My Universe

[JCWeb]

Two WBA title fights are included in this summary of ring action from the second half of January 1936, covering a total of 65 bouts.

Jan. 17, 1936: Friday nights “Down Under,” this time in Sydney, Australia. Feature is for the Commonwealth HW title, with veteran Tom Heeney challenging the reigning titlist, Don McCorkindale. First up though, is a main support bout with Aussie fan favorite Merv “Darky” Blandon, the CBU and OPBF FW Champion, squaring off against Petey Hayes in a non-title affair. The bout is decided early on when a gash appears over Hayes’ right eye. The cut is in a bad spot, and there is nothing much Hayes’ corner can do when it is reopened midway through the bout. TKO 6 to Blandon on the cuts stoppage. Post-fight marks: Blandon, 20-5 (15); Hayes, 22-3-5 (7). Then the McCorkindale versus Heeney confrontation wraps up the evening’s fistic activities. Heeney holds a prior TKO win, but that was back in 1933; now Heeney is at End career stage although he still holds the OPBF HW title, mainly through inactivity and lack of challengers. This time around, McCorkindale is in charge early, and Heeney is in trouble, suffering a severe cut over his left eye in the third round. Then, in round four, McCorkindale lands a big hook that puts Heeney down and out – KO 4 for McCorkindale, who retains the belt and runs his record to 29-7-1 (17). For Heeney, it’s pretty much over as he slips to 36-24-1 (12).

Jan. 18, 1936: The scene shifts to Europe for a solid card at the Ullevi Stadium in Gothenburg, Sweden. Middleweight bouts top the card, with the co-feature matching two Champions in a non-title clash, as OPBF Champion Ambrose Palmer squares off against LABF titleholder Kid Tunero for the third time, with Tunero having won the first two. Kid Tunero, boxing steadily, gradually builds a points lead. Midway through the bout, both Palmer and Tunero are showing signs of wear and tear with swelling under one eye. Palmer manages to keep the bout close, but in the end he comes up a bit short as Tunero takes a close SD 10 (96-94, 94-97, 96-95) to run his career stats to 26-5-4 (8). Palmer, whose late round aggressiveness was rewarded with the nod from one of the three judges, is now 25-9 (16). In the main event, two familiar foes battle as former EBU MW Champ Hein Domgorgen faces Frenchman Marcel Thil. Domgorgen holds a 2-1 edge in prior meetings, and both these veteran pugilists are in their final year at Prime career stage. In this bout, Thil sets up shop on the outside and has a big round four, with Domgorgen forced to deal with a cut and swollen left eye. Domgorgen bounces back with a solid effort in round five, and early in round six he hurts Thil with a sharp, stinging combination. However, bad luck for the German as the cut over his eye is reopened and, in an abundance of caution, the ref calls an early halt. Thil takes a very controversial TKO 6 on the cuts stoppage Post-fight marks are 38-21-6 (13) for Thil, and 38-16-1 (19) for Domgorgen. Despite the howls of protest from Domgorgen’s corner, Thil was ahead on all three cards at the time of the stoppage.

Jan. 18, 1936: Next card is back in the States at Chicago’s Soldier’s Field. A pair of WW bouts headline this card, but one bout on the undercard features unbeaten MW prospect Tony Zale, aka “the man of Steel,” in his initial 1936 outing. Zale’s opponent is an aging journeyman, Herman Ratzlaff, and he wastes little time establishing dominance, nailing Ratzlaff with a big uppercut, then flooring his opponent with an overhand right. Ratzlaff arises at the count of nine, but Zale closes and quickly finishes matters, dishing out enough punishment until the ref steps in to call a halt. TKO 1 for Zale, who improves to 12-1 (11). In the co-feature, Joe Dundee faces a former WBA WW Champion in Young Jack Thompson. Dundee has two prior wins, but the last bout, back in 1930, was a split duke. This time, Thompson surprises Dundee with a big shot in round one that forces Joe to cover up. Then, in round five, Dundee is cut over his left eye. In the meantime, Dundee quietly compiles a strong points lead. Thompson opens up near the end of round nine, shaking Dundee with a three punch combo. Great effort by the aging vet Thompson, now at the End stage of his career as he manages to go the distance, but it is Dundee who comes away with a UD 10 (97-95, 99-92, 99-92) based on his overall performance over the course of the full ten rounds. Dundee moves to 43-17-9 (13) with the win; Thompson is 36-17-6 (19) after the loss. The final bout matches top WW contender Barney Ross, now titleless, with long time USBA JWW kingpin Johnny Jadick in a non-title contest. Ross confounds Jadick with his fluid boxing style, as he gradually builds a strong points position through the early and middle rounds. Both men are cut, Ross over the right eye and Jadick, the left eye, but in neither case does the cut become an issue. Ross goes on to take a solid UD 10 (98-92, 97-93, 98-92) that serves only to solidify his position as a top WW contender. Post-fight career marks: Ross, 27-5-2 (9); Jadick, 32-20-3 (8).

