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1950 action is now underway ...

This report includes bouts from the first half of January 1950. One WBA title bout is included in this report.

Jan. 6, 1950: The year’s action gets underway with a Friday night card at “the Aud” in Buffalo. No titles at stake, and the main event showcases the talents of two top HW contenders, with Pat Comiskey facing Joe Baksi. Both are at Prime, and the two have not met previously. Baksi wastes little time, decking Comiskey with a hard shot less than a minute into the opening stanza. Comiskey is able to regain his footing at the count of five, and he successfully opts to cover up to survive the round without too much further difficulty, although a trace of swelling is present under his left eye as he returns to his corner after a tough opening round. In round three, Comiskey strikes back, landing a solid right to the head that causes Baksi to cover up, all while remaining upright. Midway through the fifth round, it is Baksi’s turn to assert himself, as he rocks Comiskey with a sharp combination; as in the first round, Comiskey uses the cover up strategy to avoid further damage. At the midway point of the contest, Baksi has a narrow points lead (48-47), according to the unofficial scorer’s card. In round six, Baksi is able to rip open a cut over Comiskey’s injured left eye. A round later, just before the bell sounds to end round seven, Comiskey goes down a second time, this from a Baksi hook to the head. Comiskey takes an eight count, but there is simply not enough time left in the round for Baksi to finish matters. Trailing, Comiskey opens up and takes a more aggressive posture in the final two rounds, but it is simply not enough to overcome the impact of the two knockdowns on the judges, who award Baksi a UD 10 (95-93, 97-91, 95-94). Post-bout career marks: Baksi, 33-10 (19); Comiskey, 33-10 (21).

Jan. 7, 1950: It is to the Stadium in Liverpool for the next card. Featured in the main event are two British boxers vying for the GBU Flyweight title. Terry Allen is the holder, and he is defending versus former WBA Fly Champ Peter Kane. Their one prior meeting, back in 1946 for this same title belt, saw Kane prevail via a points win. This time around, Allen catches Kane with a nice uppercut midway through the opening round that stuns the ex-Champ; Kane is shaken by the blow but remains upright, covering up to last the round without further damage. Late in the second, it is Kane who connects with a straight right that staggers Allen, who also avails himself of the cover up strategy to survive the remainder the round. Upon returning to his corner, there is already a trace of swelling under Allen’s left eye. Near the end of round four, Kane connects with another big shot, and this time Allen drops to the canvas, taking a three count before resuming. Into the middle rounds, and Allen clings to a slight edge in the punch count stats. At the midway point, the unofficial scorer has Kane up by one (57-56), leaving the issue very much in doubt headed into the second half of the bout. However, the stamina factor favors Kane, the veteran challenger. With Allen’s injured eye gradually getting worse, he is unable to offer little as the bout reaches the later rounds, and Kane grinds his way to another UD 12 win (117-109, 115-111, 115-111), running his career record to 42-12-1 (15) as a result. Allen ends the bout at 30-5-1 (3).

Jan. 7, 1950: Next card takes place at San Juan, Puerto Rico. Featured in the main event are two regional titleholders: hometown favorite Cocoa Kid, the reigning LABF WW Champion, and his OPBF counterpart, Aussie Jack McNamee. This is the third meeting of the two, with each having one once, and both are winding down, in the Post-Prime stage of their respective careers. Kid gets off to a solid start, building an early lead in the punches landed count. By the middle rounds, McNamee is already showing signs of fatigue; at the halfway point, Kid has a wide points lead (50-45) on the unofficial card. The situation for McNamee does not improve in the second half of the contest, as he ends up with a swollen left eye, with Kid going on to take a lopsided UD 10 (98-92 on all three cards). No cuts or knockdowns in what proved to be a rather desultory affair. Post-bout career records: Kid, 57-15-7 (13); McNamee, 42-25-2 (23).

Jan. 13, 1950: Next, to the French Riviera for a Friday night card at the Palais des Sports in Cannes. The main event has two regional titleholders doing battle, with EBU BW Champ Frankie Williams facing his OPBF counterpart, Filipino Tirso Del Rosario. It is the first meeting of these two and, with no titles on the line, the bout is scheduled for 10 rounds. With the action slow to develop, Williams takes the initiative by moving inside in round three. Del Rosario, who prefers to keep his distance, seems to be in control by remaining on the outside. At the halfway point, Del Rosario leads by a point (48-47) on the unofficial card, and there is a trace of swelling under Williams’ left eye. In the second half of the contest, both the punches landed count and stamina factors weigh heavily in Del Rosario’s favor. Undaunted, Williams continues to seize the initiative at every opportunity, hoping to land a big shot or otherwise apply pressure to his defensive minded opponent. Del Rosario’s defense remains solid, and he goes on to take a UD 10 (98-93, 97-95, 98-92) to run his career record to 24-10-2 (4). On the other hand, Williams ends the bout at 21-5-2 (13).

Jan. 14, 1950: Next card takes place in Miami, with a pair of title bouts topping the agenda. In the first co-feature, “Tampa” Tommy Gomez is on hand to defend his NABF HW title against challenger Jimmy Bivins, aka “the Cleveland Spider Man.” It is the first meeting of these two, and Gomez is handicapped by the fact that he has just hit Post-Prime career stage. Solid start from Bivins, who builds a nice early lead in the punches landed stat. By the midway point of the fifth round, Bivins is in total control, and he is able to force Gomez into submission as “Tampa Tommy” offers little resistance. The bout goes into the books as a TKO 5 for Bivins, who becomes the new NABF HW Champion and, additionally, a top contender for Joe Louis’ WBA HW title. Post-bout career records: Bivins, 33-6-3 (21); Gomez, 38-9-1 (35). After this, the ring is cleared for the main event, which sees Willie Pep defend his WBA FW title. This time around, the challenger is lightly regarded Glen Flanagan. The two have not met before, and Pep enters the contest as a heavy favorite. At the outset, Pep stuns Flanagan when he connects with a big left, and Flanagan elects to cover up, enabling him to avoid further damage. Flanagan survives the opening round, only to face more of the same in round two, and, even at this early stage, he begins to show the effects, with some initial puffiness forming under his right eye, caused by some accurate punching from Pep. Pep continues to dominate the action through the early rounds and, at the one-thirds mark, he has compiled a huge points lead (50-45), according to the unofficial scorer at ringside. In the middle rounds, Pep continues to pepper his opponent, and at this point swelling is apparent on Flanagan’s other eye. Then, in round eight, finally some good news for the challenger, as Pep suffers a split lip. However, with 10 rounds in the books, Flanagan has done little to cut into Pep’s lead, as he is still well ahead (99-92) on the unofficial card headed into the final five rounds. Pep continues to grind his way to a lopsided UD 15 win (147-136, 146-136, 148-134). Post-bout career marks: Pep, 40-3 (26); Flanagan, 18-4-2 (3).

Jan. 14, 1950: Next card takes place at Los Angeles. The main event matches two LWs, with the current LABF LW Champ, Enrique Bolanos, aka “the Dorango Dropper,” facing off versus Art “Golden Boy” Aragon. The two have not met before and Aragon, who has struggled a bit as a LW, is contemplating a move up to WW should his campaign to move into the upper echelons of the LW ranks prove unsuccessful. Bolanas grabs an early advantage in the punch count stats, plus he seems to have the edge in terms of the stamina factor as well. The action heats up in round four, when Bolanos opens a cut over Aragon’s right eye, yet Aragon manages to land some accurate blows as well, doing enough damage to cause some initial puffiness to form around Bolanos’ right eye. At the halfway point, Bolanos has a narrow lead on the unofficial card (48-47), but Aragon has the momentum, and he has managed to cause some initial swelling to appear under Bolanos’ other eye. The bout remains a close one as it heads into the later rounds, and it is the slugger, Bolanos, who is initiating most of the action. Then, in round eight, Aragon connects with a sharp combination, sending Bolanos toppling to the deck; the Mexican fighter is able to resume after taking an eight count. Based mainly on the one late knockdown, Aragon goes on to take a UD 10 (96-93, 96-94, 97-93), prolonging his stay in the LW ranks, all while improving his career stats to 22-4-1 (12). Bolanos ends the bout at 28-5 (21).

[JCWeb]

This report includes bouts from the second half of January 1950. Two WBA title bouts are included in this report.

Jan. 20, 1950: Next up is another edition of the popular Friday night “Down Under” series, taking place in Sydney. Headlining the action is a matchup of two familiar foes, both of whom are on the downside of their respective careers. In this main event, Aussie Eddie Miller defends his OPBF FW title against Tsuneo “Piston” Horiguchi, and this represents the ninth (!) meeting of these two, with each having won four times in their previous encounters. Once the opening bell sounds, Horiguchi wastes little time, decking Miller with a huge shot just seconds into the bout. Miller steadies himself between rounds and gradually works his way into the bout. As the bout enters the middle rounds, Miller has actually pulled ahead in the punches landed count and, at the halfway point, the Aussie veteran is just one point behind (57-56) on the unofficial scorer’s card. In the second half of the contest, Horiguchi starts to assert himself and regains the upper hand in the punch count stats. Late in round nine, Horiguchi breaks through, flooring Miller for a second time; Miller arises at the count reaches seven, and there is not enough time remaining in the round for the Japanese challenger to follow up. Miller takes a more aggressive approach in the later rounds, but to no avail, as he takes another trip to the canvas late in round 11, courtesy of a Horiguchi cross. Horiguchi goes on to take a comfortable UD 12 win (117-108, 116-109, 117-109) to regain the OPBF title. Post-bout career marks: Horiguchi, 47-19-3 (22); Miller, 33-17-3 (13). However, Horiguchi will be at End career stage for his next fight.

Jan. 21, 1950: To Europe for the next card, which takes place at the Ullevi Stadium in Gothenburg, Sweden. Topping the agenda is an EBU LH title clash, with Brit Freddie Mills defending versus veteran Anton Christoforidis. In their one prior encounter, Mills chalked up a win via a TKO stoppage; for this bout, both men are on the downside of their respective careers (Mills at Post-Prime, with Christoforidis at End career stage). In this rematch, the bout is a close one through the opening few rounds, with Mills taking on the role of the slugger, with Christoforidis as the boxer. The action heats up with a big round five, and both men swing away freely, and both show the effects: Mills, with a cut and swollen right eye, and Christoforidis with a puffy left eye. Then, midway through round six, Mills connects with a strong cross, and the Greek challenger drops to the canvas, covering up after taking a count of seven to last the round. Thus, at the halfway point, Mills is up by three (57-54) on the unofficial scorecard. By round nine, both men are showing signs of fatigue, with Mills ahead in the punch count stats; therefore, Christoforidis steps up the pace and goes on the attack as the bout enters its final stages. In round 10, Mills connects with a hard hook that stuns Christoforidis, who covers up for the second time. The bout goes the distance without further incident, and Mills retains the EBU belt with a fairly comfortable UD 12 (115-110, 115-110, 119-107) to run his career record to 35-19-2 (16). Christoforidis ends the bout at 33-24-3 (13).

Jan. 21, 1950: A nice crowd has gathered for the next fistic action, at Briggs Stadium in Detroit. The main event features two top MWs, with Charley Burley defending his USBA MW title, facing a very popular and talented challenger in the form of the “Bronx Bull,” Jake LaMotta. Burley is seeking revenge, as LaMotta has prevailed in both of their prior meetings, most recently in a WBA title clash that ended in a split decision for LaMotta. However, with 1950 being his real-life retirement year, Burley is at Post-Prime for this rematch. As in their previous encounter, the bout is a close one, with a slight edge for Burley in the punch count stats through the opening few rounds. LaMotta makes progress as the bout heads into the middle rounds and, at the halfway point, the unofficial card has LaMotta up by one (58-57). In the second half of the bout, both men seem eager to set the pace, and the stamina factor favors LaMotta. LaMotta is able to add to his lead in the punches landed stats, and he coasts to victory with some solid defense in the final few rounds, doing enough to capture the belt via a UD 12 (117-111 on all three cards). Post-bout career records: LaMotta, 35-5-1 (21); Burley, 51-6 (25).

Jan. 27, 1950: Next up is a Friday night affair in Pittsburgh, and featured in the main event are two LH contenders, notably Billy Conn, “the Pittsburgh Kid,” a former WBA LH Champion, who faces “Joltin’ Joe” Kahut. No prior meetings, and Conn, despite being at Post-Prime career stage, is a heavy favorite; with no titles at stake, the bout is scheduled for 10 rounds. Kahut, a slugger, does his best to try to disrupt Conn’s timing. Conn seems to have the upper hand until, late in round five, a Kahut hook sends him toppling to the canvas. Conn is able to scramble to his feet on rubbery legs after taking an eight count, and he covers up to last the round. At the halfway point, am upset is brewing as Kahut leads by a point (48-47) on the unofficial card. In the second half of the contest, Conn remains composed and does not deviate from his original approach, staying mainly on the outside and relying on some effective counterpunching. Thus, the onus is on Kahut to continue to initiate most of the action. The bout goes the rest of the way without incident and, to the disappointment of the pro-Conn crowd, Kahut takes a SD 10 (96-93 Kahut, 94-95 Conn, 97-92 Kahut) to run his career record to 27-10-1 (21). Conn, whose days as a top-flight LH contender appear to be over, ends the bout at 46-13-4 (17).

Jan. 28, 1950: Next card takes place at the Earls Court in London. A WBA title bout tops the card, but first up as an EBU HW title bout. Defending the belt he won back in 1946 for the fourth time is Brit Bruce Woodcock, and Austria’s Joe Weiden is the challenger. The two met once previously, with Woodcock winning via a fifth round TKO stoppage, this when Weiden was still at Pre-Prime career stage. In this rematch, with Woodcock now at Post-Prime, Weiden serves notice when he decks Woodcock with a hard cross in the opening round; Woodcock quickly regains his footing, then covers up and lasts the round. Woodcock recovers quickly and is able to gradually work his way into the bout. However, by the midway point, Weiden has regained control and, according to the unofficial card, is well ahead (59-55) on points. Trailing, Woodcock keeps plugging away, taking a more and more aggressive approach as the rounds tick off. Early in round nine, Woodcock connects with a sharp cross; Weiden, shaken, wisely elects to cover up, averting further difficulty. A round later, Weiden begins to show the effects, with a rapidly swelling right eye. More excitement occurs near the end of round 11, when Weiden catches Woodcock with a strong cross, and the Brit goes down a second time, only to be saved by the bell. The bout goes the rest of the way to decision without incident, and Weiden takes a MD 12 (114-113, 113-113, 114-113) to lift the EBU title belt by the narrowest of margins. Post-bout career records: Weiden, 22-2 (10); Woodcock, 31-6 (26). Woodcock continues to hold the GBU and Commonwealth HW titles. Then, in the finale, two familiar foes vie for the WBA Flyweight title, currently held by Teddy Gardner. Challenging Gardner for the belt is Jackie Paterson. In four prior meetings, Paterson has a slight edge, winning two of the four and drawing one with one win for Gardner. Gardner looks sharp early, and Paterson takes an active approach by attempting to work his way inside. After five rounds are in the books, the unofficial card has the bout scored as even (48-48), and there is a trace of swelling under the left eye of the challenger, Paterson. Into the middle rounds, and, while Paterson is the more aggressive of the two, Gardner maintains a nice lead in the punches landed count. However, working mainly on the outside, some solid defense and counterpunching enables Gardner to pull ahead on the unofficial scorecard (97-95) at the two-thirds mark. In the final five rounds, Paterson mounts a rally but, in the end, it is not enough, as Gardner retains the title via a comfortable UD 15 (145-140, 144-141, 146-139). Post-bout career marks: Gardner, 36-9-2 (13); Paterson, 34-11-2 (20).

Jan. 28, 1950: The month wraps with a big card at New York’s Madison Square Garden. Topping the agenda is a WBA title clash, preceded by a HW clash that sees up-and-coming Bernie Reynolds challenging top 10 contender Turkey Thompson. First meeting of these two in a non-title contest scheduled for 10 rounds. After a couple of close opening rounds, the two sluggers take turns trying to establish control by working on the inside in rounds three and four. By the end of the fourth round, a mouse has formed under the right eye of Thompson – an indication that Reynolds’ punches are having an impact. Then, in round five, Reynolds drops Thompson with a solid uppercut. Thompson covers up after taking a count of three, but the 10-8 round has put Reynolds up by one (48-47) at the halfway point, according to the unofficial scorer’s card. Into the second half of the bout, and both fighters seem willing to mix it up, so the outcome remains very much in doubt. Near the end of round seven, Thompson staggers Reynolds with a hard uppercut, this after opening up a cut on Reynolds’ upper lip. The bout comes down to the final rounds, with Reynolds having the edge in the punch count stats. A strong final round enables Reynolds to take a SD 10 (94-95, 95-94, 96-94) to run his career record to 20-2 (12). The loss leaves Thompson at 30-13-2 (23). Finally, in the featured main event, it is a rematch of a late 1949 matchup for the WBA WW title that ended in a controversial DQ call, as Henry Armstrong faces, once again, top ranked contender Jimmy Sherrer, the reigning NABF WW Champ. It is the third meeting of the two and, in addition to the recent DQ win, Armstrong also prevailed in a late stoppage, also for the WBA title, that took place a year ago, in January 1949. This time around, Armstrong, despite being at the End of his long career, begins the bout with an aggressive posture and is the more active of the two through the opening few rounds. Armstrong pulls ahead in the punches landed stat after successfully moving inside to take control of the action in round three. However, some accurate punching from Sherrer, who is working mainly on the outside, propels him to a narrow points lead (48-47) after the first five rounds are in the books. In the middle rounds, it is Armstrong who initiates most of the action, but his punches seem to lack sting and, a minute into the eighth round, Sherrer connects with a hard cross that rocks the Champ, forcing “Homicide Hank” to cover up. Additionally, a mouse has formed under Armstrong’s left eye. Then, a round later, Sherrer drops Armstrong with a big shot for an eight count. Sherrer tries to finish matters, dropping Armstrong a second time later in the round with a big hook, and this time Armstrong is saved by a bell with just two seconds away from being counted out! The end comes around later, with Sherrer taking control, and an exhausted looking Armstrong is unable to fend off his blows, leading to the ref coming in to call a halt. TKO 10 for Sherrer, who becomes the new WBA WW Champion, and improves his career totals to 26-4 (14) in an early candidate for Bout of the Year. For Armstrong, it is the end of a highly impressive 20-year career, including WBA titles in three different weight classes, and he retires with a final record of 58-12-4 (46).

[JCWeb]

This report includes bouts from the first half of February 1950. No WBA title bouts are included in this report.

Feb. 3, 1950: The month’s fistic action commences with a Friday night card at the War Memorial Auditorium in Syracuse. Featured in the main event are two MW boxers who are generally not thought to be main event quality: Cecil Hudson and Rocky Castellani. The two, who have not met before, are both at Prime career stage and believed to be relatively evenly matched, although as fringe contenders at best, neither is currently ranked among the top 20 MWs. The bout quickly devolves into a tactical battle between the two boxer types, with Castellani gaining an upper hand in the punch count stats. At the halfway point, Castellani has pulled ahead on the unofficial card (49-46). Trailing, Hudson takes a more active approach in the second half of the bout. As the rounds tick off, Castellani adds to his earlier lead. The bout goes the distance, and Castellani scoops up the UD 10 (97-92, 96-94, 97-92) to run his career record to 21-5-2 (3). Hudson ends the bout at 30-15-5 (10).

Feb. 4, 1950: To the Stadium in Liverpool for the next fight card where, in the main event, two former rivals for the WBA Flyweight title are matched again, this time with no titles on the line. Ireland’s Rinty Monaghan and Germany’s Hans Schiffers, who locked horns in a trilogy of WBA title contests in the 1946-47 time frame, are set to renew that rivalry, although Monaghan has slipped into Post-Prime career stage. In the three prior encounters, all with a WBA title on the line, Monaghan won twice on points, but the third went to Schiffers on a controversial DQ call that led to a rematch that enabled Monaghan to regain the WBA title. In this, their fourth meeting, Schiffers begins to gain the upper hand as early as round two, when he lands some solid blows and manages to open a cut on Monaghan’s mouth. Schiffers follows up with some solid boxing, building an early lead in the punches landed count. At the halfway point, Schiffers has a solid lead (50-45) on the unofficial scorecard. In the second half of the bout, Monaghan works his way inside, landing some sharp blows with some success and, by the end of round seven, a mouse has formed under Schiffers’ right eye. Schiffers manages to regain his composure and, keeping the pressure on, he manages to cause some swelling to appear around Monaghan’s right eye. The bout goes the rest of the way without incident, and Schiffers ends up a MD 10 winner (97-95, 95-95, 96-94). Post-bout career marks: Schiffers, 30-15-6 (8); Monaghan, 46-18-1 (12).

