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[G-Force]

Glad to return and see people still playing this game! Hope all is good!

GH

[JCWeb]

ROLL OF CHAMPIONS
(date acquired title and number of successful defenses in parens)

HW

WBA: Joe Louis (Feb. 1939) (7)
NABF: Jersey Joe Walcott (Dec. 1940) (0)
USBA: Vacant
CBU: Tommy Martin (Dec. 1939) (0)
GBU: Tommy Martin (Aug. 1937) (1)
EBU: Max Schmeling (Sep. 1939) (3)
OPBF: Vacant
LABF: Jimmy Mendes (Nov. 1937) (2)


LH

WBA: Gus Lesnevich (Sep. 1940) (1)
NABF: Billy Conn (Oct. 1940) (0)
USBA: Archie Moore (Jul. 1940) (1)
CBU: Charley Belanger (Aug. 1937) (0)
GBU: Freddie Mills (June 1940) (0)
EBU: Heinz Lazek (Mar. 1940) (0)

MW

WBA: Tony Zale (Dec. 1940) (0)
NABF: Vacant
USBA: Holman Williams (Apr. 1940) (1)
CBU: Lou Brouillard (Nov. 1939) (1)
GBU: Jock McAvoy (Oct. 1930) (10)
EBU: Marcel Cerdan (Aug. 1938) (5)
OPBF: Fred Henneberry (Dec. 1939) (0)
LABF: Antonio Fernandez (Dec. 1940) (0)

WW

WBA: Henry Armstrong (Dec. 1939) (3)
NABF: Jimmy Garrison (Apr. 1940) (1)
USBA: Izzy Jannazzo (Mar. 1940) (2)
CBU: Ernie Roderick (Dec. 1940) (0)
GBU: Ernie Roderick (May 1935) (1)
EBU: Gustav Eder (Jan. 1940) (1)
OPBF: Jack McNamee (Feb. 1939) (1)
LABF: Cocoa Kid (Jul. 1940) (0)

LW

WBA: Tony Canzoneri (May 1940) (1)
NABF: Lou Ambers (Nov. 1939) (2)
USBA: Davey Day (Jul. 1940) (1)
CBU: Jack Kid Berg (Jun. 1938) (4)
GBU: Harry Mizler (Feb. 1937) (3)
EBU: Jack Kid Berg (Jan. 1937) (4)
LABF: Pedro Montanez (Dec. 1938) (1)

FW

WBA: Baby Arizmendi (Aug. 1940) (1)
NABF: Jackie Wilson (Nov. 1940) (0)
USBA: Chalky Wright (Oct. 1940) (0)
CBU: Pete DeGrasse (Nov. 1939) (0)
GBU: Frank Parkes (Sep. 1938) (2)
EBU: Maurice Holtzer (Jun. 1940) (0)
OPBF: Tsuneo Horiguchi (Jul. 1937) (3)
LABF: Filio Julian Echevarria (Mar. 1940) (0)


BW

WBA: Georgie Pace (Aug. 1940) (1)
NABF: Tommy Forte (Jul. 1940) (1)
USBA: Lou Salica (Jun. 1940) (0)
CBU: Benny Sharkey (Mar. 1940) (0)
GBU: Johnny King (Apr. 1940) (0)
EBU: Johnny King (Aug. 1940) (0)
OPBF: Pablo Dano (Nov. 1940) (0)
LABF: Panama Al Brown (Nov. 1940) (0)

FLY

WBA: Jackie Jurich (Aug. 1940) (0)
NABF: Vacant
USBA: Vacant
CBU: Benny Lynch (Jul. 1939) (2)
GBU: Jackie Brown (Dec. 1938) (1)
EBU: Peter Kane (Dec. 1940) (0)
OPBF: Little Dado (Aug. 1940) (0)

Comments: Lots of turnover during the year. At the top, only two of the WBA Champions (Louis at HW and Armstrong at WW) retained the top spot throughout the year. Wolgast, the longest reigning WBA titleholder, had his reign come to an end. Including the lesser titles, only 23 of 59 titles did not change during the year. Jock McAvoy is the longest serving titleholder, now in his second decade as GBU MW Champion, a belt he first won in 1930. Only the HW and LW divisions had a majority of titleholders retain their titles for another year (with a familiar face, Canzoneri, back at the helm as WBA LW Champion.)

[JCWeb]

This report covers a total of 46 bouts taking place during the first half of January 1941.

Jan. 3, 1941: The year commences with a Friday night card at Buffalo’s Memorial Auditorium. No titles at stake, and the only bout of interest is the main event, which matches top five LW Wesley Ramey with a much lower ranked fighter, Johnny Bellus. First meeting of the two, and Bellus hopes to take advantage of the fact that the higher-ranked Ramey is in his first bout at Post-Prime career stage. Some solid boxing enables Ramey to build an early points lead, and the unofficial card has Ramey on top by a small margin (49-47) at the halfway point. Bellus battles back with a strong round six, and Bellus has more energy as the bout heads into the later rounds. A tired but resilient Ramey is able to recover with a good round in the eighth, causing some puffiness to appear around the left eye of Bellus. Then, the bout swings back toward Bellus, as Ramey suffers a cut on his forehead in round nine. The bout goes to decision, with Bellus the aggressor in the final round. The judges are unanimous, calling it a draw (95-95 on all three cards), with Bellus taking the final round on all cards to secure the draw. Post-bout career marks: Ramey, 31-10-8 (11); Bellus, 29-13-4 (11).

Jan. 4, 1941: Next up is a card at Johannesburg’s Rand Stadium. Co-featured are a pair of non-title bouts featuring some top contenders. In the first of these, two former WBA Champions do battle as Johnny King faces K. O. Morgan. It is the fourth meeting of this duo; King has two wins and a draw in their prior outings. The bout is close for the first few rounds, with Morgan having the better of it as the two mix it up on the inside in round five; Morgan is rewarded with a narrow points lead (48-47) on the unofficial card at the halfway point. Morgan continues to apply pressure, taking rounds six and seven. The bout goes to decision, with King gradually being worn down as the bout proceeds. The UD 10 goes to Morgan (97-94, 98-93, 98-93) who improves to 33-12-6 (17) with the win. King drops to 51-7-1 (20) with the loss. The final bout on the card is another rematch, as OPBF FW Champ Tsuneo Horiguchi faces his EBU counterpart, Maurice Holtzer. Horiguchi took a SD in their one prior bout, back in 1938. Two minutes into the opening round, Horiguchi serves notice when he nails Holtzer with a smashing uppercut; the Frenchman manages to remain upright, covering up in an effort to avoid further damage. However, Horiguchi’s killer instinct kicks in, and he lands a big shot that puts Holtzer down for good right before the bell. Impressive KO 1 for Horiguchi. Post-bout career marks: Horiguchi, 28-7-1 (16); Holtzer, 42-19-4 (15). With this win, Horiguchi hopes to increase the prospects of a WBA title rematch later in 1941.

Jan. 10, 1941: Next is a Friday night card at Manila’s Rizal Arena. Again, no title bouts but headlining the card is OPBF Fly Champ Little Dado, who faces Fortunato Ortega, the recently deposed WBA Fly Champ, in a meeting of two top five Flyweight contenders. Dado is able to outbox the Spaniard for the first couple of rounds, then Ortega moves inside and tries to become more aggressive, forcing the action and taking round three as a result. Dado is back in charge in round four, and the Filipino manages to forge a solid points lead (49-46 on the unofficial card) by the midway point, which sees Ortega suffering from a rapidly swelling left eye. The later rounds see Ortega continuing to press the action, but to little avail as Dado remains comfortable controlling things from the outside. A split lip in round nine adds to Ortega’s troubles, and the bout goes the distance with Dado coming away a SD 10 victor (94-96, 96-94, 97-93) – a surprising result as Dado appeared to have matters well in hand most of the way. Post-bout career marks: Dado, 24-1 (13); Ortega, 26-11-4 (13).

Jan. 11, 1941: Next fistic action is at the Sports Palace in Rome, and the headliner matches former WBA Flyweight Champ Midget Wolgast, now on the comeback trail, facing Austrian Ernst Weiss in a 10-round, non-title affair. First meeting of the two. After two straight losses, Wolgast is coming off a win over Benny Lynch in his last outing of 1940. Not much in the way of action until late round three, when Wolgast rips open a cut over Weiss’ right eye. Wolgast takes advantage and piles up a solid points lead (49-46 on the unofficial card) at the midway point, and there is swelling under Weiss’ cut eye. Wolgast continues to bear down in the second half of the bout, and Weiss is unable to stage a rally. The cut eventually leads to a late stoppage upset, and it goes down as a TKO 9 for Wolgast, who improves his career record to 52-7-1 (19) as a result. Weiss drops to 24-9-1 (8) after the loss.

Jan. 11, 1941: Next is a solid card at the Miami Stadium, headlined by a USBA title clash amply supported by a co-feature matching two top 10 LWs: Al Roth and Chino Alvarez. First meeting of the two, and each is trying to rebound from a loss in his most recent outing. The bout remains close through the opening rounds, and it is Alvarez who gains the points edge (49-47) on the unofficial card at the halfway point of the bout. Roth tries to become more aggressive in the second half, but his stamina (or lack of it) becomes an issue, and Alvarez goes on to take a solid UD 10 (99-90, 99-91, 98-91), decking Roth briefly in the final stanza to demonstrate his superiority. Post-bout career marks: Alvarez, 36-13-4 (22); Roth, who is now at Post-Prime, 35-11-1 (12). Then, in the first title action of the year, the USBA HW title – vacated by Jersey Joe Walcott who moved up to capture the NABF HW title – is on the line, with Art Lasky – who held the belt from 1936-38 – facing Jack Trammell, with the latter in his first title contest of any kind. First meeting of the two, with Lasky coming off a WBA title blowout at the hands of Joe Louis, while Trammell has won his last three to set up the title shot. In the opening round, it is Trammell who decks the hard-hitting Lasky with a short, clean cross. Lasky recovers after taking an eight count and wisely covers up to survive the round, but only after a second trip to the canvas. By round three, Lasky has settled down and is landing sufficient blows to cause a trace of swelling to appear under Trammell’s right eye. However, the end comes in round five as Trammell connects with a combination, putting Lasky down a third time and then, he follows up with a vicious hook to the head that puts Lasky down and out. KO 5 for Trammell, who wins his fourth in a row, capturing the USBA HW belt and improving his career totals to 30-9 (14). Lasky, whose days as a serious contender may be coming to an end, drops to 28-11-2 (26) with the loss.

Jan. 17, 1941: Friday Night fights “Down Under” at Sydney Stadium in Australia. Twin bill of non-title bouts top the card, with two top 10 BWs locking horns in the first co-feature, as former WBA BW Champion Pete Sanstol takes on hometown favorite Mickey Miller. No prior meetings of these two, and there is not much action until round three, when Miller lands a straight right that does some damage, forcing Sanstol to cover up. Miller has the points edge on the unofficial card (49-47) at the halfway point. Sanstol battles back with a big round six, but Miller has the stamina edge as the bout heads into the later rounds. In round nine, Miller drops Sanstol with a big shot, and Sanstol takes a seven count before resuming. The bout goes to decision, and all three judges agree, it’s a UD 10 for Miller (96-93 on all three cards), who improves to 28-8-2 (16) with the win. The loss drops Sanstol to 40-15-5 (9). Next, in the finale, reigning GBU MW Champion Jock McAvoy faces veteran Aussie MW Ron Richards. Again, it’s the first meeting of these two. McAvoy lands a big shot a couple of minutes into the opening round, and Richards cannot beat the count. KO 1 for McAvoy. Post-bout records: McAvoy, 35-15-5 (24); Richards, 35-15-2 (24).

[JCWeb]

This report covers a total of 52 bouts taking place during the second half of January 1941. Again, no WBA title bout action this month.

Jan. 18, 1941: A big fight crowd has gathered at the Forum in Montreal, where the feature bout matches Canadian veteran Larry Gains, now at Post-Prime career stage, with the “British Brown Bomber,” Tommy Martin, for the CBU HW title once held by Gains but now held by Martin. It is Martin’s first defense of that belt in over a year; a resurgent Gains took a surprise DQ win over Max Baer to set up the title shot. The bout is fairly close for the first few rounds, with Gains dictating most of the action on the inside. After a big round for Gains in the fifth, there is a trace of swelling around the right eye of Martin. At the midway point, the unofficial scorer at ringside has Gains ahead by a fairly comfortable margin (59-55). Then, in round seven, a big turnaround as Martin rips open a cut over the right eye of the challenger. Another big round for the Brit in round eight, and this time there is puffiness around the left eye of Gains. Fatigue sets in for both men in the final few rounds; however, Gains finds the energy to land a big shot to put Martin on the deck briefly in round 10. Martin bounces back on his feet, and he manages to re-open the cut over Gains’ eye. To the dismay of the partisan crowd, the bout is halted, and Martin is declared the winner via a TKO 10 on the cuts stoppage. Tough loss for Gains, who was ahead on two of the three cards at the time. Post-bout career marks: Martin, 26-8-2 (16); Gains, 45-21 (25). This is likely to be Gains’ last serious title bid, as he will hit End career stage with his next outing.

Jan. 18, 1941: Next fistic action takes place at Los Angeles’ Olympic Auditorium. Highlighting the card is a 10-round, non-title affair featuring two top 10 FWs: aging former WBA FW Champ Kid Chocolate, the “Cuban Bon Bon,” and Harold Hoshino. Hoshino, the crowd favorite, is coming off his first career loss, to Chalky Wright, another ex-WBA Champ, for the USBA title. Chocolate is on the comeback trail, looking for a second straight win since losing the WBA title in 1940. No prior meetings between the two, so nor surprise there’s a long feeling out process with little in the way of action in the opening few rounds. Chocolate takes the initiative and begins the press forward in round three, crowding his opponent on the inside. Hoshino seems to relish the opportunity to score with some heavy counterpunching, and he manages to secure a slight points edge (48-47 on the unofficial card) after the first five. After a lull in round six, Hoshino steps up the pace and becomes the aggressor in round six. Headed into the later rounds, both men appear tired, and the pace slows as the bout goes to decision, with the end result a MD 10 for Hoshino (96-94, 95-95, 96-94) who improves to 26-1 (15) with the win. Chocolate, whose best days are clearly behind him, sinks to 40-10-7 (17) with the loss.

Jan. 24, 1941: Next is a Friday night card at the Ullevi Arena in Gothenburg, Sweden. It’s a fairly light card (only five bouts), no titles at stake, and the only bout of interest is the main event, which pits former EBU WW Champ Bep Van Klaveren with King Tut, a one-time NABF WW Champion who has recently hit Post-Prime career stage. Not much action in the first half of the bout, and the unofficial scorecard has it even (47-all) although the punches landed stats favor the Dutchman. In round six, Tut begins to show signs of fatigue, as well as sustaining a cut under his right eye. However, in round seven, Van Klaveren – who had a point deducted for low blows in round two, is once again caught hitting below the belt, and this time the penalty is more extreme – an immediate forfeit. The DQ-7 win boosts King Tut’s career totals to 35-19-4 (19); the loss leaves Van Klaveren at 30-14-8 (11).

Jan. 25, 1941: Next fistic action is at the Olympia in London, and there is a twin bill at the head of the card. In the first co-feature, veteran British HW Tommy Farr faces American Jimmy Mendes, who still holds the LABF HW belt. First meeting of these top 10 HW contenders. The slick boxing Farr controls most of the early action from the outside, while Mendes must deal with the effects of aging (now at Post-Prime) However, late in round four, Mendes decks Farr with a barrage of blows. Late in round five, a three-punch combo from from Mendes forces Farr to cover up. Mendes’ aggressiveness is sufficient to put him ahead by a narrow points margin (48-47 on the unofficial card) at the midway point of the match. Farr battles back, and in round seven, he rips open a gash over the right eye of Mendes. In the later rounds, Mendes begins to tire, but he still manages to land enough leather to cause some puffiness to appear around Farr’s right eye. The bout goes to decision, and Farr takes a close but UD 10 (96-93, 96-94, 96-93) to run his career record to 47-16-3 (16). Mendes drops to 37-12-4 (30) after the loss. Then, in the second co-feature, the GBU LH title is on the line, as Freddie Mills makes his first defense of that belt, facing the lightly regarded Ben Valentine. Mills bides his time, and then takes advantage of an opening, decking Valentine with a barrage of blows in the middle of round four. Solid points lead for Mills (60-53 according to the unofficial scorer at ringside) at the halfway point. Late in the bout, Valentine tries to be more aggressive, but he winds up with a swollen left eye as a result. Mills goes on to retain the belt via a lopsided UD 12 (118-109, 118-109, 116-111). Post-bout results: Mills, 21-1 (13); Valentine, 19-10-1 (9).

Jan. 25, 1941: Next is a huge card at New York City’s Yankee Stadium. Featured is an NABF LH title contest, preceded by a supporting bout matching two top WW contenders – aging veteran Barney Ross and Wildcat O’Connor – in a non-title affair. First meeting of these two long-time WW contenders. Despite being at Post-Prime, Ross quickly gains the upper hand and gradually builds a solid points lead (49-46, according to the unofficial card) at the midway point. In round seven, O’Connor finally breaks through, rocking Ross with a three-punch combo; Ross covers up and manages to survive the round. O’Connor goes on the offensive, but he is unable to follow up as he begins to tire in the later rounds, and his punches lack steam. Ross’ defense remains solid, and he manages to take a UD 10 (97-93, 97-93, 96-94), improving his record to 35-12-4 (11); O’Connor drops to 30-15-1 (22) with the loss. Then, in a much anticipated bout, NABF LH Champ Billy Conn puts that title on the line, facing a stiff challenge from Archie Moore, the reigning USBA LH Champion. Both men are riding hot streaks: Conn has won his last three, while Moore has remained unbeaten since his only career loss, back in 1938. No prior meetings, and Conn’s superior boxing skills enable him to rack up points, while Moore struggles to get on track. In round six, a cut appears under the left eye of the challenger. Conn holds a points edge (58-56, according to the unofficial card) at the midway point. The bout remains close into the later rounds with Moore, the more aggressive of the two, stalking his opponent while looking to land a big punch. The unofficial scorer has Moore winning rounds seven, eight and nine, despite the fact that the punches landed stats favor Conn. The bout goes to decision, with Moore’s superior stamina playing a role as Moore takes a MD 12 (117-113, 114-114, 115-113), lifting the belt from Conn. Post-bout career marks: Moore, 20-13 (15); Conn, 25-4-2 (11). Big win for Moore, outlasting the former WBA LH Champ, and it may put him in line for a WBA title shot later in the year.

