My Universe

[JCWeb]

Manila, Phillipines Rizal Arena, March 29, 1919: Pancho Villa takes on his second opponent here tonight, fellow Filipine FLY Rafar Malaka. The bout is a four-rounder.

First round, Villa starts the action off with a straight right that bounces off his opponent's shoulder, following up with an uppercut. Malaka fires back with a left that misses. Malaka sneaks in a right, but Villa comes on strongly to dominate the action at the end of the round, nailing his opponent with an uppercut that lands right on the button.

Round two, Villa presses forward on the inside, while Malaka is on the defensive. Villa backs his opponent into a neutral corner, firing a solid uppercut that rocks Malaka. A crippling hook to the head staggers Malaka, who is beginning to show signs of swelling around his right eye from the punishment inflicted by Villa.

Third round, Villa steps up the pace, looking for the knockout. Malaka scores with an uppercut. Villa connects with a lunging left jab. Not much action, but Villa scores with a lead right and fires a hard shot off the head of Malaka right before the bell.

Final round, Villa is well in command, but still would like to end it inside the distance. Villa whips in a cross, Malaka fires back but his punches lack sting. Villa unleashes a powerful jab and follows with a left-right combination to the head. This puts Malaka off balance, and Villa puts him on the canvas with a strong shot. Malaka bounces up after a three-count, takes a crushing cross, then survives (barely) to the final bell.

The scorecards are read, but it's a foregone conclusion, UD for Villa (40-35 all three cards).

Pancho Villa moves his record to 2-0 (0 KOs) and 282 pps.

[JCWeb]

As an interesting exercise I went through the top 100 fighters of all time (according to Bert Sugar's book, Boxing's Greatest Fighters) and came up with 25 that are active as of 1919 in my Universe. Here they are, listed according to current weight class (with Sugar's ATG ranking in parens):

HW: Jack Dempsey (9), Sam Langford (16) and Joe Jeannette (77).
LH: Harry Greb (5), Gene Tunney (13), Tommy Loughran (38), Georges Carpentier (72), Jack Delaney (93).
MW: Mickey Walker (11), Tiger Flowers (68), Mike Gibbons (92).
WW: Ted Kid Lewis (46), Jack Britton (62), Packey McFarland (97).
LW: Benny Leonard (6), Freddie Welsh (76), Jem Driscoll (77), Ad Wolgast (81), Willie Ritchie (95).
FW: Johnny Dundee (32), Abe Attell (41), Johnny Kilbane (94).
BW: Pete Herman (58).
FLY: Jimmy Wilde (18), Pancho Villa (64).

In addition to these 25, I counted another 17 ATG pugilists from the list who have already been "retired" in the 35 plus years of my Uni, all of whom at one time earned the mantle of WBA Champion. Here's the ATG retired list, again with Sugar's ranking in parens:

Jack Johnson (10), Joe Gans (15), Stanley Ketchel (19), Joe Walcott (26), Terry McGovern (30), George Dixon (43), Battling Nelson (51), John L. Sullivan (54), Bob Fitzsimmons (66), Phila Jack O'Brien (67), James J. Corbett (69), Tommy Ryan (71), Charles Kid McCoy (74), Peter Jackson (80), NP Jack Dempsey (82), James Jeffries (84) and Jimmy Barry (86).

So, with 42 ATGs down, just 58 to go ...

[JCWeb]

June 21, 1919 -- New York City's St. Nicholas Arena: Mickey Walker, the highly regarded MW prospect, was back in action here tonight in a 6-rounder versus another TC, the hapless Ted Braswell, who enters the bout with a 0-2 record.

First round, Walker comes out strongly, pressing the action with a direct attack to put his opponent on the defensive from the outset. Walker connects with a hard cross, then backs up Braswell with a free-swinging left hand that staggers Braswell, who remains upright. Walker backs up Braswell in a neutral corner, following up with a straight right hand. It looks like Braswell is going to survive the opening stanza when Walker unleashes a powerful salvo of punches near the end of the round. Braswell drops to the canvas and is unable to beat the count.

Walker by KO at 2:55 of the first. Walker's career mark is 3-0 (all 3 by KO, the last two inside round one) with 320 pp. Walker is rapidly becoming a fan favorite with the New York crowds, and obviously he is a fighter to be watched as a possible future MW champ.

[JCWeb]

August 22, 1919 -- Melbourne, Australia: Pancho Villa, the Filipino FLY, is back in action after a brief hiatus, taking on TC Australian FLY Nathan Wayne. Wayne enters the bout with a 1-1 career mark but is not expected to pose problems for the highly-regarded Villa.

Round one, Villa starts off well, scoring with combinations and jabs. Wayne stays afoot and retreats to the ropes. Villa traps Wayne in the corner, and the Australian clinches to survive round one, a strong round for Villa.

Second round, the Filipino presses the action on the inside, while Wayne tries to stay on the outside. Wayne wings a wild left that bounces off Villa's shoulder. Pancho shoots home a right that makes Wayne wince. Wayne fires and misses with a left. Villa lands with a right, following up with an uppercut and a strong jab. Villa unloads with a double jab late in the round.

Third round, more of the same with Villa pursuing the hapless Wayne all over the ring. Villa connects with a short hook to the midsection. The Filipino is short with a follow-up jab, then connects with a second jab, scoring a solid uppercut and then a double jab which has his man in severe trouble. A three-punch combo, no response from Wayne, then Villa connects with a huge shot, a wild overhand right, and ref Cavanaugh has seen enough. He waves the fight off, and Villa is awarded the TKO win at 1:46 of round 3.

The win moves Villa to a 3-0 (1) career mark, with 314 pp. Villa is expected to be back in action sooner this time, perhaps as early as September 1919.

[JCWeb]

September 19, 1919 -- Filipino FLY prospect Pancho Villa takes on another Australian TC, Cadel Eikamp, who enters the 6-round bout with a 0-3 record that mirrors the perfect 3-0 mark compiled thus far by Villa.

Round one, Villa keeps his opponent off-balance, connecting with a clean jab, slicing open a cut above the right eye of Eikamp. Action heats up as the two trade punches in the center of the ring. Villa lunges with an uppercut from the outside, and Eikamp counters with a hook to the head. Villa flicks out several quick jabs, one to the midsection that staggers his opponent just before the bell. A good action round, and a very strong start for Villa.

Second round, Villa presses the action on the inside. Villa nails Eikamp with a hook to the head, then is warned for clinching. The Filipino lands a solid cross, then follows with an uppercut. Eikamp drops to the canvas for a 6-count. Villa tries to put him away, re-opening the cut with an uppercut. Eikamp manages to survive the round, despite a late flurry from Villa.

Round three, Villa is looking to end it while Eikamp is seeking to stay around awhile longer. Villa unloads a straight right that is blocked by the gloves of Eikamp. Eikamp responds with a quick uppercut. Villa lands a hook to the head, and follows up with a jab. Eikamp fires back but Villa is able to rip open the cut with a glancing blow. Villa lands a big hook, and the cut worsens but the ref (after checking with the ring doctor) allows the bout to continue. Eikamp manages to make it through another round.