Jan. 24, 1936: Next up is the biggest LABF-sponsored card to date. The venue is Mexico City, and WBA and LABF title bouts top the card. The main support bout matches two former WBA BW Champions as Bushy Graham faces Panama Al Brown. Panama Al holds two prior wins, but both were way back in 1926 … ancient history. This time around, Graham is the aggressor in the early going, but Brown wins most of the exchanges as both men battle on the inside in round five. Brown gradually pulls ahead and takes a close but comfortable UD 10 win (97-93, 96-94, 97-93) to re-establish his credentials as a top BW contender. Post-fight records of the two: 47-10 (19) for Brown; 36-19-2 (11) for Graham. Then, in the co-feature, long-time JWW contender Battling Shaw challenges Cocoa Kid for the latter’s LABF WW belt. Good vocal crowd support for Shaw, who puts in a good showing against Kid, who is the better boxer. Kid manages to pull ahead in the middle rounds, and by round nine there is swelling under Shaw’s right eye. Kid goes on the retain the belt, taking a UD 12 (117-110, 116-111, 116-111) to improve to 26-4-2 (10); Shaw drops to 25-9-3 (13). Then, the crowd is whipped into a frenzy for the main event, as WBA FW titleholder Baby Arizmendi, now in his second stint as WBA titleholder, faces challenger Chalky Wright. An earlier bout was a close one, going down as a MD 10 for the Mexican Champion. Arizmendi is on target early, causing some noticeable swelling under the left eye of the challenger to appear by the end of round three. Arizmendi gradually pulls ahead on points as the bout heads into the middle rounds, but in round seven the Mexican Champion suffers a cut over his right eye. The cut is reopened in round 12, but a round later Arizmendi puts Wright down with a nice combination; the challenger is back on his feet at the count of eight but appears to be just hoping to survive. Then, a round later, a big break for Wright as the cut over Arizmendi’s eye is reopened a second time. Wright targets the cut and, with blood coming down, the ref calls a halt after consulting with the ring physician. TKO 14 for Wright, who wins the WBA title via the cuts stoppage. A very unpopular decision here in Mexico City, as Arizmendi was well ahead on points. Post-fight marks: Wright, 26-7-3 (13); Arizmendi, 27-6-2 (10). With Mexican fighters coming out on the short end of the two featured bouts, the crowd goes home unhappy.