Jan. 31, 1941: The month concludes with a Friday Night card at Panama City and, featured in the main event is none other than hometown fan favorite Panama Al Brown, who is still on the comeback trail after losing the WBA BW title in the prior year’s campaign. His opponent this time around is another top 10 BW contender, Amercian Lou Salica, whom he faces for the first time in a 10-round, non-title bout. Salica, who has not lost since 1939, won the USBA BW and battled to Tommy Forte to a draw in a NABF BW title bout in his last two outings. The action favors Brown in the first few rounds, but Salica manages to battle back to make it close (48-47 for Brown) at the halfway point, according to the unofficial scorer at ringside. In round six, Salica suffers a cut over his right eye. Salica’s corner works feverishly to staunch the bleeding, while Brown is spurred to push forward, targeting the cut. In the later rounds, Brown’s superior stamina begins to tell, and it doesn’t hurt to have the backing of the Panamanian fans. In the end, it’s the cut that decides things, leading to an early stoppage. TKO 8 for Brown, who improves to 65-11-1 (25) with the win, and whose efforts for another shot at the WBA BW title receive a big boost. For Salica, now 26-7-2 (10), it’s back to the drawing board after waiting for the cut to heal. A peek at the judges’ cards showed Brown with a solid lead (68-66) on all three cards, with three rounds remaining.

[JCWeb]

This report covers a total of 63 bouts taking place during the first half of February 1941. One WBA title bout is included.

Feb. 1, 1941: The month kicks off with a nice card at the Forum in Montreal. At stake in the main event is the Commonwealth BW title, with Brit Benny Sharkey defending that belt against Canadian challenger Horace Gwynne. The two have met three times before, with Gwynne winning the first two before Sharkey managed to lift the belt via a MD a year ago in Toronto. In the rematch, Sharkey looks sharp early but some solid boxing by Gwynne gives the hometown fans hope. The unofficial card has Gwynne ahead by a narrow margin (58-57) at the midway point. The bout remains close through the final rounds, with neither man showing signs of cuts or swelling. To the delight of the Canadian crowd, this time the verdict favors Gwynne, who takes a SD 12 (112-116, 115-114, 115-113) to regain the title. With the win, Gwynne improves to 27-9-1 (15), compared to 35-17-2 (19) for Sharkey.

Feb. 1, 1941: To Chicago's Comiskey Park for the next card. On the undercard, popular WW prospect "Sugar" Ray Robinson adds another stoppage win, this time in a scheduled eight rounder, taking a KO 2 to remain perfect, at 6-0 (6). In his six outings, none of Robinson's opponents have made it past two rounds. The featured bout is for the USBA MW title currently held by Holman Williams. Not looking for an easy defense, Williams agrees to accept a challenge from 22-1 Charley Burley. In the early going, Burley serves notice, landing a big right hand flush on Williams’ chin, but he is unable to follow up. Then, in round four, Burley puts Williams down briefly with a strong cross. Huge lead for Burley (59-54) at midway point. Williams tires badly down the stretch but is still able to mount a late rally, not enough to deny Burley the title, via a UD 12 (116-112, 116-113, 116-112). Post-bout records: Burley, 23-1 (20); Williams, 33-7 (20).

Feb. 7, 1941: Next is a Friday night card at Havana’s Gran Stadium. Topping the agenda is an LABF MW title clash, matching two familiar foes: reigning Champ Antonio Fernandez and challenger and ex-Champ Kid Tunero. The duo has met four times previously, with Fernandez winning three of those, including the most recent, last December, for this very same title, that resulted in a controversial MD 12 win for Fernandez. This time around, Fernandez seems to have the upper hand in the early going, but the tide turns in the Cuban challenger’s favor when he catches the Chilean Champ with an uppercut midway through round three, putting Fernandez on the deck briefly. The Champion covers up to last the round, but he must deal with a pesky and aggressive challenger, tempered by supported by a boisterous hometown crowd here in Havana. In round five, a trace of swelling appears under the of Fernandez, but the punches landed stats favor the Chilean, who also holds the points edge (58-55 on the unofficial card) at the midway point. Undaunted, Tunero steps up the pace; however, in round eight, things being to swing in Fernandez’s favor, as he rips open a cut on Tunero’s forehead as well as causing some puffiness to appear around the left eye of the Cuban challenger. Fernandez wisely adopts a defensive posture for the final few rounds and, despite the early knockdown, this time Fernandez walks away with a UD 12 (116-111, 114-113, 116-111) to retain the belt. Post-bout career marks: Fernandez, 33-13-3 (12); Tunero, 32-12-5 (10).

Feb. 8, 1941: Rome’s Sports Palace is the venue for the next fistic action. The main event, for the EBU WW title, pits reigning Champion Gustav Eder against Italian challenger and crowd favorite Saviero Turiello. This is the second meeting of these two, who battled to a draw some seven years ago. Solid boxing from Eder secures him the early advantage in terms of punches landed; the unofficial scorer has Eder ahead (59-55) at the midway point. In the second half of the bout, the Italian challenger is bothered by a swollen right eye, and he tires badly as Eder snuffs out any attempts at a rally by Turiello. Eder, never seriously threatens, goes on to retain the title via a UD 12 (117-111, 118-110, 117-111) to run his career record to 36-9-10 (9). The losses drops Turiello to 32-16-9 (14).

Feb. 8, 1941: No titles at stakes as he next fistic action unfolds at Syracuse’s War Memorial Auditorium. In the feature, Fritzie Zivic, the “Croat Comet,” faces Freddie “Red” Cochrane. First meeting of the two, and both men are coming off wins in their most recent outings. Zivic, the more aggressive of the two, dictates the action from the early going. Cochrane, on the receiving end of the most of the leather, is unable to offer much resistance, and Zivic has a wide lead (50-45, according to the unofficial scorer) by the halfway point. Outgunned, Cochrane begins to suck wind as early as round six. The action slows in the later rounds as Zivic adopts a more defensive posture, sitting on his points lead. The bout goes the distance, and all three judges have it scored the same – a solid UD 10 for Zivic (98-93 on all three cards). Post-bout career marks: Zivic, 28-9-4 (15); Cochrane, 25-7-4 (8).

Feb. 14, 1941: The fight fans in Manila are excited by the prospect of a WBA title bout at Rizal Arena, featuring a Filipino challenger seeking a World title belt. First up, however, is a main supporting bout matching two top 10 Flyweights, as crowd favorite Small Montana takes on reigning Commonwealth Fly Champ Benny Lynch. Lynch, who holds two prior wins over Montana, should be heavily favored except for the fact he is now at End career stage, while Montana is still in his Prime. Lynch is the aggressor, attempting to control the action on the inside, while Montana prefers to stay outside, planning to capitalize on his stamina advantage versus the aging opponent. Montana’s conservative approach pays off, and he builds a points lead (49-47, on the unofficial card) by the midway point. In the second half of the bout, Montana must withstand a late surge from Lynch, who does some damage with a straight right hand in round nine, causing the Filipino to cover up. By the final round, both men are exhausted, and Montana ekes out a MD 10 win (96-95, 96-96, 97-96) to the delight of the hometown crowd in Manila. Montana improves to 25-12-4 (8), while the loss drops Lynch to 33-11 (17). Then, in the finale, Georgie Pace makes his second defense of the WBA BW title, facing veteran Pablo Dano, who held the title on two different occasions in the early 1930s. First meeting of the two, with Dano – now at Post-Prime – having set up the title shot by capturing the OPBF BW title in late 1940. Solid start from Dano, who is content to try to control the action from the outside. Pace, the more aggressive of the two, moves inside and in round three, landing some good shots but also suffering a cut under his right eye. In round four, Pace puts the Filipino challenger; Dano resumes after taking an eight count. Dano must also deal with the effects of a rapidly swelling left eye. After five, the unofficial card has Pace well ahead (by a count of 49-45), but the crowd in Manila continues to cheer Dano on. Dano gamely carries on, working to establish his jab in an effort to negate the power of the American Champion. After 10, the unofficial scorer has Pace extending his points advantage to a nearly insurmountable lead (99-90). Pace eases up in the final few rounds, but Dano is simply too tired to mount an effective rally. A Pace combination puts Dano down for a second time in round 13. Pace goes on to take a fairly lopsided UD 15 win (147-136 on all three cards). Post-bout career marks: Pace, 27-8-2 (19); Dano, 38-14-5 (17).

[JCWeb]

This report covers a total of 63 bouts taking place during the second half of February 1941. Two WBA title bouts -- both on the same card -- are included.

Feb. 15, 1941: Next card is at the Rand Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa, a venue that is seeing increasing usage given the situation in war-torn Europe. The featured bout is one unlikely to be staged in the home nation of either participant, as top HW contender Max Schmeling takes on former WBA LH Champ Maxie Rosenbloom, in a matchup of two savvy ring veterans. First meeting of the two, and no titles are at stake. Both men are riding some long winning streaks; Schmeling has won seven in a row since losing a WBA title challenge to Joey Louis; Rosenbloom has won his last four, since losing the WBA LH title to Billy Conn back in 1939. After a couple of feeling out rounds, Schmeling is comfortable moving on the inside in round three, assuming the role of aggressor. Schmeling takes his time, finally dropping Rosenbloom with a barrage of blows with just seconds remaining in round four. Another KD – from an overhand right – follows midway through round five. This time Schmeling’s killer instinct kicks in, and with plenty of time remaining in the round, he manages to bludgeon his way to a TKO 5 victory, as the ref steps in to save the hapless Rosenbloom from further punishment. Another impressive outing for the “Black Uhlan,” who improves to 54-6-1 (38) with the win. The loss leaves Rosenbloom, who is at Post-Prime, at 51-14 -6 (18).

Feb. 15, 1941: To Dodge Stadium in Phoenix for the next fistic action, and the main event is for the NABF MW title, recently vacated by Tony Zale who successfully challenged for the WBA crowd. Paired together for the vacant belt are former WBA MW Champion Freddie Steele, “the Tacoma Assassin,” and Al Hostak, “the Savage Slav.” First meeting of the two, and it is Steele’s first bout since losing the WBA title, as well as his first outing at Post-Prime. For Hostak, it is his first title shot of any kind, and he takes advantage, outscoring Steele from the opening round, which sees puffiness forming around Steele’s right eye and, by the end of round two, his left eye also shows signs of swelling. Steele battles back and drops Hostak with a combination near the end of round three. At the midway point, the bout remains close, with the unofficial scorecard having Steele with a slim points lead (57-56). Early in round eight, Hostak connects with a cross to the head, and Steele drops to the canvas, bouncing up after taking a three count. Steele attempts to cover up, but two more KDs follow and it’s over – an automatic TKO 8 for Hostak via the three-knockdown rule. This win, which gives Hostak’s career a big boost, lifts him to 31-5 (25), while Steele, whose best days are definitely behind him, drops to 47-8-1 (31)
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Feb. 21, 1941: Next is a Friday night “Down Under” card at Melbourne, Australia. The main event has two titleholders doing battle in a non-title affair, as EBU MW Champion Marcel Cerdan faces his OPNF counterpart, Aussie Fred Henneberry. First meeting of the two, and Henneberry is attempting to regroup after losing his last three, while Cerdan has won his last three, all EBU title defenses. With the fans solidly behind him, Henneberry gets off to a great start, dominating the opening round of action. However, midway through round two, Cerdan connects with a three-punch combo that rocks Henneberry, forcing the Aussie fan favorite to cover up. After a lackluster round three, Cerdan continues to take the fight to Henneberry, who is unable to duplicate his early success. Thus, at the midway point, Cerdan holds a solid points lead (49-46), but the hometown faithful continue to urge on the Aussie Champion. A game Henneberry remains full of fight, but he is unable to negate Cerdan’s superior power and punching ability. Another three-punch combo near the end of round seven forces the Aussie to cover up a second time. This time, Cerdan follows up with a short, clean uppercut that sends Henneberry to the canvas; fortunately for him, the bell sounds as the count reaches five. Still, significant damage was done and, halfway through the next round, the ref has seen enough. Cerdan, well ahead on all three cards, is awarded a TKO 8 victory. Post-bout career marks: Cerdan, 28-2-2 (22); Henneberry, 30-16-2 (12). Another big win for the “Casablanca Clouter,” who is angling for a title shot versus new WBA Champ Tony Zale sometime later in 1941.

Feb. 22, 1941: A pair of GBU title bouts top the next card at London’s Harringay Arena. On the undercard, the career of popular British LH Len Harvey finally comes to an end, as he is a TKO 8 victim of unbeaten American prospect Harry Matthews, who improves to 17-0 (15) with the win. Harvey wraps up a 22-year career with totals of 51-27-3 (19). In the first co-feature, Joe Curran faces Jackie Brown for Brown’s GBU Flyweight title. First meeting of the two, and the fact that Brown has recently hit Post-Prime gives Curran some reason for optimism. In round three, Brown manages to work his way inside and lands some heavy leather, enough to cause a trace of swelling to appear under Curran’s right eye. Then, in round five, Brown drills Curran with a couple of quick jabs just before the end of the round, and the challenger hits the deck, only to be saved by the bell. Solid points advantage for Brown on the unofficial card (58-54) at the midway point. In the second half of the bout, Curran is forced into an uncomfortable role as the aggressor. However, Brown’s defense remains solid, and – except for a lapse in round seven when he loses a point for excessive holding and hitting – he controls the action the rest of the way, doing just enough to retain the title via a UD 12 (115-110 on all three cards). Post-bout career marks: Brown, 39-15-5 (12); Curran, 25-12-2 (10). The second and final co-feature is a rematch of a 1940 encounter for the GBU LW title, with titleholder Harry Mizler defending against Eric Boon, whom he edged by a SD 12 in August 1940. Early edge for Mizler, who seems more comfortable taking an aggressive approach than the more tentative challenger. However, Boon begins to find the range in rounds five and six and, at the halfway point, the unofficial scorer at ringside has the bout even (57-all). No cuts or knockdowns, and Mizler pulls away to take a close but UD 12 win (115-114, 116-112, 115-114) to keep the belt. The win boost Mizler’s career stats to 24-12-4 (6). The losses drops Boon to 18-7-1 (16).

Feb. 22, 1941: It’s standing room only for a massive card at New York’s Madison Square Garden, topped by no fewer than two WBA title bouts, not to mention an NABF HW title contest as the appetizer. However, first up, is a notable non-title affair, matching two top 10 LWs, Tony Chavez and Eddie “the Pride of Taxony” Cool. Strong opening round by Chavez, and Cool’s right eye shows signs of puffiness as a result of being on the receiving end of Chavez’s punches. Despite a solid punches landed edge, the unofficial scorer at ringside has it even (48-all) after five. In the second half of the bout, Chavez is the more aggressive of the two, while Cool prefers to remain on the outside, relying on his defense and counterpunching ability. Finally, in round nine, Chavez catches Cool with a big shot and puts him down briefly. Although Cool recovers and is able to resume quickly, the damage is done and it has a big impact on the outcome, as Chavez goes on to take a MD 10 (97-93, 95-95, 97-92) although one judge – surprisingly – scored the bout even. Post-bout records: Chavez, 31-9-2 (12); Cool, 36-16-5 (12). Next on the card is an NABF HW title bout, with Jersey Joe Walcott defending against Leroy Haynes. The two met back in 1933, when both were at Pre-Prime, with Walcott walking away with a TKO win. However, Haynes has impressed, remaining unbeaten for over two years, with seven straight wins, including a stoppage of Max Baer. This time around, Jersey Joe connects with a big hook less than a minute into the opening stanza, putting Haynes on the defensive, but the challenger manages to cover up to last the round. Then, in round three, it is Haynes who stuns Walcott with a solid hook. By the end of the round, there is a trace of swelling under the left eye of Jersey Joe. Walcott bounces back with a strong round four, and lands sufficient leather to cause some initial swelling around the left eye of the challenger. Midway, the unofficial card has a comfortable points edge for Walcott (59-56). In round seven, a cut appears above the left eye of the challenger. Then, in round eight, a Walcott uppercut decks Haynes for the first time in the bout. The game challenger regains his footing, but he is unable to fend off Walcott who, well ahead on points – is declared a TKO 8 victor. With the win, Walcott’s career stats improve to 41-6 (25), while Haynes – who was handicapped by the fact that he just hit Post-Prime career stage – fell to 29-10-2 (21) with the loss. Then, in first of the WBA title twin bill, Gus Lesnevich makes his second defense of the WBA LH title, taking on challenger Lloyd Marshall. First meeting of the two, with Marshal coming off a technical draw with the higher rated Archie Moore to set up the title shot. Solid boxing from Lesnevich, with Marshall electing to move inside to try to force the action in round three. Late in the round, he manages to break through, landing a sharp combination that puts Lesnevich on the deck. Gus barely manages to beat the count and covers up to last the few remaining seconds in the round. Despite some solid follow-up blows from the challenger, Lesnevich manages to recover and, after five rounds, the unofficial scorer has the bout even (47-all). The bout remains close, with Lesnevich clinging to a narrow lead (95-94) after 10 rounds, according to the unofficial card. Headed into the final few rounds, the challenger appears to have a stamina edge, and he connects with a straight right in round 12 that forces Lesnevich to cover up. Lesnevich, seeing his title slipping away, becomes the aggressor in the last few rounds, but matters only become worse, as he suffers a cut under his right eye, and Marshall does just enough to lift the title, by a UD 15 (146-141, 144-140, 146-138) by gradually wearing down Lesnevich in the later rounds. Post-bout career marks: Marshall, 20-1-2 (19); Lesnevich, 30-5-2 (14). Finally, in the nightcap, WBA WW Champ Henry Armstrong faces #1 contender Izzy Jannazzo for that title. First meeting of the two, and Jannazzo – the reigning NABF WW Champ – has remained unbeaten (six wins, three draws) since a 1938 loss to Fritzie Zivic. Slow start by Armstrong, and Jannazzo takes advantage with a big round four. Armstrong finally gets on track in round five, landing a straight right that causes Jannazzo to cover up. Armstrong’s killer instinct kicks in, and he continues to apply the pressure, forcing an early stoppage. TKO 5 for Armstrong, who improves to 35-4-3 (29) with the win, while the loss drops Jannazzo to 31-5-3 (13).

Feb. 28, 1941: The month wraps with a Friday night card at Caracas’ Nueva Circa, a seldom used venue. No titles at stake, and the feature matches two former WBA FW Champions, Chalky Wright and hometown favorite Simon Chavez. In their one prior meeting, back in 1939, Wright prevailed, taking the title from Chavez via a UD 15. This time around, on his home turf, Chavez hopes for a better outcome. In this rematch, action is slow to develop but then, suddenly, midway through the third round, Wright lands a punch but is contorted in pain from an injured hand. Unable to continue, by default the bout goes to Chavez via a TKO 3 due to the injury. Tough luck for Wright, but Chavez’s fans are delighted as their man has managed to even the score. Post-bout career marks: Chavez, 20-13-2 (7); Wright, 36-12-4 (16).

[JCWeb]

This report covers a total of 43 bouts taking place during the first half of March 1941. No WBA title bouts are included.

Mar. 1, 1941: The month kicks off with a card at Havana’s Gran Stadium. No titles at stake, but the main event matches two top five WWs: reigning LABF Champ Cocoa Kid with former WBA Champ Eddie Dolan. Kid looks sharp early, particularly in round two when he lands some telling blows that seem to hurt Dolan. Punches landed stats and the unofficial scorecard favor Kid at the halfway point (by a count of 49-47). Dolan manages to keep the bout close through the later rounds, but, in the end, Kid prevails, via a MD 10 (98-92, 95-95, 98-92) as one judge saw the bout even, despite the fact that Kid was the more accurate puncher, by a wide margin. Kid improves to 38-7-4 (11) with win, while the loss drops Dolan to 33-9-4 (14).