Round four, more of the same, as Villa looks to finish matters. Eikamp lands a hook that is partially blocked. Villa moves well but lands fewer solid blows than in the first three rounds. Eikamp remains upright, and the cut appears to be under control.

Fifth round, Villa flicks the jab, and then, in an exchange of blows, the cut above Eikamp's eye is reopened. This time ref Cavanaugh has seen enough, and he steps in to stop the bout. Villa by TKO 5 (cut).

Villa's win moves his overall record to 4-0 (2) with 339 pps.

Pancho take a brief hiatus before returning to action in November 1919.

[mh2365]

good stuff JC

[JCWeb]

thanks, MH -- now it's October 18, 1919 and the action is at the Polo Grounds, NY City: Highly regarded MW prospect, Mickey Walker, aka "The Toy Bulldog" tries to keep his perfect record intact in a scheduled 6-rounder versus German TC Gerhard Weissman. Always a fan favorite, the fact he's matched against a German so soon after the end of the great War makes Walker an even more rabid fan favorite in NY City.

Round one, Walker works his way inside and tries to cut the ring off; after a volley of punches, Weissman slips out of range. Walker strikes back with a jab and follows with a straight right that puts his opponent in trouble. Later in the round, Walker unleashes more heavy leather in the form of a cross, followed by an uppercut, and Weissman barely survives by clinching as the last few seconds tick off the clock. A great start for Walker.

Second round, and Mickey is looking to finish the German. Early in the round, though, it's Weissman who slashes an uppercut that opens a cut above Walker's left eye. Unperturbed, The Toy Bulldog fights back right away, landing a huge right that sends Weissman to the canvas. The German is back on his feet, but not for long as midway through the round a Walker uppercut finds its target -- and Weissman is down for the second round. There's still time left for Walker to finish his man, and he promptly strikes back with another uppercut followed by a straight right, and this time Weissman is literally out on his feet. The ref, Abe Goldstein, has seen enough and steps in to save Weissman from further punishment.

It goes down as a TKO for Walker at 2:03 of round two, his fourth win in four bouts, all inside the distance, worth 355 pps in the ratings system.

Walker is due back in the ring for one more contest in 1919, in December (two months' hence), assuming the cut eye heals by then. But, before then, look for LH Tommy Loughran to make his ring debut soon.

[JCWeb]

November 22, 1919 -- Highly touted LHW prospect Tommy Loughran makes his debut tonight at St. Nicholas Arena, taking on TC Dean Foley, who is also making his pro debut, in a four-rounder. Loughran's bout is the curtain-raiser of a packed 18-bout card all culminating in a MW World title bout.

Round one, Loughran sneaks inside and nails Foley with a right cross. He follows with a hook to the head and a hook to the body, putting Foley on the defensive right away. Loughran follows with an uppercut and then connects with a powerful right hand. A flurry by Loughran and Foley is trapped in his corner as the round ends. Foley barely survives the whirlwind start by young Loughran.

Second round, the 17-year old Loughran heeds trainer Whitey Birnstein's advice to take the fight on the inside to the retreating Foley. A cross connects, followed by a quick uppercut and another solid right hand. Loughran takes a breather, pops the jab home; Foley finally responds with a double jab that causes Tommy to back up. Loughran scores with a combination and then a glancing cross that causes some puffiness around Foley's left eye. Another jab scores for Loughran right before the bell, but a game Foley is still standing at round's end.

Third round, this time Loughran is looking to finish matters with a KO blow. Loughran is wild with the cross, and Foley is able to tie up Loughran who is off target with several roundhouse punches. Finally an uppercut gets through but Foley exhibits some good defense, landing a few shots of his own in a low-scoring, relatively even round.

Round four, Loughran seems content to work on the outside and coast to victory. An uppercut scores for Loughran, and the swelling around Foley's eye worsens. Foley fights back, nailing Loughran with a cross. Tommy counters with a hook, and Foley replies with a right. The bell finally sounds, no knockdowns but an otherwise impressive first effort by Loughran.

The scorecards are read, it's a UD 4 win for Loughran (identical 40-36 on all three cards). Loughran earns 242 pp for his debut win, and he is expected to be in action in December in his native Philadelphia.

[JCWeb]

November 28, 1919 -- Sydney, Australia: Filipino FLY Pancho Villa steps into the ring for a scheduled six-rounder against American TC Bobby DeHart (0-2-1 record going into the bout).

The bell sounds for round one and Villa, fighting well from the outside, sneaks home a right that finds the target and backs up DeHart into his corner. DeHart lands a soft jab, then Villa takes charge with a right cross and follows up with a strong jab. DeHart tries to cover up, but Villa unleashes a powerful right, following up with a jab and then an uppercut. The hapless DeHart is in full retreat, but there is no escape from Villa, who nails DeHart with a good right, then a hook to the head and it's time for the ref to call a halt right before the bell for round one.

Villa by TKO at 2:57 of the first. His record: 5-0 (3) and 373 pp. Next bout for Villa will be some time in early 1920.

[JCWeb]

December 13, 1919 -- Two top prospects, MW Mickey "Toy Bulldog" Walker and Tommy Loughran, are in action in preliminary bouts on the card in Philadelphia here tonight.

First up is Loughran, who is paired with TC Hal Newburg in a 4-rounder. Bell sounds for round one and Tommy launches an uppercut from way outside. Action is slow to develop with alot of clutching and grabbing. Loughran gets his hands free and nails Newburg with an uppercut on the inside, followed by another uppercut. A double jab scores for Loughran right before the bell, and Newburg is barely able to last through round one.

Round two, it's Loughran moving inside to assert control. He lands a jab and then doubles up with the left to put the hapless Newburg on the ropes. Loughran staggers his opponent with an uppercut, but Newburg fights back but it's too little too late -- another big round for Loughran.

Third round, Loughran is the aggressor, stunning his opponent with a big hook. A big cross scores, putting Newburg on the defensive. Loughran is winging the cross at will, hurting his opponent who is literally out on his feet. Finally, ref Chuck Hassett has seen enough and it goes down as a TKO at 2:50 of round 3 for Loughran.

Loughran's record moves to 2-0 (1) with 284 pp. His next scheduled outing will be in February of 1920.

The popular young MW prospect, Mickey "Toy Bulldog" Walker, enters the ring as a heavy favorite to down winless TC Clete Jordan (0-3). Walker is gunning for his fifth KO win in a row in a scheduled 6-rounder.

As usual, Walker asserts himself from the beginning, ripping a right to the head, following up with a probing jab. After some tussling, Walker traps Jordan in a neutral corner and lands a big hook flush. A glassy-eyed Jordan slumps to the canvas, rolls over at the count of 5 and arises, wobbly-legged, at the count of 8. Walker quickly swarms all over his man, and the ref steps in to rescue Jordan from further punishment.