Jan. 25, 1936: Another big card, this time at the Polo Grounds in New York City. Two main support bouts featuring long-time champions Tommy Loughran and Mickey Walker precede a WBA title fight. In the first of these, Tommy Loughran continues his quest for the HW crown, taking on veteran Paul Cavalier. With Cavalier now at Prime, Loughran has a relatively easy time of it. In round seven, he inflicts enough punishment to cause the ref to step in and call a halt. Loughran’s TKO 7 win moves his career totals to 54-8-4 (19) overall; Cavalier is now 35-15-2 (16). Then, veteran Mickey Walker faces another ranked MW, Tait Littman. Early on, Walker leaves himself open, making an inviting target for Littman, and there is puffiness under the left eye of Walker by the end of round two. The “Toy Bulldog” bounces back quickly, and in the fifth round he drops Littman for an eight-count with a big hook. By the end of the round, Littman also has swelling under his left eye. The end comes in round eight after Littman walks into a Walker cross for a second KD, and shortly after that, the bout is waved off. TKO 8 for Walker. Walker is now 60-8-1 (41); Littman, 26-7-1 (17). Then, in the final bout on the card, Jack McVey defends his WBA MW title against Eddie “Babe” Risko, the current USBA MW Champion. Risko holds a prior UD win, back in 1934, and he assumes the mantle of aggressor in the early rounds. After a close first four rounds, McVey gradually pulls ahead. Big round seven for McVey, followed by a big round eight for Risko. By round 10, Risko is battling a swollen and cut right eye. Risko continues to battle, and by round 11, it is McVey who is also battling a swollen right eye. McVey fades badly and, by winning the last five rounds, Risko steals the WBA title belt with a UD 15 victory (144-141, 144-141, 146-141). Post-fight records: Risko, 26-3-2 (11); McVey, 41-20-2 (20).

Jan. 31, 1936: London’s Earls Court is the scene of the next fight action. No titles on the line, but some interesting matchups. In one of these, young British HW Jack Peterson faces the “Basque Woodchopper,” Paulino Uzcudan, in an effort to solidify his position among the top 20 HWs. The bout is reasonably close through the early rounds, but it soon becomes apparent that Uzcudan, now at Post, is no match for the quicker and younger man. Peterson pulls ahead by round six and dominates the rest of the bout, putting Uzcudan down with a big shot in round seven. The Brit survives a cut over his left eye that appears late in the bout, taking a solid UD 10 (99-90, 99-90, 98-91) to firmly establish his credentials as a potential British and European title challenger. Post-bout career marks: 24-3 (16) for Peterson; 35-15-1 (12) for the aging Uzcudan. The main event is in the Flyweight division, matching EBU Champ and now #1 contender Istvan Enekes with his NABF counterpart, Frankie Genaro. Enekes has won his last nine, and Genaro has not lost since 1933. It is a tactical, defensive battle, with Enekes pulling ahead with big rounds in the early going. Genaro rallies with a big round six, and in round seven Enekes suffers a cut over his left eye. This emboldens Genaro, who continues with a strong round eight, and by the end of the round Enekes is also battling a swollen right eye. The strong finish enables Genaro to take a SD 10 (96-94, 93-97, 96-94) and upset the Hungarian. Genaro is now 45-15-5 (18) while Enekes, after his first career loss at Prime, slips to 25-3-1 (10).

[JCWeb]

This is a summary of ring action from the first half of February 1936, covering a total of 51 bouts.

Feb. 1, 1936: The month opens with a card at the War Memorial Auditorium in Syracuse, New York. No titles on the line, but the undercard includes hot young MW prospect Freddie Apostoli, who runs his record to a perfect 12-0 (12) with a nine-round KO of Gene Buffalo. Buffalo was down twice in round seven before falling in round nine. Then, two HWs square off in the main event. Elmer Ray is on the comeback trail, making his first appearance in over six months after having lost his NABF title to Max Baer. His opponent is Jimmy Mendes, who is hoping for an upset and a chance to move up the HW ranks. Ray looks sharp early, landing some punishing blows in a big round two that has Mendes returning to his corner with a swelling under his left eye. Then, in round four, Ray puts Mendes on the deck with a big cross, then follows up with an uppercut for a second KD later in the round. There’s still time to finish matters, but after a couple of more shots, the ref decides Mendes has suffered enough, so the bout is halted and it goes into the books as a TKO 4 for Elmer Ray. The win moves Ray to 31-7 (19), while Mendes is 25-9-3 (21). Impressive outing by “Kid Violent.”

Feb. 1, 1936: Next card is in South America, at Luna Park in Buenos Aires, and it is sponsored by the LABF although no LABF title belts are at stake. The headliner features reigning LABF LW Champ Emory Cabana matched with Eddie Cool, a former USBA LW titleholder. Cabana seizes control early, and Cool is forced to battle back, becoming the aggressor in the later rounds. No cuts or knockdowns, but it is a good, close bout that goes the distance with Cabana coming out on top via a SD 10 (95-96, 96-95, 96-95) after surviving with a rapidly swelling left eye in the last three rounds. Post-fight career marks: Cabana, 38-16-4 (12); Cool, 27-8-3 (10). The win keeps Cabana’s aspirations for a WBA title shot alive.