Mar. 7, 1941: Next is a Friday night card at Johannesburg’s Rand Stadium. The two protagonists in the main event are top BW contenders, first ex-WBA and current EBU and GBU Champ Johnny King, who faces less experienced and less well known Aussie Mickey Miller in a 10-round, non-title affair. First meeting of the two, and King goes to work right away, flooring Miller with a barrage of punches in the opening round. A groggy Miller regains his footing and manages to last a few more rounds until, less than a minute into round four, a King hook puts him down and out. KO 4 for King, and a strong showing puts him back in the conversation for another crack at the WBA BW title. Post-bout career marks: King, 52-7-1 (21); Miller, 28-9-2 (16).

Mar. 8, 1941: Next fistic action is at the Amor Bahn in Munich, and the fact that there’s a war going on hasn’t deterred fans from gathering for a card featuring former WBA and EBU LH Champ Adolf Heuser, the “Bulldog of the Rhine,” a German fan favorite still on the comeback trail, facing up-and-coming LH Anton Christoforidis in a 10-round, non-title contest. Not much to choose between the two until round three, when a big hook from Heuser rips open a cut on the inside of the right eyebrow of his Greek opponent. The cut continues to ooze blood for the next couple of rounds, and the unofficial scorer has Heuser well ahead (by a count of 50-45) at the halfway point of the bout. The rest of the bout proceeds without incident, except for the fact that Heuser – who already had built a solid points lead – lost a point for rabbit punching in round eight. In the end, it’s a solid UD 10 win for the German, Heuser (by scores of 96-93, 97-92, 96-93), made closer by the point deduction for the foul in the eighth round. With the win, Heuser improves to 37-10-1 (18) and sets his sights on the EBU LH title, currently held by Heinz Lazek. For Christoforidis, it’s back to training and more experience as he ends the bout at 21-6 (12).

Mar. 8, 1941: Boston Garden is the venue for the next fight card, and topping the agenda is a matchup for the vacant USBA LH title, recently declared vacant after Archie Moore, the previous holder, stepped up and won the NABF LH belt. Matched for the vacant belt are two former WBA LH Champions, Tiger Jack Fox and John Henry Lewis. The two met once before, back in 1935, also at Boston, and Lewis walked away with the win via a TKO stoppage. This time around, Fox appears to be a solid favorite, as Lewis has hit Post-Prime career stage while Fox is still at Prime. Early edge to Fox, who is the more active of the two in the early going. By the midway point, there is a welt under the right eye of Lewis, and the unofficial card has a solid points edge for Fox (59-55). Lewis does a good job of keeping the bout close, but, in the end, the UD 12 verdict falls to Fox (by scores of 116-112, 115-113, 116-112). Post-bout career records: Fox, 50-6-1 (35); Lewis, 26-9-3 (19). While Fox looks ready for another WBA title try, it appears that Lewis’ time as a serious title threat are just about over.

Mar. 14, 1941: Next up is a Friday night card “Down Under” at Melbourne, Australia. It’s an abbreviated card, with just four bouts, and the main event matches two familiar foes – Brit Ernie Roderick and Aussie Jack McNamee – for the Commonwealth WW title that the two have been trading back and forth for the past three years. Roderick, who holds the 2-1 edge in prior bouts, all for the CBU title, currently holds the belt and McNamee, the current OPBF WW Champion, is the challenger, in a rematch of their most recent encounter, in London back in October 1940, that went the way of Roderick via a final round TKO. This time around, Roderick starts well, piling up an early points lead (57-55 at the midway point, according to the unofficial scorer at ringside. However, the British fighter has a tendency to commit fouls, which happens as the bout wears on, with McNamee – urged on by a hometown crowd – gradually becoming more and more aggressive. In the final round, the ref has seen enough, and Roderick is disqualified after repeatedly hitting below the belt. A decision that is well received by the Aussie crowd, as McNamee regains the belt via the DQ-12, despite trailing on all three judges’ cards. The win boosts his career totals to 28-8 (17). Roderick, who still has the GBU WW title to fall back on, slips to 24-12-3 (7) with the loss.

Mar. 15, 1941: Back to the States for a solid card at Miami Stadium. Two top 10 HW contenders are pitted together, with Roscoe Toles facing long-time LABF HW Champ Jimmy Mendes in a 10-round, non-title bout. One prior meeting for these two, ending in a draw back in 1936. Toles starts well, landing repeatedly with a big round one, and he manages to build a solid points lead (50-45 on the unofficial card) by the midway point. Mendes becomes more aggressive as the bout enters the latter stages, but Toles exhibits superior stamina. No cuts or knockdowns, and the bout goes the distance, going in the books as a UD 10 for Toles (by the lopsided scores of 99-91, 99-90, 98-91). Toles, whose connections are looking for a title shot, perhaps with Joe Louis for the WBA HW belt, improves to 33-7-3 (6) with the win. The loss drops Mendes, now at Post-Prime career stage, to 37-13-4 (30).

[JCWeb]

This report covers a total of 61 bouts taking place during the second half of March 1941. Two WBA title bouts are included.

Mar. 15, 1941: Next is a big card at Chicago, headlined by a WBA title bout. In the main support, two top FWs do battle, as Harold Hoshino faces ex-WBA Champ Simon Chavez in a 10-round, non-title affair. No prior meetings; Hoshino is in his second bout since his only career setback, a UD loss to Chalky Wright for the USBA title, while Chavez is coming off a surprise TKO win over Wright just weeks earlier. Early action near the end of the opening stanza, as Hoshino decks Chavez with a strong uppercut, and Chavez is saved by the bell just as the ref starts the count. Heading back to his corner, there is puffiness under the left eye of the Venezuelan. An aggressive Hoshino continues on the attack, flooring Chavez a second time with a vicious combination late in the third round. Solid lead (49-45 on the unofficial card) for Hoshino at the halfway point. While Chavez does better in the second half of the bout, he is unable to make much of an impression on Hoshino, who rides the early KDs to a solid UD 10 verdict (97-91, 98-90, 97-91). Post-bout records: 27-1 (15) for Hoshino; 29-14-2 (7) for Chavez. Then, in the feature, the WBA MW title is on the line as newly crowned Champ Tony Zale, the “Man of Steel,” makes his first title defense, selecting lowly regarded George Abrams, who accepted the bout on short notice. No prior meetings, and Zale begins with a strong opening round, pummeling Abrams who shows signs of swelling by the end of the round. Zale continues to bang away with a two-fisted attack, while Abrams appears to be on the defensive for most of the early part of the bout. In round four, Abrams goes down after being on the receiving end of a hard shot from Zale, arising at the count of six then covering up to survive the round. After five, the unofficial scorer at ringside has Zale well ahead (49-45). Into the middle rounds, the momentum remains with Zale who follows up with an uppercut to the head near the end of round eight, sending Abrams to the canvas for a second time. Zale remains relentless in pressing the action, but Abrams – despite the two KDs – is holding his own, as the points margin on the unofficial card still favors Zale (97-92) but not to any greater extent than the previous check. Trailing, Abrams decides to take more chances in the later rounds, but Zale’s defense remains solid, and Zale walks away with a solid UD 15 win (147-136, 145-138, 146-137). Zale improves to 30-2 (20) with win, while the loss drops Abrams to 19-2-2 (10). Despite grumbling in some quarters that Zale has been ducking more worthy contenders such as Marcel Cerdan or Charley Burley, the win over Apostoli was an impressive one that did little to tarnish his reputation as the top MW in the game at the moment.

Mar. 21, 1941: Next is a Friday night card at San Juan’s Escobar Stadium. Twin bill, including an LABF title bout, tops the agenda. In the first co-feature, a former WBA BW Champ, K. O. Morgan, faces hometown crowd favorite Sixto Escobar in a non-title clash. Action is slow to develop, a bit surprising to see two sluggers reluctant to press the action. First blood is literally drawn in round four, when Morgan rips open a cut over Escobar’s left eye. Escobar battles back with a strong round five, and the unofficial card has the bout even (48-all) at the halfway point. At this point, Morgan is dealing with a rapidly swelling left eye. In round seven, Morgan finally finds the range with a sharp combination, putting Escobar on the deck. Escobar is able to continue, but his left eye shows signs of puffiness although the cut has not been re-opened. In round nine, with both men swinging freely, the cut over Escobar’s eye is re-opened, but no further damage is done. The bout goes the distance and, in the end, the one KD makes the difference, with Morgan eking out a SD 10 (94-96, 97-93, 97-93) to take the win. Post-bout career marks: Morgan, 34-12-6 (17); Escobar, 31-12-4 (10). Then, in the final bout on the card, the LABF LW title belt is on the line, with Pedro Montanez making his first defense of that belt in over a year, facing challenger Chino Alvarez. Second meeting of the two, as Montanez took a UD over Alvarez back in 1938; however, this time around Alvarez is hopeful of a better result, given that Montanez is at Post-Prime. Solid start by Alvarez, and by the end of the third round, there is a trace of swelling under the right eye of Montanez. In round five, an Alvarez uppercut finds the target, and Montanez slumps to the canvas. Montanez arises at the count of seven, and there is not enough time remaining in the round for Alvarez to follow up. Solid points edge for Alvarez (58-55) at the midway point. Despite being low on stamina, Montanez steps up the pace in the later rounds, all in a desperate effort to keep the belt. Late in round nine, Alvarez decks Montanez again, connecting with a sharp combination; again, Montanez is able to regain his footing and last the round. Finally, in round 10, some hope for Montanez, as he opens a cut over the right eye of Alvarez. Alvarez wisely adopts a more defensive posture, protecting the cut, and is rewarded with the title belt via a solid UD 12 (118-108, 117-108, 119-109) to boost his career totals to 37-13-4 (22). The loss drops Montanez to 34-10 (16).

Mar. 22, 1941: Next fistic action is at Manila’s Rizal Arena. No titles at stake, but the main event pairs two top BW contenders, ex-WBA Champ Panama Al Brown, who faces hometown crowd favorite Little Pancho, who held the OPBF BW title for three years until being dethroned in 1940. Panama Al holds a prior UD win, but that was back in 1935, but this time around Brown has reached Post-Prime career stage. Pancho does well to hold his own through the opening rounds, and Brown, with a big round five, pulls ahead on the unofficial card (48-47) at the halfway point. Pancho, bothered by a rapidly swelling right eye, soldiers on. In round seven, Brown suffers a cut under his left eye. The bout goes the full 10, and the end result – a draw (96-94 Pancho, 95-95, 96-94 Brown) – seems justified. Post-bout career marks: Brown, 65-11-2 (25); Pancho, 41-10-6 (9).

Mar. 22, 1941: To San Francisco’s Cow Palace for a stellar card that includes some WBA title action. Topping the agenda are a pair of Flyweight bouts, with the first of these – serving as the main support – matching former WBA Fly Champ Midget Wolgast, now on the comeback trail, with Japanese Fly Yoichiro Hanada in a 10-round, non-title affair. First meeting of the two, and Wolgast starts well, scoring big in the opening round. Wolgast remains in charge through the middle rounds, and the unofficial scorer at ringside has him slightly ahead (by a count of 49-47) at the midway point. In the second half the bout, it appears that Hanada lacks the firepower or the stamina to mount an effective comeback. However, in the final round, the Japanese fighter gets lucky, landing an overhand right that sends Wolgast to the canvas. Wolgast recovers, and the bout goes the distance, with Wolgast taking a fairly comfortable UD 10 win (98-92, 97-93, 96-93) despite the one KD going Hanada’s way. Post-bout, Wolgast improves to 53-7-1 (19) while Hanada slips to 26-9-2 (8). Then, in the feature, the WBA Flyweight title is on the line, and it is American Jackie Jurich making his first title defense, versus newly crowned EBU Fly Champ Peter Kane from Great Britain. It’s a typical boxer versus slugger matchup, with Kane, the slugger, doing most of the attacking starting in round three, after a long feeling-out process. Jurich exhibits some good defensive skills and appears to have the edge in the early going; however, the bout comes to a sudden end early in round four, when a hand injury forces Kane to retire. Jurich retains the title via a TKO 4. Post-bout career records: Jurich, 20-3-1 (16); Kane, 21-3-1 (11). Wolgast, winner of the preliminary bout, is angling for a possible title shot as Jurich’s next opponent, but Jurich’s connections may have other plans.

Mar. 28, 1941: Next up is a Friday night card at London’s Harringay Arena. No title bouts on the agenda, which is topped by a non-title bout matching two regional Champions, Commonwealth and EBU LW Champ Jack Kid Berg, the “Whitechapel Whirlwind,” and American Davey Day, the reigning USBA LW Champion. No prior meetings of the two, and Berg gradually pulls ahead on points after a sluggish start by both fighters. Solid points lead for Berg (50-45, according to the unofficial scorer at ringside) at the midway point. Day, who is gradually being worn down by the British veteran, lacks the firepower to mount an effective comeback, and Berg goes on to take a comfortable UD 10 (99-91 on all three cards) and boost his career totals to 47-15-5 (15). Day drops to 32-6-4 (13) with the loss.

Mar. 29, 1941: The month wraps with a card at New York’s Polo Grounds. On the undercard, hot young FW prospect Willie Pep is back in action, punishing a TC opponent with his fifth career win, via a TKO 2, to push his career record to a perfect 5-0 (4); Pep will move from Beginner to Pre-Prime with his next outing. After a few more bouts, it is time for the main event, non-title action in the LH division as former WBA LH Champ Billy Conn, still on the comeback trail, takes on GBU LH Champ Freddie Mills. First meeting of the two and, for Mills, it’s his first trip to the States. Not much in the way of action for the first three rounds, but Mills surprises Conn with some good counterpunching in round four. In round five, Conn suffers a split lip. Slight points edge for the visitor (48-47 Mills, according to the unofficial card) at the halfway point. In the second half of the bout, Conn manages to mount a rally and manages to take a UD 10 (97-94 on all three cards). Post-bout career marks: Conn, 26-4-2 (11); Mills, 21-2 (13).

[JCWeb]

April turns out to be a big month as far as WBA title action is concerned, with titles to be contested in four of the eight weight classes. This report covers a total of 58 bouts taking place during the first half of April 1941. Two WBA title bouts are included.

Apr. 4, 1941: The month kicks off with a card at Atlantic City’s Convention Hall. Only one noteworthy bout, and it is the main event, pairing #5 ranked LW contender Wesley Ramey with #12 Lew Jenkins. Jenkins is trying to rebound after a long layoff and his career setback, the loss of the USBA LW title in 1940. Strong start from Jenkins, who moves inside to try to apply more pressure in round three. The unofficial scorecard favors Jenkins at the midway point (by a count of 49-47). Ramey, trailing, tries to pick up the pace and take a more aggressive posture headed into the later rounds. By the end of the eighth round, Ramey’s right eye begins to puff up, a result of the accumulated damage inflicted by Jenkins during the course of the bout. Nonetheless, one of the three judges favors the post-Prime Ramey, but the other two back Jenkins, who walks away with a narrow SD 10 verdict (96-95, 95-96. 96-95), as the early edge barely holds up. Jenkins improves to 23-1-2 (11) with win and moves into the top 10 in the LW rankings, while the loss drops Ramey to 31-11-8 (11).

Apr. 5, 1941: Back to Europe for the next fistic action, at Rome’s Sports Palace. Twin bill title action tops the card, with a pair of EBU title belts on the line as German fighters face Italian challengers in each matchup. In the first of these, Gustav Eder puts the EBU WW title on the line, versus challenger Michele Palermo. One prior meeting, back in 1939 at Berlin, saw Eder walk away as a UD 10 victor. Not much in the way of action until round five, which sees Palermo winning the most of the inside exchanges. The issue remains in doubt, as the unofficial scorer at ringside has it even (58-58) at the midway point of the 12-rounder. In the later rounds, the stamina factor appears to favor Palermo, who emerges on top with a strong round nine. Fighting on fumes, a desperate Eder battles back with a strong attack to take round 11 in convincing fashion. It comes down to the final bell, and it turns out Eder has done enough to retain the title, with a surprisingly solid margin on all three cards for a UD 12 win (118-112, 117-113, 118-112), a decision that is not well received by the Italian fight fans in attendance. Post-bout, Eder pushes his career totals to 37-9-10 (9), while Palermo ends the bout at 28-8-8 (9). In the finale, ex-WBA Champ and #1 HW contender Max Schmeling puts his EBU HW title on the line against the “Ambling Alp,” Italian giant Primo Carnera. Surprisingly, it’s the first meeting of the two, with Carnera setting up the title match with a first round blowout of Schmeling’s countryman, Ludwig Haymann. Cautious approach by Schmeling, who appears content to box on the outside and bide his time, hoping that Carnera will wear himself out or get careless and leave himself open for an effective counterattack. Early round action show an edge for the “Black Uhlan,” and Italian fight fans seem dismayed at a lackluster showing by Carnera, who finally comes to life by landing some good shots near the end of round five. At the midway point, Schmeling holds a points edge (58-56) on the unofficial card. Carnera tries to pick up the pace and force the action in the second half of the bout, but instead it is Schmeling who punishes the Italian challenger, stunning him with a three-punch combo late in round seven, causing some initial puffiness around Carnera’s right eye. In round eight, Schmeling puts Carnera down with a short, clean uppercut. Carnera scrambles back to his feet, but Max then puts him down and out with another big shot. KO 8 for Schmeling, who retains the belt and steps up his campaign for another shot at the WBA title, probably an unrealistic goal at this point, given Germany’s current war footing. Post-bout career marks: Schmeling, 55-6-1 (39); Carnera, 33-14-3 (24).

Apr. 5, 1941: South of the border to Mexico City for the next fistic action, and Mexican fight fans have packed the arena to see their own WBA Champion, Baby Arizmendi, defending his WBA FW title, facing Japan’s Tsuneo Horiguchi, reigning OPBF FW titleholder and currently the #3 ranked contender. It’s a rematch of a title bout from late last year that ended in a draw; Arizmendi has been inactive since then, but Horiguchi managed to add to his credentials with an impressive first round KO over Maurice Holtzer, the reigning EBU FW Champ. Good opening round from Arizmendi, as the Japanese fighter takes awhile to settle in. Round two is a repeat of round one, some solid shots landed by Arizmendi, who is embolden to move inside in round three. Third round, Horiguchi begins to find the range, comfortably landing his shots from the outside. After a close round four, both men are content to mix it up in round five, and the inside exchanges favor Horiguchi. At this point, the unofficial scorer at ringside has it even (48-all). After a close round in round six, Arizmendi seizes control and dominates the action in the seventh. Horiguchi is the aggressor in round eight, but again, the round is relatively even – conventional wisdom is that Horiguchi must do better to take the title. Horiguchi tries to step up the pace in rounds nine and 10, but Arizmendi’s smothering defense prevails. With five rounds remaining, the unofficial scorer now has Arizmendi with a solid lead (97-94), plus there is noticeable swelling around the right eye of the Japanese challenger. Round 11, Horiguchi stuns Arizmendi with a left hook to the head, but the Champ successfully covers up and remains upright the rest of the round. Arizmendi wisely adopts a more defensive posture and is not threatened the rest of the way, as Horiguchi has run low on stamina and, as a result, his punches lack steam. The bout goes to decision and, to the delight of the Mexican crowd, it is a UD 15 for Arizmendi (146-139, 145-140, 146-139). With the win, Arizmendi improves to 43-9-3 (10), and Horiguchi ends the bout at 28-8-1 (16).