It goes down as a TKO at 2:38 of the opening stanza for Walker, who has won all five of his bouts inside the distance. Mickey now has 386 pp, and he vows to remain active in early 1920 as he moves up to the Pre-Prime career stage.

[JCWeb]

1919 HW Title Bouts

It's on to the year-end reports, starting with the HW division, where it's time to announce a big surprise -- just as Jack Dempsey appeared to be on track to rule the HW roost for a long time, there was a huge upset. As a result, the four WBA title bouts staged in 1919 resulted in four different HW champions ...

WBA

Jack Dempsey CH (27-0-1) vs Carl Morris #4 (28-8)

Dempsey makes his first title defense, riding a 9-bout win streak. Morris (the new USBA Champ) gets the nod, having won six in a row. The Manassa Mauler took the measure of Morris (TKO 7) in October 1916, and is a heavy favorite to repeat that result with the title belt at stake.

Round one, Dempsey starts well, landing a big uppercut but then leaves himself open and Morris lands a punch that rips open a dangerous cut above the left eye of the Champ. Dempsey tries to continues, but the blood gushing out leaves the ref no choice but to order a stoppage. Surprisingly, Morris is the new HW champ by TKO 1 (cuts).

Carl Morris CH (29-8) vs Bill Brennan #13 (23-7)

Morris, who follows in the footsteps of Jeannette, McVey, Wills and Dempsey to become the fifth USBA Champion to capture the WBA belt, takes on Bill Brennan in his first defense. It's the first meeting of the two, and Brennan actually comes into the title bout off a LOSS to Fred Fulton because other higher ranked contenders were unavailable.

Round one features a flash knockdown as Brennan puts Morris on the canvas. The Champ bounces back and appears to be unaffected. Brennan pressures Morris and has a huge round two. Round three, Morris tries his luck on the inside but Brennan again takes the round. Morris has a strong round four, but Brennan dominates the toe-to-toe action in round 5, and Morris' left eye shows signs of swelling. Things get worse for Morris in round 6 when a cut opens below his right eye. Morris hangs around until round 9, when a solid overhand right by Brennan drops him again. A groggy Morris is nailed by a cross for a further KD, and after that the ref calls a halt. Bill Brennan is the new WBA HW champ by TKO in 9.

Bill Brennan CH (24-7) vs Sam Langford #1 (65-9-1)

Ex-Champ Langford, who has rung up seven in a row after losing a WBA title bout to Wills in 1917, earns a chance to regain the crown. It may be the veteran Langford's final hurrah, however, as he hits Post-Prime career stage after this bout. It will be the first meeting of the two.

After a cautious start by both men in round one, Langford begins asserting himself in round 2, dominating the action. Langford pursues the Champ in the third, but at the end of the round Brennan surprises Langford with a big right hand that lands flush. Brennan tries to be more aggressive in round 4, but Langford bounces back and connects with a big uppercut. The Champ has a good round 5 when both men elect to stay on the outside, and the unofficial scorer has it a 48-48 after five. Langford breaks through in the toe-to-toe action in round 6, raining blow after blow until Brennan clings to the ropes, defenseless. It goes down as a TKO 6 for Langford, who is once again the WBA HW Champ.

Sam Langford CH (66-9-1) vs Bartley Madden #6 (26-6-3)

Langford now must fight at Post-Prime, and his opponent is the Irishman, Bartley Madden, the new EBU Champ whose previous career highlight was a draw with a young Jack Dempsey. No prior bouts, and Madden enters the bout by winning four of his last five contests.

Round one sees a long feeling out process, with Langford gaining the upper hand by outhitting Madden. Langford moves inside for round 2, but Madden exhibits some stellar defense to take the round. The challenger starts to find the range in round 3 when both men bang away from the outside. Both move inside for round four, and Madden dominates the action again. There are signs of swelling around the right eye of the Champ. Round five is a close round, and the unofficial card has Langford ahead by 48-47. Langford is the aggressor, taking charge to take round 6. Round 7 sees both men wage all-out war, and Madden lands more blows but late in the round a huge barrage by Langford causes Madden's left eye to start swelling. Round 8, Langford stays outside but Madden is off target with his punches. Langford starts to tire in round nine, and Madden dominates the action with some strong counterpunching. Both stay on the outside in round 10, and by now Madden is starting to run out of gas as well. The Irish challenger is more energetic in round 11, but Langford still connects with a big hook. From round 12 on, the younger Madden is able to keep the Boston Tar Baby at bay as the aging Langford tires badly. It's the late rounds going to Madden that make all the difference as the verdict is a UD 15 for Madden (146-142, 144-143, 144-142), who becomes the fifth WBA champion in the last five title bouts.

NABF: Langford defended versus unbeaten prospect Fat LaRue, who carried a gaudy 17-0-1 record into the bout. Langford took control early and scored three KDs en route to a dominate UD 12 win. Once Langford regained the WBA belt, the vacant NABF title was up for grabs; "Joplin Ghost" Jeff Clarke met "Newark Adonis" Charley Weinert for the vacant belt. A close bout was broken open by Clarke, who overwhelmed a defenseless Weinert in round four for a TKO win to take the title.

USBA: Carl Morris took on Jim Savage for the belt, previously held by Dempsey. Morris took charge early and ended it with a vicious combination for a KO in round 7. The belt was vacant once again after Morris became WBA champ, and Frank Moran took on Billy Miske for the title. Moran was the early aggressor, but Miske came on strongly in the middle rounds, taking the belt when the bout was stopped on cuts in round 7. The title came full circle when Miske defended versus ex-Champ Dempsey, who was making his comeback after the stunning WBA title loss to Morris. Dempsey was cut below the right eye, came back to deck Miske in round 9, scoring a UD 12 win to regain the belt.

CBU: Langford defended the CBU belt twice, scoring a KO 12 over Charlie Penwill and then pounding out a lopsided UD 12 over Ireland's Bob Devere, whom he floored twice. Langford vacated the belt after taking the WBA title, and Aussie Colin Bell finally got his chance, taking on Kiwi Albert Pooley for the vacant belt. Bell repeated his earlier result over Pooley with a KO in round 10 to annex the Commonwealth title.

GBU: Penwill defended against Bombadier Billy Wells, who entered the bout with losses in two recent bouts. Wells was the aggressor from the start, pounding away on the inside and icing Penwill in five to take the belt.

EBU: German Otto Flint defended versus Bartley Madden in what proved to be a close, tough battle where Madden's strong defense overcame the wild-swinging, aggressive German. Madden by UD 12 to take the title. Madden defended once versus Brit Joe Beckett, whom he KO'd in one before moving on to challenge Langford for the WBA title. With Madden's success, the EBU belt will be up for grabs as 1920 action commences.

Recap, all six belts changed hands in 1919.