Feb. 4, 1950: A twin feature of tops the next card at Havana’s Gran Stadium. Some HW action is on tap in the first co-feature, as Cuban slugger Nino Valdes faces Kid Riviera, who scored a points win over Jersey Joe Walcott in his most recent outing. First meeting of the two and, with no titles at stake, the bout is scheduled for 10 rounds. Eager to show his punching process in front of an appreciative hometown crowd, Valdes manages to drop Riviera in the opening round; Riviera struggles to his feet after taking an eight count, then covers up to last the round. It takes awhile for Riviera to get going, but in round five he connects with a vicious uppercut to send Valdes to the canvas. Like his opponent, Valdes is able to recover and manages to last the round by resorting to the cover up strategy; at the midway point, with the knockdowns even at one apiece, the points are also even (47-47) on the unofficial scorer’s card. Valdes, the big puncher, sees himself falling behind in the punch count stats, so after taking a breather in round six, he goes back to work, trying to penetrate on the inside in round seven. Riviera, who has given a good accounting of himself, is able to maintain his composure and keep the bout close despite a trace of swelling that became visible under his right eye late in the fight. The bout goes to the judges and, in a popular decision, Valdes takes a close but UD 10 (96-93 on all three cards). The second co-feature is for the NABF BW title, currently held by a Cuban boxer, Luis Galvani. The challenger is former WBA BW Champ David Kui Kong Young. This duo is meeting for the third time, each having won once in their previous encounters, but Kui Kong Young is now at Post-Prime for this bout. Midway through the opening stanza, Kui Kong Young strikes first, landing a sharp combination that staggers Galvani. Galvani remains upright, but wisely elects to cover up to avert further damage. Galvani bounces back with a strong round two, and, as a result, a mouse has formed under Kui Kong Young’s left eye. Then, less than a minute into the third round, the bout comes to a sudden end as Galvani lands a big shot that puts the ex-Champ down and out. Impressive KO 3 for Galvani, establishing him as a serious contender for the WBA title (a title he held briefly in 1947, ironically, after a stoppage win over Kui Kong Young). Post-bout career records: Galvani, 30-5 (19); Kui Kong Young, 47-7-4 (22).

Feb. 10, 1950: Next up is a Friday night card at Cannes, France. Twin feature bouts top the agenda, featuring the French Famechon brothers. In the first co-main event, FW Ray Famechon, the reigning EBU FW Champion, faces a tough opponent in Carlos Chavez, a former NABF FW titleholder. First meeting of the two, and, in the early rounds, Chavez pulls ahead in the punches landed count. Midway through the fifth round, Famechon comes to life, stunning Chavez with a sharp uppercut, and Chavez is able to remain upright, covering up to last the round. At the halfway point, the unofficial scorer has the bout scored as even (48-48). In the second half of the contest, Chavez gradually pulls ahead in the punch count stats, forcing Famechon to go on the offensive as the bout reaches the final few rounds. The bout goes to decision, and Chavez takes a MD 10 (97-94, 95-95, 98-93) to run his career record to 33-10-3 (10). Meanwhile, Famechon drops to 23-5-1 (7) after the loss. In the second co-feature, the EBU Flyweight title is contested by two Frenchmen, with Emile Famechon, Ray’s brother, facing a challenge from his countryman, Maurice Sandeyron. In three prior meetings, all three went the distance, with Sandeyron winning twice, Famechon once. However, Famechon is at Post-Prime career stage for this rematch. As the bout progresses, Famechon, a slugger, takes charge by moving inside in round three. The bout is a close one through the early rounds, and, by the halfway point, Famechon has pulled ahead (59-56) on the unofficial scorecard. In round seven, Sandeyron strikes, ripping open a cut over Famechon’s right eye. After a couple of more rounds, Sandeyron has opened up a lead in the punch count stats, and he has also managed to cause some puffiness to appear around Famechon’s injured right eye. Also, in round nine, the cut is reopened, causing more problems for Famechon and his corner. Then, in round 11, the challenger connects with a hook, and Famechon goes down, arising only after the count reaches eight. After covering up, Famechon manages to survive the rest of the way, and the majority of the three judge panel declare Sandeyron the winner and new EBU Champ, but only by a narrow SD 12 (116-113 Sandeyron, 115-114 Famechon, 115-114 Sandeyron), with Sandeyron winning the last four rounds on two of the three cards to secure the win. Post-bout records: Sandeyron, 28-9-4 (5); Famechon, 25-12-1 (8).

Feb. 11, 1950: Next card takes place at the Forum in Montreal. Main event is a matchup for the NABF WW title that was recently vacated by Jimmy Sherrer who moved up to win the WBA WW title. The contenders for this vacant belt are Bernard Docusen and Canadian home crowd favorite Johnny Greco. The two battled to a draw in one prior encounter, just this past November, in Vancouver. In this rematch, it is Docusen who builds a solid lead in the punch count stats through the early rounds of the bout. At the halfway point, Docusen has opened up a huge points lead (60-54), according to the unofficial card. Into the second half of the bout, and Greco is forced to press the action in an effort to turn things around. Despite Greco’s best efforts, the situation remains unchanged, and Docusen goes on to take the NABF belt via a lopsided UD 12 (119-110, 119-110, 120-109) to lift the EBU title belt by the narrowest of margins. Post-bout career records: Docusen, 24-4-6 (4); Greco, 26-13-3 (15).

Feb. 11, 1950: Meanwhile, in Chicago, Bernard Docusen’s brother, Maxie “Little Doc” Docusen, is featured in the main event, taking on Sammy “the Clutch” Angott in a 10-round, non-title contest. The two are meeting for the first time, and Angott is at Post-Prime for this encounter. After the first couple of rounds, Docusen holds a slight edge in the punches landed count. In round five, the two tangle on the inside, and Angott comes away with a nasty looking gash above his right eye; the cut appears to be caused by an accidental clash of heads. At the halfway point, the unofficial scorer has the bout scored as even (48-48), yet the punch count stats are still in Docusen’s favor. In the second half of the bout, Docusen continues to grind away, leaving Angott to force most of the action. This leaves Angott open for more counterpunches and, by the end of round eight, there is noticeable swelling around Angott’s left eye. The cut over the other eye, which appeared to be under control, is reopened in round nine and, after consulting with the ring physician, the ref decides to call a halt. Scorecards are tallied after the first eight rounds, and Docusen emerges as a UTD 9 victor (78-76, 79-73, 78-75) to run his career record to 21-3-4 (2). The loss drops Angott to 39-15-8 (12).

Big day for the Docusen brothers, each winning a feature bout on the same day! (Whereas the day before, both of the Famechon brothers went down to defeat.)

[JCWeb]

This report includes bouts from the second half of February 1950. One WBA title bout is included in this report.

Feb. 17, 1950: Time for another of the Friday Night fights “Down Under” series, this to take place in Melbourne. In the main event, the OPBF Flyweight title is on the line. Challenging Yoshio Shirai for the title is another Japanese fighter, Speedy Akira. The two have not met before, and Akira is still at the Pre-Prime stage of his career. Not much happens until late in round three, when Shirai puts Akira down with a cross; Akira arises at the count of six, then covers up, plus there is not enough time left in the round for Shirai to finish matters. Akira is able to make a speedy recovery, bouncing back quickly in order to keep the bout close. At the halfway point, Shirai has a narrow lead (57-56) on the unofficial card. In the second half of the bout, Shirai, the slugger, takes a more aggressive approach while Akira, the boxer, prefers to lay back and counter from the outside. As the rounds tick off, Shirai’s lead grows. Despite this, Akira is able to land sufficient blows to cause some initial puffiness to appear under the right eye of Shirai by the end of round nine. The bout goes the distance, and Shirai does enough to retain the title via a UD 12 (116-111, 116-111, 115-112) to run his career record to 26-5-1 (12). This is the first career loss for Akira, now 14-1-1 (3).

Feb. 18, 1950: To San Juan in Puerto Rico for the next fight card where, in the main event, two BWs face each other, with former WBA BW Champ Manuel Ortiz facing Ritchie “Kid” Tanner, who is the reigning GBU BW Champion. This is a rematch of a recent encounter in Montreal that ended in a controversial DQ win for Ortiz. As in their prior bout, this one is scheduled for 10 rounds with no titles at stake. Ortiz looks sharp early, particularly in round three when he moves inside and does some damage, causing some initial swelling to appear around Tanner’s right eye. Then, in round four, Ortiz connects with a solid uppercut that opens a cut over Tanner’s left eye. At the halfway point, Ortiz is well ahead (by a count of 49-46) on the unofficial scorecard. In the second half of the bout, Ortiz is content to take a cautious approach, laying back on the outside and letting Tanner initiate most of the action. In round eight, the cut over Tanner’s eye is re-opened. A round later, with the cut oozing blood once again, the bout is halted, and Ortiz walks away a TKO 9 victor due to the cuts stoppage. Post-bout career marks: Ortiz, 39-9-3 (19); Tanner, 29-19-3 (14).

Feb. 18, 1950: Heavyweights top the agenda at the next fight card, taking place at the Cow Palace in San Francisco. With Joe Louis on hand in an effort to extend his long winning streak in the main event, the preliminary co-feature matches a pair of veterans of the ring wars: Jersey Joe Walcott and Roscoe Toles. These two familiar foes have met four times previously, with Walcott wining three, Toles once. Both are now at End career stage, and, in round three, Walcott moves inside, with some success. Despite Walcott’s best efforts, at the halfway point, the unofficial card has Toles up by one (48-47). In the second half of the bout, Walcott picks up the pace and is the aggressor, probing for opening while Toles is content to keep his distance. Although Jersey Joe gives it his best effort and keeps plugging away into the final few rounds, Toles’ defense remains solid. The bout goes the distance and, in the end, Walcott’s efforts are rewarded as he manages to secure a draw (95-95 on all three cards). The draw, the first of Walcott’s long career, leaves him at 55-9-1 (31), with Jersey Joe now just one bout from retirement. Meanwhile, Toles’s post-bout record is 46-21-7 (9). Then, in the main event, the WBA HW title is on the line with Joe Louis making his 42nd title defense, having won his last 28 in a row, all inside the distance. This time around, the challenger is Lee Q. Murray, who was a TKO 7 victim in his one prior encounter with Louis, also for the WBA title, back in 1944. Murray, a slugger, bides his time until midway through the third round, when he strikes, landing a hard shot that sends Louis tumbling to the canvas. A hurt Louis regains his footing after taking a count of seven, then he wisely covers up and manages to last the round. After taking a round to regroup, Louis bounces back, decking Murray with a big shot in round five. Murray allows the count to reach three before arising and, like Louis, he manages to survive the round by employing the cover up strategy. After five rounds are in the books, Louis has a two-point lead (48-46) on the unofficial card. Late in round six, Murray goes down a second time, this the result of a perfect Louis combination, but there is not enough time left in the round for Louis to finish matters. Louis continues to build on his advantage in the middle rounds, growing stronger while Murray looks haggard and tired. In round nine, Murray walks into a cross and, this time, he barely manages to beat the count. Louis swarms all over him, prompting another early stoppage. And another stoppage win, a TKO 9 for Louis. Post-bout career records: Louis, 67-1-1 (65); Murray, 34-13-2 (26).

Feb. 24, 1950: Next up is a Friday night card at New Orleans. Featured in the main event is former WBA FW Champ Sandy Saddler, who is matched with Simon Vergara of Panama, another top 10 FW contender who is the reigning LABF FW titleholder. First meeting of the two; however, Vergara has recently hit Post-Prime career stage, making this another tune-up for Saddler who hopes for another crack at Willie Pep and the WBA FW title soon. Less than a minute into the opening round, Saddler connects with a three-punch combination that staggers Vergara. Vergara remains upright, covering up in order to last the round. z is able to remain upright, covering up to last the round. Saddler continues to pile up a commanding lead in the punches landed count and, in round five, a Saddler hook sends Vergara toppling to the canvas. This time, Vergara takes an eight count before resuming. Late in the round, Saddler catches Vergara with a wicked uppercut, and Vergara goes down again, only to be saved by the bell. At the halfway point, the unofficial scorer has Saddler well in control, with a wide (50-44) lead on points. Saddler does not let up, decking Vergara a third time near the end of round six, this time a right cross was the culprit. At this point, Vergara was showing the effects with a rapidly swelling left eye. Finally, the end comes less than a minute into round seven, and it is another Saddler cross that puts Vergara down for the fourth time; this time he is unable to beat the count. KO 8 for Saddler, who runs his career record to 27-1 (21). Meanwhile, a post-prime Vergara drops to 22-6-4 (6) after the loss.

Feb. 25, 1950: Next card takes place at the Olympia in London. Main event is a matchup of two ranked BW contenders, with Brit Norman Lewis being paired with Luis Romero. Lewis, the recently dethroned WBA BW titleholder, is seeking to rebound against Romero, who has yet to claim a regional title despite falling just short in his one WBA title try. The two are meeting for the first time, and Lewis suffers from the disadvantage of being at Post-Prime career stage. Midway through the opening stanza, Romero hurts Lewis, connecting with a solid cross; the Brit ex-Champ wisely elects to cover up in order to last the round. As the action develops, Lewis, a slugger, takes a more active approach while Romero, the boxer, is content to lay back on the outside. By the midway point, it is clear that Romero is the more accurate of the two, and he is rewarded with a nice lead (50-46), according to the unofficial card. In the second half of the bout, not much changes until, in the case of too little, too late, in round nine, when Lewis is able to cause some puffiness to appear under the left eye of Romero. The bout comes down to the final round, with Lewis going all out, but he leaves himself open to a big shot from Romero, who puts Lewis down and out. KO 10 for Romero, who was headed to a lopsided points win anyway. Post-bout career records: Romero, 23-5-2 (9); Lewis, 21-12-1 (16).

Feb. 25, 1950: The month wraps up with a card at New York City’s Madison Square Garden. The featured main event is for the NABF LH title, but first up is an intriguing main support matching unbeaten HW prospect Rocky Marciano with another unbeaten HW prospect, John Holman. No prior meetings and, less than a minute into the opening stanza, Rocky connects with a hard right that opens up a nasty looking cut over Holman’ s left eye. The bout is allowed to continue and, later in the round, Rocky launches a whirlwind combination of blows that drop Holman to the canvas. Holman is counted out, and Marciano scores another impressive win, this via a KO 1, improving his record to a perfect 13-0 (13). Meanwhile, the previously unbeaten Holman ends the bout at 11-1 (5). After this, the ring is cleared for the main event, which sees Billy “Black Jack” Fox challenging Harold Johnson for Johnson’s NABF LH title. The two have not met before, and five successive wins has allowed Fox back into the hunt for a regional title, despite his having hit Post-Prime career stage. Johnson, a heavy favorite, scores with a big right late in the opening round; Fox manages to remain upright, and he covers up to avert further damage. Johnson continues by building up a solid lead in the punches landed stats through the opening rounds of the bout. By the end of the fifth round, Johnson has landed sufficient leather to cause a mouse to appear under Fox’s left eye. At the halfway point, the unofficial card has Johnson well ahead on points (by a count of 59-54). Trailing badly, Fox goes all out for a knockout as the bout heads into the later rounds, but to no avail. Johnson remains in control and goes on to retain the NABF title belt via a lopsided UD 12 (119-108 on all three cards). Johnson, whose only career loss was to the great Archie Moore, improved to 23-1 (9) with the win. Fox is now 24-7-2 (17) with the loss.

[JCWeb]

This report includes bouts from the first half of March 1950. No WBA title bouts are included in this report.

Mar. 3, 1950: First up this month is a Friday night card at the War Memorial Auditorium in Syracuse. Matched in the main event are two LWs as Art “Golden Boy” Aragon faces Santa Bucca. Two years ago the two met in Atlantic City, and Bucca took a split verdict. In this rematch, the action is slow to develop, with Bucca, a slugger, taking a more active approach in the early going. Some stiff counterpunching from Aragon proves effective, as a mouse forms under Bucca’s right eye late in round three. In round five, however, Aragon finds himself taking a seat on the canvas, the result of a strong shot landed by Bucca. Art picks himself off the deck and covers up to last the round, but the damage has been done. At the halfway point, the unofficial scorer at ringside has the bout scored as even (47-47). In the second half of the bout, Aragon continues to plug away, hoping that his boxing skills can outweigh the heavier punches being thrown by Bucca. This translates into a small lead for Aragon in the punch count stats, and an even bigger edge in the stamina factor as Bucca begins to tire noticeably as the bout enters its latter stages. The bout enters the final round with Aragon looking to be heading towards a points win, when an exhausted Bucca is felled by a sharp blow from Aragon. Bucca is counted out, so Aragon emerges as a KO 10 victor. This enables Aragon to run his career record to 23-4-1 (13). Bucca ends up the bout at 21-8-4 (8).

Mar. 4, 1950: To the Stadium in Liverpool for the next fight card where, in the main event, the GBU FW title is at stake, with Teddy Peckham challenging Ronnie Clayton for the belt. The two have not met before, and a confident Clayton is coming into the bout with a three-bout winning streak, while Peckham is smarting from a recent loss to Ray Famechon for the EBU FW title. Peckham, a slugger, is the aggressor in the early stages of the fight. After taking a couple of rounds to settle in, Clayton, with his smooth boxing style, begins to dominate most of the action. He manages to land some stinging blows that cause some initial swelling to appear around Peckham’s right eye. At the halfway point, Clayton has won every round on the unofficial scorer’s card and is well ahead on points (60-54). Not much changes in the second half of the contest, with Peckham growing more and more frustrated as Clayton is able to thwart his more aggressive forays. In fact, in round nine, Peckham walks into a Clayton cross and goes down, taking a seven count before continuing. By the end of the round, Peckham is suffering from a split lip in addition to the swollen right eye. The cut is quickly patched up but, by the end of round 11, a battered and beaten Peckham returns to his corner with noticeable swelling under his other (left) eye. To no great surprise, Clayton goes on to take a lopsided UD 12 (120-107, 120-107, 118-109) to retain the belt. Post-bout career marks: Clayton, 33-5 (16); Peckham, 19-6 (9).

Mar. 4, 1950: The next fistic action takes place in Chicago. Featured in the main event are two WWs, with Johnny Bratton taking on Bobby Lee in a 10-round, non-title bout. This is the first meeting of the two, and a solid early start sees Bratton compiling an early edge in the punch count stats. At the end of round three, Lee returns to his corner with some noticeable puffiness around his right eye. Midway through round five, a sharp combination from Bratton rocks his opponent, forcing Lee to cover up. At the halfway point, Bratton is well ahead on the unofficial scorecard (50-45). The situation remains largely unchanged in the second half of the bout, and Bratton goes on to take a comprehensive UD 10 (97-93, 98-93, 98-93), running his career record to 22-3-1 (12). For Lee, this is just his third career loss, leaving him at 19-3-5 (2).

Mar. 10, 1950: A tripleheader of featured bouts headlines the next card, a Friday night affair at the Escobar Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico. In the first of this trio of co-features, NABF FW Champ Ciro Morasen takes on Jackie “the Austin Atom” Graves in a non-title contest. This is a rematch of an earlier bout between the two that ended in a draw, this at a time when both were at Pre-Prime career stage. This time around, it is a cautious start by both fighters; Graves, who is the more active of the two, manages to compile an early points lead, and he is ahead on the unofficial card (by a count of 49-46) at the halfway point. Morasen manages to keep the bout close and, after winning the last round on all three cards, he manages to secure a draw (96-94 Morasen, 95-95, 95-95). Post-bout records: Morasen, 24-5-4 (4); Graves, 23-5-2 (16). In the second co-feature, the first of two LABF titles is at stake, as Cesar Brion challenges Omelio Agramonte for Agramonte’s LABF HW title. This is a rematch of their previous encounter, for this same title, that ended in a draw back in November 1949. In this rematch, the action heats up early in round two, when Agramonte doubles up on a jab, and he manages to rip open a cut over Brion’s left eye. However, Brion perseveres and pulls ahead in the punches landed count. By the midway point of the contest, Brion is up by three on the unofficial card (59-56), but his corner is still dealing with the cut which has been reopened. Not much changes in the second half of the contest, with Brion continuing to hold a rather substantial lead in the punch count stats. However, Agramonte keeps applying the pressure, and the cut over Brion’s eye is reopened a second time in round 10. With the cut patched up between rounds, Brion avoids further trouble and goes on to take a UD 12 (117-113, 119-111, 120-110) to capture the belt. After the bout, Brion improves to 18-3-1 (7), while Agramonte slips to 24-10-1 (14). In the finale, two veteran WWs vie for the LABF WW title, with Cocoa Kid defending versus challenger Kid Azteca, who held this title back in the 1930s. In one prior meeting, back in 1936, also for the LABF WW title, Kid took a UD 12. This time around, Kid gets off to a solid start, enabling him to obtain a large edge in the punch count stats in the early going. In the third round, an uppercut from Azteca manages to draw blood, opening up a cut under Kid’s right eye. Azteca tries to capitalize on the situation by attempting to work his way inside to do more damage, but some solid defense from Kid prevents him from doing so. At the midway point, Kid has a wide points lead (60-54), according to the unofficial card. In the second half of the bout, it is Azteca who is pressing the action, but Kid’s defense remains firm, and the cut does not seem to be an issue. Kid, who is still a bout away from End career stage, goes on to take a lopsided UD 12 (119-109 on all three cards), running his career record to 58-15-7 (13). Azteca, now just one bout or two away from retirement, ends the bout at 43-29-10 (19).