Apr. 11, 1941: Manila’s Rizal Arena is the venue for the next fight card, and only one notable bout is the feature, which matches top Flyweight contender, Little Dado, with visiting Irish fighter Rinty Monaghan. No prior meetings, and Monaghan comes into the bout off a TKO loss to Benny Lynch for the Commonwealth Fly title that snapped a seven-bout winning streak. Dado, the darling of the Filipino crowd, is the reigning OPBF Fly titleholder and current #2 ranked Flyweight contender. Despite the fact that no titles are at stake in this 10-rounder, the fight fans have turned out in large numbers to back the hometown crowd favorite. Despite a slow start, Dado pulls ahead in the middle rounds; the unofficial card has him well ahead (by 49-46) at the midway point. Monaghan attempts to become more aggressive in the second half of the bout, but late in the bout he sustains a cut over his right eye, and Dado is never in serious danger, The bout goes the distance and then, to the shock and dismay of the Filipino fight fans, the MD 10 goes to Monaghan (96-94, 95-95, 96-94) – a huge surprise and a huge upset. In retrospect, Dado appeared to rest on his laurels in the later rounds, three of which (rounds seven through nine) all went the way of Monaghan, putting him ahead of the favored Filipino fighter on the judges’ cards. Post-bout career records: Monaghan, 27-5 (11); Dado, 24-2 (13).

Apr. 12, 1941: Anticipation builds for the next card, at Philadelphia, where another WBA title is on the line. This time, however, not much in the way of a supporting cast of preliminary bouts, so the only notable matchup is the main event – Tony “the Roman Warrior” Canzoneri versus #3 contender Tony Chavez for Canzoneri’s WBA LW title. The two met once before, during Canzoneri’s first reign as WBA LW Champ, and Canzoneri came away with a UD 15 win. This time around, with Canzoneri a step slower after hitting Post-Prime career stage, Chavez’s connections are hoping for a more favorable outcome. After a solid start in the opening round, early in round two, Canzoneri is called for head-butting. Chavez does better in the second round, but then Canzoneri begins to find the range with a precise, probing jab that enables him to stick and move, making an elusive target for the challenger. The good early work pays off, as the unofficial scorer at ringside has Canzoneri well ahead on points (50-46), after five. Chavez responds by taking a more aggressive approach, and in round six, he moves inside, taking the fight to the Champion, with better results. However, bad luck for Chavez early in round seven, as he sustains a cut over his right eye. The cut continues to ooze blood into the following round, hampering Chavez’s chances. However, a minute into round 10, the cut resumes bleeding and, as the initial cause was deemed to be an accidental butt, points are tallied at the end of round nine. This results in a UTD 10 for Canzoneri (87-85, 88-84, 89-83) who runs his career totals to 53-5-4 (17). Chavez slips to 31-10-2 (12) with the loss.

Apr. 12, 1941: To the West Coast for the next card at the Cow Palace in San Francisco. No title bouts, and the main event has #7 ranked BW contender Pete “Cyclone” Sanstol, facing fellow American David Kui Kong Young, with the latter hoping to break into the top 10 with a win. First meeting of the two, and Sanstol is coming off a recent loss to Mickey Miller, while Kui Kong Young is riding a six-bout winning streak and yet to lose since hitting Prime career stage. Action is slow to develop, with Kui Kong Young adopting the role of slugger and aggressor, while Sanstol prefers to box and remain primarily on the outside, in a more passive posture. Kui Kong Young finds the range with some heavy blows in round three, and then follows up with a strong round four, leaving his mark as Sanstol’s left eye begins to puff up as a result. Some good lateral movement from Sanstol limits the ability of Kui Kong Young to penetrate his defenses, and the unofficial scorer has it even (48-all) at the halfway point. Big stamina edge for Kui Kong Young as the bout heads into its latter stages. Confident of victory, Kui Kong Young eases up in the final two rounds, and Sanstol finishes with a flourish in a big round 10, ripping open a cut over the right eye of his opponent. Nonetheless, Kui Kong Young’s early aggressiveness pays off, and he takes a UD 10 win (97-93, 96-94, 97-93) to run his career record to an excellent 21-1-1 (14) with the win. The loss drops Sanstol, in the doldrums after a second tough loss, to 40-16-5 (9).

[JCWeb]

This report covers a total of 64 bouts taking place during the second half of April 1941. As in the first half of the month, two WBA title bouts are included.

Apr. 18, 1941: Next is a Friday night card at San Juan’s Escobar Stadium. No titles at stake, and the feature matches Elmer “Kid Violent” Ray with GCU and CBU titleholder, the “British Brown Bomber,” Tommy Martin, in a 10-round rematch of an earlier encounter, back in 1938 in London, that resulted in a TKO win for Ray. Ray is on target early, while Martin struggles with his timing through the opening three rounds. In fact, early in round three, Ray rocks Martin with a sharp combination that forces the British fighter to cover up. From this point, Martin’s corner has to deal with a rapidly swelling left eye. Martin rallies by winning rounds four and five and, at the halfway point, the unofficial scorer has it even (48-48), and there is a trace of swelling under the left eye of Ray, who has begun to drop the pace from his aggressive posture in the early rounds. Then, after a lull in round six, in round seven, Martin breaks through, connecting with a sharp combination that sends Ray tumbling to the canvas. Ray arises at the count of eight, and survives the rest of the round after covering up. The issue remains in doubt until the final few rounds, with both men tiring, and Ray looking for the knockout. In the final round, Martin seizes control, ripping open a cut on Ray’s forehead, and then another Martin combination drops Ray for a second time, and this time, Ray cannot beat the count. KO 10 for Martin, who improves to 27-8-2 (17) with win, while the loss drops Ray – who is now at Post-Prime -- to 45-13 (31).

Apr. 19, 1941: North of the border to the Forum in Montreal, with a pair of key bouts headlining the agenda. In the first of these, top ranked MW contender, Marcel Cerdan, the reigning EBU MW Champion, visits from France to take on Lou Brouillard, the current CBU MW titleholder, in non-title action. Nothing spectacular as there is a long feeling-out process between these two first-time opponents; gradually, Cerdan builds a comfortable points lead; midway through round five, he traps Brouillard in the corner and drills the Canadian fighter with a hard cross. Brouillard covers up and manages to last the round; after five, the unofficial card has Cerdan well ahead (50-45). Cerdan patiently bides his time, gradually wearing down Brouillard, then finding the range with a combination of blows to the head and body that dropped Brouillard in the ninth. Solid performance by “the Casbalanca Clouter,” who gave his opponent few chances. UD 10 for Cerdan (97-92, 99-90, 99-90) pushes his career totals to 29-2-2 (22). Brouillard ends the bout at 32-14-3 (14). In the finale, the NABF LW title is on the line, with Lou Ambers defending against Canadian fan favorite Dave Castilloux. First meeting of the two, and it’s the first outing at Post-Prime for the veteran Ambers, aka “the Herkimer Hurricane,” who is making his first ring outing since a WBA title loss to Tony Canzoneri last November. Solid start from the challenger, who looks to give Ambers a tough bout. Solid boxing by Ambers, but nothing spectacular, yet he emerges with a points edge (58-56, on the unofficial card) at the midway point. The Canadian challenger steps up the pace in the second half of the bout, but he finds himself running low on stamina as the bout heads into the later rounds. Late surge from Castilloux enables him to win a big round 10, and he continues to press the attack against the defensive-minded Ambers. The bouts go the distance, with Ambers sporting a slightly swollen left eye as a result of some hard shots landed by Castilloux in the final round. In the end, though, to the dismay of the Canadian fight fans, Castilloux’s late surge falls just short, as Ambers keeps the belt by a narrow MD 12 (115-113, 114-114, 115-113); had a couple of close rounds gone the other way, Castilloux might have lifted the belt. Post-bout career marks: Ambers, 34-4-1 (18); Castilloux, 24-9-3 (9).

Apr. 19, 1941: Next is a huge card, headlined by a WBA title contest, at Soliders Field in Chicago. Two of the sport’s top stars, Joe Louis and young WW prospect Sugar Ray Robinson, are on the agenda. In a preliminary bout, Robinson runs his career record to a perfect 7-0 (7) with a fourth round TKO over a hapless TC opponent. Then, in the feature, Joe Louis takes on the #6 ranked HW contender, Jack Trammell, for Louis’ WBA HW title. First meeting of the two and Trammell, a slugger, appears willing to mix it up on the inside with the Champion. Most of the exchanges favor Louis, who builds a solid points lead (50-46 on the unofficial card, after five rounds) in the early going. Heading into the middle rounds, there is a trace of swelling under the left eye of the challenger. After just eight rounds, Trammell is already running low on stamina. Finally, in round nine, Louis catches Trammell with a hard uppercut follows up with a cross and decks Trammell. Even though Trammell manages to scramble back to his feet after the count reaches in eight, he is in no condition to defend against the ferociousness of Louis’ attack, and the ref calls a halt to save Trammell from further damage. The TKO 9 runs Louis’ record to 34-1 (32), making it a string of nine successive KO or TKO stoppage wins, all in WBA title bouts. For Trammell, now 30-10 (14), it is back to the drawing board and some easier competition after a game effort to carry the Champ into the second half of the bout.

Apr. 25, 1941: Pittsburgh’s Forbes Field is the venue for the next fight card, and the one notable matchup is the main event, a non-title clash of two top MW contenders: Teddy Yarosz and former WBA MW Champion Holman Williams. Both men are coming off losses in title bouts, and Yarosz is seeking to avenge an earlier loss, via a UD, back in 1939. Solid start for Williams, who dominates the action in the early rounds, building a solid points lead by the halfway point (49-46 on the unofficial card). In the second half of the bout, Yarosz tries to become more aggressive, while battling a rapidly swelling left eye. The bout goes the distance and, to the surprise of many, Yarosz snags a SD 10 verdict (96-95, 95-96, 96-95) despite the fact that Williams held a fairly sizable edge in the punches landed stats. Post-bout career records: Yarosz, 37-15-3 (13); Williams, 33-8 (20).

Apr. 26, 1941: Back to the UK for a packed card at the Earls Court in London, topped by a twin bill of title bout action. In the first co-main event, the Commonwealth Flyweight title is on the line, with Benny Lynch making his third defense of that belt, versus challenger Joe Curran. Lynch hopes to repeat a previous UD win, back in 1938, over Curran, for the GBU Flyweight belt. Lynch is the aggressor throughout much of the early going, while Curran prefers a more defensive-minded approach. After a few rounds, the bout devolves into a tactical struggle, which appears to favor Curran, who holds a stamina edge over the veteran Lynch, now in the twilight of his career. Midway through round six, Curran fires a three-punch combo that staggers the Champion, forcing Lynch to cover up. By the midway point, Curran is well ahead on points (59-56, according to the unofficial card), plus Lynch is suffering from a cut under his left eye. The eye continues to worsen, puffing up a bit as the bout reaches the later stages. After easing up for a few rounds, Lynch begins to apply pressure, feeling the title slipping away as Curran’s defense remains solid. In the end, Curran’s conservative approach to the bout pays off, as he takes a well-earned UD 12 (117-114, 117-113, 118-114) to secure his first title after three previous attempts, all unsuccessful, to wrest either the GBU or CBU belt. With the win, Curran runs his career totals to 26-12-2 (10). Lynch – now at End career stage -- slips to 33-12 (17) with the loss. Then, in the finale, France’s Maurice Holtzer faces veteran Dave Crowley for Holtzer’s EBU FW title. Holtzer holds two prior wins over Crowley but, given the fact the Frenchman is now at Post-Prime career stage, Crowley’s supporters hope for a different outcome this time around. The bout remains close for the first few rounds, with the more aggressive Crowley moving inside and gaining a slight advantage in round three. By the midway point, the unofficial scorer has Crowley ahead (by a count of 58-56) and, to the delight of the British fans, he continues to press forward in the second half of the bout. It isn’t until the final few rounds that Holtzer abandons his defense-first approach but, by then, Crowley has matters well in hand, coasting to a solid UD 12 triumph (117-111, 115-113, 116-113) to capture the EBU FW belt (having previously held the GBU belt) for the first time. Post-bout records: Crowley, 30-23-1 (13); Holtzer, 42-20-4 (15).

Apr. 26, 1941: Final card of the month, and it’s in New York, at the Polo Grounds, featuring another WBA title clash. Defending the WBA WW title belt is Henry “Homicide Hank” Armstrong, facing challenger Freddie “the Croat Comet” Zivic. It is Armstrong’s fifth title defense, and Zivic’s second title try, having been a KO victim of Armstrong’s in the prior title bout, early in 1940. Armstrong looks sharp early, but Zivic impresses with a big round three when he catches Armstrong trying to work his way on the inside. Armstrong regains control, scoring well to take round four. Then, in round five, Armstrong connects with a vicious hook, and Zivic drops to the canvas. After taking a six count, Zivic arises and, on wobbly legs, attempts to cover up. Armstrong continues to apply the pressure, and there is no escape as, with plenty of time remaining in the round, the ref steps in to call a halt. TKO 5 for Armstrong, who improves to 36-4-3 (30) with the win. The loss drops Zivic to 28-10-4 (15).

[JCWeb]

This report covers a total of 50 bouts taking place during the first half of May 1941. One WBA title bout is included.

May 2, 1941: Fistic action for the month of May commences with a Friday night card at Syracuse’ War Memorial Auditorium. No titles at stake, and the feature matches two LH contenders: Danny “Irish” Devlin and Herbie Katz, both of whom are still at Prime and looking to move up in the rankings. First meeting of the two, and the action takes awhile to develop as there is a long feeling-out process. Late in round two, Katz inflicts some damage, opening a cut on Devlin’s nose. Two rounds later, the cut is still bleeding, and Katz appears to have seized the initiative, as the cut is clearly bothering Devlin. Midway through round five, the cut is still bleeding uncontrollably, and ref calls in the ring doctor, eventually calling a halt. It’s a premature end to the bout, with Katz walking away a TKO 5 victor. Post-bout career marks: Katz, 22-4-1 (14); Devlin, 32-15-5 (14).

May 3, 1941: Next up is a card at Havana’s Gran Stadium. Again, no titles on the line, and the feature pits two ranked MW veterans of the ring wars: former EBU Champ Edouard Tenet and Germany’s Jupp Besselmann. Second meeting of the two, with Tenet having recorded a TKO win back in 1937. However, this time around, Tenet is at Post-Prime, so Besselmann’s corner is hoping for a better outcome. Besselmann is off the mark early, dominating the action in round one. By the end of the third round, Tenet is showing the effects, with some major puffiness forming around his left eye. The unofficial scorer at ringside has Besselmann ahead (49-47) at the halfway point. Besslemann connects with a big uppercut near the end of round six that causes Tenet to cover up, and the Frenchman is fortunate in that there is not enough time remaining in the round for Besselmann to do further damage. Then, late in round nine, Tenet’s nose is bloodied and he is dropped, the result of a flash knockdown. The bout goes the rest of the way without incident and, to no one's surprise, it's a lopsided UD 10 for Besselmann (99-90 on all three cards) pushing his career totals to 32-10-5 (25). Tenet ends the bout at 42-25-8 (10).

May 9, 1941: Next is a Friday night card at Phoenix’s Dodge Stadium. The main event is for the NABF WW title, featuring Jimmy Garrison, making his second defense of that belt versus challenger Jackie Wilson. On paper, it looks to be a stern test for Garrison, as Wilson has gone undefeated (21-0-2) in his previous bouts, but many suggest he has yet to be tested by tough competition. Anyway, as it is the first meeting of the two, there is a long feeling out process that ends near the end of round five when Garrison, the prototypical boxer, runs into an uppercut from Wilson, the prototypical slugger, and goes down, only to be saved by the bell. Despite a 10-8 round for Wilson, at the midway point the unofficial scorer has the bout even (57-57). Garrison continues to stay on the outside (hopefully out of range), while Wilson continues in an aggressive manner, stalking his opponent. Then, in the final minute of round nine, Wilson finds the range with a hard cross, and Garrison tumbles to the canvas for a second time. This time, Garrison cannot beat the count and is counted out. KO 9 for Wilson, who remains unbeaten, now 22-0-2 (15), to become the new NABF WW Champ. Garrison falls to 26-5-3 (2) with the loss.

May 10, 1941: Toronto’s Maple Leaf Gardens is the venue for the next fistic action, and the one notable matchup is the main event, a non-title affair matching newly crowned USBA MW titleholder Charley Burley with his GUB counterpart, Jock McAvoy. First meeting of the two. Burley pulls ahead with a big round three; at the halfway point, Burley has compiled a solid points lead (49-46 on the unofficial card). By the end of round six, McAvoy is continuing to take a beating, and he has begun to develop some major swelling under his right eye. A big uppercut from Burley in round seven rocks McAvoy on his heels. McAvoy manages to survive to the end of the bout, but it’s a fairly comfortable UD 10 win for Burley (99-91, 98-92, 97-93). Post-bout career records: Burley, 24-1 (20); McAvoy, 35-16-5 (24). Big win for Burley, who has established his credentials as a potential WBA title challenger.

May 10, 1941: Anticipation builds for the next card, at Los Angeles’ Olympic Auditorium, where a WBA title is on the line. First up, a 10-round, non-title clash serves as the main support, with two top five FW contenders doing battle, as #1 Harold Hoshino faces #4 Petey Sarron. First meeting of the two, and the pre-fight predictions favor Hoshino, who has just become established in the prime of his career, while Sarron, at Post-Prime, is on his way down. Hoshino starts well, with a blistering attack that wins him the opening round, then things settle down for a lull for the next few rounds. After some good action in rounds four and five, the unofficial scorer has a slight edge for Sarron (49-48), although two rounds were scored even – a close fight. Second half of the bout, Hoshino steps up the pace in an effort to put more pressure on his opponent. In round eight, an overly aggressive Hoshino suffers a cut over his left eyebrow. The bout goes the rest of the way without incident, and Hoshino walks away with a close MD 10 win (97-95, 96-95, 96-96), finishing strongly to take the final round on two judges’ cards. The win pushes Hoshino’s career totals to 28-1 (15), while the loss drops Sarron to 38-20-6 (10), and Hoshino remains the #1 FW contender. In the feature, Jackie Jurich makes the second defense of his WBA Flyweight title, taking on veteran Frenchman Valentin Angelmann. First meeting of the two, with Angelmann, the one-time EBU Fly Champion, coming off a pair of recent wins to set up his third WBA title shot, having lost twice to ex-Champ Midget Wolgast in 1935 and 1939. After a couple of close opening rounds, Angelmann takes the initiative, moving inside in round three. After a slow start, Jurich is on target in round four, ripping open a cut on the challenger’s lip. The cut is quickly patched up, and when the action resumes in round five, the inside exchanges favor Jurich, who has pulled ahead on points (by a count of 49-47 on the unofficial card). In round six, Jurich reopens the cut and causes some puffiness to appear round the left eye of Angelmann. As the bout wears on, Jurich assumes control, gradually wearing down the challenger. With five rounds remaining, the unofficial scorer has Jurich well ahead (97-93). More of the same as the bout draws to conclusion, with Jurich adopting a more defensive posture, sitting on his assumed points lead for the final few rounds. No knockdowns as the bout goes the full 15, with the UD 15 going to Jurich (144-140, 144-140, 145-139), although Angelmann did well to keep the scores reasonably close. Post-bout career marks: Jurich, 21-3-1 (16); Angelmann, 38-20-1 (13).