[JCWeb]

Jan 1920 HW Division Profile

Total: 164 RL: 86 TCs: 78

RL by Career Stage:
End - 2
Post - 14
Prime - 46
Pre - 16
Beginning- 8 (5 New)

Rated: 58
800+: 11
500+: 23
200+: 42

Jan 1920 Rankings (Perf Pts and Changes from Jan 1919 in parens):

Champ: Bartley Madden 27-6-3 (12) (1315) (+9)
1. Harry Wills 32-3-1 (17) (1465) (+2)
2. Sam McVey 51-13-2 (32) (1464) (NC)
3. Sam Langford 66-10-1 (48) (1314) (-2)
4. Jack Dempsey 28-1-1 (17) (1275) (-4)
5. Jeff Clarke 37-11-3 (26) (1095) (+5)
6. Carl Morris 29-9 (18) (962) (-2)
7. Billy Miske 25-6-1 (15) (943) (+4)
8. Tommy Burns 48-17-5 (32) (939) (-3)
9. Bill Brennan 24-8 (20) (936) (+3)
10. Colin Bell 29-15-3 (13) (885) (-4)

Comments: As we turn the corner on the decade into the 1920s, three of the above listed heavys (McVey, Langford and Burns) are already at Post-Prime, others at Prime. Madden wound up the topsy-turvy 1919 as the surprise new Champ after Dempsey was stopped on cuts early in the year. Madden suffered a TKO loss to McVey early in the year before bouncing back with wins in two EBU title bouts in addition to the WBA title clash with Langford. Wills is once again the top challenger, recovering from the WBA title loss to Dempsey with KO wins over McVey and Savage in 1919, but no title opportunities for the ex-Champ. McVey scored two KO wins earlier in 1919 over Burns, Madden and Pooley prior to his TKO loss to Wills. Langford had an 8-bout win streak snapped when he lost the WBA belt to Madden; he was 4-1 for the year, all CBU, NABF and WBA title bouts (see above post). Dempsey suffered the one loss to Morris and bounced back to re-claim the USBA title. Clarke has gone unbeaten in his last six (five wins and a draw) to move up the rankings. He scored KOs over Willard, Thompson and Weinert and a UD over Burns in 1919. Morris won the USBA and then won and lost the WBA belts to go 2-1 for the year. Miske registered KO wins over Gunboat Smith and Frank Moran in 1919, then bounced back with a TKO 4 over Jeannette after his USBA title loss to Dempsey. Burns slipped with two more losses to McVey and Clarke in 1919, now making it three Ls in a row for the fading Canadian. Brennan split in two title bouts and had a UD loss to Fulton to go with a KO over Denver Jack Geyer. Aussie Colin Bell went 2-2 for the year, taking the CBU belt but losing via TKO to Samson-Korner and UD to Moran.

Other Notables: Dropping out of the Top 10 were aging vet Joe Jeannette, who fell eight spots to #16 after the TKO loss to Miske and a SD to Jack Thompson and Frank Moran, who tumbled from #7 to #20 after dropping three in a row to Miske, JL Johnson and Samson-Korner despite the earlier win over Bell. Just missing the top 10 at #11 is Fred Fulton, who went 3-0 in 1919 with a UD over Brennan and KOs over Penwill and John Lester Johnson. German Paul Samson-Korner emerged at #12 after compiling an impressive 20-2 career mark, losing via KO to Weinert but scoring wins over Moran, Bell, and JL Johnson, the latter two via KO. Ex-EBU champ Flint checks in at #13 after going 1-2 for the year, featuring a win over ex-LH champ Carpentier but losing the EBU belt and also suffering a TKO loss to Weinert, who winds up the year at #14. Weinert was riding a 7-bout win streak before he dropped the NABF title bout to Clarke, and his 1919 victims included Dan Flynn (UD 10), Samson-Korner (KO 9) and Flint (TKO 8). RL champ Jess Willard has dropped all the way down to #18 at 22-11 (15) as aging effects have contributed to a 7-bout losing streak. GBU title holder Bombadier Billy Wells salvaging a losing campaign in 1919, but he i s far down the list at #42 with a 22-14-2 (14) career mark and 199 pps. Fellow Brit Herbert Crossley, at 15-1 (10) is the top newcomer to the rankings list, checking in at #39 with 246 pp -- his first career loss via KO 9 to Sailor Jack Carroll prevented a higher debut ranking.

Prospects: Argentine Luis Firpo remains unbeaten, at 14-0 (11), adding wins over RL boxers Arthur Townley, Tom Kennedy and Van Der Veer (the latter via a split duke) to go with his numerous TC scalps. Battling Jim McCreary is 12-0 (7), all wins versus TCs with the exception of a UD 10 over journeyman Soldier Kearns. Canadian Jack Renault is 12-0 (3), besting Joe Cox after 11 TCs. Dutchman Van der Veer is 10-1-1 (7) after dropping the bout to Firpo. Tiny Herman is now 9-0 (5), all versus TCs. Nick Van Den Bergh of South Africa is 9-1 (3), suffering a DQ defeat. George Godfrey at 8-0 (6) and "Fainting Phil" Scott at 7-0 (2) have feasted on TC opposition. The Italian brothers each bested Frenchman Marcel Nilles en route to a 7-0 (5) record for Giuseppe and a 7-0 (3) mark for Erminio; Nilles checks in at 4-2 (2). Successful debuts were made by all the other newcomers, paced by Martin Burke at 6-0 (3) and Bob Roper at 5-0 (3).

Retirements: Five lightly regarded HWs hung up the gloves in 1919.

George Rodel (SAF) 1911-19 16-15-1 (10) No Titles Highest Rank: 22
Tony Ross (USA) 1905-19 25-25-2 (11) No Titles Highest Rank: 17
Jim Stewart (USA) 1907-19 21-21-1 (11) No Titles Highest Rank: 11
Andy Morris (USA) 1909-19 18-18-3 (8) No Titles Highest Rank: 25
Tom Kennedy (USA) 1911-19 16-14-2 (4) No Titles Highest Rank: 24

Looking Ahead: It will be interesting to see if Madden can survive a title defense, as none of his four predecessors were able to do so in 1919. Look for Wills and Dempsey to be angling for a title shot in 1920. Clarke may also be ready to contend for the top spot as well. The fading talents of guys like McVey, Langford, Burns and Jeannette opens up spots in the Top 10 for guys like Fulton, Samson-Korner, and Weinert. Look for Firpo to debut higher up the rankings than anyone since Dempsey. New Zealand's Tom Heeney will be among the five newcomers set to debut in 1920.

Predictions: Last year's forecasts were one for three: Langford did not defeat Dempsey for the WBA title (Langford took the belt, but not from Dempsey); Morris did not lose the USBA belt to Wills) but Madden did take the EBU title (and went on to become WBA champion).
For 1920, I will predict that Dempsey will regain the WBA title from either Madden or Madden's successor. Look for Wills to gain either a NABF or USBA belt. Expect to see at least three changes in the top 10 next year. Bell will keep the Commonwealth belt but not succeed if awarded at World title shot.