Mar. 11, 1950: Next card takes place at the Rand Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa. Main event features Vince Hawkins, the reigning GBU MW Champion, who faces Estonian Anton Raadik in a non-title contest. Neither has faced each other previously, and both have been struggling to increase their respective positions in the MW ranks, plus Hawkins has recently slipped to Post-Prime as 1950 was his real-life retirement year. The action heats up in round two, when a Raadik cross finds the range, and a cut appears over Hawkins’ left eye. The cut is in a bad spot, and it leads to a stoppage a round later, with the ruling being made that the cut was caused by an accidental butt, not a punch. This means the bout is adjudged a technical draw. Post-bout career records: Hawkins, 22-15-5 (8); Raadik, 24-7-2 (20).

Mar. 11, 1950: Miami is the venue for the next fight card. Twin feature bouts top the agenda. In the first co-feature, two BW contenders take to the ring, as former USBA BW Champ Harold Dade faces former GBU BW titleholder Gus Foran. No prior meetings of these two, and the bout (with no titles on the line) is scheduled for 10 rounds. Neither fighter has an advantage through the early rounds of the bout. In round five, the action heats up, as a Dade right connects and opens a cut over Foran’s left eye. Nevertheless, a peek at the unofficial card at the midway point sees Foran with a slight points edge (50-48). The cut over Foran’s eye is reopened in round seven. Heading into the final few rounds, Dade has pulled ahead in the punch count stats, but the issue remains in doubt. The bout goes the distance and, the result, a majority draw (95-95, 96-94 Foran, 95-95), seems justified. Post-bout career marks: Dade, 26-9-4 (7); Foran, 27-11-4 (14). Then, in the second co-feature, and really the highlight of the evening, WBA LH Champ Archie Moore elects to test the waters in the HW ranks, and he takes on Jimmy Bivins, for Bivins’ NABF HW title. Surprisingly, the two have not met before, despite Bivins spending most of his career at LH before stepping up to the HW ranks in recent years. This is an entertaining bout, with both fighters swinging away freely from the opening bell. In round four, Moore absorbs a right cross from Bivins, but then he connects with an uppercut that sends Bivins tumbling to the canvas. After the count reaches five, Bivins arises and then covers up in an effort to last the round. However, Moore’s killer instinct has kicked in, and there is just enough time remaining for Moore to swarm all over his hapless opponent, causing the ref to call a halt with just a few seconds remaining. Impressive TKO 4 for Moore, who will have to decide whether to defend his WBA LH title or continue campaigning as a HW, looking for a possible WBA HW title clash with Joe Louis. With the win, Moore improves to 50-4-5 (36); he has won his last 12 in a row, and his last loss was a controversial DQ to Pat Comiskey in November 1945. Bivins, for his part, had a four-bout winning streak snapped but still has a chance to retain the USBA HW title he won last year, which he has yet to relinquish.

[JCWeb]

This report includes bouts from the second half of March 1950. Two WBA title bouts are included in this report.

Mar. 17, 1950: A triple feature tops the next Friday night card “Down Under,” this at Melbourne. Two OPBF title bouts on the agenda, but first up, one-time Commonwealth Flyweight Champ Taffy Hancock is paired with Otilio “Zurdo” Galvan, a one-time NABF Fly titleholder. Scheduled for 10, this is the first meeting of the two. Early punches landed advantage for Galvan, who feels more comfortable fighting outside, while Hancock takes a more active role, trying to work his way inside to force the action. At the midway point of the bout, Hancock is up by one (49-48) on the unofficial card. Not much changes in the second half of the bout, and the stamina factor favors Galvan. Galvan’s defense remains solid, and he manages to squeeze out a MD 10 win (97-96, 97-97, 97-96), a good result given Hancock had the full support of a hometown crowd. Post-bout career marks: Galvan, 27-12-2 (5); Hancock, 18-5-1 (14). Next, another homegrown Aussie, Bernie Grant, challenges Tsuneo Horiguchi for Horiguchi’s OPBF FW title. Both are at Post-Prime for this encounter. A strong two-fisted attack from Horiguchi in the opening round manages to cause some initial puffiness to appear under Grant’s right eye. The bout remains a close one through the opening rounds, with Horiguchi taking a more active approach while Grant is content to work mainly from the outside. In round four, Grant strikes, dropping Horiguchi with a combination of blows. Horiguchi arises after the count reaches three, and he covers up to last the round. Despite the knockdown, Horiguchi is able to build a solid points lead (58-55) on the unofficial scorer’s card at the halfway point. This causes Grant to switch tactics and take a more aggressive posture as the bout enters its latter stages. Trouble for Grant in round 11, however, as a Horiguchi combination opens a cut over his left eye, then later in the round, Grant goes down from a wild overhand right. Grant is fortunate to be saved by the ball as the count reached three. The bout enters the final round, and Grant launches a desperate attack that comes to no avail. Thus, Horiguchi retains the title via a solid UD 12 (117-109, 118-108, 117-109) to retain the title and run his career record to 48-19-3 (22); however, Horiguchi will be at End career stage with his next outing. Meanwhile, Grant ends the bout at 16-5-3 (7). Then, the trio of featured bouts concludes with a matchup of two veterans of the ring wars, as Aussies Jack McNamara and Alan Westbury square off for the OPBF WW title that has been held by McNamee since 1945, when we won it from Westbury. All in all, these familiar foes have faced off for five prior encounters, with McNamee winning four. This time, both are End career stage, so this could be the final swansong for both. After a cautious start by both men, McNamee pulls in front in the punch count stats as the early rounds come to a conclusion. Into the middle rounds, McNamee continues to have the better of it; at the halfway point, he leads (by a count of 60-56) on the unofficial scorer’s card. By the seventh round, there is noticeable swelling under Westbury’s left eye. However, just a round later, things begin to turn around for Westbury, as he finds the range with a hard hook that sends McNamee tumbling to the canvas. McNamee struggles to regain his footing as the count reaches eight, and he manages to survive the round with effective use of the “cover up” strategy. Both fighters keep plugging away as the rounds tick off and the bout eventually goes to decision. In the end, the result – a majority draw (114-114, 116-113 McNamee, 114-114) – seems justified. Post-bout records: McNamee, 42-25-3 (23); Westbury, 32-21-5 (18).

Mar. 18, 1950: Next, the venue shifts to the Sportpalast in Berlin, and a pair of EBU title bouts top the card. In the first of these, Italian Guido Ferracin is on hand to defend his EBU BW title, and he faces challenger Stan Rowan, a Brit. The two met once before, in Rome back in 1948, and Rowan was able to win a split duke in a hostile venue. This time around, neither fighter has the upper hand in the early going, and Rowan takes charge with a big round five, during which Ferracin ends up with some puffiness around his left eye. Then, in round six, a Ferracin uppercut rips open a cut over Rowan’s left eye. At the midway point, Ferracin has a narrow one-point lead (58-57) on the unofficial card. Meanwhile, Rowan’s corner struggles to deal with the cut which is in a bad spot. The cut is reopened once in round eight but then, in a dramatic turnaround, Ferracin suffers a severe hand injury and is unable to continue, so Rowan is declared the new EBU FW Champion via a TKO 9. Post-bout records: Rowan, 28-4-2 (12); Ferracin, 18-6-4 (3). Then, in the finale, the EBU HW title is at stake, and it is a rematch of a January contest between Joe Weiden and Bruce Woodcock where Weiden took a close MD 12 to take the title, reversing the results of an earlier bout that saw Woodcock emerge as a TKO victor. In this rubber matchup, the action heats up just a minute into the opening round, when Woodcock drops Weiden with a vicious hook. Weiden arises after taking a four count and then covers up to last the round. Weiden is able to work his way back into the bout, but Woodcock continues to enjoy an edge in the punch count stats as the bout heads into the middle rounds. At the halfway point, Woodcock has a huge points lead (60-54), according to the unofficial scorer at ringside. Sensing his title slipping away, Weiden ups the page and becomes much more aggressive in the second half of the contest. However, in round eight, Woodcock connects with a short, clean combination, and Weiden goes down for a second time, this time the count reaches eight before he arises, and a third knockdown occurs in round 11. Try as he might, Weiden is unable to turn things around, so Woodcock regains the EBU HW title via a decisive UD 12 result (117-107, 117-106, 117-106), improving his career stats to 32-6 (26). For Weiden, it is just his third career setback, leaving him at 22-3 (10). Huge result for Woodcock who dominated the action despite being at Post-Prime career stage.

Mar. 18, 1950: The next fistic action takes place in Philadelphia, and a WBA title clash tops the agenda. First, in the main supporting bout, is a matchup of two former WBA BW Champions, as Manuel Ortiz faces Tommy Forte. In three prior meetings between the two, Ortiz has won twice, Forte once, and Forte will be at Post-Prime for this encounter, a 10-rounder with no titles at stake. The opening rounds see Ortiz pull out a comfortable lead in the punch count stats. However, Forte responds with a strong round in the fourth, and Ortiz’s corner is forced to deal with a rapidly swelling right eye. At the halfway point, Ortiz is left with a narrow lead (48-47), according to the unofficial scorer’s card. In the second half of the bout, Ortiz continues to maintain a healthy edge in the punch count stats, plus he begins to wear down Forte, who faces a substantial stamina deficit. Ortiz is able to coast to a comfortable UD 10 (97-94, 98-93, 96-95), although the margin was razor thin on one judge’s card. The win lifts Ortiz to 40-9-3 (19), while Forte drops to 40-14-3 (13). After this, the ring is cleared for a WBA MW title bout, with “Sugar” Ray Robinson defending against challenger and ex-Champ Holman Williams. The two have not met before, and Williams is at Post-Prime for this encounter, and the bout is a close one in terms of punches landed, at least for the opening two rounds. Near the end of round three, Robinson breaks through, landing a crippling hook to the head, then following up with a double jab, but the bell sounds before he can take full advantage of an obviously hurt opponent. At the end of the round, there is a trace of swelling around Williams’ right eye. After five rounds are in the books, Robinson has forged a two-point lead (49-47) on the unofficial card. In the middle rounds, Williams tries to work his way into the bout, but the edge in the punch count category remains in Robinson’s favor. To his credit, Williams does well to keep the bout reasonably close; in fact, at the two-thirds mark, Robinson’s points lead on the unofficial card is still just two points (96-94). Into the final rounds and, with the swelling around Williams’ eye worsening, his corner urges him to become more aggressive. Robinson appears to be well on his way to victory until, in the final round, he is called for a blatant foul and suddenly disqualified by the ref, Chuck Hassett. The shocking DQ 15 result enables Williams, who was headed to defeat, to regain the title once again. Post-bout records: Williams, 59-16-1 (24); Robinson, 40-4-1 (29). Given the controversial ending, it is likely that a rematch will be in the offing.

Mar. 24, 1950: A twin bill headlines the next card, a Friday night affair at the Dodge Theatre in Phoenix. In the first of these co-features, two top 10 LH contenders do battle, as “Joltin’”Joe Kahut takes on former NABF LH Champ Oakland Billy Smith in a 10-round, non-title affair. There has been one prior meeting, and Kahut is seeking to avenge a MD 10 loss to Smith in that earlier contest that took place back in 1944. Kahut comes out swinging, but Smith is the more accurate of the two in the early going, enabling him to pile up an edge in the punches landed count. The bout comes to an early end in round four, when Smith connects with a cross that rips open a gash over Kahut’s right eye. This causes some severe bleeding, to the extent that the ref has no choice but to call an immediate halt. The bout goes into the books as a TKO 4 for Smith. Post-bout records: Smith, 28-10-4 (21); Kahut, 27-11-1 (21). In the second co-feature, the NABF LW title is at stake, with Joe Brown challenging “Bobcat” Bob Montgomery for the title. It is the first meeting of the two, and Brown’s connections are encouraged by the fact that Montgomery is now at Post-Prime career stage. Brown gets off to a solid start and pulls ahead in the punches landed count; he continues to set the pace with some accurate punching as the bout reaches the middle rounds. At the midway point of the contest, Brown has opened up a nice points lead (59-55) on the unofficial card, and there is noticeable swelling under Montgomery’s right eye. Trailing, and seeing the title slipping away, in round nine, Montgomery goes on the attack but, instead, he walks into a Brown combination and goes down. Montgomery is unable to beat the count, so Brown becomes the new NABF LW Champion via an impressive KO 9 victory. With the win, Brown improves to 34-4 (23), while Brown ends the bout at 41-6-2 (22).

Mar. 25, 1950: Next is a huge card at the Olympia in London, and a twin bill of title bouts tops the agenda. In the first co-feature, two titles are at stake, as Eddie “the Merthyr Marvel” faces Ernie Roderick in a bout where both the EBU WW title (currently held by Thomas) and the Commonwealth WW title (currently held by Roderick) will be up for grabs. This is the first meeting of these two, and Thomas gets off to a strong start, dominating the action in the early going versus the post-Prime Roderick. In fact, there is already some noticeable puffiness around Roderick’s right eye as early as the second round. By the middle rounds, Thomas has piled up a huge lead in the punch count stats and, at the halfway point, he is ahead on points (58-56) on the unofficial scorer’s card. Roderick continues to struggle as the rounds tick off in the second half of the contest, and thus, Thomas is able to grind out a comfortable UD 12 win (117-111, 118-110, 117-111) to capture both belts at stake. Post-bout career marks: Thomas, 20-2-1 (4); Roderick, 40-28-7 (9). Then, in the finale, Brit Harry Hughes, who recently added the EBU LW title to his GBU LW title, has earned a shot at the WBA LW title held by Ike Williams. No prior meetings, and Williams enters the bout as a prohibitive favorite. Not much happening in the opening two rounds and, late in round three, Hughes stuns the Champ with a hard hook; Williams covers up and manages to last the round. At the one third mark, with five rounds in the books, Williams is ahead on points (49-47) on the unofficial scorecard, and Hughes’ corner must deal with a rapidly swelling left eye. In the middle rounds, Williams tries to take a more active approach, moving inside, but Hughes is able to offer some stiff resistance. In round seven, the challenger manages to cause a welt to appear under Williams’ left eye. In round eight, Williams breaks through, dropping Hughes with a hard shot; the challenger arises after taking a five count then covers up to last the round. At the two thirds mark, Williams’ lead has widened (to 97-93), according to the unofficial scorer. A cross to the head from Williams drops Hughes for a second time in round 13. In the end, it’s a game effort from the overmatched Brit who at least survives until the final bell. However, a dominant performance from Williams who takes a lopsided UD 15 (148-136, 148-137, 149-134) to retain the title, upping his career totals to 41-4-1 (34), while the loss leaves Hughes at 22-7-1 (9).

Mar. 31, 1950: The month wraps with a card at New York’s Madison Square Garden. The main event matches ex-WBA MW Champ Charley Burley with Artie Towne, a former USBA MW titleholder. Burley is on the comeback trail after a pair of recent losses to Jake LaMotta, and he faces Towne, whom he defeated previously (a TKO stoppage in which he defeated Towne for the USBA crown). This time, with no titles at stake, the bout is scheduled for 10 rounds, and Burley is handicapped by the fact he is now at Post-Prime career stage. Towne stuns Burley with a big cross in round one, and Burley does well to retreat and employ the cover up strategy to survive the round. Towne is able to take advantage of a lethargic looking Burley to gain the upper hand in terms of punches landed after moving inside in round three. Towne continues to set the pace into the middle rounds and, despite being deducted a point for a low blow early in the fifth, he still manages to hold a healthy points lead (50-45) at the halfway point, according to the unofficial scorecard. In the second half of the bout, Burley is forced to dig deep in an effort to mount a rally, but he is showing signs of fatigue as the stamina factor at this point heavily favors Towne. In round eight, however, the tide turns dramatically, with Towne once again resorting to low blows. Having previously deducted a point, this time the ref exercises his discretion and goes for the more extreme penalty of disqualification. Thus, despite trailing on points on all three cards, Burley walks away as a DQ-8 winner. Towne’s corner files a protest, but to no avail, so the result stands. Post-bout career marks: Burley, 52-6 (35); Towne, 23-4-2 (8). However, plans are afoot for a rematch of the two in the coming months.

[JCWeb]

This report includes bouts from the first half of April 1950. No WBA title bouts are included in this report.

Apr. 1, 1950: The month commences with an April Fool’s Day card at Atlantic City’s Convention Hall. Featured in the main event are two LWs who are newcomers to main event status, as Rudy Cruz takes on Jimmy Carter in a 10-round, non-title bout. These two are paired together for the first time. Cruz has the edge in the punch count totals in the early going, and this translates into a narrow points lead for Cruz (50-48) at the halfway point, according to the unofficial scorer at ringside. In the second half of the contest, Carter, a slugger, takes a more aggressive approach and, with a few rounds to go, Carter pulls ahead in the punches landed count. With the outcome in doubt until the very last few rounds, a key moment takes place in round nine, when Cruz drops Carter with a big hook. Carter is able to barely beat the count, arising as the count reaches nine, and he covers up to last the round although the damage has been done. The bout goes the distance, and the late knockdown enables Cruz to take a UD 10 (97-92, 96-93, 96-93) and run his career record to 26-5-3 (6). Post-bout, Carter ends up at 18-3-1 (3).

Apr. 8, 1950: Next, the venue shifts to the Amor Bahn in Munich, and the main event is a rematch of a Flyweight matchup of two regional Champions: USBA Fly Champ Dado Marino and OPBF Fly kingpin Yoshio Shirai. The two met a year ago, in Atlantic City, and Marino walked away a UD 10 winner. This time, the two face each other in neutral territory, and Shirai makes a solid start and, by the end of round three, there is a trace of swelling appearing under Marino’s right eye. At the halfway point, Shirai has a narrow lead (48-47) on the unofficial scorer’s card. Marino manages to keep the bout close, but neither fighter is able to break through, so it comes down to the final few rounds as the rounds tick off. In the end, although Marino is able to earn the nod from one judge, the other two have it even, resulting in a draw (96-94 Marino, 95-95, 95-95). Post-bout career records: Marino, 38-11-1 (14); Shirai, 26-5-2 (12).

Apr. 8, 1950: The next fistic action takes place in New Orleans, and, in the main event, two MWs vie for the NABF MW title, as Freddie “the Boxing Bellhop” Apostoli challenges Steve “Spider” Belloise for the belt, now held by Belloise. The two have met twice before, with each winning once. Both are at Post-Prime for this encounter. The action heats up at the end of the opening round when Belloise drops Apostoli with a right cross; the bell sounds just as the ref begins the count, so Apostoli is able to regain his composure in between rounds. Apostoli is able to recover and then gradually works his way into the bout as it heads into the middle rounds. After a heavy exchange of blows in an action-packed round four, there is some noticeable puffiness under the left eye of Apostoli. However, at the halfway point, the momentum has swung in the director of the challenger, who leads (58-55) on the unofficial scorer’s card. In the second half of the bout, Belloise, sensing that relying on the early KD may not be enough, decides to go on the offensive. In the middle of the ninth round, an Apostoli counter manages to open a cut over Belloise’s left eye. Not much of note the rest of the way and, despite the early knockdown, Apostoli is able to take the title via a UD 12 (117-110 on all three cards). Post-bout records: Apostoli, 42-21-3 (26); Belloise, 34-12-2 (15).