Feb. 7, 1936: Back to Europe for an abbreviated card at the Amor Bahn in Munich. The main event features unbeaten Flyweight Ernst Weiss, who is attempting to continue his rise up the ranks by taking on veteran Eugene Huat. Weiss finds Huat to be a difficult opponent, as the Frenchman is the aggressor through the early going. Finally, in round seven, Weiss gets on track, staggering Huat with a big uppercut. Weiss is unable to follow up, however, and Huat goes on to take a MD 10 (97-95, 95-95, 96-94), handing the Austrian his first career loss. Huat moves to 24-12-6 (10) with the win; Weiss is now 16-1 (7) after the loss.

Feb. 8, 1936: Next up is a fairly pedestrian card at the Dodge Theatre in Phoenix, Arizona, with the only interest being in the main event, which pits Young Corbett III against Pete Latzo for the former’s USBA WW title. The two have faced each other five times, but none recently, with Latzo holding a 3-2 career edge, but Pete’s last win over Corbett was back in 1926, nearly a decade ago. This time, the bout remains close in the early rounds. Then, Corbett gradually applies pressure to pull ahead in the middle rounds. Now at Post-Prime, Latzo has to battle the effects of aging and a rapidly swelling left eye in the later rounds. Thus, Corbett is able to coast to a relatively easy UD 12 victory (116-112, 117-111, 117-112). Post-fight marks: Corbett, 47-12-5 (12); Latzo, 39-21-5 (12).

Feb. 14, 1936: Manila’s Rizal Arena is the scene for the next Friday night card. No titles on the line, but two top 20 BWs do battle in the main event, as Jo Teiken faces hometown favorite Litle Pancho. It is the first meeting of these two boxers, and the bout devolves into a defensive struggle. Teiken garners an early points lead while Pancho tries to pick up the pace in the later rounds. However, all the good crowd support backing the Filipino fighter cannot prevent Teiken from walking away a UD 10 victor, by a wide margin (99-91, 98-92,99-91). Post-fight records: Risko, 26-3-2 (11); McVey, 41-20-2 (20).