[mh2365]

Originally Posted by JCWeb

Jan 1920 Rankings (Perf Pts and Changes from Jan 1919 in parens):

Champ: Bartley Madden 27-6-3 (12) (1315) (+9) 3-0 beginner
1. Harry Wills 32-3-1 (17) (1465) (+2) 8-0 club
2. Sam McVey 51-13-2 (32) (1464) (NC) 31-8 ranked 34th
3. Sam Langford 66-10-1 (48) (1314) (-2) 33-6-2 holds 3 of 4 titles
4. Jack Dempsey 28-1-1 (17) (1275) (-4) debuts 1914
5. Jeff Clarke 37-11-3 (26) (1095) (+5) 15-3-1 regional champ ranked 28
6. Carl Morris 29-9 (18) (962) (-2) 14-0
7. Billy Miske 25-6-1 (15) (943) (+4) debuts 1913
8. Tommy Burns 48-17-5 (32) (939) (-3) 26-10-3 ranked 48th
9. Bill Brennan 24-8 (20) (936) (+3) debuts 1913
10. Colin Bell 29-15-3 (13) (885) (-4) 15-1 ranked 32


George Rodel (SAF) 1911-19 16-15-1 (10) No Titles Highest Rank: 22 5-1-1 beginner
Tony Ross (USA) 1905-19 25-25-2 (11) No Titles Highest Rank: 17 12-12-4 ranked 117
Jim Stewart (USA) 1907-19 21-21-1 (11) No Titles Highest Rank: 11 not sure I have him .. had a Jem Stewart
Andy Morris (USA) 1909-19 18-18-3 (8) No Titles Highest Rank: 25 12-3-2 ranked 66
Tom Kennedy (USA) 1911-19 16-14-2 (4) No Titles Highest Rank: 24 7-1 and in the club ranks

I always like seeing how my guys compare to yours even though I am 8 years behind you.

How do you keep track of their highest ranking?

[JCWeb]

1919 LH Title Bouts

Four of the six titles changed hands during the course of the year, and the WBA title changed hands twice.

WBA

Jack Dillon CH (39-5-3) vs Kid Norfolk #3 (24-2)

Norfolk, the USBA Champion, comes into this title bout having won his last 8 in a row. First meeting of the two comes in Dillon's seventh title defense in his second run as LH Champ.

After a close opening stanza, Dillon pounds out a points lead by fighting outside in round two. Norfolk is the aggressor in rounds three through five, pulling ahead 49-48 in a close bout on the unofficial scorecard. After some toe-to-toe action on the inside in round six, Norfolk presses forward in round 7, but is stymied by Dillon's persistent counterpunching. Round eight is crucial as Norfolk presses forward, dropping Dillon halfway through the round. Dillon arises after a 9-count, covering up to last the round. Dillon tries to mount a comeback in the later rounds, but he falls short in the final scoring as the one knockdown makes all the difference as Norfolk takes the belt in a very close UD 15 (145-143, 144-143, 144-142).

Kid Norfolk CH (25-2) vs Gene Tunney #9 (18-3)

Tunney, who fell short in an earlier try for the NABF title, is now at Prime, having won his last two bouts after dropping three in a row. First meeting, and Norfolk seems primed too, having won his last eight encounters.

Round one, it's a slow start by both. Both work outside in round two, not much action but it's a slight edge for Tunney. Round three, Norfolk tries to get more aggressive, but he is vulnerable to some counter-shots by the "Fighting Marine." One of them catches Norfolk right on the button, and a broken nose results. This leads to an instant stoppage, and Gene Tunney is declared new WBA LH champ via a TKO in round 3.

Gene Tunney CH (19-3) vs Jack Dillon #2 (40-6-3)

Tunney's first defense is against the two-time former Champ, Dillon, who defeated Tommy Gibbons in a UD 10 while awaiting another title shot. First meeting of the two who are among the ATGs in the LH division, both in their prime. A huge matchup.

Cautious start by both men in round one, slight edge to Jack "The Giant Killer" Dillon. Both content to probe each other from the outside in a close round two, again the edge to Dillon. Tunney presses the action in round three, an even round. Tunney wins the battle on the outside in round four, and Dillon seems to have the better of it in another close round, making it 48-47 on the unofficial card for Dillon after five. Some good action in round six, with the toe-to-toe slugfest favoring Tunney. In the middle rounds, the bout turns into a chess match as neither man wants to let down his guard. Tunney, who is the aggressor, is repeatedly off-target and the unofficial observer has it 97-94 for the challenger after 10 rounds. Tunney continues to press home the attack into the final rounds of this hard fought bout. No KDs, and a strong final round serves the "Fighting Marine" well as he manages to keep the title with a split draw (143-143. 141-144 for Dillon and 144-142 for Tunney).

NABF: Harry Greb, the former MW champ, moved up to LH in 1919 and challenged Tommy Gibbons for the NABF belt after a KO win over a solid opponent, Leo Houck. Greb staggers Gibbons twice during the bout, and the Champ stages a comeback that just falls short. Greb takes the NABF LH title via a SD 12.

USBA: Norfolk relinquishes the USBA belt after winning the WBA one, and Battling Levinsky is matched with Larry Williams for the vacant title. A solid hook by Levinsky drops Williams to the canvas in round four, and Levinsky cruises to a UD 12 win. He then defends against his former nemesis Bob McAllister (holder of three previous wins over Levinsky), but this time an aging McAllister is no match as Levinksy coasts to another UD 12 win.

CBU: Harry Reeve defends versus Aussie Dave Smith, and this time Reeve (seeking to overcome a 1-2 deficit in their three prior meetings) piles up an early points lead and, although Smith keeps the bout close, Reeve ekes out a MD 12 triumph.

GBU: Harry Reeve did not defend this belt in 1919.

EBU: Frenchman Georges Carpentier defends versus Battling Siki, the Senegalese fighting under the French flag. Carpentier, who is forced to carry the fight to Siki, sustains a cut above his right eye, and despite Siki also suffering from some swelling around his right eye, he is declared the winner via TKO on a cuts stoppage in round 10. Siki defends versus CBU and GBU champ, Harry Reeve of the UK, and he dominates the action, scoring two KDs en route to a KO 4 win over Reeve.

[JCWeb]

The "Highest Rank" refers to the highest position occupied by each listed boxer in the year-end rankings. Since I am always concerned about some computer malfunction, when I started my Uni I kept track of each RL boxer in the game on a sheet of paper-- I also sort these pages in separate folders which I use to make the fight cards and pairings for each month, instead of those spreadsheets which many of the rest of you use. As each year is completed, I note the ranking of each boxer on these sheets which I keep in a bound notebook as the boxers retire.

I have also tracked the historical post-fight PP numbers after each fighter's bout -- at first, just to see how the rankings system works. More recently, I am thinking about using them to make some historical comparisons of the peak PP numbers for each boxer -- hope to post the results sometime soon.