Apr. 14, 1950: Next up is a Friday night card in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Headlining the event is an LABF MW title bout, with Jose Basora facing challenger Mario Diaz. The two have met twice before, with each winning once. Basora dominates most of the action in the early going, enabling him to pile up an edge in the punches landed count. Despite the punch count deficit, Diaz manages to keep the bout reasonably close into the middle rounds; indeed, at the halfway point, the unofficial scorecard has the bout scored as even (57-57). Feeling some pressure, Diaz elects to ramp up the pace, moving inside and applying more pressure on the inside. Basora is able to regain the momentum with a surge in the 11th round, after which Diaz returns to his corner with a swollen right eye. The bout goes the distance, and Basora is able to retain the LABF title via a razor-thin MD 12 (115-113, 114-114, 115-113). With the win, Basora improves to 37-10-1 (24), while Diaz slips to 20-13-3 (7).

Apr. 15, 1950 : Next is a nice card at the Uline Arena in Washington, D. C. An NABF title clash tops the card, but also featured is unbeaten HW prospect Rocky Marciano, whom many are touting as a successor to long reigning WBA HW Champ Joe Louis. Marciano, a perfect 13-0, with all 13 wins coming inside the distance, is showcased in the top preliminary bout, taking on journeyman Tony Bosnich, who in his career has notched up almost as many losses as wins. So, an obvious mismatch, yet it takes awhile for Marciano to get going. Finally, midway through round three, he connects with a big hook, and Bosnich tumbles to the canvas, arising at the count of three. Late in the round, Bosnich goes down again, also from another Marciano hook, and this time he is fortunate to be saved by the bell. Though clearly outmatched, Bosnich manages to stay out of trouble for the next couple of rounds. However, at the midway point, Marciano is well ahead on points (50-44 on the unofficial card), and knockdown #3 occurs late in the sixth round, courtesy of a Marciano cross and, once again, Bosnich is saved by the bell. Nonetheless, Bosnich is able to carry the fight into the ninth round, making this the longest of all Marciano’s bouts at this point in his career. In round nine, a Marciano combination puts Bosnich down for a fourth time. Bosnich is able to pick himself off the deck, and he manages to cover up to last the round, although his left eye is now partially closed. Three more knockdowns follow in the 10th and final round, enabling Marciano’s KO streak to continue, as the three knockdown rule mandates an automatic TKO 10 for Marciano as the result. Marciano is now 14-0 (14) and looking for more meaningful competition, while Bosnich’s record is evened at 16-16-4 (8). In the main event, Ciro Morasen faces challenger Carlos Chavez for Morasen’s NABF FW title. The two have not before, and Chavez starts well, compiling an early lead in the punches landed count. Morasen begins to assert himself as the bout enters the middle rounds, but, just before the bell sounds to end round five, Chavez connects with a solid hook that stuns the Champ. At the halfway point of the contest, a peek at the unofficial scorer’s card shows the bout as even (57-57). In the second half of the bout, the stamina factor favors Chavez. While the bout remains extremely close, the punch count stat numbers have swung in Chavez’s direction as well. The bout goes the distance and the end result – a draw (112-116 Chavez, 115-113 Morasen, 114-114) – enables Morasen to retain the title by the narrowest of margins. Post-bout career marks: Morasen, 24-5-5 (4); Chavez, 33-10-4 (10).

Apr. 15, 1950: A solid card in Mexico City is up next, and a pair of LABF title bouts top the agenda. In the first of these, Black Pico faces Otilio “Zurdo” Galvan on Galvan’s home turf; at stake is Pico’s LABF Flyweight title, but his NABF Fly title is not on the line. This is the fourth meeting of these two, all for a regional title (twice for the LABF, once for the NABF), and all three of the prior meetings resulted in a points win for Pico. In the early going, it is Pico who pulls ahead in the punch count stats. Heading into the middle rounds, Galvan finally gets going, as he blunts Pico’s efforts to apply pressure on the inside in round four. At the halfway point of the contest, Pico is up by two (58-56) on the unofficial scorer’s card. Near the end of the seventh, Pico finally breaks through, dropping Galvan with a nice combination; Galvan takes a count before arising, and he manages to last the round after employing the cover up strategy. More problems for Galvan in round nine, as he must deal with a rapidly swelling left eye. Pico remains in control the rest of the way as he coasts to a comfortable UD 12 win (117-111, 116-111, 116-111) for his fourth win over the hapless Galvan. Post-bout career marks: 23-3-3 (1) for Pico; 27-13-2 (5) for Galvan. In the second co-feature, Cuba’s Humberto Sierra challenges Enrique Bolanos, aka “the Dorango Dropper,” for Bolanos’ LABF LW title. Sierra serves notice when he stuns Bolanos with a hard cross, and the Champ covers up and remains upright, lasting the round without further incident. Bolanos battles back with a strong round in the second and, after the round, Sierra returns to his corner with a mouse under his right eye. The topsy turvy nature of the contest continues in round three, when Sierra is able to land some good shots, and there is noticeable puffiness around Bolanos’ right eye. Into the middle rounds, and Sierra maintains a slight edge in the punches landed stat. Near the end of round six, Bolanos breaks through, dropping Sierra for a six count; Sierra regains his footing on wobbly legs, but the bell sounds before Bolanos can follow. At the halfway point, Bolanos is well ahead (58-55), according to the unofficial scorecard. Into the second half of the bout, Bolanos continues to hammer away and, after eight rounds are in the books, there is noticeable swelling under Sierra’s other (left) eye. Trailing on points, the punch count stats as well as suffering from a stamina deficit, Sierra takes a more active and aggressive approach into the final rounds, but Bolanos’ defense remains firm, and he even decks Sierra a second time with a cross in the final round to seal the victory. The judges’ verdict is unanimous, as Bolanos takes a solid UD 12 (116-110, 115-111, 117-109) to improve to 29-5 (21). The loss drops Sierra to 23-10-4 (7).

[JCWeb]

This report includes bouts from the second half of April 1950. Two WBA title bouts are included in this report.

Apr. 21, 1950: Next up is another Friday Night fights “Down Under” card, this taking place at Melbourne, Australia. Twin feature bouts top the agenda. In the first co-main event, Commonwealth LW Champ Norm Gent takes on Lefty Satan Flynn in a 10-round, non-title bout. For this bout, Gent is at Post-Prime while Flynn is at End career stage. Gent takes an early lead in the punch count stats, and he is able to compile a solid points lead (49-46) at the halfway point, according to the unofficial scorer at ringside. In the second half of the bout, Gent is able to hold Flynn at bay, and he coasts to a fairly routine UD 10 win (98-93, 97-93, 97-94) to run his career totals to 22-7-3 (7). The loss leaves Flynn at 41-22-4 (20). In the second co-feature, the Commonwealth MW title is at stake, as Aussie Dave Sands defends versus a challenger from the UK, Randy Turpin, aka “the Leamington Licker.” Solid start from Turpin, who seems comfortable boxing from the outside through the opening few rounds. Undaunted, Sands moves inside in round three, stepping up the pressure and doing some damage. Turpin responds by getting more aggressive himself, and he dominates the action in round four, and Sands is now carrying his hands low as a result. The action heats up in round five, and, with both men flailing away, Sands puts Turpin down for an eight count, landing a big shot. Turpin is able to recover by employing the cover up strategy. Sands is able to follow up, decking Turpin a second time with a big hook to the head late in the round, and again Turpin manages to beat the count, barely lasting the round. Battered and beaten, when Turpin returns to his corner, there is noticeable puffiness around both eyes. At the midway point, despite a 10-8 round for Sands in the fifth, the Aussie Champ is only up by one (57-56) on the unofficial card. Turpin attempts to mount a rally after a strong round in the eighth. Early in round 11, a Sands uppercut puts Turpin down for a third time, but Turpin recovers and battles back and, late in the round, he manages to turn the tables on Sands, flooring the Aussie with an overhand right. With both men recovering from knockdowns, the bout goes into the final round. The bout goes the distance, and Sands retains the CBU title via a UD 12 (117-111, 117-109, 115-113). Exciting bout, possible Fight of the Year contender with the two knockdowns (one for each fighter) in round 11. Post-bout career marks: Sands, 35-4 (22); Turpin, 20-3 (15).

Apr. 22, 1950: Next, a WBA title bout tops the agenda at Detroit. First, in the main support, former USBA WW Champ Billy Graham takes on former EBU WW titleholder Egisto Peyre in a 10-round, non-title affair. As this is the first meeting of these two, the action is slow to develop. Heading into the middle rounds, the punch count stats favor Graham. At the halfway point, Graham has a nice lead (50-45) on the unofficial scorer’s card, plus Peyre is already showing signs of wear and tear, with a puffy right eye visible as he returns to his corner after the bell sounds to end the fifth round. In the second half of the contest, Peyre tries to alter the script by adopting a more aggressive posture, and he does well enough to convince one of the three judges, but the others end up giving the nod to Graham, who settles for a SD 10 win (95-96 Peyre, 97-93 Graham, 97-94 Graham) to improve his career totals to 27-11-1 (12). Post-bout, Peyre slips to 33-8-3 (15). For the main event, we stay in the WW division as Champ Jimmy Sherrer is on hand to defend the WBA WW title he won earlier this year, dethroning an aging Henry Armstrong. Challenging Sherrer in his initial title defense is NABF WW Champ Bernard “Big Doc” Docusen. The two have not met previously. Solid start from Sherrer but, with two boxers doing battle, there is not much in the way of aggressive action through the opening rounds. With five rounds in the books, the unofficial card has Sherrer with a narrow edge in points (48-47). With Sherrer ahead in the punch count stats, Docusen decides to take a more active approach in the middle rounds. Near the end of round eight, Sherrer rocks Docusen by landing a solid right. Then, in round nine, Sherrer lands a big hook and drops Docusen for a count of eight. There is plenty of time left in the round, and Sherrer puts Docusen down a second time in a barrage of blows, and this time, Docusen arises after taking a count of seven. Docusen manages to survive the round, but the damage has been done. At the two thirds mark, Sherrer has pulled out to a comfortable lead (98-91) on the unofficial scorecard. In round 11, Sherrer continues swinging away and, near the end of the 11th round, he puts Docusen down for a third time with a wicked hook to the head. Once again, the challenger is able to regain his footing and covers up to last the round. Trailing badly, in round 12, Docusen bounces back with a minor rally, and he manages to cause some initial puffiness to appear under the left eye of the Champ. In an abundance of caution, Sherrer adopts a defensive strategy for the final rounds of the bout, and, to no surprise, he takes a lopsided UD 15 (148-135, 149-134, 147-136) to retain the title. Post-bout career records: Sherrer, 27-4 (14); Docusen, 24-5-6 (4).

Apr. 22, 1950: To the West Coast for the next card at the Cow Palace in San Francisco. No titles at stake, but the main event matches two top WW contenders, as Tommy Bell takes on “the Cuban Hawk,” Kid Gavilan. The two have met twice before, with Bell winning on points both times. The action heats up early in round three, when Bell connects with a sharp uppercut that rocks Gavilan who covers up to avert further damage. By the middle rounds, though, Gavilan has battled his way back to even terms in the punch count stats; at the halfway point, Gavilan is up by two (49-47) on the unofficial card. In the second half of the bout, Bell, who enjoys a slight edge in the stamina factor, takes a more active and aggressive approach, trying to work his way inside to overcome his clever Cuban opponent. However, Gavilan’s boxing skills are on full display and, by the end of the eighth round, he has landed sufficient leather to cause some initial swelling under the right eye of Bell. Despite Bell’s best efforts, he is unable to make much of an impression on Gavilan, who goes on to scoop up a UD 10 (97-92, 96-93, 96-93) to run his career record to 24-4-2 (5). The loss drops Bell to 32-6 (16).

Apr. 28, 1950: Next up is a Friday night card at the Forum in Montreal. Headlining the card is a WBA title bout, but first up in the main support is a MW contest pairing veteran Tony Zale, the “Man of Steel,” with fast rising contender Bobby Jones. The two have not met before, making this the proverbial “crossroads” fight with a fading contender (Zale, now at Post-Prime career stage) with an in-shape opponent (Jones, who is still at Prime). Jones starts well, to the extent that there is a trace of swelling under Zale’s left eye before the end of the opening stanza. In round three, Zale takes charge by moving inside, and he pulls ahead in the punches landed count as a result. At the midway point, the bout is a close one, with the unofficial scorer having Jones up by one (48-47). In the second half of the bout, Zale, the slugger, is the more active of the two, forcing much of the action. The stamina favor also works in the favor of the more experienced Zale. In round eight, the heavy hitting Zale drops Jones with an overhand right; Jones quickly regains his footing and lasts the round after electing to cover up. Nothing much happens in the final two rounds and, thus, based largely on the late knockdown, Zale goes on to take a UD 10 (96-94, 95-94, 96-93) to improve to 49-12-3 (27) overall. Jones is 21-4-2 (2) after the loss. Then, in the main event, Canadian Champion Fernando Gagnon makes his second defense of his WBA BW title, facing the top contender, Luis Galvani, who is the reigning NABF and LABF BW titleholder. These two familiar foes are meeting for the fifth (!) time, with Gagnon having the edge (three wins to just one for Galvani) in their prior encounters. Gagnon takes charge with a big round in round two, then moves inside in the next round. The third round is another good round for Gagnon and, at the end of the round, both fighters show signs of swelling under their left eyes. Galvani battles back with a strong round four, but then, midway through round five, a Gagnon cross finds its target, and Galvani drops to the canvas. The challenger recovers quickly, scrambling to his feet as the count reaches three, then wisely he covers up to last the round. At the one third mark, Gagnon has a comfortable early points lead (49-45) as a result. Some stinging blows connect for Gagnon in the middle rounds, and, as a result, Galvani now shows signs of swelling around the other (right) eye. Finally, in round 10, Galvani breaks through, rocking Gagnon with a nice uppercut. Gagnon covers up, so little damage is done and, with 10 rounds in the books, Gagnon maintains a large points lead (98-93) into the final few rounds. With both men tiring badly, a desperate Galvani tries to stage a late rally, but Gagnon’s defense remains firm. The end result is a solid UD 15 for Gagnon (146-138, 146-138, 146-139). Post-bout records: Gagnon, 31-5 (17); Galvani, 30-6 (19).

Apr. 29, 1950: Next is a huge card (over 20 bouts on the agenda) at the Olympia in London. Headliner is a Commonwealth title clash; a pair of non-title contests serve as main supporting bouts. In the first of these, two top 10 Flyweights, both former WBA Champs, take to the ring, as Hans Schiffers faces Jackie Paterson. Two prior bouts ended in point wins for Paterson. Paterson gets on top in the early going, and he manages to force a stoppage in the fourth round. TKO 4 for Paterson runs his career record to 35-11-2 (21). The loss leaves Schiffers at 30-16-6 (8). In the second supporting bout, two top LHs, both regional Champions, hook up as NABF LH Champ Harold Johnson faces Freddie Mills, who holds three LH title belts (EBU, CBU and GBU). The two met once before, back in 1948, and Johnson took a points win; since then Johnson has hit Prime career stage, while Mills is now at Post-Prime. Johnson dominates the action in the opening few rounds but, in round three, the bout comes to a sudden end, as Johnson lands a hard blow but ends up wincing in pain. A severe hand injury has prevented Johnson from continuing, so the bout goes into the books as a TKO 3 for Mills. Post-bout records: Mills, 36-19-2 (17); Johnson, 23-2 (9). Finally, it is time for the main event: Brit Ronnie Clayton, reigning CBU and GBU FW Champ, puts his Commonwealth FW title on the line versus Aussie Keith Francis. No prior meetings of the two and, for Francis, who just hit Prime, is in his first title bout of any kind. Not much to choose between the two for the first couple of rounds, then Francis decides to mix it up by moving inside in round three. In round four, Clayton decides to return the favor, and he rocks the challenger with a big hook. Francis elects to cover up, and he manages to last the round without further damage. Into the middle rounds, it is Clayton who pulls ahead in the punches landed count; at the halfway point, Clayton is up by two (59-57) on the unofficial card. However, just before the bell sounds to end round six, Clayton sustains a cut over his left eye, courtesy of a Francis hook. In the next couple of rounds, Francis picks up the pace, mainly focusing on targeting the cut. In the ninth round, Clayton catches Francis with a barrage of blows, and Francis tumbles to the deck, arising after taking a seven count. The bout comes to a sudden end a round later, when Francis manages to reopen the cut over Clayton’s eye, and this leads to an immediate stoppage. Francis takes the Commonwealth title via a TKO 10 on the cuts stoppage. Post-bout career marks: Francis, 20-1 (15); Clayton, 33-6 (15).

Apr. 29, 1950: The final card of the month takes place at New York City. A twin bill of non-title bouts tops the agenda. In the first co-feature, two ranked MWs do battle as it’s a rematch of a controversial DQ bout from a month earlier, with former WBA MW Champ Charlie Burley facing Artie Towne. In addition to the controversial DQ win, Burley won an earlier bout versus Towne via a TKO stoppage. This time, Burley takes charge after moving inside with a strong round in round three. Then, in round four, Towne connects with a sharp combination that opens a cut under Burley’s left eye. At the halfway point of the bout, Towne is ahead on points (by a count of 49-46), according to the unofficial scorecard. Burley, now at Post-Prime career stage, struggles with his timing in the second half of the bout. Additionally, Towne has a solid edge in the punch count stats. Unfortunately for Burley, the aging ex-Champ is unable to conjure up any of the magic that made him a feared MW contender, so Towne goes on to pull off the upset UD 10 by a surprisingly large margin (99-91 on all three cards) to run his career record to 24-4-2 (8). The loss leaves Burley at 52-7 (35). The second and final featured bout matches two top HW contenders, as Ezzard Charles, the “Cincinnati Cobra,” faces, for the first time, “Tampa” Tommy Gomez. Gomez, a slugger, takes on the mantle of the aggressor by moving inside in round three. Charles, a clever boxer, is able to blunt much of Gomez’s power; however, midway through round five, Gomez snakes through a combination that puts Charles down for an eight count. Charles recovers and covers up to last the round. However, at the halfway point, Gomez has pulled ahead on the unofficial card (48-47), largely on the strength of the knockdown. With both the punch count and stamina factors favoring Charles, both fighters seem willing to slug it out, making for an entertaining second half of the bout. In round seven, with the two mixing it up, Charles breaks down Gomez’s defenses, connecting with an overhand right. While Gomez is able to beat the count, Charles swarms all over him and is able to force an early stoppage. This entertaining bout comes to an early end with a TKO 7 for Charles. Post-bout career marks: 31-6 (24) for Charles; 38-10-1 (35) for Gomez.

[Cap]

Good comeback win for Ezzard.

Cap

[JCWeb]

This report includes bouts from the first half of May 1950. One WBA title bout is included in this report.

May 5, 1950: The month kicks off with a Friday night card at Atlantic City. No titles at stake, and the feature bout matches two LH contenders, with former WBA LH Champ Lloyd Marshall taking on veteran Melio Bettina. The two met twice before, with Marshall taking a points win while the second encounter resulted in a draw. Bettina is at End career stage for this bout, while Marshall is still at Prime. Marshall wastes little time, dropping Bettina with an uppercut near the end of the opening round; Bettina barely beats the count, but he arises on wobbly legs. With just a second remaining before the bell sounds to end the round, the ref has seen enough and calls an immediate halt. Marshall is declared a TKO 1 victor, running his career totals to 41-9-5 (33). The loss leaves Bettina at 44-16-7 (18). With this blowout win, Marshall hopes to put himself back in the picture for a WBA title shot.

May 6, 1950: Next card takes place at the Sportpalast in Berlin, and topping the agenda is a bout matching two top MW contenders, both former Champions, as Sugar Ray Robinson takes on Frenchman Marcel Cerdan, who currently holds the EBU MW title. The two met once previously, last year, with Robinson earning a TKO win. As in their last encounter, this time around it seems there is little that the post-Prime Cerdan can do to trouble the former WBA Champ who has held titles in both WW and MW divisions. Cerdan tries to move inside in round three, but is ineffective and inaccurate with his punches. In round five, though, Cerdan does manage to break through and does manage to bloody Robinson’s nose when he connects with a sharp uppercut. At the halfway point, it’s a close bout, with “Sugar” Ray up by just one (48-47) on the unofficial scorer’s card. Despite running low on stamina, Cerdan remains persistent and, in round seven, he manages to re-open the cut on Robinson’s nose. However, the cut is quickly patched up and in round eight, Robinson strikes back, dropping Cerdan for a count of five; the savvy Frenchman manages to cover up and last the round. Nonetheless, Cerdan continues to persist and, in the penultimate round, with just seconds remaining, he succeeds in reopening the cut a second time. This time, the ref orders a stoppage, and Cerdan is declared a TKO 9 winner on the cuts stoppage, despite a huge lead for Robinson on all three cards at the time. Post-bout records: Cerdan, 53-10-5 (36); Robinson, 40-5-1 (25). Robinson’s hopes for a WBA title shot are put on hold for the time being.