Feb. 15, 1936: Back to the States for a power-laden card featuring many future stars leading to a main event contest for the recently vacated USBA MW title. First up on the undercard is young LH Archie Moore, known in later life as the “Old Mongoose,” who takes out a TC with a wicked hook to the head for a KO 1 to continue a perfect career start; he is now 2-0 (2). Then, LW Sammy “the Clutch” Angott is in a scheduled eight-rounder but it’s over in less than two, as Angott catches his hapless TC opponent with a short, clean uppercut. KO 2 for Angott, running his career record to 8-0 (5). Then, in one of the 10-round main support bouts, two unbeaten young LW prospects collide with 18-0 Lou Ambers facing 17-0 Tommy Spiegel. A big shot from Angott in the second round rips open a cut on Spiegel’s forehead, and Spiegel is left to paw at the blood. The corner patches the cut up, but more trouble for Spiegel when Ambers puts him down with a barrage of blows in round four. Finally, in round eight, the cut is reopened once more, and this time, the ref calls a halt. TKO 8 for Ambers, who is now 19-0 (15); Spiegel’s first career loss leaves him at 17-1 (5). Another unbeaten young prospect, this time in the WW division, Izzy Jannazzo, takes on a former NABF and USBA titleholder, Johnny Indrisano. The two boxers appear to be evenly matched through the first five rounds. In round seven, Jannazzo catches Indrisano with a short, clean hook that puts the veteran down and out; the KO 7 lifts Jannazzo to 17-0 (13) while Indrisano, who had been a Post-Prime, now moves to End for his next outing. The stars of tomorrow keep coming in the first of the co-features, which is a rematch of young MWs Ben “Belter” Brown and Tony “Man of Steel” Zale, with Zale seeking to avenge his only career defeat to date. Zale breaks through with a big shot for the bout’s first knockdown in round four. He follows up with a second KD later in the round, but cannot finish Brown. The following round, Zale delivers a third KD and dishes out even more punishment before the bout is halted; it goes down as a convincing TKO 5 win for Zale. Post-bout marks: Zale, 13-1 (12); Brown, 13-1 (11). Next up is the fighter many in the crowd have come to see: Joe Louis, the Brown Bomber, makes his 1936 debut, facing another unbeaten HW prospect, Alberto Santiago Lovell, all the way from Argentina. Louis treats Lovell like one of the five TCs he destroyed in less than a round in earlier bouts, trapping Lovell in the corner and repeatedly firing away until the ref steps in. No knockdowns, but a TKO 1 for Louis. Now 14-0 (13), with six first round stoppages thus far, the “Brown Bomber” needs one more bout (scheduled for March 1936) to be ranked. Lovell dips to 11-1-1 (8) with this setback. Then, in the main event, MWs Vince Dundee, a former WBA Champion, and Holman Williams, in his first title bout of any kind, vie for the USBA MW belt vacated by Eddie “Babe” Risko who stepped up to win the WBA crown. Williams gets off to a strong start, dominating the action through the first three rounds. Dundee must deal with a rapidly swelling right eye in addition to his slick-boxing opponent. Williams establishes a solid points advantage, and Dundee lacks the firepower to mount an effective challenge. The bouts goes the distance, and the UD 12 (116-113, 117-111, 116-112) and the title go to Williams. Holman is now 22-1 (15); Dundee dips to 37-10-4 (15) after the loss.

[JCWeb]

This is a summary of ring action from the second half of February 1936, covering a total of 64 bouts.

Feb. 21, 1936: Next is a Friday night card in New Orleans, just in time for Mardi Gras, which features a WBA title bout as the main event. WBA LH Champion Joe “Cairo Calamity” Knight puts the title on the line against USBA titleholder John Henry Lewis, in a rematch of the most recent title bout, from October 1935, that went to Knight in a split decision that many observers thought should have gone to Lewis. This time around, after a cautious start by both, Knight moves inside in round three but cannot find the range. Good two-way action in both rounds three and four, then in the fifth Lewis connects with a big left to the top of Knight’s head that forces the Champ to cover up. Both men stay outside for the next few rounds to conserve energy. Then, in round eight, Knight launches a big attack that is largely thwarted by Lewis’ defense. Early in round nine, Lewis uncorks a big right that lands flush on Knight’s chin. Knight battles back to make the round close. Lewis seems to be ahead, having won most of the middle rounds, but in round 11, he suffers a cut over his left eye. Knight targets the cut, seeing it as his best chance of retaining his crown, and in round 12, the cut is reopened – more trouble for Lewis. Lewis adopts a defensive posture to protect the cut and his points lead, and late in the bout Knight begins to tire, also showing signs of swelling around his left eye. The bout goes the full 15, and this time Lewis is the clear winner via a UD 15 (147-140, 147-139, 146-140) to capture the belt. Good candidate for “Fight of the Year.” Post-fight career marks: Lewis, 20-2-2 (16); Knight, 27-5-2 (15).

Feb. 22, 1936: Next card is at Toronto’s Maple Leaf Gardens. No titles at stake, and the main event is a BW contest with Lew Farber facing a Canadian fan favorite, Bobby “Verdun Flash” Leitham. The early edge goes to Farber, as Leitham is showing the effects of hitting Post-Prime career stage. Leitham rallies with a strong fourth round. Farber silences the pro-Leitham crowd with a strong round seven, and he goes on to take a UD 10 (98-93, 97-94, 96-95) to move his career totals to 26-5-2 (12); Leitham is now 29-10-1 (12).