[JCWeb]

Jan 1920 LH Division Profile

Total: 75 RL: 43 TCs: 32

RL by Career Stage:

End - 1
Post - 3
Prime: 20
Pre - 9
Beginning - 10 (6 New)

Rated: 28
800+: 8
500+: 13
200+: 26

Jan 1920 Rankings (Perf Pts and Changes from Jan 1919 in Parens):

Champ: Gene Tunney 19-3-1 (15) (881) (+7)
1. Harry Greb 27-3 (18) (1251) (new)
2. Jack Dillon 40-6-4 (15) (1111) (-2)
3. Battling Levinsky 34-12-1 (14) (943) (+2)
4. Tommy Gibbons 28-8-1 (13) (926) (-2)
5. Kid Norfolk 25-3 (14) (866) (-2)
6. Georges Carpentier 38-6-2 (26) (852) (-5)
7. Bob McAllister 34-11-1 (20) (838) (-3)
8. Battling Siki 22-7-3 (15) (720) (-2)
9. Leo Houck 42-21-4 (12) (717) (NC)
10. Bob Sweeney 25-9-2 (19) (682) (+1)

Comments: Everyone listed above now at Prime, except McAllister who is at Post. Tunney recovered after three successive losses to capture the WBA belt, scoring a UD 10 over McTigue in addition to the title bouts. Greb moved up from MW and is now the highest rated LHW after three wins in 1919, including a KO over Houck and a UD over Siki in addition to capturing the NABF title. Dillon dropped the WBA belt to Norfolk but recovered to score a UD 10 over Gibbons and almost regained the title in a memorable battle with Tunney. Levinsky went 3-0 for the year, including a UD over Tunney, and has righted his career by winning seven of his last 8. Gibbons lost to Greb and Dillon, bounced back with a UD 10 over McAllister. Norfolk split two title bouts, his loss to Tunney snapped a 9-bout win streak. Carpentier made another foray into the HW ranks, losing to Flint. He lost the EBU belt to Siki but bounced back with a KO over Dave Smith and a UD over Houck. McAllister is on the way down after successive losses to Levinsky and Gibbons. Siki was a busy fighter in 1919, going 3-2 but losses to Houck and Greb prevented further progress. Houck was 2-2 for the year, scoring UDs over Siki and Williams but losing to Carpentier and Greb. Sweeney moved into the top 10 with four wins after a loss to McAllister.

Other Notables: Larry Williams slipped out of the top group, dropping from #10 to #11, beating three lesser opponents but losing UDs to Houck and Levinsky. Charles Grande slid five spots to #13, the only bright spot being a MD over Dave Smith but KO losses to McTigue and Sweeney KO'd his chances to stay in the top 10. McTigue wound up the year at #12, with a 22-7-1 (19) career mark, going 2-1 in 1919 with KOs over Reeve and Grande offsetting the loss to Tunney. KO Kruvosky is #14 after a three wins over Trembley, Choynski and Farmer, all lower rated LHs. Lou Bogash debuts at #15, having struggled with losses to RL opponents Lohman and Williams but downing Trembley to post a 14-3 (10) career mark. Another debutant in the rankings is Ted Jamieson, whose 14-2-1 (7) record is good for #17. Jamieson has bounced back from two DQ losses to win his last three in a row. CBU/GBU champ Harry Reeve has posted a 19-14-1 (15) career mark, good for just 267 PPs and only #20 in the LH rankings. Reeve was simply overmatched in TKO losses to Siki and McTigue and appears to be unable to contend against the better LHs in the division.

Prospects: Joe Lohman suffered two setbacks (UD losses to Sweeney and Williams) but managed to beat Lou Bogash via a MD 10 to post a 11-2-1 (2) mark. Brit Tom Berry has gone 9-0 (3) versus TC opposition. Ditto for Buck Holley, whose career is off to a stellar 7-0 (5) start. Brit Jack Bloomfield suffered his first loss, via DQ, to TC Mitch Truman, the same Mitch Truman who was the beneficiary of a DQ win over Lou Bogash. Jimmy Delaney at 6-0 (5), "Bright Eyes" Jack Delaney is 4-0 (4), Jack Reeves at 4-0 (2) and ATG Tommy Loughran at 2-0 (1) are still unbeaten, all versus TCs. Swiss Charles Baechli, who stumbled to a SD loss in his opening bout, is now 3-1 (0).

Retirements: None since 1916. But Dave Smith is at "End" career stage now.

Looking Ahead: Tunney and Greb appear to be the class of the division, with Dillon, Gibbons and Levinsky also serious factors. Look for a Tunney-Greb showdown matchup some time soon. Expect to see McTigue move up the rankings, and Bogash could become a factor once he hits Prime career stage. Carpentier is likely to pursue the EBU HW belt, recently vacated by new WBA HW king Bartley Madden. Jack Delaney and Tommy Loughran are the top prospects, and 13-year old Len Harvey of the UK is the best of the six newcomers set to swell the LH ranks in 1920.

Predictions: Bad year for predictions last time, missed on all four -- Dillon did not win the title bout with Norfolk; Tunney skipped over the lesser belt and went right for the jugular to win the WBA title; Dave Smith failed to wrest the CBU belt from Reeve; and Carpentier failed to keep the EBU title.

For 1920, I will predict Greb over Tunney in their long-awaited "dream" matchup. I foresee McTigue moving into the Top 10 in 1920. Carpentier moves to the HW ranks but continues to struggle. Expect to see Dillon capture the NABF belt after Greb captures the WBA title.

[mh2365]

Originally Posted by JCWeb

The "Highest Rank" refers to the highest position occupied by each listed boxer in the year-end rankings. Since I am always concerned about some computer malfunction, when I started my Uni I kept track of each RL boxer in the game on a sheet of paper-- I also sort these pages in separate folders which I use to make the fight cards and pairings for each month, instead of those spreadsheets which many of the rest of you use. As each year is completed, I note the ranking of each boxer on these sheets which I keep in a bound notebook as the boxers retire.

I have also tracked the historical post-fight PP numbers after each fighter's bout -- at first, just to see how the rankings system works. More recently, I am thinking about using them to make some historical comparisons of the peak PP numbers for each boxer -- hope to post the results sometime soon.

I've thought about making a year end ranking column on my spreadsheet ... I want to but I think it will add too much more work.

[JCWeb]

1919 MW Title Bouts

WBA: Changed hands just once in 1919.

Eddie McGoorty CH (39-5-1) vs Mike O'Dowd #1 (25-5)

O'Dowd poses a tough challenge for McGoorty in his first title defense, given O'Dowd's 9-bout win streak that took him to the #1 contender spot in this talented division. The two have not faced each other before.

McGoorty starts well, nailing an overly cautious O'Dowd with a big hook late in round one. Lots more action in round two, with a slight edge to the challenger. Both stay on the outside in the third, and once again O'Dowd gains the upper hand. McGoorty applies the pressure on the inside in round four, gaining a slight edge in punches landed. Round five, some exciting toe-to-toe action on the inside, and O'Dowd takes the round. O'Dowd gradually gains the upper hand in round 6, with both men working from the outside. McGoorty becomes more aggressive, trying to mount a comeback but can't land a big shot to trouble O'Dowd. McGoorty keeps the bout close, but in the later rounds he is bothered by a cut above the right eye. A huge round 15 is crucial for O'Dowd, who takes the title via SD 15 (142-143, 143-142, 146-140).