May 6, 1950: Twin feature bouts top the next card at Toronto’s Maple Leaf Gardens. In the first of the twin bill, two BWs do battle, as Canadian Lou Alter faces Brit Norman Lewis. Lewis, a former WBA BW titleholder who has also previously held the Commonwealth, EBU and GBU BW titles, took a split duke over Alter in their one prior encounter, for the CBU BW title, back in 1944, when Alter was still at Pre-Prime. This time around, with no titles at stake, it is Alter who is at Prime while Lewis has lapsed into Post-Prime status. Near the end of round two, Alter serves notice, rocking Lewis with a hook that forces the ex-Champ to cover up. Then, seconds into the following round, Lewis absorbs a wicked cross to the head, and he tumbles to the deck. Lewis is counted out, and it goes into the books as a KO 3 for Alter, who improves to 28-10-2 (15). Lewis drops to 31-13-1 (16) after the loss. In the second co-feature, another Canadian, Johnny Greco, is in action, facing Cocoa Kid, holder of the LABF WW title, in a 10-round, non-title bout. It is the first meeting of the two, and Kid, whose career dates back over 20 years to 1929, is one bout away from moving from Post-Prime to End career stage. No prior meetings of the two, and thus, the action takes a while to develop. Greco, a slugger, seizes the initiative by moving inside early in round three; just before the bell, he catches Kid with a cross and Kid goes down, only to be saved by the bell. Greco continues to dominate through the midway point, being rewarded with a large lead (50-43) on the unofficial card. In the second half of the bout, despite an edge in both stamina and the punch count stats, Kid is unable to mount a rally and overcome Greco’s early lead. Kid does have his best moments in round nine, landing some telling blows and causing some initial swelling to appear under Greco’s right eye. However, it is a case of too little, too late, and Greco goes on to take a UD 10 (96-92, 95-93, 98-90). Post-bout records: Greco, 27-13-3 (15); Kid, 58-16-8 (13).

May 12, 1950: Next up is a Friday night card at the Rand Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa. Meeting for the sixth (!) time in the main event are two familiar foes: veteran Flyweights Peter Kane, the reigning GBU Flyweight Champ and Jackie Jurich, a former WBA Flyweight Champion. No titles at stake, and Jurich – who is now at End career stage – has prevailed in four of their five prior encounters. This time, Kane takes charge in the opening round, dominating the action while putting Jurich on the defensive right from the opening bell. Kane continues hammering away and, by the end of round three, there is noticeable swelling under the left eye of Jurich. At the midway point, Kane is well ahead on points (49-46), according to the unofficial scorer’s card. In the second half of the bout, Jurich tries to become more aggressive, but his punches lack sting, and Kane is able to continue his dominance, and, with Jurich’s eye nearly swollen shut, he is able to force a stoppage early in the round eight. TKO 8 for Kane improves his career record to 54-12-1 (16). Meanwhile, for Jurich is the end of a 16-year career, as he decides to hang up the gloves with a final career mark of 42-15-1 (19).

May 13, 1950: A WBA title clash tops the next card at Miami. First up, in a supporting bout, is a meeting of two WW contenders as Johnny “Honey Boy” Bratton takes on Charley Fusari. It is the first meeting of the two, and the action is slow to develop, with Bratton recovering after a very sluggish start in the opening round. The action heats up in round five after Bratton sustains a cut under his right eye, when he responds by decking Fusari late in the round with a wicked cross to the head. Fusari beats the count and lasts the round by covering up; however, at the halfway point of the 10-rounder, Bratton has a nice lead (49-46) on the unofficial scorer’s card. In the second half of the contest, Fusari focuses on targeting the cut, but Bratton’s safety first strategy keeps him out of difficulty. Early in round nine, Bratton connects with a sharp combination that sends Fusari toppling to the canvas for a second time. Once again, Fusari survives the round but is worse for the wear with noticeable swelling under his right eye as a result. As a result, Bratton coasts to a lopsided UD 10 (99-92, 100-90, 99-91). Post-bout, Bratton improves to 23-3-1 (12) while Fusari slips to 23-8-1 (13). Finally, on to the main event: Willie Pep is defending his WBA FW title, facing, for the fifth time, challenger Diego Sosa. In four prior meetings, Pep has won three, with one loss coming via a controversial DQ that awarded the win to Sosa. This time, Pep is active from the opening bell, piling up a solid early lead in the punch count stats. Midway through the third round, Sosa’s knees sag after being on the receiving end of a big hook from Pep, and he covers up. Late in the round, Pep connects with another big hook to the head, and Sosa drops to the deck, only to be saved by the bell as the count reached nine. After a relatively quiet fourth round, Pep is back on the attack in round five, doing enough work on the inside to force an early stoppage. Dominant performance by Pep, who retains the belt via a TKO 5. Post-bout records: Pep, 41-3 (27); Sosa, 33-11-2 (16 ). Interestingly, two of Pep’s three career losses were via DQ; the third, to his rival Sandy Saddler, was through a close decision in a WBA title clash.

May 13, 1950: Next card at Denver’s Mammoth Gardens features an USBA BW title bout matching two veteran fighters, both former WBA Champions now in the Post-Prime of their respective careers, with Benny Goldberg defending versus challenger Tommy Forte. It has been six years since this same duo met for the NABF BW title, with Forte taking a MD 12 to capture that belt. In this rematch, there is a lot of jockeying for position in the opening rounds with Forte, a slugger, seeking to bludgeon his way inside. In round three, Goldberg is able to connect with some good countershots, and there is noticeable puffiness around Forte’s left eye as a result. By the midway point, Forte has forged a two-point edge (58-56) on the unofficial scorer’s card. In the seventh round, Forte continues to battle on the inside, and he is able to open a cut on Goldberg’s mouth. As the bout winds down, heading into the final few rounds, both men appear exhausted, and it is Goldberg who is ahead in the punch count stats. Goldberg is able to win the final three rounds on all three cards to do just enough to retain the USBA title via a majority draw (114-114, 114-114, 115-113), with one judge actually favoring Goldberg by a two-point margin. Post-bout career marks: 38-8-4 (14) for Goldberg; 40-14-4 (13) for Forte. Perhaps a rematch may be in the offing.

[JCWeb]

This report includes bouts from the second half of May 1950. One WBA title bout is included in this report.

May 19, 1950: The next edition of the Friday night fights “Down Under” series takes place at Sydney. No titles at stake, and the main event sees Charlie Ashenden, Aussie LW holder of the OPBF LW title belt, matched with Art “Golden Boy” Aragon. This is the first meeting of these two, and the veteran Ashenden is already at Post-Prime career stage while Aragon is still at Prime. In the early going, after the first three rounds are in the books, Aragon has a slight edge in the punch count stats. Then, a minute into round four, Aragon connects with a well timed uppercut that puts Ashenden on the deck. Ashenden is then counted out, so Aragon prevails via a KO 4, running his career totals to 24-4-1 (14). The loss leaves Ashenden at 20-8-8 (5).

May 20, 1950: Next card takes place at the Garden in Boston, and topping the agenda is a bout matching two MW contenders, with Tony Janiro, featured for the first time in the main event, facing Luc Van Dam, a two-time EBU MW titleholder. It is the first meeting of these two, and the bout (with no titles on the line) is scheduled for 10 rounds. The action picks up late in round two, when Van Dam stuns Janiro with a quick hook to the head, but there is not enough time left in the round for Van Dam to follow up. For the rest of the time, at least in the early rounds, Janiro is able to compile a nice lead in the punches landed count. Van Dam has a good round in the fifth to put him up by one (49-48) on the unofficial card at the halfway point of the bout. In the second half of the contest, Janiro, the boxer, stays mainly on the outside while Van Dam, the slugger, is the more aggressive of the two, seeking to initiate action on the inside. Janiro is able to ward off most of Van Dam’s offensive thrusts and maintain his lead in the punch count stats. Thus, the bout goes the distance, and Janiro emerges as a UD 10 victor by the narrowest of margins (95-94 on all three cards). Post-bout records: Janiro, 24-5-3 (2); Van Dam, 31-14-1 (12).

May 20, 1950: Topping the next card at St. Louis is a NABF LW title bout, with Joe Brown defending the belt he won in March against Beau Jack. The two had met once previously, with Brown prevailing via a ninth round knockout. Jack is able to hold his own through the opening round, but, by the end of the round, Brown has connected with a couple of sharp blows, enough to cause some initial puffiness to appear under Jack’s left eye. Brown holds a slight edge in the punch count stats through the early going, and but the bout remains a close one headed into the middle rounds. The two battle away on the inside in round five, with Jack winning most of the exchanges. In round six, another sharp series of exchanges, and Brown is able to open up a cut under Jack’s right eye. At the halfway point, the challenger, Jack, has a two-point lead (58-56) on the unofficial card. The second half of the bout sees Brown as the aggressor, and he makes significant progress in rounds eight and nine, carving into Jack’s lead and pulling ahead in the punches landed stats. Then, in round 10, a new cut appears on Jack’s forehead. The issue remains in doubt until the final round, when Brown connects with a three-punch combo that staggers Jack. Jack manages to hang on and last the distance, and the 10-9 round in the final stanza enables Brown to retain the title via a majority draw (114-114, 116-112, 114-114), with one judge favoring Brown. Post-bout records: Brown, 34-4-1 (23); Jack, 36-8-1 (22).

May 26, 1950: Next up is a Friday night card at Havana’s Gran Stadium. Two top 10 HW contenders square off in the main event, as Pat Comiskey faces Nino Valdes, the hard-hitting Cuban. Comiskey took a points win in one prior meeting of the two, back in 1946 in New York City. In this rematch, in front of a hometown crowd, Valdes starts well, doing sufficient damage in the opening round to cause some initial puffiness to appear under the right eye of Comiskey. However, to the dismay of the Cuban fight fans, Comiskey battles back in round two and catches Valdes with an uppercut that puts the big Cuban slugger on the deck. Valdes is unable to beat the count, so it goes into the books as a KO 2 for Comiskey, running his career record to 34-10 (22). Valdes ends the bout at 24-11-2 (19).

May 27, 1950: Next is a mammoth card at the Olympia in London, and a WBA title clash tops the agenda. Also on tap are a pair of GBU title bouts, and, in addition, there is a supporting bout matching former GBU and EBU Flyweight Champ Terry Allen with French Flyweight Louis Skena. The two have not met before, no titles are at stake, and the bout is settled for 10 rounds. In round three, Skena works his way inside but has little impact on Allen, other than being warned for hitting low by the end of the round. Allen pulls in front on the punch count stats, and at the midway point, Allen has a nice lead (49-46) on the unofficial scorer’s card. In the second half of the contest, it is Skena who is on the front force, attempting to force the action. Allen is able to withstand the pressure, and in round 10, he is able to rip open a cut under Skena’s right eye. The bout goes to the judges and, in a bit of a surprise, Allen takes a SD 10 (96-95, 94-96, 97-93), with the surprise being that one judge ruled for Skena. Post-bout career marks: 31-5-1 (3) for Allen; 18-4-1 (7) for Skena. Next, in the first of the three title bouts, Vince Hawkins defends his GBU MW title versus a former titleholder, Tommy Davies. This is Hawkins’ first title defense in over two years, and the two are meeting for the third time, with Hawkins having recorded a points win and a draw in their prior meetings. The action heats up right away when, near the end of the opening round, Davies decks Hawkins with a big hook that puts the defending Champion on the canvas, before arising after the count reached seven, with the bell sounding seconds thereafter to end the round. Davies continues to rack up a huge lead in the punch count stats through the remainder of the early rounds and, by the halfway point of the contest, he has managed to open a cut on Hawkins’ mouth and, accordingly, is well ahead on points (by a count of 60-53) on the unofficial card. Not much changes in the second half of the bout, despite Hawkins’ best efforts to turn things around with a more active and aggressive approach. In the end, Davies regains the GBU title via a lopsided UD 12 (120-107, 118-110, 120-109), improving his career record to 29-13-4 (9) while Hawkins, now at Post-Prime career stage, slips to 22-16-5 (8). Then, in the second GBU title matchup, it’s a rematch as Cliff Curvis takes on the man he defeated for the GBU WW title, veteran Ernie Roderick. This is the third meeting of the two, with the two prior encounters resulting in a win and a draw for Curvis. The action, what little there is, is slow to develop, but the early punch count stats favor Curvis. In round four, he manages to open a cut over the left eye of the the post-Prime challenger. Then, in round six, the cut over Roderick’s eye is reopened, while Curvis sustains a cut over his right eye. The unofficial card at the halfway point shows Curvis up by two (59-57). Curvis maintains an edge in the punch count status into the later rounds of the bout, and a desperate Roderick gets more and more aggressive, throwing caution to the wind. Curvis takes a cautious approach, which is dictated by the fact that the cut was reopened late in round eight. The bout does go the distance, and Curvis does just enough to retain the title, taking a MD 12 (116-112, 114-114, 119-109) despite one judge scoring the bout as even. Post-bout records: Curvis, 23-3-2 (1); Roderick, 40-29-7 (9). Then, in the finale, the WBA Flyweight title is at stake, as fam favorite Teddy Gardner takes to the ring to defend the title versus challenger Maurice Sandeyron, the reigning EBU Flyweight titleholder. As in the prior two bouts, these two are meeting for the third time, and Gardner, who enters the bout on a seven-bout winning streak, has recorded a win and a draw in their prior meetings. This time around, Gardner gets off to a strong start, landing repeatedly in the opening two rounds, and doing enough damage to cause some puffiness to appear under the left eye of the challenger. Sandeyron is able to work his way into the bout and, at the one-thirds mark, Gardner has just a two-point advantage (49-47), according to the unofficial scorer’s card. Into the middle rounds, and Sandeyron appears to be holding his own, but then Gardner rocks him with a solid combination just before the bell sounds to end round eight. Gardner has a huge edge in the stamina factor and, after 10 rounds are in the books, he has opened a wide points lead (99-92), according to the unofficial scorer’s card. In the final rounds, and the onus is on Sandeyron to mix things up, looking for a surprise knockdown or knockout. Gardner is able to hang on and take a solid UD 15 (148-138, 147-139, 147-140), retaining the title while running his career record to 37-9-2 (13). Sandeyron, who has the EBU title to fall back on, ends the bout at 28-10-4 (5 ).

May 27, 1950: The final card of the month takes place at New York City’s Madison Square Garden. The main event, a USBA title bout, is somewhat overshadowed by the main supporting bout, a much anticipated meeting of two highly touted HW prospects: Rocky Marciano, the “Brockton Blockbuster,” and the stylish boxer, Roland LaStarza. Marciano enters the bout with a perfect record (14 KO wins in 14 bouts), while LaStarza has one defeat as the only blemish on his career slate thus far, which he avenged in his most recent outing, so he enters this bout with a 13-1 career mark. A little more than a minute into the opening round, Marciano connects with a sharp uppercut that puts LaStarza on the canvas. LaStarza scrambles to his feet, then resorts to the cover up strategy in order to last the round. Marciano continues on the offensive in round two, but LaStarza is able to offer some resistance although most of the action favors Marciano. A second KD follows in round three and, while LaStarza is able to beat the count a second time, Marciano’s killer instinct kicks in and, as a result, the ref steps in to call an early halt. Impressive KO 3 for Marciano, who is now a perfect 15-0 (15). The loss leaves a stunned LaStarza at 13-2 (4). After this, it is time for the main event, which sees two veteran LHs, both on the downside (i.e., Post-Prime) stage of their respective careers, do battle. Billy Conn, the “Pittsburgh Kid,” a three-time former WBA LH titleholder, challenges Tommy Yarosz for Yarosz’s USBA LH title. Surprisingly, despite their lengthy careers, this is the first meeting of the two. After a fairly close opening two rounds, Conn’s superior boxing skills begin to tell as he dominates the scoring in round three. Into the middle rounds, and by this time Conn has established a clear lead in the punches landed count, plus he seems to have the edge in terms of stamina as well. At the halfway point of the bout, the unofficial scorer has awarded Conn all six rounds for a commanding points lead (60-54) as well. Yarosz responds by working his way inside in round seven, outmuscling Conn and scoring with some effectove punching. By round nine, however, both men show signs of fatigue. In the end, Conn’s early lead holds up and, in a bout with no cuts or knockdowns, Conn prevails, taking the title via a UD 12 by a narrow margin (115-113, 115-113, 116-113) after a strong second half effort put forth by Yarosz, who fell just short in his bid to retain the title. Post-bout career marks: 48-13-4 (18) for Conn; 30-8-2 (11) for Yarosz.

[JCWeb]

This report includes bouts from the first half of June 1950. No WBA title bouts are included in this report.

June 2, 1950: The month kicks off with a Friday night card at the War Memorial Auditorium in Syracuse, New York. Topping the agenda is a matchup featuring top 10 LW contender Jackie “the Austin Atom” Graves, who is matched with Glen Flanagan. No titles are at stake, and it is the first meeting of these two. Graves is the more active of the two, and he pulls out to a slight lead in the punch count stats after the opening few rounds. Flanagan, on his part, rallies with a strong showing in round four. At the halfway point, it is Graves who has the points lead (by a count of 49-46), according to the unofficial scorer’s card. In the second half of the bout, both fighters show signs of fatigue; meanwhile, Flanagan is able to forge ahead in the punch count stats. Flanagan picks up the pace in the final two rounds, and he does well enough to win the support of one of the three judges. The other two, however, rule in favor of Graves, who takes a SD 10 (96-94, 94-97, 98-93) to run his career record to 24-5-2 (16). The loss leaves Flanagan at 19-5-2 (3).

June 3, 1950: Next card takes place in the UK at the Stadium in Liverpool. No titles on the line, but the main event pits two veteran LH contenders as former WBA LH Champ Lloyd Marshall takes on Brit Freddie Mills, who still holds three title belts (the EBU, CBU and GBU LH titles, to be specific). The two have met once before, almost eight years ago, with Marshall prevailing by a knockout; since then, Mills has reached the Post-Prime stage of his career. Not much to choose between the two in the early going, although Marshall has built a slight early edge in the punch count stats. Late in round four, Marshall catches Mills with a hard cross that puts the Brit on the deck. Mills takes a count of four before regaining his footing, then covers up to last the round. By the midway point of the bout, Marshall has opened up a rather sizable points lead (49-45), according to the unofficial scorer at ringside. Mills goes down a second time near the end of round seven, but this time it is ruled a slip, not a knockdown. Late in round eight, with Mills getting overly aggressive, Marshall is able to pick off a jab and send Mills toppling to the deck; this time the count reaches eight before Mills is able to resume. Marshall’s killer instinct has kicked in, and he traps Mills in a corner, landing blow after unanswered blow until the ref steps in to call a halt. Solid TKO 8 for Marshall, re-establishing his credentials as a top challenger for the WBA LH title still held by Archie Moore. Post-bout records: Marshall, 42-9-5 (34); Mills, 36-20-2 (17).

June 9, 1950: Next up is a Friday night card at San Juan, Puerto Rico. Topping the agenda is a non-title bout matching two MW contenders, with LABF MW titleholder Jose Basora, taking to the ring before a receptive hometown crowd, facing Rocky Graziano, who has struggled a bit with 11 losses on his ledger at this stage in his career. First meeting of the two, the bout is scheduled for 10, and both are at Prime with Basora enjoying the support of the Puerto Rican fight fans in attendance and, possibly, some favorable judging. Not much in the way of action until the final seconds of round three, when Basora clocks Graziano with a hard cross; stunned, Rocky is able to remain upright and, with the bell sounding a few seconds later, he is able to recover between rounds. Midway through round four, it is Graziano who rocks Basora with a hard cross, and Basora resorts to the cover up approach. However, Graziano’s killer instinct has kicked in, and he manages to force an early stoppage. Thus, the result goes into the books as a TKO 4 for Graziano, a result that does not sit well with the Puerto Rican fight fans in attendance. Nonetheless, an impressive and important win for Graziano, who improves to 27-11-1 (21) with his 21st win inside the distance. Meanwhile, the loss leaves Basora at 37-11-1 (24).

June 10, 1950: Next, the scene shifts to Rome, Italy, and two HWs square off in the main event, with Joe Baksi facing Austria’s Joe Weiden. The two have not met before, and the bout, a non-title affair, is scheduled for 10 rounds. The bout is a close one, with neither fighter gaining the upper hand, as the early rounds are ticked off. Weiden takes charge with a big round in the fifth, and Baksi is forced to retreat to his corner after the round with noticeable traces of swelling around both eyes. At the halfway point, the unofficial card, after scoring three of the five rounds as even, has the bout also scored as even (49-49). In the second half of the contest, both fighters are swinging away freely, and Baksi pulls ahead, taking a slight lead in the punches landed count. Weiden battles back and is able to hang on to take a SD 10 (96-95, 92-99, 96-95), winning a key vote from the third judge in the final round to seal the win. Post-bout records: Weiden, 23-3 (10); Baksi, 33-11 (19). The narrow win lifts Weiden into a top 10 spot among HW contenders.