Feb. 22, 1936: More fistic action at the Cow Palace in San Francisco. Main event is a good one, with Tiger Jack Fox meeting Maxie Rosenbloom for Fox’s NABF LH title belt. It’s Rosenbloom’s second outing after losing his WBA title, which he won from Fox in the second of their two earlier meetings (1-1 to date). However, first up is a notable bout on the undercard as all-time great Benny Leonard records a milestone in hitting the century mark (100 career bouts). He faces Seargant Sammy Baker, and in round five Baker drops the aging veteran for a nine-count. Then, in round seven, the bout begins to turn Leonard’s way as Baker is cut over his left eye. However, the final swing goes to Baker as Leonard is called for repeatedly low blows. The fouling results in a DQ-8 win for Baker, to the surprise and dismay of most of the crowd and Leonard’s corner. Nonetheless, the result stands, and Leonard is now 82-13-5 (42). Then, in the NABF LH title contest, Fox comes out firing and is the early aggressor, compiling an early points edge. Rosenbloom battles back in the middle rounds, and he has an edge in punches landed. Both men get in some good shots in round seven, and both men begin to tire in round eight from their earlier exertions. Fox is cut over his right eye in round nine, and Rosenbloom is bothered by a swollen right eye. Fox is noticeably affected by the cut and tiredness in the later rounds, enabling Rosenbloom to lift the belt via a UD 12 (116-112, 117-111, 115-113). “Slapsie Maxie,” now angling for a WBA title shot, moves to 38-11-6 (16) with the win; he is NABF LH Champion for the second time in his career. Fox is 35-3 (27) after the loss.

Feb. 28, 1936: Next is a rare Friday night fight card at Harringay Arena in London, and the headliner is a WBA title bout. First, in the main support, LH contender Gustav Roth survives a scare against aging veteran Paul Berlenbach, taking a SD 10 (96-95, 95-96, 96-95) to push his career totals to 33-8-2 (12). Berlenbach, now approaching the end of his long career, is 31-17-1 (22). Then, the main event is for the WBA WW title belt now held by Jimmy “Baby Face” McLarnin, now making his sixth defense. His opponent is Tony Vaccarelli, the new NABF WW Champ who had won four in a row before losing to EBU Champ Cleto Locatelli in his most recent outing. Nonetheless, in the search for new title contenders, he was chosen as McLarnin has already faced just about all the remaining top WW talent. Vaccarelli gets off to a good start, landing some good blows early and, by the end of the second stanza, there is already some noticeable swelling under the right eye of the Champ. McLarnin decides to switch from boxer to slugger with some better results. Early in round four, he tags Vaccarelli with a right uppercut, forcing the challenger to cover up. Vaccarelli has done well to keep the bout reasonably close through the first five rounds. In the middle rounds, McLarnin stays mostly on the outside while Vaccarelli mixes up an inside and outside attack. In round 11, McLarnin suffers a nick under his swollen right eye. Both men tire badly in the later rounds, and Vaccarelli suffers from swelling under his right eye as well. The bout goes the distance, and McLarnin retains his title by a narrow margin, taking a MD 15 (145-141, 143-143, 144-142), winning the last three rounds on the 144-142 judge’s card. McLarnin, now at Post-Prime, is 46-5-1 (23); Vaccarelli is now 37-18-3 (15) after his surprisingly strong showing against the Champ.

Feb. 29, 1936: It’s a leap year, so a couple of cards on the 29^th, first one at the Palais des Sports in Cannes, France. Featherweights are on display in the main event, as #3 ranked contender, Battling Battalino, travels to face the French hope, Maurice Holtzer in a 10-round, non-title affair. After a cagey start by both men, Battalino pulls ahead slightly as the bout heads into the middle rounds. Holtzer is forced into an uncomfortable position of being the aggressor for much of the rest of the bout, and he struggles to find the range while lacking the weapons to trouble the ex-Champion. No cuts, swelling or knockdowns in this one, as Battalino takes a fairly routine UD 10 win (98-93, 99-92, 99-92). A resurgent Battalino has now won his last four and emerges from the bout at 33-9 (12); Holtzer is now 30-13-3 (11).