May 16, 1941: To Aussie-land for a Friday Night “Down Under” card at Sydney. Twin bill at the top of the card, although no title action. In the first co-feature, BWs are on display, with one-time WBA BW Champion K. O. Morgan facing two-time OPBF BW Champ Little Pancho. The two have met twice before, with Pancho scoring a win and a draw, but their most recent meeting was back in 1933 (the initial meeting, back in April 1931, here in Sydney, resulted in a draw). Pancho’s defense proves adequate to keep Morgan at bay through the opening few rounds and, at the halfway point, the unofficial scorer has the Filipino in front (49-46). Both men seem to have plenty left for the later rounds, which see Morgan becoming more and more aggressive, looking to land a big shot to turn the bout around in his favor. Pancho has to deal with some swelling around his right eye, but his defense remains solid as he averts more serious damage from Morgan’s power. However, despite one judge giving the nod to Pancho, two others call it even so the bout ends in a draw (97-93 Pancho, 95-95, 95-95). Post-bout marks: Morgan, 34-12-7 (17); Pancho, 41-10-7 (9). Then, in the second co-feature, Aussie fans are set to cheer on their own, Commonwealth and OPBF WW Champion Jack McNamee, who faces Italian Vittorio Venturi, a former WBA WW Champion; it’s a rematch of an earlier meeting of the two, back in 1939, that resulted in a UD win for the Australian. Solid start from the Aussie, but Venturi manages to battle back, inflicting sufficient damage to cause some initial swelling around the right eye of McNamee by the end of the fourth round. However, the unofficial scorer has McNamee well ahead (by a count of 49-46) at the midway point. Venturi picks up the pace as the bout heads into the later rounds, and with seconds ticking down in the final round, he connects with a hard cross, staggering McNamee, who remains upright and survives to the final bell. In the end, the judges’ cards are unanimous – it’s a UD 10 for McNamee (97-93 on all three cards), running his career record to 29-8 (17) with the win. The loss drops Venturi to 45-19-9 (13).

[JCWeb]

This report covers a total of 58 bouts taking place during the second half of May 1941. One WBA title bout is included in this report.

May 17, 1941: Fistic action continues with a card at the Rand Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa, a venue seeing increasing use during the war years. No titles on the line, and the feature matches homegrown crowd favorite Laurie Stevens with Eddie Cool in a matchup of two top 10 LW contenders. No prior meetings of the two, and Stevens – seeking to rebuild his resume and perhaps regain the Commonwealth LW title – is the aggressor of the two through the early rounds while Cool, who once held the USBA LW title, takes a more passive approach. Cool’s slick boxing and more accurate punching enable him to seize an early points advantage (49-47, according to the unofficial scorer) at the halfway point of the bout. In the second half of the bout, Stevens continues to press forward, taking advantage of a stamina edge over Cool. The result is a strong rally by Stevens who manages to catch Cool with a big hook in the final round, but he is unable to put the American away. The pro-Stevens crowd howls in protest as the judges’ cards are read, announcing Cool as the MD 10 winner (96-95, 95-95, 96-94), a somewhat surprising result given all three judges had Stevens winning the final three rounds. Anyway, the post-bout career marks are: Cool, 37-16-5 (12); Stevens, 27-8-1 (18).

May 17, 1941: Next up is a card at Detroit’s Briggs Stadium. Again, no titles on the line, and the feature pits two ranked MW contenders against each other. First up, on the undercard is “the Cincinnnati Cobra,” the promising LH prospect, Ezzard Charles, taking on a TC in his third career outing. The bout is over in the first round, a KO 1 for Charles who runs his career record to a perfect 3-0 (3). Charles, who is still in his teens, has been brought along carefully, and his next bout will be later in the year, after he turns 20. In the main event, it’s the “Boxing Bellhop,” Freddie Apostoli, against Cuban Kid Tunero, in a rematch of a prior encounter, back in 1940, that went the way of Tunero (via a SD 10). This time around, Tunero has a good opening round but runs into trouble in round two, after Apostoli rips open a gash over his right eye. Good cornerwork manages to keep the cut under control, and Tunero continues to swing away, with an aggressive posture, rocking Apostoli with a three-punch combo midway through round five. As a result, the unofficial scorer at ringside has Tunero ahead by a comfortable margin (49-46) at the halfway point. Apostoli bounces back with a good round in the sixth, reopening the cut and also causing some initial swelling to appear around Tunero’s injured eye. Then, in round seven, he rains a combination of blows that drop Tunero to the canvas. The Cuban fighter barely beats the count, arising at the count of nine, and covers up to survive the round. The cut is reopened in round nine, and begins bleeding profusely. A halt is ordered, and because the cut is ruled due to an accidental butt, the bout is decided based on the scorecards after round eight. By this measure, thanks to the one KD, Apostoli is declared the UTD 8 victor (76-74 on all three cards). The win, a popular one with the fight fans here in Detroit, lifts Apostoli to 26-6-2 (21) compared to 32-13-5 (10) for Tunero.

May 23, 1941: Next is a Friday night card at Boston Garden. The main event features two long-time HW contenders in a key “crossroads” fight for both men’s careers. Roscoe Toles faces Max Baer in a rematch of a 1937 encounter that resulted in a UD win for Toles. Now, four years later, with Baer at Post-Prime career stage, Toles is hoping for a repeat win to boost his prospects for another title try. Solid start for Toles, who literally leaves his mark in the form of a cut under the left eye of Baer. More trouble for Baer in round four, when Toles rips open a second cut above the left eye. At the midway point, it’s a solid points lead for Toles (50-46, according to the unofficial scorer). Battling the effects of the cuts and aging, Baer tries to put pressure on his opponent, all to no avail. The UD 10 goes the way of Toles (by scores of 98-92, 98-93, 97-93), re-establishing his credentials as a top HW contender. Post-bout career marks: 34-7-3 (6) for Toles; 32-16 (28) for Baer.

May 24, 1941: London’s venerable Harringay Arena is the venue for the next fistic action, with a twin bill topping the card. In the first co-feature, veteran HW Tommy Farr takes on the much younger Jack London in a 10-round, non-title affair. Not much action through the first five rounds, but what little action tends to favor Farr, who builds a nice points lead (49-46 on the unofficial card) by the midway point. By the end of round seven, a frustrated London – bothered by a rapidly swollen left eye, is beginning to suck wind, unable to cope with Farr’s superior boxing skills. Farr goes on to take a fairly routine UD 10 win (by scores of 96-94, 98-92, 98-92). Post-bout career records: Farr, 48-16-3 (16); London, 26-9-2 (14). The finale is for the GBU BW title, currently held by former WBA BW Champ Johnny King. Challenging King for the belt is Tom Smith, who held the GBU BW title briefly in the 1938-39 time frame. Surprisingly, the two have not met previously. King, the more aggressive of the two, starts well, establishing control on the inside while Smith elects to stay on the outside, assuming a more passive posture. Smith manages to rebound from a subpar start with a strong showing in round three, with some good two-fisted counterpunching that causes some puffiness around both eyes of the Champ. The bruising battle continues with the unofficial scorer having it even (57-all) at the midway point, which sees Smith showing some signs of swelling around his left eye as King is repeatedly on target with some accurate punching. Big stamina edge for King, the more experienced fighter, heading into the later rounds. Headed into the final few rounds, more pinpoint accuracy from King has Smith suffering from some swelling from the right eye as well, and Smith, trailing now, decides to become more aggressive in the final two rounds. In the final round, Smith connects with a big hook, and King attempts to cover up, but Smith lands a solid combination, putting King down and out. Big turn of events, upset of the year candidate, the KO 12 allows Smith, now 21-8-6 (11), to regain the GBU BW crown. King, now 52-8-1 (21), is still at Prime career stage and has hopes of rebounding from this surprising setback. (A check of the scorecards showed King well ahead on all three cards, so Smith needed the KO to win, and he succeeded in doing so.)

May 30, 1941: Next card is a Friday night affair at Manila’s Rizal Arena, and the main event is for the OPBF Flyweight title. Little Dado, the current holder, stung by a couple of recent losses, decides to make his first defense against fellow Filipino Small Montana, the man he defeated to earn the belt a year ago. Montana’s is coming off an upset MD win over Benny Lynch, while Dado is coming off a shocking loss to Rinty Monaghan (also via MD). Not much in the way of action in the early rounds, with a slight edge to the challenger, who seems the more active of the two. Then, midway through round four, a sharp right cross from Montana rips open a gash over the left eye of Dado. Blood spurts out; after conferring with the ring physician, the bout is halted and Montana is declared the victor via the cuts stoppage. TKO 4 for Montana enables him to regain the OPBF title and improves his career record to 26-12-4 (9). Little Dado, who suffered his third career loss in his last four bouts, and is now 24-3 (13).

May 31, 1941: Final card of the month takes place at New York City’s Yankee Stadium. Some exciting WBA title action on store, but first, on the undercard is unbeaten young WW prospect “Sugar” Ray Robinson who, in his toughest test to date, faces Morris Reif, his first non-TC opponent, in an 8-rounder. Reif, at 18, is even a couple of years younger than Robinson, with an unbeaten string of wins in his first five bouts while Sugar Ray has remained perfect (7 wins, 7 KO) in his first seven outings. The bout remains close for the first few rounds, then Robinson begins to dominate, landing some hard shots in round three. A vicious hook from Robinson puts Reif on the deck in round four, bur Sugar Ray cannot finish Reif who recovers (and wisely covers up) Robinson continues to hammer away at a stubborn opponent, who goes down a second time from a Robinson combination in round seven, but nonetheless manages to regain his footing and last the distance. Solid UD 8 points win for Robinson (80-71, 79-72, 80-71), who was taken the distance for the first time and is 8-0 (7) after the win; Reif dropped to 5-1 (4) with the loss. After several more preliminary bouts, time for the main event, and it is the WBA LH title on the line, as Lloyd Marshall, who won the title earlier in the year, takes on veteran Tiger Jack Fox in his initial title defense. First meeting of the two, and it has been a long wait for Fox – almost seven years – since he lost the WBA title to Maxie Rosenbloom in late 1934. Fox starts well, landing some solid blows in round twoo and causing some initial swelling around the left eye of Marshall. In round three, Fox continues to fire away, drilling Marshall with a hard cross that forces the Champ to cover up. After the first five, the unofficial scorer has a narrow one-point lead (48-47) for the challenger. In round seven, Marshall tries to become more aggressive, working his way inside but, after a series of exchange of blows, he falls victim to a solid combination from Fox that puts him down and out. KO 7 for Fox, who regains the WBA title after a seven-year hiatus, improving his career record to 51-6-1 (36) with the win. The loss drops Marshall to 20-2-2 (19).

[JCWeb]

This report covers a total of 47 bouts taking place during the first half of June 1941. One WBA title bout is included in this report – and, looking ahead, there are three more WBA title bouts set for later in the month.

June 6, 1941: The month kicks off with a fairly abbreviated card at a little used venue, the Nueva Circa in Caracas, Venezuela. A small but boisterous crowd has gathered to see hometown fan favorite, FW Simon Chavez, battle fellow FW, American Petey Scalzo, in a 10-round, non-title affair. The two have not met before and Scalzo, who has recently hit Prime career stage, is looking to make a big move up the rankings, taking on a former WBA FW Champ and a seasoned fighter in Chavez, who is looking to regain some momentum after a recent UD loss to Harold Hoshino. Fairly tame first few rounds, with both men taking a cautious approach to the bout. Buoyed by the cheers from the home crowd, Chavez begins to gain the upper hand in rounds four and five, landing some good blows that also gain him the points lead (49-47, according to the unofficial scorer) at the halfway point of the bout. Trailing, Scalzo tries to ramp up the pace, going on the offensive In the second half of the bout. He manages to rally and take round seven, but Chavez has a big stamina edge and superior boxing skills that come into play as Scalzo begins to exhaust himself, running out of energy as the bout wears on. The bout goes the full 10, and in a real shocker, Scalzo walks away with a UD 10 (97-94, 97-94, 96-95). The post-bout career marks are: Scalzo, 19-2-2 (11); Chavez, 29-15-2 (7). Seems as if the judges preferred the more active fighter (i.e Scalzo) over the more accurate but defensive-minded Chavez, an outcome that was roundly booed by the pro-Chavez crowd. Nonetheless, this big win against a name opponent should be sufficient to propel Scalzo towards a title shot and a spot among the top 10 FWs.

June 7, 1941: Next up is a card at the Stadium in Liverpool, UK. Again, no titles on the line, and the feature pits newly-crowned GBU LH Champ “Fearless Freddie” Mills, and top 10 LH contender Melio Bettina, who has travelled from the States to face a hostile crowd. First meeting of the two, and both men are looking to bounce back from losses in their most recent prior bout. Action is slow to develop, with both sluggers cautiously looking for an opportunity to bang away on the inside. To the pleasure of the pro-Mills crowd, the British Champ has a strong round five and, according to the unofficial card, holds a narrow points lead (48-47) at the halfway point. Bettina responds with a big round six, and Mills is showing the effects, with a rapidly swelling right eye clearly visible as he makes his way back to the corner. Mills steps up the pressure in rounds seven and eight, and the bout remains close heading into the final two rounds. The two continue battling to the end and the bout goes the distance, with the judges in disagreement, issuing a split verdict, one for Mills, one for Bettina, then a draw from the third judge is the final outcome (97-93 Bettina, 95-95, 94-96 Mills), a result that does not meet with the approval of the pro-Mills crowd. As a result, Mills’s record post-bout is 21-3-1 (13) compared to 25-5-3 (11) for Bettina.

June 7, 1941: Next card – featuring a USBA title clash – takes place at Atlantic City’s Convention Hall. The two protagonists are veteran LHs Tony Shucco and Ray Actis, both contending for the USBA LH title recently vacated by Tiger Jack Fox. Second meeting of the two, with Shucco taking the prior bout, via a TKO stoppage, back in 1937. This time around, a strong start has Shucco on top early, with Actis, the “Excelsior Assassin,” already displaying some puffiness around his right eye by the end of the opening stanza. By the midway point, it’s a commanding points lead for Shucco (50-45, according to the unofficial scorer), who continues pounding away, causing some puffiness around the left eye as well. Finally, in round nine, Actis, battling a recently opened cut on his forehead, breaks through with a three-punch combination that stuns Shucco. However, it turns out to be too little, and, in the final round, the cut is reopened, leading to a late stoppage, thus Shucco captures the belt via a TKO 12. A peek at the judges’ scorecards revealed a large, insurmountable margin in favor of Shucco. Post-bout career marks: Shucco, 36-14-1 (12); Actis, 28-14 (24).

June 13, 1941: Next is a Friday Night “Down Under” card at Sydney, Australia. An OPBF title bout tops the agenda, With Aussie Mickey Miller challenging Pablo Dano for Dano’s OPBF BW title belt. First meeting of the two, and right off the bat with the first exchange in the opening round, Dano tattoos Miller with a big hook that forces the Aussie challenger to cover up. Miller tries to work his way inside, becoming more aggressive, but all he ends up with is a rapidly swelling left eye Then, suddenly, in round five, the bout comes to a surprising early conclusion after Miller counters with a hard right. Blood is spurting freely from a gash over the left eye of Dano, and the ref steps in to halt the action. To the delight of the crowd, Miller’s hand is raised in triumph as it goes down as a TKO 5 win for Miller via the cuts stoppage. The win boosts Miller’s career totals to 29-9-2 (17), while the loss leaves Dano – now at Post-Prime – at 38-15-5 (17).

June 14, 1941: Next card is at Havana’s Gran Stadium, and two non-title bouts top the bill. In the first co-feature, two MWs do battle as LABF MW Champ Antonio Fernandez takes on German Jupp Besselman. It’s the third meeting of the two; Fernandez has the edge, with a win and a draw in their two prior encounters. In round three, Fernandez rips open a cut over the right eye of Besselman. However, Besselman – the more aggressive of the two – seizes the initiative despite the cut, and he is rewarded with a points edge (49-47 on the unofficial card) by the midway point. Later in the bout, Besselman becomes overly cautious, allowing Fernandez to escape with a draw (95-95 on all three cards). Post-bout marks: Fernandez, 33-13-4 (12); Besselman, 32-10-6 (25). Then, the second co-feature event pits EBU WW Champ Gustav Eder against hometown crowd favorite Joe Legon, a former LABF WW titleholder. Second meeting of the two, with the Cuban taking a split duke a little over a year ago, in May 1940. This time around, Eder dominates the early action, building a solid edge in punches landed. Legon tries to get more aggressive, moving inside in round three but is met by a smothering defense from Eder. Eder holds a solid points lead at the halfway point (50-45 on the unofficial card). Late in the bout, Legon suffers from fatigue and a swollen left eye. Eder goes on to a comfortable UD 10 win (99-92 on all three cards) to boost his career record to 38-9-10 (9). For Legon, it is only his fourth career loss, leaving him at 25-4-6 (12).

June 14, 1941: To San Francisco for a long-awaited WBA BW title bout, matching Georgie Pace in his second title defense. His opponent, three-time former WBA BW Champ Panama Al Brown, now in the Post-Prime stage of his career but still a formidable foe for anyone. First meeting of these two. After a close opening round, Brown manages to open a cut under the right eye of Pace in round two. The wily veteran challenger mixes and inside and outside attack, dominating the punches landed stats although, for some reason, the unofficial scorer at ringside has Pace ahead (by a count of 49-46) after the first five rounds. In the middle rounds, Brown presses the attack, gradually wearing down Pace. After 10, the unofficial scorecard has it even (95-all) although most observers have the challenger well ahead at this point. In round 12, Pace lands his best punch of the fight, a straight right that stuns Brown, but unfortunately it occurs right before the bell, giving Pace no time to follow up. More of the same in the final few rounds, with Pace battling some swelling around the cut right eye as well as fatigue in additional to a skilled and determined challenger. The end result is a solid UD 15 win for Brown (146-139, 146-140, 148-138), who becomes a WBA Champion for the fourth time in his long and illustrious career. Post-bout career marks: 66-11-2 (25) for Brown, 27-9-2 (19) for Pace.