June 10, 1950: Next, back in the States with a card at Chicago. The headliner is a LW bout, with veteran Lulu Costantino, now at Post-Prime career stage, matched with unbeaten Tommy “Irish” Collins, who recently wrapped up the Pre-Prime stage of his career with a record of 19-0-1. The two have not met before, and the bout is scheduled for 10. The matchup of these two makes for a good boxer vs slugger confrontation with Collins, the slugger, firing away from the opening bell. He manages to land a few good shots, but Costantino remains undaunted. Costantino pulls in front in the punch count stats on the strength of a strong round three. In round four, Costantino is able to rip open a cut over Collins’ right eye. Collins responds with a solid round in the fifth, and he manages to land some good shots, causing a mouse to form under Costantino’s right eye. Nonetheless, after the first five rounds are in the books, the unofficial scorer has Costantino up by two (49-47). In round six, the cut over Collins’ eye is reopened; the physician at ringside is called in to take a look, and the bout is allowed to continue. Two rounds later, the cut is reopened a second time, and this time there is no reprieve – an immediate stoppage is ordered. As a result, Costantino is declared a TKO 8 victor. Post-bout career marks: 33-13-5 (14) for Costantino; 19-1-1 (14) for Collins. Tough break for Collins, who was leading on all three cards, as it is his first career loss.

June 16, 1950: Another edition of the Friday night fights “Down Under” series is up next, taking place in Sydney, Australia. Two veteran LWs take to the ring, with Sammy “Clutch” Angott facing former WBA and OPBF LW titleholder Vic Patrick. The two met once before, back in 1945, with Patrick registering a points win, but since then, Angott has reached Post-Prime career stage while Patrick is already at End career stage. In this rematch, scheduled for 10, Patrick gets off to a strong start, landing some telling blows in the opening stanza. A couple of more good rounds, and Patrick has the upper hand in the punch count stats as the bout heads into the middle rounds. At this point, Angott starts to bear down, closing to within a single point (48-47) on the unofficial scorer’s card at the halfway point. The impact of aging kicks in for both fighters, who show signs of fatigue as the bout enters its later stages. The issue remains in doubt until the final few rounds, and, in round nine, Patrick lands a big hook that stops an overly aggressive Angott dead in his tracks. Angott drops to one knee but arises at the count of one, but the damage has been done. Angott retreats to his corner with a swollen left eye, and the 10-8 round enables Patrick to take a UD 10 (96-94, 97-92, 97-92). With the win, Patrick improves to 34-10-2 (23). The loss leaves Angott at 40-16-8 (12).

[JCWeb]

This report includes bouts from the second half of June 1950. One WBA title bout is included in this report.

June 17, 1950: Next card takes place at the Garden in Boston. Two MW contenders face off in the main event, with veteran Charley Burley, a former WBA MW titleholder, facing Tony Janiro, who is still looking to establish his credentials as top flight MW contender. No titles are at stake, so the bout is scheduled for 10 rounds, and this is the first meeting of these two. Despite being at Post-Prime for this bout, Burley gets off to a great start, dominating the early action, particularly with a strong showing in round two. Janiro, who is on the receiving end of some punishing blows, returns to his corner with some initial puffiness under his right eye as a result. Janiro settles in and does slightly better in the middle rounds, but, at the halfway point, Burley has built a comfortable points lead (50-46) on the unofficial scorer’s card. Then, in round seven, Burley floors Janiro with a big shot; Tony is able to recover quickly, arising at the count of two, but the damage has been done. At this point, Burley can afford to coast through the final few rounds, while Janiro is looking to land a lucky punch in hopes of turning things around. However, a Burley cross puts Janiro down a second time in the ninth round, and Burley goes on to register an impressive UD 10 win (97-91, 98-90, 97-91) to run his career record to 53-7 (35). The loss drops Janiro to 24-6-3 (2).

June 17, 1950: Next up is a card at the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles. Featured in the main event is a matchup of two former WBA BW Champions, as David Kui Kong Young faces Manuel Ortiz. This is the fourth meeting of the two, with Kui Kong Young having scored two wins and one draw in their prior meetings. This time around, with Kui Kong Young now at Post-Prime career stage, Ortiz hopes to register his first win in this 10-round, non-title bout. The opening rounds see Ortiz pull ahead in terms in the punches landed stats. Near the end of the fourth round, Ortiz is warned for hitting low. By the halfway point of the contest, Ortiz has a wide lead (49-45), according to the unofficial scorer at ringside. In an effort to turn things around, Kui Kong Young tries to become more aggressive in the second half of the bout, but he just opens himself up for some good counterpunching on the part of Ortiz. At the end of round seven, Ortiz is once again cautioned for hitting low, but no points are deducted. In round nine, Ortiz manages to open a cut on Kui Kong Young’s lip. The bout goes the rest of the way without incident, and Ortiz takes a well deserved UD 10 (97-95, 98-92, 99-91). Post-bout records: Ortiz, 41-9-3 (19); Kui Kong Young, 47-8-4 (22).

June 23, 1950: Next up is a Friday night card at Havana’s Gran Stadium. A pair of main events top the agenda. The first co-feature, two top five WW contenders face off, as “the Cuban Hawk,” Kid Gavilan, takes on George “Sugar” Costner, who is the current USBA WW titleholder. The two have not met previously, and Costner faces a double disadvantage in (1) being on the opponent’s home turf and (2) having just hit Post-Prime career stage given 1950 represents his real-life retirement year. With no titles at stake, the bout is scheduled for 10 rounds. Gavilan takes charge in round two, managing to dominate the action while causing some initial swelling to appear under the right eye of Costner. Despite picking up a warning for holding and hitting in round four, Gavilan continues to pile up points, and he has a wide lead (50-45) on the unofficial card after the first five rounds are in the books. Costner is unable to mount a rally, and eventually the situation with the swollen eye becomes too serious to allow the bout to continue. Therefore, Gavilan is declared a TKO 8 victor, running his career totals to 25-4-2 (6). The loss leaves Costner at 30-12-2 (18). After this, the second co-feature takes place, and the NABF Flyweight title is on the line, and this matchup features two familiar foes, as Black Pico defends versus a former titleholder, Dado Marino. This is the fourth meeting of the two, and Marino holds a 2-1 edge in their prior encounters. Pico’s LABF Fly title and Marino’s USBA Fly title are not at stake. Not much in the way of action, and not much to choose between the two through the opening few rounds. In round five, however, with the two doing battle on the inside, Pico lands a barrage of blows that put Marino on the deck. After taking a seven count, Marino arises and wisely elects to cover up to survive the round. At the midway point, the one KD is the difference as Pico has forged a narrow lead (58-57) on the unofficial scorer’s card. Marino pulls ahead in the punch count stats after a strong round in the eighth. In round nine, however, Marino goes down a second time, courtesy of a Pico uppercut. Again, Marino is able to regain his footing and lasts the round after successfully employing the cover up strategy. The bout goes the full 12 round distance and, despite the two knockdowns, two of the three judges have Marino, not Pico, as the winner via a SD 12 (114-113 Marino, 113-115 Pico, 115-112 Marino). Post-bout records: Marino, 38-11-1 (13); Pico, 23-4-2 (1). Thus, Marino was able to regain the NABF Fly title he has held twice before.

June 24, 1950: A twin bill of title bouts tops the next card, at Harringay Arena in London. In the first co-feature, Frankie Williams defends the Commonwealth BW title, and fellow Brit Stan Rowan is the challenger. One prior meeting resulted in a UD 10 for Rowan, so Williams will be looking to avenge that earlier loss. The bout ends up lasting less than a minute, as Rowan decks Williams with a big shot in the opening round, and Williams is unable to beat the count. Thus, the title changes lands as Williams scores an impressive KO 1. Post-bout records: 29-4-2 (13) for Rowan; 21-6-2 (13) for Williams. The second co-feature is another rematch for the GBU HW title belt currently held by Bruce Woodcock. As last year, Johnny Williams is the challenger and, in their 1949 encounter for this very same title, it was Woodcock who prevailed via a TKO in the ninth round. This time, Woodcock wastes little time, flooring Williams with an uppercut midway through the opening stanza. As in the prior title bout, Williams is counted out so, in total, the two bouts combined barely last as long as one complete round. With the KO 1 win, Woodcock (who also retains the EBU and Commonwealth HW titles that were not at stake in this one) improves to 33-6 (27). The loss leaves Williams at 18-3 (10).

June 24, 1950: Next, back in the States with a huge card at the Polo Grounds in New York City, with a tripleheader of featured bouts, topped by a WBA HW title bout of epic proportions. First up, former WBA FW Champ Sandy Saddler is on the comeback trail, and he faces, for the first time, Cuba’s Miguel Acevedo, who recently improved his stature with an impressive points win over National Kid, a former NABF FW titleholder. Acevedo gets off to a surprisingly strong start, landing sufficient leather to cause initial puffiness to appear under both Saddler’s eyes before the bell sounds to end the opening round. Saddler is able to battle back, but it is clear that Acevedo poses a tough challenge as bout heads into the middle rounds. Early in round five, Saddler stuns Acevedo with a three-punch combination, and Acevedo’s knees buckle but he remains upright. After employing the cover up strategy, Acevedo is able to last the round; however, at the halfway point, Saddler has forged ahead to a narrow one-point edge (48-47) on the unofficial scorecard. Then, in round six, Acevedo sustains a cut under his left eye. As the bout enters the latter stages, it is apparent that Saddler has gained control of the situation and is gradually wearing down a tired and increasingly frustrated opponent. In round nine, a second cut appears, this on Acevedo’s forehead. The cut appears to be patched up between rounds; however, early in the 10th and final round, Saddler connects with a heavy blow and, with the cut reopened and a massive flow of blood as a result, the ref is forced to call a halt and declared Saddler, now 28-1 (22), a TKO 10 victor. The loss drops the hapless Acevedo to 29-12-1 (13). In the second co-feature, two MWs do battle as Artie Towne challenges Jake LaMotta for LaMotta’s USBA MW title belt. The two are meeting for the first time; a win by Towne over Charlie Burley, whom LaMotta defeated to claim the title, has set up the challenger for this title shot . Late in round two, some bad luck for LaMotta, as he sustains a cut over his left eye – and the cut is the apparent result of an accidental clash of heads. LaMotta, despite the cut continuing to ooze blood, corners Towne late in the third round, and he delivers a punishing hook that sends the challenger reeling. Towne covers up to avert further damage. Slight edge in the punch count stats for LaMotta heading into the middle rounds, but the bout remains close and, at the halfway point, the unofficial scorer has the bout as even (57-57). Then, early in round seven, the cut over LaMotta’s eye is reopened and, this time, an immediate stoppage is ordered. However, rather than going to the scorecards, the ref declares the challenger, Towne,, as a TKO 7 victor on the cuts stoppage. Post-bout career marks: 25-4-2 (9) for Towne; 35-6-1 (21) for LaMotta. Tough break for LaMotta, who had a narrow lead on two of the judges’ scorecards at the time of the stoppage. Finally, a much anticipated finale to the proceedings in the form of a rare encounter that sees two current WBA Champions face off in the ring; this time, Joe Louis faces WBA LH Champ Archie Moore with Louis’ WBA HW title at stake. It is the first meeting of the two, and Archie has declared that it is “all or nothing” in this bout, either he takes the HW crown from Louis or, otherwise, he gives up his quest for HW glory and returns to the LH division. Louis is ready and looks sharp early, particularly near the end of the second round when he clocks Moore with a strong combination, and Archie returns to his corner with some major swelling appearing under his left eye. The action heats up in round three and, with Louis pressing forward, Moore begins to fight back, landing some good shots, enough to cause a mouse to form under Louis’ left eye. In round four, another good action round, it is Moore who presses forward, but Louis is able to catch him in a neutral corner, connecting with a straight right and, this time, Moore resorts to the cover up to last the round. After another good round for Louis in the fifth, a peek at the unofficial scorer’s card shows Louis with a wide lead (50-45) at the one-third mark of the bout. In round seven, Louis finally breaks through, putting Moore on the deck with a sharp combination. Archie struggles to regain his footing after the count reaches four, but then he goes down as Louis unleashes a barrage of blows. Moore goes down a second time, and he barely manages to beat the count. After taking more punishment, the ref calls a halt, and Louis (with his 44th successive title defensive) take another win inside the distance, this time a TKO 7, and runs his career record to 68-1-1 (66). Moore ends the bout at 51-5-5 (36).

June 30, 1950: Final card of the month is a Friday night card at Manila’s Rizal Arena. In the main event, Yoshio Shirai makes the second defense of his OPBF Flyweight title. The challenger, Aussie Jimmy Laffin, happens to be the man he defeated to win the title belt in 1949; therefore, the two are meeting for the second time, with Shirai having won a decision in their prior encounter. A big surprise in the opening round, when Laffin drops the Champ with a devastating cross to the head; Shirai recovers quickly, regains his footing, and covers up to survive the round. Laffin, a slugger, continues to take an aggressive stance through the early rounds, and he is able to build an early lead in the punch count stats that holds up as the bout enters the middle rounds. At the halfway point, the unofficial scorer’s card has Laffin up by four (59-55), as he has steadily built on his early advantage with the first round knockdown. Shirai battles back with a strong round in the seventh, and Laffin is experiencing some swelling under his left eye as a result. Then, in round eight, just as Shirai seems to be mounting a rally, Laffin connects with an overhand right that puts Shirai down and out. Impressive KO 8 for Laffin, who regains the OPBF Fly title belt. Post-bout records: Laffin, 15-6 (7); Shirai, 26-6-2 (12).

[JCWeb]

This report includes bouts from the first half of July 1950. Two WBA title bouts are included in this report.

July 1, 1950: The month’s action kicks off with a card at Johannesburg’s Rand Stadium. No titles are at stake, and the main event matches two veteran WW contenders, with Norman Rubio facing Aussie Jack McNamee, who still holds the OPBF WW title despite nearing the end of a long career. No prior meetings, and the bout is set for 10 rounds. Not much happens in the early going, and McNamee, the slugger, takes a more aggressive approach in the first half of the bout. Rubio has the upper hand in terms of the punches landed count, but McNamee, after being warned for rabbit punching, has a strong round in the fifth, landing some heavy blows, enough to cause some initial puffiness to appear under the left eye of Rubio. Thus, by the halfway point, the bout is even (48-48), according to the unofficial scorer’s card. In the second half of the bout, with Rubio having an edge in both the stamina and punch count factors, McNamee continues with an aggressive posture to the bout. Despite McNamee’s best efforts, the situation does not improve and, in fact, he even ends up for the worse, with a swollen left eye as a result. Thus, Rubio goes on to take a rather lopsided UD 10 (97-93, 98-93, 99-91) in a rather drab affair, running his career record to 32-13-4 (14). The loss drops McNamee to 42-26-3 (23).

July 4, 1950: Next card celebrates the nation’s birthday, and it takes place in the nation’s capital at the Uline Arena in Washington, D. C. Featured in the main event are two LH contenders, as “Joltin” Joe Kahut faces Eddie “Gun” Cotton. It is the first meeting of the two, and there are no titles at stake. With both fighters of the slugger persuasion, there is some good action in the opening rounds before Kahut moves inside in round three in an effort to seize control of the situation. His forward momentum is blunted by some solid counterpunching from Cotton, who then tries to take advantage by working his way inside in round four. Kahut remains firm and, at the halfway point of the contest, he has forged a two-point lead (49-47), according to the unofficial scorer at ringside. With the punch count stats in a virtual tie, both fighters are still swinging away freely in the second half of the bout. The bout comes down to the wire, with two exhausted fighters battling to the very end, and Kahut pulling ahead to a slight lead in the punch count stats. The bout goes the distance with no cuts or knockdowns, and it is a close SD 10, with the nod going to Kahut (score counts of 97-94 Kahut, 95-96 Cotton, 97-94 Kahut). Post-bout records: Kahut, 28-11-1 (21); Cotton, 17-2 (12).

July 7, 1950: Next up is a Friday night card at Phoenix. The main event showcases the talents of two top 10 ranked BWs: Tommy Forte, a former WBA BW titleholder, and Harold Dade, who recently held the USBA BW title. No titles are at stake, and this is the first meeting of the two. Dade gets off to a solid start, taking advantage of the fact that Forte his hit Post-Prime career stage. In round three, Forte moves inside and has somewhat better results. Dade responds with a strong round four, slicing open a cut over Forte’s right eye, while his two fisted attack also causes some initial puffiness under Forte’s left eye. At the halfway point of the bout, Dade had forged a solid points lead (49-46) on the unofficial card, and Forte’s corner is still dealing with the cut that has proved difficult to control. Despite Forte’s best efforts, the bout comes to a sudden end in round seven, with the cut continuing to ooze blood, and it is deemed too serious to allow the bout to continue. Therefore, Dade is declared a TKO 7 victor due to the cuts stoppage. Post-bout records: Dade, 27-9-4 (13); Forte, 40-15-4 (14). Dade is hoping this impressive win sets him up for a title shot later in the year.

July 8, 1950: Two regional titleholders square off in the main event of the next card, at the Sports Palace in Rome. The two protagonists are Aussie Keith Francis, who is the reigning Commonwealth FW Champion and Ray Famechon, the current EBU FW Champ. These two have not met before and, with no titles at stake, the bout is scheduled for 10 rounds. Famechon, the more accomplished boxer of the two, is able to gain the upper hand in the early going in terms of the punch count stats. Francis, for his part, is able to bludgeon his way inside in round three, making some degree of progress. Into the middle rounds, and the bout remains a close one, with Famechon up by just one point (48-47) on the unofficial scorer’s card at the halfway point. Then, in round six, punching away with pinpoint accuracy, Famechon is able to cause some swelling to appear under Francis’ right eye. Famechon goes on to amass a large lead in the punch count stats and appears well on his way to a points win; however, a late rally by Francis enables him to secure a majority draw (97-93 Famechon, 95-95, 95-95) despite the fact that one of the three judges favored Famechon by a wide margin. Post-bout career marks: 20-1-1 (15) for Francis; 23-5-2 (7) for Famechon.

July 8, 1950: Next up is a big card north of the border at the Edmonton Gardens, which sees two Canadian fighters facing off with a WBA title at stake. First up is a supporting bout, featuring Canadian WW Johnny Greco who challenges Brit Eddie Thomas for Thomas’ Commonwealth WW title. It is the first meeting of the two, and Greco’s fourth try for a regional title, having fallen short in three prior attempts to capture the NABF WW title. Greco, a slugger, takes the initiative in the early going. The action picks up in round three, when Thomas connects with a short hook that rips open a cut over the left eye of Greco. Undaunted, Greco fires back, decking Thomas with a perfect cross that causes the British fighter to slump to the canvas. Thomas is counted out, so Greco is a KO 3 victor, finally winning his first title bout. Post-bout career marks: Greco, 28-13-3 (16); Thomas, 20-2-2 (4). The ring is cleared for a WBA BW title bout, with Fernando Gagnon defending against his countryman, Lou Alter. The two met previously, in 1947, and Gagnon prevailed via a points win. In this rematch, Alter seems to be gaining the upper hand, landing some solid punches in the opening stanza. However, he becomes careless, hitting below the belt, and, in a highly controversial call, the ref rules the fouling to be blatant, and Gagnon is declared a DQ-1 victor. With the win, Gagnon improves to 32-5 (17), while the loss leaves Alter at 28-11-2 (15).