Feb. 29, 1936: Final card of the month is at New York City’s Yankee Stadium. Two unbeaten young LH prospects are matched on the undercard, as Billy Conn faces Harry Balsamo in an eight-rounder. Held to a draw in his most recent outing with another promising LH prospect, Melio Bettina, Conn is determined to impress the New York fight crowd in this one. He quietly builds an early points lead, but in the inside exchanges in round four, it is Balsamo who comes out on top, stunning Conn and causing his right eye to begin swelling as a result. In the later rounds, Conn wisely retreats to the outside, but Balsamo is able to do just enough to secure a draw (75-77 Balsamo, 76-76 on the other two cards, for a majority draw) making it two draws in a row for the “Pittsburgh Kid.” Post-fight records: 5-0-2 (5) for Conn; 8-0-1 (7) for Balsamo. Then, in the main event, HW veteran Jack Sharkey, who has seen better days, faces James “Cinderella Man” Braddock in a non-title affair – it is the first main event billing for Braddock, who has struggled throughout his career; however, this time he has a shot at an aging Sharkey and a chance to earn a top 20 HW ranking for the first time. The bout is close through the opening two rounds, and in round three Braddock moves inside with positive results. Sharkey tries to get more aggressive in rounds four and five, winning most of the inside exchanges. Braddock rebounds with a strong round six, and Sharkey is cut under his left eye. Sharkey is the aggressor and clear winner in round seven. Braddock bounces back to take round eight. Round nine is a great action round, with both men landing some telling blows, but still no knockdowns – nonetheless, a round-of-the-year candidate. Sharkey must deal with some swelling under his right eye, the result of relentless jabs thrown by the ever-present Braddock. Braddock finishes strongly in the final round, scoring with a jab, a cross and an uppercut, and he takes a well-deserved UD 10 verdict (97-92, 96-93, 96-93) that is well received by the knowledgeable New York fight crowd that is well aware of the ups and downs of Braddock’s long career. The win, his third in a row, moves Braddock to 30-12-2 (6) overall, putting him in the picture as far as the HW ranks are concerned. Sharkey drops to 43-13 (19) and slips out of the top 10 for the first time since 1928.

[bob_bask]

Great uni. Always enjoy the read.

[JCWeb]

Thanks, Bob. We are now into March of 1936 ...
This is a summary of ring action from the first half of March 1936, covering a total of 53 bouts. One WBA title bout included, and the title changes hands!

Mar. 6, 1936: The month kicks off with a Friday night card in Buffalo. The co-feature matches two top 10 LHs, as Battling Bozo faces Jimmy Slattery. The two boxers appear to be evenly matched through the first half of the bout, then the superior stamina of the younger man – Bozo – begins to tell. Slattery is slowed by a cut over the right eye suffered in round eight. The bout goes the distance, and Bozo takes a UD 10 (97-93 on all three cards) to move to 28-8-3 (11). Slattery ends the bout at 37-18-3 (12). Then, in the main event, Canadian Billy Townsend ventures across the border to put his newly-won NABF LW crown on the line, as he faces former JLW Champ Tod Morgan for the belt. After the early sparring favors Morgan, Townsend tries to get more aggressive. A big round six for Morgan, and Townsend continues to struggle. By the end of round nine, the belt is slipping away and there is noticeable swelling under the left eye of Townsend. Morgan settles into a defensive posture for the last few rounds, and this is sufficient for him to take a solid UD 12 (118-110, 118-110, 115-113) and claim the belt. Post-fight records: Morgan, 45-13-3 (12); Townsend, 26-13-1 (15). Townsend had a very short reign, holding the title for just two months.