Mike O'Dowd CH (26-5) vs Johnny Wilson #6 (23-6-1)

O'Dowd defends versus Wilson, who comes into his first title try with four wins in a row. Wilson also got the best of O'Dowd in a 1916 bout when both were at Pre-Prime.

A cautious start by both men leads to a fairly even round one. O'Dowd lands the better shots to take a slight lead in round two. He applies some pressure on the inside to take round three as well. Wilson tries to close the gap by working inside in rounds four and five, but O'Dowd defends well and is ahead 50-46 on the unofficial card after five. Wilson lands his best blow of the bout in round six, a powerful uppercut that staggers the Champ. O'Dowd surges forward in round 7, nailing Wilson with a strong combination right before the bell. Both men wing away from the inside in round 8, the edge once again going to O'Dowd as Wilson starts to tire. Wilson tries to get more aggressive, drawing a warning for a low blow in round 10. The unofficial card has a huge lead (99-93) for the Champ after 10. O'Dowd staggers Wilson with a huge uppercut in round 12, and then adopts a defensive posture as Wilson whales away but without results. In the end, it's an fairly decisive UD 15 win for O'Dowd (145-141, 146-140, 145-141).

NABF: O'Dowd vacates this belt after his successful challenge for the WBA crown. Fighting Billy Murray is matched with Albert "Buck" Crouse for the vacant belt, and from the outset Crouse swarms all over the hapless Murray, catching him with a strong shot for an early finish. Crouse by KO 1.

USBA: Mike Gibbons puts the belt on the line against the great former Champ, Billy Papke, who is beginning to feel the effects of aging. Gibbons builds an early lead, but is nailed by a huge Papke cross late in the bout. Papke tires early, and is cut below the eye, allowing Gibbons to take a UD 12. Next up is George "KO" Brown, who is aggressive but no match for the wily Gibbons. An early cut over Brown's right eye leads to a TKO 5 stoppage in favor of Gibbons.

CBU: No title defenses, and Jake Ahearn kept the belt he won in 1917.

GBU: Ahearn is allowed to defend versus TC Dick Rolfe, in what turns out to be a one-sided affair with the "Brooklyn Dancing Master" registering a UD 12 win.

EBU: Gus Platts takes on the former EBU Champ, the German Frank Mantell, The bout ends quickly when Platts catches an off-balance Mantell with a good shot -- Platts by KO 1. Platts then defended versus the Dane, Chic Nelson, whom he had beaten twice before. It's a close bruising bout, and Platts suffers a swollen left eye and a cut right eye and winds up on the short end of a MD 12 that allows Nelson to lift the belt.

[JCWeb]

Jan 1920 MW Division Profile

Total: 143 RL: 80 TCs: 63

RL by Career Stage:

End - 2
Post- 6
Prime- 47
Pre - 14
Beginning -11 (6 New)

Rated: 59
800+: 8
500+: 27
200+: 51

Jan 1920 Rankings (Perf Pts and Changes from Jan 1919 in parens):

Champ: Mike O'Dowd 27-5 (11) (1285) (+1)
1. Jeff Smith 34-8 (14) (1187) (+3)
2. Mike Gibbons 35-6-1 (14) (1118) (NC)
3. Panama Joe Gans 23-3 (13) (1062) (+4)
4. Eddie McGoorty 40-16-1 (32) (1031) (-4)
5. Albert Crouse 27-10-1 (21) (903) (+7)
6. Fighting Billy Murray 25-10-3 (15) (844) (+2)
7. Johnny Wilson 23-7-1 (10) (814) (+6)
8. Bryan Downey 22-6-2 (12) (790) (+3)
9. Billy Papke 38-11-3 (25) (787) (-4)
10. Jack McCarron 29-13-3 (770) (-1)

Comments: Everyone listed at Prime, except for Papke, who reached Post in 1919. O'Dowd extended his win streak to 11, scoring a UD 10 win over Jake Ahearn in addition to his WBA title successes. Jeff Smith is now the #1 contender, going 4-0 in the year (a SD over Papke and UDs versus Gus Platts, Johnny Gill and Panama Joe Gans) but no title bouts. Mike Gibbons went 2-1 in 1919, defeating Papke and Brown but dropping a UD to Panama Joe. Gans added a win over Joe Chip to go with the loss to Smith and the win over Gibbons, but no title shot for the Panama man. Former Champ McGoorty recovered from his title bout loss by scoring a UD 10 over McCarron. Crouse has won his last five, including three in 1919 over Jock Malone and Papke prior to his NABF title win. Murray, Crouse's KO victim, was held to a draw by Littleton but won a rematch with Littleton and then KO'd Eddie Revoire to keep his ranking up. Johnny Wilson made a move with UDs over Malone and Revoire and a MD over Downey prior to his unsuccessful USBA title try. Downey had a 3-2 year, losing to Wilson but scoring UD wins versus the likes of McCoy and Grayber. Papke slipped but remained in the top 10 despite losing his last four bouts. McCarron fought five times in 1919, winning two, losing two and drawing one. He defeated Papke but dropped a SD to Borrell.

Other Notables: Greb, the #3 MW last year, moved up to the LH division. George Brown dropped one spot to #11, as his five bout win streak dating back to 1917 was snapped by KO losses to Gibbons and Downey. Joe Borrell slid seven spots to #13, splitting a pair of bouts with Littleton, winning a SD over McCarron but dropping a UD to Grayber. Littleton managed to end up as #12, holding Murray to a draw. CBU/GBU champ "Brooklyn Dancing Master" Jake Ahearn had one win (versus TC Rolfe) and a draw with McCarron, coupled with a loss to O'Dowd, to wind up at #20 with a 30-11-2 (4) mark worth 597 pp. EBU Champ Chic Nelson defeated an aging Les Darcy, drew with Grayber, but dropped a SD to George Chip; he finished the year at #27 with 496 pp and a 21-10-2 (11) record. Gordon McKay started well, going 15-0 (9) to debut at #17, building on the first dozen wins versus TCs with UDs over RL boxers Tillie Herman and Terry Mitchell in addition to a TKO over Gavigan. Battling Ortega is one spot lower, at #18, losing a TD to Littleton after three straight wins. Eddie Palmer improved to #19, riding the crest of a six-bout win streak. Jock Malone enters the lists at #21 with a 15-2-2 (6) mark, suffering his first two losses at the hands of Crouse and Wilson who moved into the top 10. Johnny Gill won his first 15 bouts, but faded to 15-3-1 (7) to debut at #35 in the rankings. Finally, George Chip is mired in #34 spot, despite his SD win over Nelson as he lost to Al McCoy and was held to a draw by Jackie Clark.