July 14, 1950: Next edition of the Friday night fights “Down Under” features a massive card in Melbourne, topped by a WBA title clash. First up, in the main supporting bout, is a contest for the Commonwealth Flyweight title as Aussie Taffy Hancock defends this belt versus a tough challenger in Peter Kane, a former WBA Fly Champion. The two have not met before and, after a slow start, Kane steps up the pace by landing a hard show in round four that forces Hancock to cover up. After the round, Kane has a comfortable edge in the punch count stats, plus Hancock’s corner is now dealing with a rapidly swelling right eye. Then, near the end of the fifth round, Kane connects with a vicious uppercut that puts Hancock down and out. KO 5 for Kane. The title changes hands, as Kane delivers a near perfect performance to up his career totals to 44-12-1 (17). Meanwhile, Hancock slips to 18-6-1 (14). This marks the fourth loss in a row for Hancock since gaining the CBU title in early 1949. Then, in the main event, another CBU titleholder, Dave Sands, challenges veteran Holman Williams for Williams’ WBA MW title. Sands, who briefly held the WBA title belt after a controversial DQ win over Marcel Cerdan, is seeking to avenge a points loss to the now Post-Prime Williams; that loss occurred back in 1945. Williams, on the other hand, has held the WBA MW title on three occasions, most recently the result of a monumental upset over “Sugar” Ray Robinson in another disputed result – a DQ win, similar to the one that brough the belt to Sands. In this rematch, Williams uses his superior boxing skills to build an early end in the punches landed stats. Into the middle rounds, and Sands begins to work his way into the bout, gradually closing the gap. At the one-third mark, Williams has a narrow lead (48-47) on the unofficial scorer’s card. In round six, Sands gets his jab working, and he is able to open a cut over Williams’ right eye. This spells trouble for the defending Champ, who is also facing a stamina deficit as bout enters the middle rounds with the issue very much in doubt. Sands continues to press forward and, a couple of rounds later, his persistence is rewarded, as the cut is reopened, leading to an immediate stoppage. Thus, Sands is declared as a TKO 8 victor and the new Champion, while Williams is one step closer to requirement. Post-bout records: Sands, 36-4 (23); Williams, 59-17-1 (24).

[JCWeb]

This report includes bouts from the second half of July 1950. Two WBA title bouts are included in this report.

July 15, 1950: It’s a double feature of main events topping the next card at New Orleans’ Coliseum Arena. In the first co-feature, two top 10 WWs do battle, as Tommy Bell faces Billy Graham in a 10-round, non-title clash. The two have met twice before, with Bell prevailing via points on both occasions. This time, Bell decks Graham near the end of the opening stanza; a groggy looking Graham regains his footing and covers up to survive the few seconds remaining in the round. Bell maintains a slight edge in the punches landed count as the bout heads into the middle rounds. At the midway point, Bell is up by two (48-46) on the unofficial card, retaining the margin gained by virtue of the opening round knockdown. In the second half of the bout, Graham does well to keep the bout close, matching Bell punch for punch. With the issue still very much in doubt, Graham takes a more aggressive posture in the final two rounds, taking the fight to Bell. The bout literally comes down to the final seconds, when Graham connects with an uppercut, leaving Bell on the canvas to literally be (pardon the pun) saved by the bell. As a result of the late KD, Graham takes a MD 10 (96-92, 94-94, 95-93) to avenge the two prior losses, improving to 28-11-1 (12) as a result. The loss leaves Bell at 32-7 (16). The dramatic finish makes this bout a dark horse contender for Fight of the Year. Then, in the second co-feature, the NABF LW title is on the line, with Joe Brown defending versus challenger Art Aragon. It is the first meeting of the two, and Aragon has impressed with three consecutive wins to set up this, his first ever title shot. Brown, a slugger, takes charge in the early rounds, moving inside to do some damage in round three; at the end of the round, there is noticeable puffiness around the left eye of the challenger. Late in round five, a Brown uppercut finds its target, and Aragon collapses in a heap. He arises as the count reaches eight, and then the bell sounds to end the round. At the halfway point, Brown has a solid lead (58-55) on the unofficial scorer’s card. At this point, Aragon decides to take a more active approach, while Brown is content with sitting on his early lead. In round nine, Aragon goes down a second time, this the result of a hard cross landed flush by Brown. Aragon covers up to last the round, but the damage has been done. Another Brown cross leads to a third KD in round 11, and, while Aragon is able to beat the count, there is a nasty cut above his now badly swollen left eye. The cut is reopened in the final round but, despite its appearance, the bout is allowed to go the distance, with Brown taking a lopsided UD 12 (118-107 on all cards) to retain the NABF title belt. Post-bout career marks: Brown, 35-4-1 (23); Aragon, 24-5-1 (14). After this devastating defeat, Aragon will be re-evaluating things and is likely to consider moving up to WW, where he hopes to find the competition a bit easier.

July 21, 1950: Next up is a Friday night affair at Luna Park in Buenos Aires. Topping the card is a triple header of feature bouts, including a pair of LABF title bouts. First up is a 10-round, non-title clash matching former WBA Flyweight Champ Jackie Paterson with one-time NABF Fly titleholder Otilio Galvan. The two have not met before, and, therefore, it takes awhile for the action to develop. In round three, Paterson seizes the initiative, working inside and landing sufficient leather to cause some initial swelling to appear under the right eye of Galvan. By the midway point of the contest, Paterson is well ahead (49-46), according to the unofficial scorer at ringside. As the rounds tick off, Paterson is able to continue to dominate the action, building a massive lead in the punches landed stats. Near the end of the eighth round, Paterson decks Galvan with a big combination; Galvan is barely able to beat the count and, when he returns to his corner, there is noticeable swelling around his other (Ieft) eye. Paterson goes on to record a lopsided UD 10 (98-91, 99-90, 98-91) to run his career totals to 36-11-2 (21). The loss drops Galvan to 28-14-2 (5). Next up is an LABF HW title bout and Cesar Brion, who captured the title earlier in the year, faces his countryman and fellow Argentinian Alberto Santiago Lovell, a former LABF HW titleholder, in his first title defense. The two have not met before, and Lovell is at End career stage for this bout. Early edge to Brion, who looks sharp early and is able to land at will against the aging ex-Champ. Midway through round four, Brion rocks Lovell with an uppercut; Lovell manages to remain upright and covers up to last the round. At this point, Lovell’s left eye shows signs of swelling. At the midway point, Brion has amassed a solid points lead on the unofficial scorecard (59-55). The end comes in round eight, after Brion is able to open a cut over Lovell’s right eye, then he puts Lovell on the deck with a crippling uppercut to the head. A groggy Lovell is able to beat the count, but the ref steps in to call a halt, saving the aging veteran from further punishment. The bout goes into the books as a TKO 8 for Brion, who improves to 19-3-1 (8). For Lovell, now 41-23-2 (30), it is the end of 17-year career as he contemplates retirement. The final bout on the card is for the LABF WW title, with another aging veteran, Cocoa Kid, facing Mexico’s Kid Azteca for the belt that Kid has held since on three separate occasions dating back to 1935. Azteca, who won the vacant LABF belt in 1938 after Kid became the WBA WW Champ, has lost to Kid twice before, both times with the LABF title on the line. This time around, both fighters are at End career stage as Azteca hopes to avenge the two prior defeats. After a sluggish start, Kid gradually builds a solid early lead in the punch count stats. At the midway point, the unofficial card has Kid well ahead on points (60-54). More trouble for Azteca as the bout heads into the later rounds, as a mouse is formed around Azteca’s left eye. Kid eases up after being warned for rabbit punching near the end of round nine. Azteca’s hopes for a late rally do not materialize, and so Kid is able retain the title via a lopsided UD 12 (120-108 on all three cards). Post-bout records: Kid, 59-16-7 (13); Azteca, 43-30-10 (19). After this loss, Azteca (like Lovell in the previous bout) decides to hang up the gloves for good.

July 22, 1950: Next card, at the Olympia in London, features a pair of title matchups in the lower weight classes. First is a GBU BW title clash, with Ronnie Draper challenging Ritchie Tanner for the title Tanner won in 1949. In fact, in their one prior meeting, it was Tanner who took the points win over Draper to earn the vacant GBU title belt. In this rematch, Draper likes his chances given that Tanner has recently hit Post-Prime career stage starting in 1950. The early rounds see Tanner pull out to a slight lead in the punch count stats, while the stamina factor seems to favor the challenger. Then, in a huge surprise, Draper lands a huge shot near the end of round five that sends Tanner toppling to the canvas; luckily for Tanner, the bell sounds just as the ref begins the count. At the midway point, Draper clings to a narrow lead (57-56) on the unofficial scorer’s card. Into the second half of the bout, and Tanner, who is the more enterprising of the two, does manage to keep the bout relatively close and continues to enjoy an edge in the punches landed stats. Draper manages to maintain his composure, hoping that the one knockdown might be sufficient to translate into a points win. In the end, Tanner does just enough to retain the title via a close SD 12 (115-114, 114-115, 115-114), winning the final round on the two cards that secured the victory. Post-bout records: Tanner, 30-19-3 (14); Draper, 21-4-2 (1). Then, in the finale, Teddy Gardner makes the fifth defense of his WBA Flyweight title against a fellow Brit, Terry Allen. The two have met twice before with regional title belts on the line, and both times Gardner has emerged as the winner on points. Allen looks sharp early, outboxing Gardner for most of the opening couple of rounds. Gardner rebounds from a slow start when, near the end of the third round, he connects with a cross to the head that puts Allen on the canvas. Allen is saved by the bell as the count barely gets underway when the round ends. There is more trouble for Allen near the end of round four when Gardner fires a combination that causes a cut to appear under Allen’s left eye. After five rounds are in the books, Gardner is up by just one (48-47) on the unofficial scorecard. In the middle rounds of the contest, Gardner is willing to take the initiative to work his way inside, while Allen is content to box mainly on the outside. At the two thirds mark (10 rounds in), Gardner has extended his lead (to 97-94) on the unofficial scorer’s card. This has encouraged Allen to push forward and also try to force the action a bit more on the inside. Two minutes into the 12th round, Gardner catches an overly aggressive Allen with a hook, sending the challenger to the canvas for a second time in the bout. Allen arises at the count of five and covers up to last the round. In the final few rounds, Gardner eases up, hoping that the two knockdowns will be sufficient for him to retain the WBA title belt. In the end, the UD 15 does go in favor of Gardner (145-142, 146-138, 144-143), and he improves to 38-9-2 (13) as a result. Allen ends the bout at 31-6-1 (3).

July 22, 1950: Next card takes place at the Kiel Auditorium in St. Louis. Main supporting bout is a 10-round, non-title affair pairing two top 10 LW contenders: Maxie “Little Duke” Docusen and George LaRover. The two have not met previously. LaRover, a slugger, takes the initiative and pushes the pace in the early going. Some slick boxing by Docusen gives him the early edge in the punch counts and, at the halfway mark, Docusen has a narrow lead (48-47) on points, according to the unofficial scorer’s card. In round seven, LaRover, while working on the inside, suffers a cut on the bridge of his nose. The cut continues to bleed after being reopened in round nine. The bout goes the distance, and Docusen scoops up a close but UD 10 (96-95, 97-94, 96-95) to run his career totals to 22-3-4 (2). LaRover slips to 27-10-3 (13) after the loss. After this, it is time for the main event and, after Archie Moore’s decision to return to LH and defend his WBA LH crown, the NABF HW title previously held by Moore is now vacant. Matched for the vacant belt are the top two HW contenders: Ezzard Charles (aka the “Cincinnati Cobra”) and Jimmy Bivins (aka the “Cleveland Spider Man”). The two met once before, with Bivins winning via a stoppage for the WBA LH title back in 1947. As expected, the bout is a close one, with Bivins gaining the upper hand in terms of the punch count stats through the opening few rounds. Then, late in round five, Charles takes charge, banging a combination that opens a cut over Bivins’ right eye. Additionally, Bivins is showing traces of swelling around his other (right) eye. At the halfway point, Charles has pulled ahead on points (57-56) on the unofficial scorer’s card. With Bivins trying to battle back, Charles connects with a big hook that puts Bivins on the canvas in round eight. Bivins beats the count and covers up and, although there is still plenty of time left in the round, Charles cannot follow up with a knockout blow. Two tired fighters in the final few rounds, but it doesn’t prevent Charles from swinging away freely, reopening the cut over Bivins’ eye in round 11. The bout goes the distance, and Charles captures the vacant belt via a close but UD 12 (115-111, 114-112, 114-112). Post-bout career marks: Charles, 32-6 (24); Bivins, 33-8-3 (21). Impressive performance by Charles who remains a top contender to possibly dethrone long time WBA HW Champ Joe Louis.

July 28, 1950: Next is a Friday night card at Havana’s Gran Stadium. No titles at stake, and the main event showcases two young LW contenders in their first ever title bout: Canadian Arthur King and Cuba’s Orlando Zulueta, who will have the support of the hometown crowd in this battle. No prior meetings of the two, and some solid boxing by Zulueta in the early rounds yields him an early lead in the punches landed count. As the rounds tick off, King is unable to make much progress so Zulueta holds a large points advantage (50-46) at the midway point, according to the unofficial scorer’s card. In round six, finally there is a ray of hope for King as he manages to open a cut under the left eye of his Cuban opponent. However, King appears exhausted as the bout enters the final few rounds, Despite King’s best efforts, the cut is brought under control, does not get worse, and Zulueta grinds his way to a MD 10 (98-92, 95-95, 97-93), scores that are surprising only for the fact that one of the three judges called the bout even. At any event, with the win, Zulueta improves to 20-1-1 (3), while the loss leaves King at 20-3-2 (3).

July 29, 1950: The month wraps with some WBA title bout action at the New York City’s Polo Grounds. Preceding the featured bout is a supporting bout matching veteran MW contender Artie Levine with the current GBU MW Champion, Brit Tommy Davies. The two are meeting for the first time. For Levine, he is still on the comeback trail after reeling from three successive losses near the end of 1949; for Davies, it is only his second trip to the States, having lost on points to Jake LaMotta back in 1948. Levine is further handicapped by the fact that he is at Post-Prime career stage. Action is slow to develop, but some accurate punching in the opening couple of rounds gives Davies a slight early edge in the punches landed count. Levine, the harder hitter of the two, finally gets going as the bout heads into the middle rounds; at the midway point of the contest, Levine has a slim one-point lead (48-47) on the unofficial card. Into the later rounds, and the bout remains a close one, with the stamina factor favoring Davies. Early in round nine, Levine connect with a sharp jab that draws blood; a cut is opened under Davies’ right eye. The bout goes the rest of the way without incident, and the end result – a draw (95-95, 94-96 Davies, 96-94 Davies) – seems justified. Post-bout, Levine ends up at 29-12-2 (18); meanwhile, Davies emerges with a career record of 29-13-5 (9). In the main event, Willie Pep, who has held the WBA FW title off and on since 1945 (except for a brief period when Sandy Saddler held the title) is on hand to make another defense. Challenging Pep is Simon Vergara, the reigning LABF FW titleholder. The two have not met before, but Vergara is at Post-Prime for this bout, making Pep a heavy favorite to retain the title. At the end of the opening stanza, Pep drops Vergara with a big hook, but Vergara is saved by the bell as the count reaches seven. Pep continues to dominate the action in round two and, by the end of the round, there is a mouse under Vergara’s left eye. Huge lead for Pep in the punch count stats and, after the first five rounds, Pep also has a large points lead (50-44) according to the unofficial scorer’s card. In round seven, the first spot of trouble for Pep occurs after a Vergara cross opens a cut over Pep’s left eye. The cut is closed between rounds, and Pep continues his dominance, dropping Vergara with an uppercut near the end of round eight; this time, Vergara is able to beat the count, then cover up to last the round. By this time Vergara is running low on stamina, and Pep continues to land at will repeatedly until, late in the ninth round, the ref has seen enough. The bout is halted, and Pep is declared a TKO 9 victor. The cut was not really a factor, and Pep’s dominance was clear. Post-bout records: Pep, 42-3 (28); Vergara, 22-7-4 (6).

[JCWeb]

This report includes bouts from the first half of August 1950. No WBA title bouts are included in this report.

Aug. 4, 1950: The month’s fistic activities kick off with a Friday night card at the Rand Stadium in Johannesburg. The featured bout matches two regional titleholders in the Flyweight division, as LABF Flyweight Champ Black Pico is paired with Jimmy Laffin, his OPBF counterpart. The two have not met before, no titles are at stake, and the bout is scheduled for 10 rounds. The action, which is slow to develop, picks up in round three, when Laffin moves inside. He catches some good countershots from Pico and, as a result, a mouse is formed under the left eye of Laffin. Into the middle rounds, and Pico has the edge in the punch count stats. In round five, Laffin is warned for rabbit punching. At the halfway point of the contest, Pico is up by two (49-47) on the unofficial card. Into the second half of the bout and Laffin, who is trailing, is forced to become more aggressive. Pico, who is content to remain on the outside, is able to thwart Laffin’s efforts. The bout goes to decision, and Pico scoops up a rather routine UD 10 (98-92 on all three cards) to improve to 24-4-3 (1) as a result. The loss leaves Laffin at 15-7 (7).

Aug. 5, 1950: Next card takes place at the Sports Palace in Rome. Two BW contenders are paired together in the featured bout, with Spain’s Luis Romero facing Luis Castillo, aka “the Pocket Battleship,” from Mexico. The two have not met previously; Castillo is a former LABF and NABF BW titleholder while Romero has yet to win a title bout. The bout is a close one, and nothing much happens until a hook to the head by Castillo rips open a cut over Romero’s left eye. Romero holds a slight lead in the punches landed stats and, at the midway point, Romero is up by two (49-47) on the unofficial scorecard. In the second half of the bout, Castillo focuses on targeting the cut, which is reopened in round six. The cut is patched up, and some solid defense from Romero is able to counter an aggressive approach by Castillo in the bout’s final stages. The end result is a MD 10 for Romero (96-94, 95-95, 98-92) as the cut was not a factor in the outcome. Post-bout records: Romero, 24-5-2 (9); Castillo, 29-16-1 (13).

Aug. 5, 1950: Next up is a card at Chicago’s Comiskey Park, and the main event is a USBA title clash preceded by a main supporting bout featuring two top 10 HW contenders: Pat Comiskey and Lee Q. Murray. Two prior meetings resulted in one win for each; this rematch, with no titles at stake, is scheduled for 10 rounds. There is very little in the way of action until midway through round three, when Murray catches Comiskey with a big shot – Comiskey goes down and cannot beat the count. KO 3 for Murray, moving him to 35-13-2 (27) overall. The loss leaves Comiskey at 34-11 (22). In the main event, Beau Jack challenges Freddie Dawson for Dawson’s USBA LW title. Both fighters are coming into the bout after unsuccessful efforts to win other title belts: Dawson was a 15th round KO victim in an attempt to capture the WBA LW title, while Jack fell short, with only a draw when challenging Joe Brown for Brown’s NABF LW belt. Despite being the titleholder, Dawson is actually seeking to avenge a 1948 loss to Jack for this very same belt, which has changed hands a couple of times since. After a couple of pedestrian opening rounds, Jack seizes the initiative and attempts to work his way inside in round three; however, some solid defense from Dawson thwarts his progress. Into the middle rounds, and Dawson pulls in front in the punch count stats; at the halfway point, Dawson holds a narrow lead (58-57) on the unofficial scorer’s card. Into the second half of the bout, Jack continues to plug away on the inside. Early in round seven, Jack connects with a hard uppercut; Dawson is able to limit the damage by covering up and lasting the round without further incident. The bout remains close until the end, and Dawson manages to prevail via a UD 12 (118-111, 116-113, 117-112). Post-bout records: Dawson, 26-3-3 (6); Jack, 36-9-1 (22).

Aug. 11, 1950: Next is a Friday night card at Pittsburgh. Featured in the main event is “the Pittsburgh Kid,” veteran LH Billy Conn, who defends his USBA LH title against challenger Harry “Kid” Matthews. One earlier meeting, for the NABF LH crown, resulted in a points win for Conn, but this was back in 1947, and now Conn is at Post-Prime career stage, while Matthews is still at Prime. A minute into the second round Matthews serves notice that this bout might be different, when he knocks down Conn with a solid combination. Conn takes and eight count before scrambling to his feet and covering up to last the round. Conn’s defensive and boxing skills serve him well as the rebounds to take the next couple of rounds. However, Conn goes down again midway through round five; again, he arises after taking an eight count and uses the cover up approach to survive the remainder of the round. Despite the two knockdowns, however, Conn has compiled a narrow lead in the punch count stats. At the halfway point, however, Matthews is ahead by two (57-55) on the unofficial scorer’s card. In the second half of the bout, Conn is content to remain on the outside, allowing Matthews to initiate most of the action. Into the final rounds, Conn becomes visibly exhausted, but Matthews is unable to exploit this edge in stamina. By round nine, some accurate punching by Conn has caused some swelling to appear under the right eye of the challenger. The bout goes the distance, and Matthews captures the USBA title belt via a MD 12 (114-113, 113-113, 115-111). Post-bout career marks: Matthews, 36-10-1 (23); Conn, 48-14-4 (18).