[tgreene78]

Hello, all. I used to be a regular contributor to this forum, but it's been a decade since my last post (under a different username). Recently, my interest in Title Bout has ramped up. I purchased TBCB 2013. I used to run a universe that is comparable to many I read here. The problem is, I don't remember all of the details. I think most, if not all of my ideas came from Cube. I also remember someone sending me example spreadsheets and a link for random dice rolling. Can someone help me get started again? I want to use just HW's, for now. But I don't want to base it on a historical timeline. In other words: I am just going to start at a random date, and any fighter is eligible to join the rankings at any time. Mike Tyson vs John Sullivan... whatever. Does someone have a clear set of rules/instructions that I may use? Along with an example spreadsheet and a dice roller? I know it's alot to ask. But I have to try, right? I would love to get back into this game.

Thank you,
Tim

[JCWeb]

tgreene,

Suggest you check out post #946 and #949 in this thread where similar questions were addressed, as well as the first few posts in the thread. You mention cubedrum and I have heavily borrowed from his system, the details of which are outlined by SAL (I believe he includes a direct quote from Cube's initial post which I am unable to locate right now) in post #949 -- hope this helps.

Sorry, can't help on the spreadsheet business (I use folders and the TBCB database, no spreadsheets) and not familiar with the random die rolling -- I keep 2D10 by the computer and use them as needed for scheduling, how many months a fighter is off, his debut month, etc. Keep in mind while I have focused this replay on a historical universe, others have not, so I suggest you check those threads as well -- maybe going back a few years because not as many of us are active these days.

[JCWeb]

This report covers a total of 55 bouts taking place during the second half of June 1941. Three WBA title bouts, including two on one card, are included in this report.

June 20, 1941: Next is a card at Washington D. C.’s Uline Arena. No titles at stake, but the feature brings together a pair of HW contenders, reigning LABF HW Champ Jimmy Mendes and rising star Lou Nova. The two have not met before, and Mendes is at Post-Prime while Nova is at Prime and on his way up the HW ranks. It’s a good test for both men, and Nova starts well, taking the opening round by a decisive margin, dropping Mendes with a short, clean hook right before the bell. More of the same in round two, and Mendes elects to slug it out on the inside in round three – with decidedly better results as his aggressiveness is rewarded. Good action rounds in rounds four and five, with Nova ahead on the scorecard (49-45, according to the unofficial scorer) at the halfway point. Trailing, Mendes rallies with a big round six, where he drops Nova for an eight count. Despite the big round, Mendes is showing signs of fatigue as well as the effects of a rapidly swelling right eye. Nova’s corner urges him to become more active, and he battles back, sending Mendes to the canvas with an uppercut in round eight. Nova continues to fire away, landing punch after punch until the ref calls a halt. TKO 8 for Nova, who was trailing on two of the three cards after the first seven. Post-bout career marks are: Nova, 23-6 (18); Mendes, 37-14-4 (30). Good action bout, and a possible fight of the year candidate. However, after three straight losses, Mendes’ days as a top-flight HW contender may be numbered.

June 21, 1941: Next up is a card at Escobar Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and the feature pits none other than the Puerto Rican BW boxer, Sixto Escobar, in the role of challenger for the NABF BW title currently held by American Tommy Forte. It’s the first meeting of the two, and Forte is struggling to regain his form with this, his second title defense, after having been held to a draw by Lou Salica in his initial title defense and then suffering a KO loss – the first loss in his career thus far -- to Georgie Pace in an unsuccessful try for the WBA BW title. Escobar, a former LABF BW titleholder, is past his Prime and looking to regain his past glory, having gone winless (six losses and one draw) since his last win, almost two years ago. In this encounter, the two trade blows mostly from long range for the first few rounds. Early indications are that Escobar, buoyed by the support of the hometown fight fans, is doing well, and late in round five he connects with a short, clean cross that sends Forte to the deck. After the first six, it’s clear that Escobar has a stamina edge as well as a solid points lead (60-53, according to the unofficial card, although that includes a few close rounds that could have gone either way. Trailing, Forte is forced onto the offensive in an effort to retain his title. As Forte attacks, Escobar defends well, protecting his early advantage and, with the home crowd behind him, he goes on to take a solid UD 12 verdict (117-110, 116-111, 116-111) to capture the belt. As a result, Escobar improves to a post-bout 32-12-4 (10). For Forte, it is only his second career loss (and second loss in a row), dropping him to 23-2-2 (11).

June 21, 1941: Next card – featuring twin bill WBA title contests -- takes place at Chicago’s Comiskey Park. No supporting bouts worthy of mention, but the excitement is in the arena as two popular champions – Tony Zale and Joe Louis are set to defend their respective titles. In the first co-feature, Zale, the “Man of Steel,” puts his WBA MW title on the line, facing ex-Champ Ken Overlin. Classical slugger (Zale) versus boxer (Overlin) matchup, and their one prior meeting (back in 1937) went in favor of Zale, via a MD 10. This time around, there’s a lot of posturing but not much action in the opening couple of rounds. In round three, Zale manages to work his way inside and land a few good shots. More of the same in the next two rounds, and according to the unofficial scorer at ringside, it is enough for Zale to take a slim points lead (48-47 after the first five rounds). In the middle rounds, Zale continues to pursue his inside attack, while Overlin tries to outbox his opponent from the outside. Two good rounds in the ninth and the 10th for Overlin, and the unofficial scorecard has the fight even (95-all) headed into the final five rounds. Punches landed stats are almost even as well, and Zale takes the initiative to step up the pace, given that Overlin appears to be tiring. Good action round in round 11, and there is some puffiness around the right eye of Zale as the two men return to their corners. Zale continues to press the attack, looking to land a telling blow in rounds 13 and 14. However, Overlin’s defense remains solid, frustrating the Champ, whose timing seems a bit off. No cuts or knockdowns, and the bout goes the distance, with Zale coming out on top by a narrow SD 15 (142-143, 143-142, 143-142) to retain the title by the narrowest of margins – with two judges giving the nod to Zale in the final round to seal the victory. Zale improves to 31-2 (20) with the win. Overlin, now 38-8-5 (14), is already angling for a rematch – and the bout is already a Fight of the Year candidate. Then, in the finale, the WBA HW title is on the line, and it’s the “Brown Bomber,” Joe Louis, unbeaten in his last nine – all successful title defenses, and all inside the distance – who faces Nathan Mann, an opponent he has stopped twice before, most recently in June 1940. Mann tries to stay away from Louis’ power, and he succeeds for the first round or two, but Louis finds the range with a big hook in round two, then decks Mann in round three. A second trip to the canvas follows later in that same round, with Mann being saved by the bell. After a breather in round four, Louis seeks to finish Mann in round five, but the challenger’s defense remains solid. However, by this point, the damage has been done, with Louis well ahead on points after five (50-44, according to the unofficial scorecard). More punishment is dished out by the Champ in round six, but no knockdowns, although Mann’s left eye is beginning to puff up. In rounds seven and eight, Louis steps up the attack, but Mann remains upright despite being on the receiving end of a variety of Louis’ punches. Mann continues to survive until round nine, when a heavy fusillade of blows from Louis convinces to ref to call a halt to the one-sided affair. TKO 9 for Louis – his 10th win in succession since his only career loss to Max Schmeling back in 1938. Post-bout career marks: Louis, 35-1 (33); Mann, 23-7-2 (18).

June 27, 1941: Next is a Friday night fight card, held at New Orleans’ Coliseum Arena. Key matchup is a USBA LW title fight, and it’s a rematch of a bout held in 1940 in which Davey Day lifted the title from the “Sweetwater Swatter,” Lew Jenkins and now, almost a year later, Jenkins is looking to regain that belt and avenge the only loss thus far in his career. Since lifting the title, Day has had some indifferent results, hanging on in his first defense in a draw with Lefty Satan Flynn, and dropping a UD 10 to British Champ Jack Kid Berg. This time, the two have taken a cautious approach with little action in terms of hard punches landed in the opening few rounds. In round three, Jenkins works his way inside and scores well with some stinging shots that cause some swelling to appear under the left eye of Day. After six, the unofficial scorer has Jenkins with a solid points edge (59-56). Into the later rounds, Jenkins continues to focus on Day’s swollen eye, while Day – a boxer by nature – tries to become more aggressive. Jenkins holds a stamina edge, taking advantage of the fact that Day has recently hit Post-Prime career stage. In round 10, Day manages to open a cut under Jenkins’ left eye – not a dangerous location. The bout goes the full 12 with no knockdowns, and Jenkins’ hand is raised in triumph as he takes a UD 12 (118-111, 117-111, 116-114). The win boosts Jenkins’ career totals to 24-1-2 (11), while the loss leaves Day at 32-7-4 (13).

June 28, 1941: Next card is at London’s Earls Court, and twin bill title bout action tops the agenda. In the first co-main event, the GBU FW title is on the line, with Frank Parkes defending against Dave Crowley, whom he defeated to capture this belt back in 1938. The bout remains close through the opening rounds, with both men holding their own. Crowley, the more aggressive of the two, struggles to land a telling blow, but the unofficial scorer at ringside has him with the points edge (by a count of 58-56) at the midway point. Parkes manages to outbox Crowley, and he holds a stamina edge over the challenger as the bout heads into the later stages. Crowley responds with a strong round nine, putting pressure on Parkes to step up the pace. The issue remains in doubt all the way to the final bell, finishing without either man suffering from cuts or knockdowns. After a long break, the scorecards are read, and Crowley is announced the winner via a MD 12 (116-113, 114-114, 116-114) to regain the title he held kn 1937-38. Post-bout marks: Crowley, 31-23-1 (13); Parkes, 24-8-1 (14). Then, the second co-feature, Ireland’s Rinty Monaghan challenges Joe Curran for the Commonwealth Flyweight title belt currently held by Curran. The two have met once before, back in 1937, with Curran winning, but that was while Monaghan was still at Pre-Prime career stage. This time around, Mongahan starts well, and by the end of the opening round, there is a trace of swelling around the right eye of Curran. Then, in round five, things appear to turn in favor of the Champ as Monaghan suffers a cut over his right eye. However, at the halfway point, Monaghan appears to be well ahead on points (59-55 on the unofficial card). Mongahan has a definite stamina edge as the bout heads into the later rounds, and Curran continues to struggle with his timing as fatigue begins to set in. In the end, the cut proves not to be an issue (indeed, Curran is cut over his right eye in the final round), and a solid performance by the challenger, Monaghan, earns him the title with a comfortable UD 12 win (118-110, 117-111, 117-111), boosting his career totals to 28-5 (11). The loss leaves Curran at 26-13-2 (11). Monaghan, who has been improving with every bout, has to be taken seriously as a possible WBA Fly title contender.

June 28, 1941: The month wraps with a huge card at the Polo Grounds in New York City. The card kicks off with a couple of notable debutants, specifically LH Joey Maxim who takes a UD 4, followed by Jake “the Bronx Bull” LaMotta, who quickly disposes of this TC opponent via a TKO 2. Champions, former Champions and unbeaten prospects are included on the rest of the star-studden card, topped off by a WBA title contest. The first of the two supporting bouts (leading into a pair of title fights) matches unbeaten MW prospect Steve “Spider” Belloise with an aging, former WBA Champ, Eddie “Babe” Risko. No prior meetings of these two. Belloise looks sharp early, moving well and landing sufficient to blows to cause some initial swelling under the right eye of the ex-Champ. Risko, not to be outdone, rallies to land sufficient leather to cause some minor swelling around Belloise’s left eye by the end of round four. After some good inside action in round five, Belloise appears to have the upper hand but, surprisingly, the unofficial card has Risko ahead (by a count of 49-46) at the halfway point of this 10-rounder. With both men running low on energy, the two battle into the later rounds, essentially on even terms. Under prodding from his corner, Belloise shifts tactics and moves inside in round eight, forcing the action. Both men swing freely in round nine, essentially an even round. It all comes down to the final round, which goes to the wily veteran Risko, just enough to secure him the SD 10 verdict (96-94, 95-96, 96-94), handing Belloise his first career setback. Post-bout career marks: Risko, who will hit End career stage with his next outing, 31-12-4 (11); Belloise, 18-1 (11). In the next bout, another unbeaten fighter is featured as LH Harry Matthews faces former WBA LH Champ John Henry Lewis in a non-title affair. Again, no prior meetings, and Lewis is looking for his first win since dropping the WBA title to unheralded Eddie Booker in mid-1940. Solid start from Matthews, who seems sent to lay back and allow the older man to wear himself out. However, after a solid round four, Lewis appears to be on top, with Matthews battling a rapidly swelling right eye. At the midway point, the unofficial scorer has Lewis up by a narrow margin (48-47). Then, with both men battling swollen right eyes, Matthews takes round seven by remaining outside, successfully counterpunching as Lewis dictates the pace. By the last two rounds, both men are running low on energy, and, as the prior bout, it is the aging veteran coming through to take a narrow decision, this time a UD 10 for Lewis (96-95, 97-94, 96-95), who took the final round on all three cards to secure the victory, moving to 27-9-3 (19) overall, while Matthews’ first career loss leaves him at 17-1 (15). So, two perfect career marks do down the drain. Then, it’s time for a twin bill of title bouts, the first of which is a rematch for the NABF LH title, with Archie Moore defending against former WBA LH Champ Billy Conn, the “Pittsburgh Kid,” whom he defeated for the belt earlier in the year. This time around, Conn suffers a split lip in what appears to be a fairly even opening round. Conn, the consummate boxer, battles back, showing excellent ring generalship skills to take round two. Moore seizes the initiative in round three, stepping inside and scoring well. With Conn’s corner focusing on the cut, which is continuing to occasionally ooze blood, Moore is able to forge a solid points edge by the halfway point (58-56, according to the unofficial card). As the bout heads into the later rounds, Moore continues to press forward, while Conn is content to stay outside. Some good counterpunching by Conn in round eight leads to the first signs of puffiness around the right eye of Moore, who finally seems to be easing up the pace a bit. Still, Moore has the stamina edge and continues to aggressively pursue his opponent into the final rounds of the fight. Moore finishes with a strong final round and, after the judges’ cards are read, it turns out to be needed as he managed to secure a draw to hang on to the belt (114-114, 114-114, 115-113 Moore). Post-bout career marks: Moore, 20-1-4 (15); Conn, 26-4-3 (15). The evening (and the month’s fistic action) wraps up with a WBA WW title bout, featuring Henry “Homicide Hank” Armstrong making his sixth defense against an aging veteran and two-time former WBA WW Champ, Young Corbett III. No longer “young,” it has been a decade since Corbett, now 36 and at End career stage, has last held the belt, plus he was a KO victim of Armstrong when the two squared off, back in 1937. So, most observers are predicting an “easy” defense for Armstrong, setting up a bigger challenge or possible move to MW in the future. After a huge opening round for Armstrong, Corbett is lucky to remain upright and relatively unscathed. More of the same in round two, and Armstrong rocks the challenger with a crippling right early in the third, forcing Corbett to cover up. Again, Corbett survives to the end of the round,and he manages to withstand a further barrage of blows from Armstrong in round four. Finally, in round five, an Armstrong combination decks Corbett, and he follows up, finishing Corbett with an uppercut that puts the veteran challenger down and out. KO 5 for Armstrong, running his career totals to 37-4-3 (31), and Corbett, who has only one or two more bouts left before contemplating retirement, is now 57-21-6 (14).

[JCWeb]

This report covers a total of 57 bouts taking place during the first half of July 1941. No WBA title bouts are included in this report.

July 4, 1941: The month commences with a traditional Fourth of July card – replete with fireworks – at Philadelphia. Fireworks in the ring are expected for the main event, with the “Boxing Bellhop,” MW contender Freddie Apostoli, facing a veteran journeyman in Glen Lee. Should be a stepping stone to bigger and better things for Apostoli, but Lee is riding a five-bout winning streak into the bout, including a UD upset of the highly regarded Billy Soose. Prior to the main event, there’s controversy in the air as aging veteran of the HW ranks, Joe Banovic, has been handed a questionable SD 10 after suffering a major cut and swollen right eye and a knockdown at the hands of up-and-comer Lee Q. Murray. Anyway, in the Apostoli-Lee tilt, not much question who is the superior boxer, as Apostoli takes charge from the opening bell. By the end of the second round, his blows have done sufficient damage to cause some telltale swelling to appear under the right eye of Lee. Lee tries to work his way into the bout, but in round four, he falls victim to a wicked hook to the head from Apostoli and goes down, arising slowly after taking a six-count. At the midway point, the unofficial scorecard is fairly one-sided in favor of Apostoli (49-45, including a 10-8 for the fourth round). Lee, who begins to show signs of fatigue as early as round six, simply lacks the firepower to mount an effective comeback. Exhausted, Lee throws caution to the wind in the final round, and he ends up being finished off by a vicious cross from Apostoli that puts him down and out. KO 10 for Apostoli, who runs his career record to 27-6-2 (22) and solidifies his position as a top 10 MW. Lee’s five bout win streak comes to an end, as the loss drops him to 27-8 (20).

July 5, 1941: Next fistic action is North of the Border at Vancouver’s Exhibition Gardens. The card is headlined by some twin bill title bout action, as not one, but two, Commonwealth titles are up for grabs. In the first co-feature, Lou Brouillard puts his CBU MW title on the line against challenger Jack “Cast Iron” Casey from the UK. First meeting of the two, and while three-time Champ Brouillard will enjoy the support of the hometown crowd, Casey’s corner feels he has a solid chance as Brouillard is at Post-Prime career stage. Casey is coming off a long layoff after his TKO loss to Frenchman Marcel Cerdan for the EBU MW belt last December. For Brouillard, it will be his second title defense, the most recent coming exactly one year prior, also in Vancouver. Not much action in the opening stanza, but by the end of round two, Brouillard is finding the range, and Casey returns to his corner sporting a welt under his right eye. More of the same as Brouillard continues to dish out punishment in round three, and when Casey moves inside in round four, he is just making himself an easier target for Brouillard. At the midway point, the unofficial scorer at ringside has Brouillard well ahead on points (by a 59-56 count). Into the second half of the bout and Casey, despite being low on energy, continues to press forward in an effort to do some damage on the inside. Brouillard wisely elects to stay outside, relying on defense and counterpunching to impress the judges at ringside. By round nine, the swelling around Casey’s eye has become very pronounced, to the point where the ref considers a possible stoppage. A round later, after checking with the ringside physician, the fight is halted, and Brouillard retains the belt via a TKO 10 by a rather rare event, a stoppage due to excessive swelling as opposed to a cut. Post-bout career marks: 33-14-3 (15) for Brouillard; 35-16-5 (21) for Casey. Then, in the second co-feature, Aussie Jack A. Johnson, an unbeaten LH prospect, takes his 17-0 record into the ring to challenge Canadian veteran Charley Belanger for Belanger’s CBU LH title. For Belanger, now at Post-Prime, it is his first title defense in almost four years, as there has been a dearth of credible challengers since the decline of British great Len Harvey. Not much action until near the end of round two, when a combination of blows from Johnson sends Belanger to the canvas. Shaken, the Canadian veteran is able to resume, covering up to survive the remaining seconds of the round. The young Aussie challenger is unable to follow up on his success, and Belanger is able to work his way back into the bout. At the midway point, it’s a slight points edge for Johnson (58-56, according to the unofficial card), but there were several close rounds, plus Belanger has the advantage of being the defending Champion as well as the crowd favorite. Into the later rounds, Belanger begins to get more aggressive, while Johnson is content to sit back and await his opportunities. Into the final rounds, and both men appear exhausted, but, in the end, the 39-year-old veteran is unable to prevent the belt slipping away, into the hands of the younger man. UD 12 to Johnson by a fairly healthy points margin (118-108, 117-109, 118-108). Johnson remains unbeaten, now 18-0 (14). For Belanger, ending the bout at 43-26 (20), his days as a serious LH contender appear to be over.