Prospects: DQ losses spoiled clean slates for hot prospects Rene DeVos and Tiger Flowers; DeVos' career stats are now 12-1-1 (8) while Flowers has blasted out 11 opponents by KO in his other bouts to stand 11-1 (11). The Shade brothers are both 10-0, Billy winning all 10 by KO while Dave has only scored three early stoppages thus far. Brit Roland Todd has stumbled twice versus TCs and stands at 9-2-1 (4). Allentown Joe Gans is still unbeaten at 8-0 (7). Frankie Schoell at 7-1 (4) suffered a DQ loss to a TC. Canadian Eugene Brosseau at 6-0 (6) and Mickey Walker at 5-0 (5) have blasted out all their TC opponents inside the distance. Brit Ted Moore, Tiger Johnny Cline, Dave Rosenberg, Sailor Billy Vincent and Bert Colima have kept their slates clean while Aussie Frankie Burns at 2-0-1 (1) bounced back after being held to a draw in his initial bout.

Retirement: One prominent MW retired in 1919.

Les Darcy (AUS) 1910-19 28-13-3 (17) CBU Champ Highest Rank: 5

Darcy's career was fairly short, as IRL, and a bit of a disappointment as he failed to become a serious WBA title threat.

Looking Ahead: A changing of the guard at the top ranks of the MW division as veterans like McGoorty, Papke and even Gibbons show signs of fading. Jeff Smith looks to be the first to have a shot at O'Dowd's belt; Panama Joe Gans is still a likely NABF title threat. It will be interesting to see if Crouse can improve or build on his NABF title success. Younger fighters like DeVos, Flowers, the Shade brothers and Mickey Walker will likely be knocking on the door in the next year or two. Five of the six newcomers to the MW ranks in 1920 will be overseas fighters, led by Mario Bosisio of Italy and Marcel Thil of France.

Predictions: Had Panama Joe Gans challenging for the NABF belt, which did not happen; was correct in predicting the O'Dowd win over McGoorty for the WBA title; was incorrect in forecasting more than one new WBA MW titleholder in 1919; and once again, wrong in predicting that Mantell would take the EBU belt.
I will once again go out on the proverbial limb and forecast a WBA title for Crouse in 1920 and a NABF belt for Panama Joe Gans. In a division dominated by US and Western Hemisphere fighters, the best of the rest is Jake Ahearn, for whom I forecast a EBU belt in 1920 to go with the CBU and GBU titles he already holds.

[JCWeb]

1919 WW Title Bouts

WBA

Art Magirl CH (27-2-1) vs Albert Badoud #2 (27-7-2)

Second meeting of the two, as Magirl scored a TKO win back in a 1916 title clash. Badoud is unbeaten in his last six, Magirl has won his last 17.

Round one, the French challenger serves up a wake-up call when he nails the champ with a big cross to dominate the early action. Second round, the Oklahoma Whirlwind gets on track but Badoud again lands the heavy leather, unleashing another big cross near the end of the round that staggers the Champ. Third stanza, both men look to score inside, but Magirl gets there first, connecting with a big left that backs up Badoud. Magirl seizes the moment and puts Badoud on his back with a solid hook -- the Frenchman can't beat the count. Magirl by KO 3.

Art Magirl CH (28-2-1) vs Jack Britton #3 (44-9-3)

Another tough opponent, ex-Champ Britton, takes on Magirl, who seeks to repeat his TKO win back in 1917. Britton comes in having won his last two.

First round, Magirl lands a crushing uppercut to gain an early points edge. Round two, Magirl is still the aggressor, few punches landed. Magirl looks to land a roundhouse blow in the third, repeating his prior success, but Britton's defense is solid. Both are content to stay outside in round four, which is a fairly even round. There is some exciting toe-to-toe action in round five, a strong round for the challenger, who pulls even (48-48) on the unofficial scorecard. Britton tries to be more aggressive in round 6, but the edge goes to the Champ. Magirl steps up the pace in the middle rounds to pull ahead by 97-94 after 10 on the unofficial card. Magirl continues to press the attack, and a frustrated Britton is called for a flagrant low blow that results in a DQ win for Magirl in round 12. Magirl was well ahead on all three cards, so Britton's camp really can't complain much at all.

Art Magirl CH (29-2-1) vs Johnny Basham #6 (28-9-3)

Magirl's 11th title defense, second one versus Basham whom he scored a TKO in 1918. Basham has bounced back to win his last two in 1919.

Basham looks sharp early but late in the round he leaves himself open to a three-punch combination from the Champ which forces him to cover up to survive the round. Round two, the Oklahoma Whirlwind takes advantage, swarming all over the hapless Brit, landing a series of hooks and jabs. Basham is unable to fend for himself, and the ref calls a halt. A punishing round two secures a TKO for Magirl, in this his 11th title defense.

NABF: Packey McFarland defended the belt he has held since 1910 (!) by taking on Marty Cross who poses little challenge (a UD 12 win for McFarland) and then he takes on Eddie Shevlin in the first meeting of the two, scoring a KD in round six and surviving a cut below the eye in round 9 to register a lopsided UD 12 win for his 20th successful title defense.

USBA: Jack Britton defends the belt twice, first versus Shevlin, who offers little resistance as Britton piles up a points lead and coasts to a UD 12 win in a very one-sided affair. Next up is the veteran Dixie Kid, who put forth a good effort but was no match for Britton. Britton by UD 12 (116-112 on all cards).

CBU: Basham puts the belt on the line against the new British sensation, Bermondsey Billy Wells. Wells enters with an impressive 17-0 (9) record, having just captured the British title. Basham pulls ahead after six, but is nailed by a powerful right from Wells in round seven. A late cut also creates problems for Basham, who manages to rely on his experience in the later rounds and escape with a MD 12 win to keep the belt he has held since 1916.

GBU: Johnny Summers takes on Bermondsey Billy Wells, and the youthful challenger piles up an early points lead and Summers, who suffers from a badly swollen right eye after about 4-5 rounds, has no answer -- UD 12 to Wells who becomes the new British champ. After suffering the loss to Basham, Bermondsey Billy defends against his namesake, ex-GBU king Matt Wells, steadily building an early lead to coast to a UD 12 win, surviving a late surge by the challenger in the later rounds.

EBU: Summers put this belt on the line against the highly regarded Frenchman, who had remained unbeaten since losing the EBU title back in 1917. It's a close bout but Badoud gains the upper hand in the later rounds, taking a close UD 12 verdict to regain the belt. In September, Badoud accepts a challenge from Ted Kid Lewis, and the result is an exciting see-saw battle. Badoud stuns Lewis with a straight right hand in round three, but Ted Kid battles back to drop Badoud to the canvas with a hook in round nine. The Frenchman scrambles to his feet, only to be bombarded with more blows from the more energetic Lewis. The ref calls a halt, and Ted Kid Lewis is the new EBU Champ by a TKO in round 9.