Aug. 12, 1950: To the French Riviera for the next fight card, at Cannes, which features “the Casablanca Clouter,” Marcel Cerdan, who defends his EBU MW title against countryman Laurent Dauthuille in the featured bout. The two have not met before, and Cerdan (whose real-life career ended in a tragic plane crash in 1949) will be at Post-Prime for this encounter. Midway through the opening round, Cerdan proves why is he is still a heavy favorite when he rocks Dauthuille with a big uppercut that forces the challenger to cover up to avoid further damage. More trouble for Dauthuille near the end of the third round, when Cerdan connects with a short, clean cross. Dauthuille drops to the canvas, but arises at the count of seven, then covers up again to last the round; when he returns to his corner at the end of the round, there is a trace of swelling under Dauthuille’s left eye. Late in the fifth round, however, things turn around dramatically: Dauthuille decks Cerdan with a big shot that puts Cerdan down and out. Huge KO 5 for Dauthuille, improving his career totals to 24-7-12 (8). Disappointing loss for Cerdan, now 53-11-5 (36), who appeared to have the upper hand in most of the early going.

Aug. 12, 1950: To Western Canada for the next card, taking place at Vancouver’s Exhibition Gardens. The featured bout matches Bobo Olson, former NABF MW Champion, with Rocky Castellani, who remains a fringe contender in the MW division. In one prior encounter, when both were at Pre-Prime back in 1946, Olson prevailed via a fifth round TKO. The bout is scheduled for 10 rounds. Olson, a slugger, takes the initiative in the early rounds, but Castellani is able to work on the outside and maintain the balance. At the halfway point, the unofficial scorer at ringside has the bout scored as even (48-48). The bout remains a close one as the action heads into the later rounds, with Olson holding a slight edge in the stamina factor. The bout goes the distance, and a late surge in the final few rounds result in a UD 10 for Castellani (97-94 on all three cards), who comes from behind to win the last four rounds on all three judges’ cards. Post-bout, Castellani ends up at 23-6-2 (3); meanwhile, Olson drops to 20-6-2 (12) with the loss, his third in succession.

[NightAverage]

Hey, I was wondering if anyone has a picture of Joe Cabana, a boxer who was born in Chelsea Massachusetts and who fought out of Cape Cod Massachusetts, his career spanned from 1928-1935, his most notable fights were against Jimmy Mendes in 1935, Big Boy Burlap in 1929, and Lee Anderson in 1928, his record is 17 wins, 6 of them by knockout, and 18 losses, 7 by knockout and 1 draw. I can’t for the life of me find any pictures of him and was wondering if anyone had any or knew where to find them. I apologize if this is off topic, just trying to find any photos of my great great uncle. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

NightAverage

[JCWeb]

Quick google search found this pic on Box Rec:

https://boxrec.com/en/box-pro/52712

[JCWeb]

Now, back to the action in this Uni ...

This report includes bouts from the second half of August 1950. One WBA title bout is included in this report.

Aug. 18, 1950: Time for the Friday night fights “Down Under,” with this month’s edition to take place at Melbourne. Featured in the main event is an OPBF title bout, with Aussie Eley Bennett challenging Tirso Del Rosario for Del Rosario’s OPBF BW title. No prior meetings of the two and Bennett, now 17-1-1, is still at Pre-Prime for this encounter. Bennett gets off to a solid start, winning round two cleanly then moving inside to apply more pressure in round three. Heading into the middle rounds, Bennett maintains his early edge in the punch count stats; at the midway point of the contest, Bennett is well ahead (by a count of 60-54) on the unofficial scorer’s card. Seeing his title slipping away, Del Rosario decides to take a more aggressive approach to the second half of the bout. By round 11, Del Rosario manages to see some positive results, as Bennett’s right eye began to puff up. However, it is a case of too little, too late as Bennett holds on for a UD 12 victory (115-113, 116-112, 115-114) to lift the title belt. Post-bout records: Bennett, 18-1-1 (14); Del Rosario, 24-11-2 (4).

Aug. 19, 1950: A NABF title contest tops the next card at Miami. First up, in a non-title supporting bout, two LW contenders do battle, as Rudy Cruz faces Santa Bucca. Tahis is a rematch of an earlier encounter, back in 1946 when both were at Pre-Prime, which saw Cruz pick up a points win. This time around, after a couple of close opening rounds, Cruz seizes the initiative by moving inside with some effectiveness in round three. In round four, Bucca sends Cruz to the canvas with a punch that is part uppercut, part hook. Cruz recovers after taking a count of six, then covers up to last the round. Then, in round five, Bucca connects with an uppercut that opens a cut over Cruz’s right eye. At the halfway point, Bucca has a narrow one-point lead (48-47) on the unofficial scorer’s card. In the later rounds, Bucca maintains a slight edge in the punches landed count. Cruz mounts a rally with a strong round in the eighth, but, in round nine, Bucca manages to reopen the cut over Cruz’s eye. The bout comes down to the final round, and Cruz battles back to win that round and take a close but UD 10 (95-94 on all cards), running his career record to 27-5-3 (6). The early knockdown is not enough to guarantee victory, so Bucca drops to 21-9-4 (8). After this, the ring is cleared for the main event. Cuban Luis Galvani, holder of two titles (the LABF and NABF BW belts), defends the NABF BW title against Manuel Ortiz, a former WBA BW Champion. In two prior meetings, each has won once, making this the rubber match. Ortiz builds an early lead in the punch count stats but, in round three, Galvani has a strong round, despite suffering a cut under his left eye. At the midway point, the unofficial scorecard has Ortiz in front (58-56). In the second half of the bout, Galvani looks to apply more pressure in an effort to turn things around. The outcome remains in doubt until the final few rounds, and Ortiz emerges a UD 12 victor (116-112, 115-113, 117-111) to capture the NABF title. Post-bout records: Ortiz, 42-9-3 (19); Galvani, 30-7 (19). This win moves Ortiz into the #1 contender spot for Fernando Gagnon’s WBA BW title.

Aug. 19, 1950: Next up is a card at the Cow Palace in San Francisco. Again, a pair of co-main events top the agenda. First up is a matchup of two HWs who have recently worked their way on to the list of top 10 contenders: Joe Baksi and Bernie Reynolds. The bout is scheduled for 10, no titles at stake, and no prior meetings of the two. Baksi is forced to resort to the cover up in the opening round after Reynolds connects with a sharp uppercut; while Baksi is able to remain upright, his left eye shows signs of puffiness as he returns to his corner at the end of the round. In round four, more trouble for Baksi as he begins to bleed from a cut over his injured left eye; the cut appears to have been caused by an accidental butt. At the midway point, the unofficial scorer has Reynolds up by one (48-47). Reynolds puts Baksi down late in round seven, but the bell sounds just as the ref picks up the count. Baksi tries to battle back in the final two rounds, but it is to no avail, as Reynolds scoops up a one-sided UD 10 (98-92 on all cards), running his career record to 23-2 (14). Baksi ends the bout at 33-12 (19). In the second co-main event, the NABF FW title is at stake as Ciro Morasen faces a tough challenge from Carlos Chavez. This is a rematch from a bout for this same title belt earlier in the year that ended in a draw. In this rematch, Both fighters adopt a cautious approach in the opening few rounds, with Morasen having a slight edge in the punch count stats. After three rounds are in the books, there is a trace of swelling under Chavez’s right eye. Into the middle rounds, and it is a repeat of their earlier encounter, as Chavez manages to keep the bout reasonably close. At the halfway point, the unofficial scorer has the bout scored as even (57-57). Into the second half of the bout, and Morasen is content to work mainly on the outside, putting the onus on the challenger to initiate most of the action. After a big round for Morasen in the 10th, Chavez’s eye is nearly closed. Since neither one of these boxers has the firepower to deliver a knockout, the bout goes to decision, and Morasen emerges as a UD 12 victor (118-109, 115-112, 118-109). Post-bout records: Morasen, 25-5-5 (4); Chavez, 33-11-4 (10).

Aug. 25, 1950: Next up is a Friday night card in Mexico City. Headliner is a rare (for this venue) WBA title bout, and it is supported a clash for the NABF WW title, with Johnny “Honey Boy” Bratton challenging Bernard “Big Duke” Docusen for the title that was won by Docusen earlier in the year. Bratton is hoping to repeat his success in their one earlier encounter, almost a year ago in 1949, that saw Bratton take a split duke points decision. This time around, the bout is very close through the opening few rounds. In round five, Docusen pulls ahead after winning most of the exchanges in some hotly contested toe-to-toe action. At the midway point, Docusen has a narrow lead (58-57), according to the unofficial scorer at ringside. Into the second half of the bout, and the challenger takes a more aggressive approach to the encounter, plus Bratton has a slight edge in terms of the stamina factor. By the end of the 10th round, a mouse has formed under Docusen’s right eye. Then, a minute into round 11, Docusen walks into a Bratton hook and goes down, arising after taking an eight count. Docusen is able to cover up and last the round, but the damage is done, and Bratton goes on to take a well deserved UD 12 (117-111, 115-113, 116-112) to capture the belt. Post-bout career marks are 24-3-1 (12) for Bratton, and 24-6-6 (4) for Docusen. After this, the ring is cleared for the WBA LW title matchup pairing Ike Williams, making his sixth title defense, with “the Dorango Dropper,” Enrique Bolanos, the reigning NABF LW titleholder, who is enjoying the support of the Mexican fight fans in attendance. It is the first meeting of the two, and Bolano’s second try for a WBA title (he lost to “Bobcat” Bob Montgomery back in 1947, also in Mexico City). After a strong opening round, Bolanos finds himself on the receiving end of a couple of solid blows from the Champ, doing enough damage to cause some initial swelling to appear under his right eye. Then, in round three, Williams assumes total control, dominating the action and, despite the fact that Bolanos remained upright, this was enough to force an early halt to the bout. The impressive TKO 3 for Williams boost his career record to 42-4-1 (35), while Bolanos drops to 29-6 (21) with the loss.

Aug. 26, 1950: To London’s Earls Court for the next card. Main event is for the GBU WW title, currently held by Cliff Curvis. The challenger is the man he defeated for the title, veteran Ernie Roderick, who is on the downside of his career but still dangerous at Post-Prime. Curvis pulls well ahead in the punch count stats through the early rounds. In the middle rounds, Curvis continues to dominate and, by the end of the fifth round, there is the added benefit of some initial swelling under Roderick’s left eye. At the midway point of the contest, Curvis is well ahead (60-54) on the unofficial scorecard. Then, in round nine, Roderick sustains a cut over his injured eye and, a round later, the cut leads to an early end. Curvis retains the title via a TKO 10 due to the cuts stoppage. Post-bout career marks: Curvis, 24-3-2 (2); Roderick, 40-30-7 (9).

Aug. 26, 1950: The month wraps with a card at New York City’s Madison Square Garden. A USBA title bout is featured in the main event, but first up are a pair of intriguing matchups in the LH and HW divisions. In the first of these co-features, highly touted HW prospect Rocky Marciano puts his perfect record on the line, facing another unbeaten HW, Willie “Cadillac” James, in a 10-round, non-title bout. No prior meetings, and Marciano, aka “the Brockton Blockbuster,” is already ranked in the top 20 after winning all 15 of his prior fights inside the distance. Marciano, as expected, is the aggressor from the start, pummeling James in the second round, causing some puffiness to appear under James’ left eye. After compiling a solid early lead in the punch count stats, Marciano breaks through James’ defenses in round four, first decking James with a big hook, then opening a cut on James’ mouth before delivering the coup-de-grace with a cross that put James down for the count. Impressive KO 4 for Marciano who remains unbeaten and a likely future title contender. The win lifts Marciano to 16-0 (16); James’ first career setback leaves him at 16-1 (7). Next on the card is a matchup of two familiar foes in the LH division, as Oakland Billy “Boardwalk” Smith faces Joey Maxim for the fifth time. In four prior meetings, each has won once with two draws. This time around, with no titles at stake, the bout is scheduled for 10 rounds. Classical boxer vs slugger confrontation, with Smith in the role of the slugger/aggressor. There is little to choose between the two through the opening few rounds, but Smith has pulled ahead to a narrow two-point lead (49-47) at the midway point, this according to the unofficial scorer’s card. Maxim, who must deal with a rapidly swelling left eye, is forced to abandon a conservative approach as the rounds tick off, and he feels the bout slipping away. Midway through the ninth round, Maxim is rocked by a Smith cross, forcing him to cover up as plenty of time remained in the round. The bout goes the distance, and Smith scoops up a UD 10 (99-92, 100-91, 97-94) to run his career record to 31-10-4 (22). For Maxim, another disappointing loss, dropping him to 23-12-6 (5). Then, in the main event, Artie Towne is making his first defense of the USBA MW title he won earlier in the year, and Artie Levine is the challenger. It is the first meeting of the two, and Levine will be at Post-Prime for this bout. In the early going, Towne builds a solid early lead in the punches landed stats, as Levine flails away while attempting to work his way inside. However, in round five, with both fighters battling away on the inside, Levine manages to land a shot that leaves Towne with a broken nose. The bout is halted and, to the surprise of many, Levine is declared a TKO 5 victor. Post-bout career marks: Levine, 30-12-2 (19); Towne, 25-5-2 (9). This marks the fourth time this particular title has changed hands in as many bouts.

[JCWeb]

This report includes bouts from the first half of September 1950. No WBA title bouts are included in this report.

Sep. 1, 1950: First up is a Friday night card at San Juan’s Escobar Stadium. In the featured main event, veteran MW Steve Belloise faces a tough opponent in Puerto Rico’s Jose Basora. The two have not met previously, and both are coming off tough losses: Belloise, in losing his NABF crown to Freddie Apostoli, while Basora was a TKO victim of Rocky Graziano. Furthermore, Belloise is now at Post-Prime and also facing a Prime conditioned Basora on the latter’s home turf. Not much happens until late in round two, when a sharp exchange of blows results in a cut over Belloise’s left eye. Blood spurts forth, and an immediate stoppage is ordered. Basora is awarded the win via a TKO 2 on the cuts stoppage. With the win, Basora improves to 38-11-1 (25). The loss leaves Belloise at 34-13-2 (15).

Sep. 2, 1950: Two FWs do battle in the main event in the next card, taking place at Kiel Auditorium in St. Louis. The two protagonists are Jackie McCoy and Miguel Acevedo; they have not met before, no titles are at stake, and the bout is scheduled for 10 rounds. The two appear to be relatively evenly matched through the opening rounds. By the end of round four, a mouse has formed under the right eye of Acevedo. With seconds remaining in the fifth round, McCoy traps Acevedo in the corner and knocks him down with a barrage of punches. Acevedo is saved by the bell just as the ref picks up the count but, at the halfway point, the 10-8 round puts McCoy ahead by one (48-47) on the unofficial scorer’s card. In the second half of the bout, with McCoy ahead in the punch count stats and also favored in terms of endurance, Acevedo elects to take a more aggressive approach, initiating most of the action. However, Acevedo is unable to do much to change the narrative, so the bout goes the rest of the way without incident. McCoy is able to grind out a UD 10 (97-93, 97-93, 96-94). Post-bout records: McCoy, 27-7-3 (2); Acevedo, 29-13-1 (13).

Sep. 8, 1950: Next up is a Friday night card at the Stadium in Liverpool. The featured bout is a rematch, with two British BWs – Frankie Williams and Gus Foran – doing battle, and Williams is seeking to revenge a split duke loss to Foran in 1948. Both are still at Prime for this bout, and no titles are at stake. After a couple of close opening rounds, Williams turns slugger and takes the initiative, moving inside to force the action in round three. Into the middle rounds, and Williams has pulled to a slight edge in the punch count stats. At the midway point, the unofficial scorer has Williams with a solid points lead (50-45). Trailing, at this point the onus is on Foran to apply pressure. Foran’s attempt to mount a rally falls short, so Williams goes on to take a UD 10 (98-93, 97-94, 97-94), running his career record to 22-6-2 (13). Foran ends the bout at 27-12-4 (14).

Sep. 9, 1950: Next card takes place at Toronto’s Maple Leaf Gardens. A twin bill of title bouts tops the action; first up is a Commonwealth BW title matchup, with Canadian Lou Alter challenging Stan Rowan for the CBU title belt. The two have not met previously, and Alter is trying to reverse the results in two earlier unsuccessful efforts to win this same title in the past. Early edge in the punch count stats for Alter cause Rowan to turn slugger and work his way inside to initiate the action in round three. A hook to the head manages to open a cut over Alter’s right eye, but Alter maintains his early lead in the punch count stats. By the middle rounds, Rowan has gained the upper hand, and Alter is showing signs of wear and tear with some puffiness showing around the injured right eye. At the midway point, Rowan has pulled in front (58-57), according to the unofficial scorer at ringside. The bout remains close into the final few rounds, with both fighters battling hard until the end. Early in round 11 Alter lands his best blow of the bout, a hard hook to the head that causes Rowan to resort to the cover up. The bout goes the distance and, to the dismay of the Canadian fight fans in attendance, Alter falls just short at Rowan goes on to take a MD 12 (115-113, 114-114, 115-114), improving to 30-4-2 (13) with the win. Meanwhile, Alter drops to 28-12-2 (15) with the loss. In the second co-feature, once again a Canadian fighter challenges for a regional title, with Arthur King as the challenger for the NABF LW title currently held by Joe Brown. First meeting of the two, and Brown enters the contest as a heavy favorite. Excellent start by Brown, who lands repeatedly in the opening round, and with sufficient force to cause some initial swelling to appear under the right eye of King. More trouble for King in round four, when a nasty cut appears above his swollen right eye; it appears that the cut was caused by an accidental clash of heads. At halfway point, Brown has a commanding points lead (60-54), according to the unofficial scorer’s card. The cut over King’s eye is in a bad spot and gradually gets worse, leading to a late stoppage. The outcome goes to the scorecards, and Brown, with a comfortable points lead, is declared a UTD 9 victor (80-73, 80-72, 79-73) to retain the title. Post-bout career marks: Brown, 36-4-1 (23); King, 20-4-2 (3).

Sep. 9, 1950: Next card, at Seattle’s Sicks Stadium, features a rematch for the USBA BW title. Benny Goldberg, now at the Post-Prime stage of his career, defends the belt against Harold Dade, whom he defeated to claim the title in late 1949. Dade, seeking to avenge the loss and regain the USBA title belt, lands a sharp jab early in round two that rips open a cut over Goldberg’s right eye. The punch count stats indicate a close bout heading into the middle rounds. In fact, at the halfway point, the unofficial scorer’s card has the bout as even (58-58). The cut over Goldberg’s eye continues to be a problem, being reopened twice and, once reopened for the second time, led to a late stoppage. The end result is a TKO 10 for Dade, who regains the USBA title. Post-bout career marks: Dade, 28-9-4 (9); Goldberg, 38-9-4 (14). Goldberg will be and End career stage starting with his next bout.

Sep. 15, 1950: Next is the latest edition of the Friday night fights “Down Under” series, taking place in Sydney. Headlining the card is a bout for a Commonwealth title belt; preceding this is a non-title bout in the LW division, which sees veteran Charlie Ashenden, the reigning OPBF LW titleholder, paired with unbeaten American prospect Phil Kim. No prior meetings of these two, and Ashenden is already at Post-Prime while Kim is still at Pre-Prime but will be at Prime with his next outing. Nothing much happens until early in round three, when Kim drops Ashenden with a strong cross. Ashenden cannot beat the count, so it goes in the books as an impressive KO 3 for Kim, who wraps up the Pre-Prime stage of his career with a near perfect record of 19-0-1 (14). Ashenden slips to 20-9-8 (5), but he still retains the OPBF LW title belt which was not at stake. Then, in the main event, Brit Tommy Davies, the reigning GBU MW Champ, faces Aussie Alfie Sands for the vacant Commonwealth MW title previously held by Alfie’s brother, Dave, who recently stepped up to win the WBA MW title. The duo met once before, earlier in the year, and Sands scooped up a UD 10 in a bout with no titles on the line. The bout devolves into a boxer versus slugger confrontation, with Sands, the more aggressive of the two, taking on the role of the slugger, while it is Davies whose boxing skills enable him to take an early lead in the punch count stats. Davies continues to have the best of it into the middle rounds; at the midway point, the unofficial scorer’s card has Davies up by three (59-56). As the rounds tick off, Davies maintains his lead in the punch count, plus Sands is at a decided disadvantage when it comes to the stamina factor. Going all out for a knockdown in round 11, Sands gets careless and instead, he is the one taking a seat on the canvas after Davies tags him with a series of punches. Sands arises after taking an eight count and, in addition, his corner must deal with a rapidly swelling right eye. Despite Sands’ best efforts as he continues swinging away until the end, the UD 12 goes to Davies (judges’ scores are 116-111, 117-111, 115-112), who adds the CBU belt to his GBU one. Post-bout records: Davies, 30-13-5 (9); Sands, 21-8 (11).