July 5, 1941: To the West Coast and Los Angeles’ Olympic Auditorium for the next card, featuring a USBA BW title bout. Lou Salica, who just won the title a year ago at this same venue, is making his first defense against challenger Henry “Hoosier Hurricane” Hook. The two met twice before, with each man winning once. Tough start for Hook, who suffers a cut over his left eye in the opening round. The cut continues to ooze blood for a couple of rounds before being patched up by some adroit cornerwork before the start of round three. The challenger appears to surge ahead with some good boxing in rounds five and six, and the unofficial scorer has Hook slightly ahead (59-57) at the halfway point. As the bout heads into the later rounds, Salica’s left eye begins to puff up, the result of absorbing numerous punches from the gloves of the challenger. In round eight, the cut over Hook’s eye is reopened, and Salica becomes more aggressive, targeting the cut and pressing the action. With both men tiring badly, this close bout comes down to the final two rounds, and here the edge appears to favor the Champ, whose rally has definitely slowed Hook’s progress and erased any earlier deficit. The bout goes to decision and, in a very close but UD 12 (116-113, 115-114, 116-115), Hook, the challenger, is declared the victor. He improves to 28-12-2 (11) with the win. Salica, now 26-8-2 (10), is angling for a rematch. A glance at the scorecards shows that Hook won most of the middle rounds, so Salica probably needed a knockout or at least a KD (and a 10-8 round) to swing the bout in his favor.

July 11, 1941: It’s time again for Friday night fights “Down Under,” this time in Melbourne, Australia, and the feature is for the OPBF MW title, a belt that has been active for a year and a half since being won in late 1939 by Aussie Fred Henneberry. Making his first defense, a mandatory one, before a boisterous hometown crowd, he faces a familiar foe, veteran Filipino MW Ceferino Garcia, the man Henneberry beat to capture the OPBF belt, whose prior reigns as OPBF MW Champ stretch all the way back to 1927, when the belt was first installed. In total, four prior meetings between these two, with Henneberry holding the edge with two wins, versus one for Garcia, and one draw. Both men are at Post-Prime career stage, so it should be an interesting bout. Garcia is the aggressor in the early rounds, and in round three, he works his way inside, dropping Henneberry with a hard shot. The Aussie Champion covers up to last the round, but he appears to be unable to make much impression on Garcia, who seems intent in regaining the OPBF belt for the third time. At the midway point, the unofficial scorer at ringside has Garcia well ahead (by a count of 59-54). Both men begin to tire even in the late middle rounds, and the rest of the bout becomes a bit of a slog, with Garcia stifling Henneberry’s attempts to mix it up. In the later rounds, Henneberry is reduced to taking a few wild shots, and later in round 11, he leaves him open for a nice, short cross from Garcia – knockdown number two. Henneberry is able to resume, but offers little the rest of the way, and Garcia goes on to take a well-deserved UD 12 (117-109, 116-110, 116-110), regaining a title he has held twice before. The win boosts Garcia’s career totals to 43-23-2 (24), while the loss leaves Henneberry at 30-17-2 (12).

July 12, 1941: San Juan, Puerto Rico is the venue for the next fistic action. No titles at stake; the main event pairs two LW contenders, as former LABF LW Champ Tony Chavez faces Johnny Bellus. The two met once before, back in 1935, resulting in a UD 10 for Chavez. This time around, the action takes awhile to develop and Bellus, boxing comfortably on the outside, appears to have the upper hand through the first half of the bout (the unofficial card has it 49-47 in his favor at the halfway point). Round six proves to be a big round for Chavez, and Bellus begins to show some definite puffiness around his right eye. Some solid shots from both men in round seven, and it is Chavez’s left eye that begins to show signs of swelling. Chavez’s corner, fearing he is losing the fight, urge their man to step up the pace in the later rounds, which he does. In round eight, Chavez connects with a crippling right hook to the head that forces Bellus to cover up. The bout comes down to the final round and appears to be very close. When the cards are read, one judge has Chavez the winner, but the other two score the bout even – a majority draw (95-95, 96-95 Chavez, 95-95). Chavez’s late surge won him both rounds eight and nine, but round 10 was split with one judge going for Chavez, another for Bellus, and a third called it even – hence the drawn result. Post-bout career marks are 31-10-3 (12) for Chavez, and 30-13-5 (12) for Bellus.

July 12, 1941: Next card is at St. Louis’ Kiel Auditorium. The main event is for the NABF MW belt. First up, in the co-feature, two post-Prime WW contenders square off with in a non-title affair, as Barney “Jewel of the Ghetto” Ross faces Jimmy Leto. No prior meetings of these veteran campaigners. Ross, who has underperformed throughout most of his career, displays some solid boxing skills that enable him to gain a solid points advantage (50-47, according to the unofficial count, at the midway point). Leto attempts to become more aggressive as the bout heads into the later stages, but Ross’ defense remains rock-solid, and a badly tiring Leto simply lacks the firepower to mount a successful rally. No cuts or knockdowns although, as the bout nears the end, there is noticeable swelling under Leto’s right eye. The bout goes to decision, and Ross takes a lopsided UD 10 (98-94, 99-94, 100-92) to improve his career stats to 36-12-4 (11) . The loss leaves Leto at 42-22-7 (12). Then, it’s time for the main event, as Charley Burley, the newly crowned USBA MW Champion, steps up to challenge Al “Savage Slav” Hostak for Hostak’s NABF MW title. First meeting of the two, and Burley, who seems comfortable staying outside, seems to have the upper hand for most of the early rounds of action. Near the end of round two, Hostak is cut under his right eye, and taking precautions to prevent further damage, he takes a more cautious approach than usual. This enables Burley to seize the initiative, which he does, gradually building a solid points lead. By the midway point, Burley is well ahead on points (59-56, according to the unofficial card), and Hostak is suffering from a rapidly swelling left eye in addition to the cut under his right eye. As the bout wears on, Hostak becomes more and more aggressive, but also more frustrated as Burley proves to be an elusive target. In the later rounds, Hostak’s right eye begins to swell, in addition to the nearly closed left eye, as a result of the impact of Burley’s punches. Burley goes on to lift the belt via a UD 12 (119-110, 118-111, 119-111), enhancing his status as a legitimate WBA contender in this highly competitive division. Post-bout career marks: Burley, 25-1 (20); Hostak, 31-6 (25).

[JCWeb]

This report covers a total of 62 bouts taking place during the second half of July 1941. Just one WBA title bout – the only one during the month – is included in this report.

July 18, 1941: Next is a Friday night card at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh. Twin bill topping the agenda, with a pair of non-title bouts, each featuring a pair of ranked contenders. First up is the LW duo of Eddie “Pride of Taxony” Cool versus Tommy “Swift” Spiegel. The two have met once before, in 1937, which resulted in a TKO win for Cool. In this meeting, with both at Post-Prime career stage, Cool has the upper hand in the early going, quietly outboxing Spiegel and gradually building a solid points edge. At the midway point, the unofficial scorer at ringside has Cool up by a couple of points (48-46). Cool has a large stamina edge, and Spiegel struggles to battle back in the later rounds. Cool neatly counters any effort by Spiegel to apply pressure, and he manages to rip open a cut over the left eye of Spiegel in round nine. Spiegel does manage to get in a big hook in the final stanza, but it’s a case of too little, too late, and Cool takes a UD 10 (96-94 on all three cards) to improve his career record to 38-16-5 (12). The loss drops Spiegel to 27-8-4 (6). In the second co-feature, two top 10 MWs meet for the first time, as Teddy Yarosz faces Ben “Belter” Brown. Brown, a slugger, is the aggressor through the early rounds, putting Yarosz under pressure but landing no big shots. Slight edge for Yarosz, the boxer, at the midway point (48-47 on the unofficial card). Brown continues as the aggressor in the second half of the bout, and he begins to tire badly in the later rounds. Round eight sees Brown pay for his aggressiveness, with a cut suddenly opening up over his left eye. The cut is patched up, but Brown is unable to make much of an impression on the defensive-minded Yarosz, who picks up the UD 10 win (97-94, 97-93, 97-93). Post-bout records: Yarosz, 38-15-3 (13); Brown, 26-5-1 (16).

July 19, 1941: Next fistic action is in Europe at Gothenburg’s Ullevi Stadium. It’s another twin feature topping the bill, and again, no title bouts. First of the co-main events highlights former WBA Flyweight Champion Midget Wolgast, still highly ranked and on the comeback trail, taking on Italian Enrico Urbinati, who is not even ranked in the top 20. On paper, it looks to be a mismatch, but a good tune-up for Wolgast, who appears to be biding his time until a title bout opportunity develops. As anticipated, Wolgast quickly gains the upper hand on his overmatched Italian opponent. Urbinati has some moments in the fourth and fifth round, and it’s a somewhat narrow points lead for Wolgast at the midway point (49-47, on the unofficial card). By round six, however, Wolgast is back on target with his punches, and Urbinati is showing signs of swelling around his right eye. In round eight, more trouble for Urbinati as Wolgast rips open a cut over the same right eye. Wolgast goes on to record another solid points win, a UD 10 (96-94, 98-93, 98-92) to run his impressive career totals to 54-7-1 (19). For Urbinati, the loss leaves him at 17-10-2 (10). It remains to be seen if Wolgast will get another crack at the WBA title any time soon. In the second co-feature, two top five LWs do battle, as the “Whitechapel Whirlwind,” Jack Kid Berg, the reigning CBU and EBU LW titleholder, ventures away from his native United Kingdom to face current LABF LW Champion Chino Alvarez, another veteran of the LW ring wars, in a non-title clash. First meeting of the two, both of whom are angling for a WBA title shot, with both men entering the bout having gone unbeaten (two wins apiece) in 1941. The bout is highly competitive through the first four rounds, with both men trading blows, and neither is giving an inch. In round five, Alvarez seems to have the best of the inside exchanges, gaining the upper hand but, surprisingly, the unofficial card at ringside has Berg ahead (49-47) with five rounds remaining. Berg’s corner urges him to step up the pace but, by the end of round seven, his punches begin to lack steam as he begins to tire. By the end of round nine, with both men near exhaustion, Berg has battled back, and Alvarez’s right eye is beginning to puff up. Into the final round, and the fight is still very close,with Berg appearing to have gained a second wind. In the end, the cards are read, and it’s a slim MD 10 for Alvarez (97-96, 96-96, 96-95). Post-bout career marks: 38-13-4 (22) for Alvarez; 47-16-5 (15) for Berg, whose skills seem to have diminished somewhat, given he has recently hit Post-Prime career stage. On the other hand, a good win for Alvarez; it remains to be seen if it will help put him at the top of the heap of those contending for a shot at Tony Canzoneri’s WBA LW crown.

July 19, 1941: It’s fight night in Mexico City, and a large throng is on hand to witness a title defense by Baby Arizmendi, Mexico’s own WBA FW Champion. In the co-feature, two ranked FWs square off – both hoping to earn a WBA title shot against the winner of the main event – they are Mike Belloise, who has been rapidly arising through the ranks, and LBAF FW Champion Filio Julian Echevarria. Echevarria holds a prior win, via a split duke, two years earlier, in Havana before a pro-Echevarria crowd, and Belloise, who has has rapidly risen through the ranks since then – including a brief reign as WBA FW Champion – hopes to reverse that result. Echevarria, who has hit Post-Prime, has struggled in recent months but is still viewed as a dangerous opponent. Early in round three, an accidental clash of heads causes a cut to appear over the right eye of Echevarria. The cut is reopened later in the round, but some good cornerwork from the Venezuelan’s cut man keeps things under control. It’s a close bout, with the unofficial card having Echevarria slightly ahead (48-47) at the halfway point. Into the later rounds, and Belloise does his best to keep his opponent on his toes, alternately mixing an inside and outside attack. In round seven, the cut is reopened, and it leads to an immediate stoppage. The scorecards after six rounds are tallied, and the result is a majority TD 7 (57-57, 56-58 Echevarria, 57-57). Post-bout career marks: Belloise, 28-11-6 (11); Echevarria, 38-15-5 (12). It remains to be seen if this result could derail B Belloise’s hopes for a WBA title challenge later in the year. Finally, the Mexican fight crowd welcomes its own World Champion, as Baby Arizmendi steps into the ring to defend his WBA FW title, facing #1 challenger, American Harold “Homicide Hal” Hoshino. The two have not before, and Hoshino is stepping up for this, his first WBA title try, having won three straight since his first career loss to Chalky Wright in 1940. His opponent, the slick-boxing four-time Champion, Arizmendi, is making his third defense since winning the title from Belloise in mid-1940. The bout is extremely close for the first two rounds, then Hoshino takes the initiative and moves inside in round three; he is able to land a few good shots, but the Champ manages to hold his own. After another close round in round four, Arizmendi manages to gain the upper hand after a series of inside exchanges in round five. At this point, the unofficial card has the Mexican Champ with a narrow lead in points (48-47). Arizmendi continues to fire away in round six, doing some more damage, and Hoshino’s right eye begins to puff up, and he is carrying his hands low – a bad sign. In round seven, fatigue begins to set in for Hoshino, and Arizmendi continues to drill him with punch after punch. Round eight, more of the same, but Hoshino is able to remain upright and active, just losing by a wide margin at this point. A minor rally for Hoshino in round nine, as Arizmendi eases up a bit. After round 10, the unofficial scorer now has Arizmendi well ahead on points (98-94). Into the final rounds of the bout, and Arizmendi remains content to wage battle from the outside, not giving his opponent any openings. In the final few rounds, Arizmendi adopts a more defensive posture as a desperate Hoshino looks for a knockout. Instead, the bout goes the distance and, to no surprise, it’s a UD 15 for Arizmendi (146-141, 148-139, 145-141). With the win, Arizmendi improves to 44-9-3 (10); for Hoshino, his second career loss leaves him at 28-2 (15). Looks like Arizmendi plans to take a long vacation before arranging his next title defense (or possibly a move to LW?).

July 25, 1941: It’s a Friday night fight card at Havana’s Gran Stadium, featuring a 10-round, non-title clash among two former WBA LH Champions, Eddie “Black Dynamite” Booker and Adolf ”Bulldog of the Rhine” Heuser. No prior meetings, and both are fresh from wins in previous bouts leading into this encounter. Action is slow to develop, as there is a long feeling-out process. In rounds four and five, Booker begins to gain the upper hand, and he has a comfortable points lead at the halfway point (49-46, according to the unofficial scorer at ringside). The trend continues into the second half of the bout, and by round seven, Heuser is already showing signs of exhaustion. Heuser recovers with a couple of good rounds late in bout, as Booker seemed to ease up when he should have been sustaining the pressure. Still, the result – a majority draw (96-94 Booker, 95-95, 95-95) comes as a surprise to many observers, who had Booker winning the fight. Post-bout records: Booker, 24-3-1 (15); Heuser, 38-10-2 (18). There’s talk of a rematch later in the year, although both men were hoping for a better result, as a win might put either in line for a WBA title shot.

July 26, 1941: London’s Olympia is the scene for the next fight card, and there is a twin bill of exciting title bout action topping the agenda. In the first co-feature, it is the GBU WW title that is on the line, as Ernie Roderick makes only his second defense of the belt he won back in 1935. The challenger, still a couple of bouts away from Prime career stage, is Arthur “the Irish Guardsman” Danaher. No prior meetings of the two, and the veteran Roderick is a heavy favorite to retain his title. After a slow start by both men, Roderick gradually takes charge and begins piling up points, mainly through a rather passive tactic of remaining outside. Danaher appears to lack the experience and also the punching power to seriously trouble the British Champion. By the midway point of the bout, Roderick is clearly in charge, and he has a large lead on the unofficial card as well (by a count of 59-55). Roderick has the best of a series of inside exchanges in round seven, then he is content to retreat to the outside, while his opponent shows signs of tiring with several rounds remaining. In round 11, Danaher suffers a nick under his right eye, but he continues right to the final bell, but the outcome is a foregone conclusion – it’s a lopsided UD 12 for Roderick (119-110, 118-110, 118-110). Roderick improves to 25-12-3 (7) with the win, and having made the mandatory defense against an overmatched challenger, he is free to take on greater challenges in an effort to improve his world ranking. Danaher, now 16-3 (10), was obviously not ready for this level of competition at this stage of his career, but, after one more bout, he will be at Prime career stage, and perhaps another title shot may be in the offing in future years. Then, after a brief pause, it is time for the finale, with Marcel Cerdan facing another young British hopeful, Dick Turpin, for Cerdan’s EBU MW title, a belt he won back in 1938 and has already successfully defended on five occasions. No prior meetings, but Turpin had a bounceback win after losing his first title try, for the GBU MW title, this past November. Cerdan has won five in a row since suffering his only career defeats, two losses in succession, back in 1939; a win here will re-establish his credentials as a likely challenger for the WBA MW title. After some good action in the opening two rounds, Cerdan moves inside in round three to assert control over his younger opponent. Not much in the way of action, but Turpin’s defense remains solid. Cerdan gradually gains the upper hand and, by the end of round five, there is a trace of swelling under Turpin’s right eye. Solid points lead for Cerdan (60-56) at the midway point, and the “Casablanca Clouter” continues to hammer away as the bout heads into the later rounds. Late in round 10, Cerdan lands a hard shot, sending Turpin to the canvas, but the British fighter is saved by the bell. Turpin manages to recover and last the distance, but the UD 12 goes to Cerdan by a wide margin (117-110, 119-108, 119-108). Post-bout career marks: Cerdan, 30-2-2 (22); Turpin, 18-3 (8). After this very impressive title defense, Cerdan’s connections are clamoring – even more loudly – for a matchup with WBA MW Champion Tony Zale.

