes on George (KO) Chaney, who is unable to cut the ring off and then is giving a boxing clinic by the Lil' Champ who takes a lopsided UD verdict (120-110, 120-108, 120-108). Then Abe takes on new USBA champ Patsy Brannigan, taking advantage of an early cut over the left eye of the challenger which eventually is reopened and leads to a 7th round TKO in favor of Attell.

USBA: Johnny "Scotch Wop" Dundee starts the year with the belt, defends versus Steve "Kid" Sullivan. Dundee struggles to find his rhythm against Sullivan, who is aggressive and constantly keeping his man off balance. Dundee makes a late rally as Sullivan is cut and suffers from swelling, but his early lead holds up for a MD 12 win (115-113, 114-114, 116-112). Sullivan defends versus Patsy Brannigan, who fights a smart fight, allowing Sullivan to punch himself out early and points win to lift the belt. Brannigan by UD 12 (117-112, 116-113, 117-112).

CBU: Veteran Owen Moran defends twice, first versus Kiwi Frankie Ellis who tries to work on the inside but is slowed by a cut over the right eye -- Moran walks away with a UD 12 (115-113, 117-111, 117-111) and later in the year defends against Canadian Percy Cove, who fares no better than Ellis. Moran stuns Cove early in round three, and although Cove battles back to make it close, it's another UD 12 win for Moran (116-111, 115-112, 116-111).

GBU: Moran retains the belt as no challengers emerge.

EBU: Kid Julian defends versus countryman Patsy Kline. Kline tries an aggressive approach and has Julian on the canvas in round 4. But then Kline is cut in the 5th, which allows Julian to regain the upper hand. The cut worsens and leads to an 8th round stoppage. TKO for Julian.