July 26, 1941: The month wraps with a final card at New York’s Madison Square Garden. Future stars Jake LaMotta and Willie Pep appear in preliminary bouts on the undercard, both having their way with hand-selected TC opponents. In the first co-feature, long-time HW contender Art Lasky, reeling off two straight KO losses (include a one-round blowout by Joe Louis for the WBA title), takes on Abe Simon, who has also struggled in the past few years, with losses to the likes of Nathan Mann, Jimmy Mendes, Jersey Joe Walcott (no surprise there) and, most recently, Lou Nova. A true crossroads bout with both men looking to regain some lost form, and Lasky is in danger of slipping out of the top 10 in the HW ranks, a spot he has resided for over two years. No prior meetings, and it’s a cautious start by both men through the opening few rounds. The powerful Lasky bulls his way inside and lands some big shots to dominate the action in round three. Simon, who is sporting a mouse under his left eye, battles back with a good round in round four, also managing to work inside, and he decks Lasky with a perfectly timed cross midway through the fifth. Lasky is unable to beat the count, and the KO 5 improves Simon’s career stats to 27-5-1 (21) . The loss leaves Lasky, who has not won since July of 1940, at 28-12-2 (26). Final bout of the evening matches two ex-WBA LH Champions as “Slapsie” Maxie Rosenbloom takes on Gus Lesnevich. The two met once before, for the WBA title, in 1939, with Rosenbloom walking away a UD 15 winner. Since that time, the title has changed no fewer than seven (!) times, with Lesnevich picking up the belt from Eddie Booker but then losing it to Lloyd Marshall earlier in 1941. This is Lesnevich’s first bout since losing the title, and, similarly, Rosenbloom is coming off a loss as well – an unsuccessful foray into the HW ranks, losing to EBU and ex-WBA title holder Max Schmeling. Not much action in the early going, as both men seem to adopt a “defense first” posture. Lesnevich is the more active of the two and, late in round three, he opens a cut over the left eye of Rosenbloom. The cut is patched up, but even more worrisome for Maxie is the fact that Lesnevich’s punches are also causing some initial swelling around Rosenbloom’s right eye. At the midway point, the unofficial scorer has Lesnevich out in front (by a count of 49-47). The cut is reopened in round six, but a cautious Lesnevich continues to avoid taking unnecessary risks, sitting on his points lead. In the later rounds, Rosenbloom, sensing defeat looming, takes more chances, but he is unable to connect with any degree of regularity. The cut is reopened a second time in round eight, but good cornerwork prevents further problems. The bout goes the distance, and Lesnevich takes a lopsided UD 10 (98-92, 97-94, 100-90), a dominating performance that serves to re-establish his credentials as a top LH contender. Post-bout career marks: Lesnevich, 31-5-2 (14); Rosenbloom, 51-15-6 (18).

[JCWeb]

Abbreviated report, from the first half of August 1941. Already deep into bouts from the second half of August, just realized I overlooked posting the report from the first half (duh!) and much of the action has been overwritten. Thus, a quick one-line summary, followed by some title action from mid-August. Hope to be back to normal in a week or two …

Friday August 1, 1941: Detroit, NABF WW title retained by Izzy Jannazzo, who recorded a UD 12 win over challenger Steve Halaiko.

Saturday, August 2, 1941: Liverpool, EBU Flyweight title, the belt was retained by Peter Kane, who took a UD 12 over challenger Fortunato Ortega.

Friday, August 8, 1941: Edmonton Gardons, Canada, Commonwealth BW title changes hands, as challenger Dick Corbett records a MD 12 win over Canadian veteran Horace Gwynne.

Saturday, August 9, 1941: Berlin, Germany, ex-WBA and reigning EBU HW Champ Max Schmeling keeps sharp with a dominating TKO 5 win over Harry Thomas in a 10-round, non-title affair.

Fortunately, the report covering the one WBA title bout from the first half of the month has been preserved, so here it is ...

Aug. 9, 1941: The Cow Palace in San Francisco is the venue for the next fistic action, which features two bouts in the lower weight classes, culminating in some WBA title bout action. First, in the co-feature, two BW contenders square off as a former WBA BW Champion, K. O. Morgan, faces Pete “Baby Cyclone” Sanstol. The two have met three times before, with Morgan prevailing twice. All three bouts were for the USBA BW title, but this time around, it’s a 10-rounder, with no titles at stake. It’s a prototypical slugger versus boxer matchup, with Morgan taking on the role of aggressor for most of the early rounds. At the halfway point, it is a slim lead for Sanstol (48-47 on the unofficial card), although the punches landed stats favor the harder hitting Morgan. Morgan continues to apply pressure heading into the later rounds, taking advantage of a stamina edge to gradually wear his opponent down. However, Sanstol manages to hang in there, and he avoids any severe punishment and escapes with a draw (94-96 Sanstol, 95-95, 97-93 Morgan) in what will prove to be his last bout at Prime career stage. Post-bout career marks: Morgan, 34-12-8 (17); Sanstol, 40-16-6 (9). Finally, it time for a contest for the WBA Flyweight title, with Jackie Jurich making his third defense against the #2 ranked contender, Jackie Brown, the reigning GBU Fly Champion. The two battled to a draw in one prior encounter, some two years previously, but now this is for the WBA title and Jurich, the younger man, faces the veteran Brown, who has recently hit the Post-Prime stage of his career. The early exchanges favor Jurich, who manages to land sufficient leather to cause puffiness to appear around the left eye of the challenger as early as round two. After the first five, the steady Jurich has built a solid points lead (49-46 on the unofficial card). Then, suddenly, in round six, there’s trouble for the Champion as Brown rips open a cut over the right eye of Jurich. Good cornerwork keeps the cut under control, and in round nine, a Jurich combination sends Brown to the canvas. The British challenger arises at the count of four, then covers up to last the round. At the two-thirds point, it’s still a solid but not unsurmountable points lead for Jurich (97-93), according to the unofficial scorer at ringside. As the bout enters the final few rounds, a desperate Brown, his left eye reduced to a slit, goes all-out on the attack. Jurich continues to dish out more punishment and, halfway through round 13, the bout is halted as the left eye of Brown is almost closed. It goes into the books as a TKO 13 for Jurich, for his fifth consecutive win. Jurich is now 22-3-1 (17), while the loss drops Brown to 39-16-5 (12). Almost immediately after the bout, discussion has focused on the next title challenger for the WBA belt held by Jurich, with rumors circulating about ex-Champ Midget Wolgast as well as long-time top contender Istvan Enekes.

Aug. 15, 1941: Next is a Friday night card at San Juan, Puerto Rico’s Escobar Stadium and the main event features none other than Sixto Escobar, appearing in the feature to defend his NABF BW title. His opponent, in his first title shot of any kind, is the impressive David Kui Kong Young, who has compiled an impressive 21-1-1 career record thus far, and the challenger is carrying a seven-bout winning streak into the bout. No prior meetings, and it’s a cautious start by both men through the opening few rounds. The bout devolves into a tactical battle, favoring the more experienced and slick boxing Escobar over the more powerful Kui Kong Young, who spends most of his time looking for an opening on the inside. Nonetheless, the contest remains close, with Escobar having the edge in punches landed, while the unofficial card has the challenger slightly ahead (by a count of 58-57) at the halfway point. Into the second half of the bout and Escobar, confident of victory before a hometown crowd, remains content to trade blows on the outside. On the other hand, Kui Kong Young remains aggressive, forcing the action, using his stamina advantage to gradually wear the Puerto Rican Champion down. Near the end of round nine, he catches Escobar with a big shot, putting the Champ down briefly. A solid combination by the challenger puts Escobar on his back in round 10, and the Puerto Rican fighter shows the effects with a rapidly swelling right eye. A third KD follows late in round 11, and, while Escobar manages to last to the final bell, his fate is sealed as Kui Kong Young manages to lift the belt via a UD 12 (116-111, 120-107, 118-108). Post-bout career marks: Kui Kong Young, 22-1-1 (14); Escobar, 32-13-4 (11). Kui Kong Young’s task was aided by the fact that Escobar was already at Post-Prime, which obviously affected his performance in this bout against a tough challenger.
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[JCWeb]

This report covers a total of 67 bouts taking place during the second half of August 1941. Two WBA title bouts aret included in this report.

Aug. 16, 1941: Next card is at St. Louis’ Kiel Auditorium. Featured is an NABF LW title contest, with the “Herkimer Hurricane,” Lou Ambers, making his fourth defense, facing Sammy Fuller, a veteran LW contender. The two have met once before, back in 1939, when Ambers bested Fuller for the lesser USBA LW belt. This time around, with both men at Post-Prime, Ambers is hoping for a repeat win. The bout remains close through the first four rounds, and then Fuller, to the surprise of many, asserts control in round five, winning most of the inside exchanges as the two battle in toe-to-toe action. At the midway point, the unofficial scorer has a slight edge (59-58) for the challenger, Fuller. Urge on by his corner, Ambers presses forward, forcing the action as the bout heads into the later rounds. Fuller’s defense remains solid, and it is Ambers who begins to tire in the last three rounds. Ambers remains the aggressor to the very end, but he cannot make much of an impression on Fuller who, in a minor upset, lifts the title belt, via a MD 12 (116-115, 115-115, 117-112), thereby improving his career stats to 49-18-1 (11). The loss drops Ambers to 34-5-1 (18).

Aug. 22, 1941: Next is a Friday night card at Manila’s Rizal Arena. Co-main events, including an OPBF title tilt, top the card. In the first co-feature, a non-title affair, OPBF FW Champ Tsuneo Horiguchi takes on Brit Frank Parkes, a former EBU, GBU and Commonwealth FW titleholder. Horguchi won their one previous encounter, via a UD 10, back in 1939 in Los Angeles. Early edge for the Japanese fighter, who puts Parkes down in the opening round with a strong shot. Solid points lead for Horiguchi on the unofficial card (50-45) at the halfway point. A sluggish-looking Parkes is unable to mount a rally, so the bout ends in a routine UD 10 win for Horiguchi (97-94, 97-94, 97-93). Post-bout records: Horiguchi, 29-8-1 (16); Parkes, 24-9-1 (14). In the finale, the OPBF Flyweight title is on the line, with Small Montana defending against another Japanese fighter, Yoichiro Hanada. Two prior bouts, both close ones, one a draw, and the other, a win for Montana (via MD). This time, the bout remains close through the opening rounds and, by the end of round four, there is a mouse under the right eye of Montana, the defending Champ. At the midway point, the unofficial scorer at ringside has the bout even (58-58). The bout remains close into the later rounds, with the stamina edge to the challenger, Hanada. Big round 10 for the Japanese challenger, and Montana is forced into a more aggressive posture in an effort to keep the belt. The bout goes the distance and, in the end, Hanada’s strong second half is enough to take the title via a UD 12 (116-114, 117-113, 116-114). The win improves Hanada’s career totals to 28-9-2 (8). The loss leaves Montana at 26-13-4 (9).

Aug. 23, 1941: Next fistic action takes place at the Olympia, in London. It’s a packed card headlined by a GBU title bout preceded by a pair of co-features. In the first of these, former Commonwealth and British Flyweight Champ Benny Lynch takes on a up-and-coming prospect, unbeaten British Flyweight Jackie Paterson. First meeting of the two. Lynch, now at End career stage, is coming off two recent losses, the most recent a UD 12 loss to Joe Curran that cost him the Commonwealth title belt. Paterson, the younger man, takes charge early as Lynch struggles with his timing. A cut over Paterson’s right eye in round two slows his progress in the bout. Then, late in round five, the bout comes to a sudden end as Lynch uncorks an overhand right that puts Paterson down and out. KO 5 for Lynch, who improves to 34-12 (18) with the win. The loss – Paterson’s first – leaves him at 15-1-1 (13). In the next supporting bout, two HWs take to the ring, with long-time top contender Tommy “the Tonypandy Terror” facing a U. S. heavyweight in the form of Junior “Indian” Munsell. Munsell has risen in the HW ranks from journeyman status after registering eight KO wins in his last eight bouts. Farr, who has held the GBU, EBU and Commonwealth HW titles but is now nearing the end of his long career, appears to have the upper hand in the early going. However, at the halfway point, the unofficial scorer has the bout even (47-47). Munsell remains the aggressor headed into the later rounds, with Farr relying on his excellent boxing and defensive skills. The bout goes the distance, and Farr manages to win a close but UD 10 (97-93, 97-93, 96-94). Post-bout career marks: Farr, 49-16-3 (16); Munsell, 22-6 (18). The final bout of the evening is for the GBU MW title, held for the past decade by Jock McAvoy. It is McAvoy’s 11th defense of the belt he first won back in October of 1930. The challenger is Arthur “Ginger” Sadd. One prior meeting, for this same belt back in February of 1940, resulted in a TKO 11 win for McAvoy. Slow start for McAvoy, who struggles with his timing in the early rounds. McAvoy bounces back with a big round three, putting Sadd under pressure. Then, midway through round five, a huge left from Sadd rocks McAvoy, forcing the defending Champ to cover up. At the midway point, it’s anyone’s bout, as indicated by the unofficial card which has it even (57-all). In round nine, Sadd rips open a cut over McAvoy’s left eye. Then, in round 10, a cut appears on the forehead of the challenger. Good cutwork from both corners, and the bout goes the distance, with McAvoy eking out a close but UD 12 (116-112, 115-113, 115-113) to retain the belt. Post-bout career marks: McAvoy, 36-16-5 (24); Sadd, 31-16 (18).

Aug. 23, 1941: Back in the States for a huge card at New York’s Yankee Stadium. Two WBA title bouts top the agenda, amply supported by a pair of lesser title tilts. On the undercard is hot FW prospect Willie Pep, who runs his record to 8-0 (7) with a third-round TKO demolition of a TC opponent. Then, in the first of four big title bouts, Chalky Wright, a former WBA FW Champion, puts his USBA FW title on the line, facing challenger Leo Rodak. Rodak, whose last loss was to Jackie Wilson a year ago in a 10-round, non-title affair, has won four in a row since to earn his first crack at a title. It’s a solid start for Wright, who is looking to bounce back from a TKO loss to ex-Champ Simon Chavez in his most recent outing. At the midway point, Wright holds a slight points edge (58-56, according to the unofficial card). Rodak assumes the role of aggressor as the bout heads into the later rounds, seeking to turn the bout around in his favor. However, he runs low on stamina, and a workman-like performance by Wright secures the title defense and a solid UD 12 win (119-109, 116-112, 119-110) to run his record to 37-12-4 (15); the loss drops Rodak to 26-10 (7). Next up is a bout for the NABF WW title, with Jackie Wilson making his first defense against the “Croat Comet,” Fritzie Zivic. It is the first meeting of the two, and it is Zivic’s sixth try to win a title belt after five unsuccessful attempts (with one draw and four losses in those efforts). With some clever boxing, Wilson gradually builds a lead in punches landed, although the unofficial scorer at ringside has the bout even (58-all) at the halfway point. Zivic moves inside and tries to apply more pressure as the bout wears on. Wilson’s defense remains firm, but Zivic’s aggressive pays off, as he is rewarded with a UD 12 (116-113, 116-114, 116-113) to lift the title, also handling Wilson his first career loss. Post-bout results: Zivic, 29-10-4 (15); Wilson, 22-1-2 (15). Then, next is the first of two WBA title contests, Tiger Jack Fox faces former recently crowned USBA LH Champion Tony Shucco for Fox's WBA LH title. In one prior meeting, four years earlier, Fox took a UD 12 for the USBA LH title. In this rematch, Fox traps Shucco in a neutral corner late in the opening round, dropping him with a combination. A groggy Shucco arises at the count of eight, but the bell sounds before Fox can do more damage. Shucco steadies himself with a strong round two, and early in round three, he manages to rip open a cut over the right eye of Fox. In round four, Fox’s right eye begins to puff up as Shucco continues to find the range with his punches. More action in round five, as the Champ bounces back, dropping Shucco once again, and a mouse formed under the right eye of the challenger. After five rounds, the unofficial scorer at ringside has Fox ahead (by a count of 48-46). Another good round for Fox in round six, but the cut is re-opened. Shucco opens up a lead in punches landed, and then, in round 10, the bout comes to a sudden end after the cut over Fox’s eye is re-opened a second time. It goes in the books as a TKO 10 for Shucco, who becomes the new LH Champion, improving his career record to 37-14-1 (13). Fox ends the bout at 51-7-1 (36). Then, in the finale, popular WBA HW Champ Joe Louis takes to the ring, making his 11th defense of the WBA HW title facing, for the second time, Jersey Joe Walcott, whom he defeated for the belt back in 1939. Walcott has won four in a row since then, winning the NABF HW belt to set up the rematch with Louis. After a couple of close opening rounds, Louis assumes the initiative in round three, landing some telling blows to win the round. More action in round four, also favoring the Champ. After five, the unofficial scorer has Louis with a slight points lead (48-47), although this might be generous to Walcott, the challenger. Some solid boxing from Louis through the middle rounds, gradually wearing down his opponent, who begins to show signs of fatigue before the two-thirds mark. After 10 rounds, the unofficial card has Louis on top by two (96-94). After a strong round from Louis in round 11, Walcott returns to his corner sporting a cut under his right eye and a swollen left eye. A desperate looking Walcott goes on the offensive in the final few rounds, but he is unable to make much impression on Louis, who finally breaks through in the final round, dropping Walcott with a barrage of blows, then follows up with a combination for a second KD. Walcott is counted out with just 10 seconds remaining in the bout. KO 15 for Louis. Post-bout records: Louis, 36-1 (34); Walcott, 41-7 (25).

Aug. 29, 1941: To Havana’s Gran Stadium for a Friday night card and, in the feature, two veteran FWs, both at Post-Prime career stage, do battle. It is the “Cuban Bon Bon,” the popular Kid Chocolate, facing Canadian Pete DeGrasse, who still reigns as Commonwealth FW Champion. Third meeting of the two, with Chocolate registering a win and a draw in the previous encounters. Buoyed by an adoring hometown crowd, Chocolate gets off to a strong start, punishing DeGrasse with some solid body shots. Late in round three, he sends DeGrasse to the canvas with a combination of blows. DeGrasse bounces back to his feet quickly, and there is not enough time remaining in the round for Chocolate to take full advantage. At the halfway point, the unofficial scorer at ringside is showing a fairly substantial points lead (49-45) for Chocolate. In the second half of the bout, Chocolate eases up, adopting a more defensive posture, and DeGrasse simply lacks the firepower and the stamina to launch a rally. Chocolate goes on to take an impressive UD 10 win (97-92, 97-92, 99-90). Post-bout career marks: Chocolate, 31-10-7 (17); DeGrasse, 39-21-4 (10).

Aug. 30, 1941: The month wraps with a card at Washington, D. C ‘s Uline Arena. In the feature, the recently vacated USBA MW title is on the line, with Allen Matthews and Billy Soose being paired together for the belt vacated by Charlie Burley, who moved up to win the NABF MW title. It is the first meeting of the two, and the first title bout for Soose, the second for Matthews (loser to now WBA MW Champ Tony Zale in a NABF title encounter in early 1940). Action is slow to develop as there is a long feeling out process that takes several rounds to sort out. Soose, who demonstrates an ability to switch between boxer and slugger, gradually gains the upper hand. In round five, Soose rips open a cut over the right eye of Matthews. Nonetheless, at the midway point, the unofficial card has Matthews ahead on points (59-56), even though the punches landed stat favors Soose. These counts all become irrelevant as the cut over Matthews’ eye is reopened in round seven, and it becomes too serious to allow the bout to continue; so the belt goes to Soose via a TKO 7 (cuts stoppage). The title win lifts Soose to 18-4-1 (12) overall, while the loss leaves Matthews at 31-12-3 (12).