Mar. 7, 1936: Next card is in Europe at the Sports Palace in Rome, and there is a WBA title fight heading the agenda. On the undercard are a pair of main support bouts featuring Italian fighters. In the first of these, HW Primo Carnera, “the Ambling Alp,” takes on Belgian Gustav Limousin in an effort to revive his flagging career. Carnera is off the mark quickly, bloodying Limousin’s nose in the opening round. However, Limousin also looks sharp early, putting Carnera down in each of the opening two rounds. But, Carnera shows some heart and battles back, winning the inside exchanges in round five. The end comes early, due to the cut on Limousin’s nose reopening and leading to a stoppage – a controversial ending due to the bout being in Carnera’s home country. Nonetheless, the result stands, and the TKO 8 lifts Carnera to 23-7-1 (17) and there is talk of an EBU title shot in his near future. In the next bout, MW Oddone Piazza is thrown in against an undefeated young MW prospect, Marcel Cerdan. This one does not go so well for the hometown faithful as Cerdan pulls ahead with a big round four. He follows up with another big round in the seventh, and in round eight he stuns Piazza with a huge uppercut. The Italian battles on, but Cerdan’s killer instinct kicked in as he decked Piazza who took a seven-count. After some more unanswered blows, the ref had seen enough and it goes as a TKO 8 for Cerdan. Post-fight, Cerdan moves to a perfect 11-0 (10) with his first non-TC win as a pro; Piazza is now 19-8-4 (13). Then, in the main event, the WBA BW title is at stake as Johnny King faces Pete Sanstol in a rematch of an earlier battle that resulted in a UD 15 win for King. King, who has won his last 12 bouts in a row, gets off to a slow start. Sanstol, aka “the Baby Cyclone,” connects early and often, causing King’s left eye to begin to puff up as early as round two. King battles back with a big round four, and both men settle in on the outside for a long struggle as the middle rounds of the bout are ticked off. Both men begin to tire into the later rounds, with Sanstol holding a huge punches landed advantage. King turns slugger and ramps up the pace in an effort to keep the belt he has held for two years now. In round 11, Sanstol is cut along his left eyebrow. Sanstol adops a defensive posture and is able to prevent further damage, meanwhile the swelling around King’s left eye has worsened. Sanstol goes to take a well-deserved UD 15 (146-139, 145-140, 145-140) and moves his career totals to 26-5-2 (12) as a result; Leitham is now 29-10-1 (12).

Mar. 7, 1936: Comiskey Park in Chicago is the next venue for some exciting fistic action. Relegated to the main support bout (because of the main event debut of a young HW named Joe Louis), Barney Ross takes on King Tut in a meeting of two top 10 WWs. Second meeting of the two, with Ross having won a UD 12 for the USBA title back in 1935; this time around, no title is at stake. Tut is on even terms with Ross through the first two rounds and, in round three, Tut tries to work inside but is thwarted by some effective counterpunching from Ross. From then on, Ross begins to dominate, building a large points lead. In round eight, Tut suffers a cut over his left eye, and two rounds later, the cut leads to a late stoppage. TKO 10 for Ross, who had matters well in hand. Post-fight, Ross moves to 28-5-2 (10) while Tut is left at 27-12-4 (19). Then, in his first ever main event, Joe Louis, the “Brown Bomber,” takes on his first ranked opponent, veteran HW Patsy Perroni. In round one, a Louis uppercut forces Perroni to cover up to last the round. After another big round for Louis in round two, Perroni appears to settle in for the next few rounds. Then, in round five, Louis gets the best of the inside exchanges, and Perroni comes away with a rapidly swelling right eye as a result. Perroni tries to get more aggressive, but it only opens himself up for more big shots landed by Louis. In round seven, a big Louis hook forces Perroni to cover up once again. Louis traps Perroni on the ropes but can’t finish. Round eight, more of the same, as Louis backs off, expecting the ref to stop the bout, which he does not. Perroni lasts into round nine, when Louis lands some more big shots, putting Perroni down twice. When Perroni goes down for the third round, it becomes an automatic TKO 9 win for Louis. Louis improves to 15-0 (14) with the win, and he is now ranked for the first time; Perroni drops to 25-10-1 (5) after the loss. There is some criticism of Louis for failing to put Perroni away sooner, but the young man’s connections plan to have Joe back in action in April, gunning for a top 20 HW rating for the hot young fighter who is looking to move up the ranks in a hurry.

Mar. 13, 1936: Next is a Friday night fight card at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh. Topping the card is a USBA HW title tilt, with Jersey Joe Walcott making his first defense of that belt against veteran Johnny “the Cleveland Rubber Man” Risko, who finally was in his first title bout after a long career. Walcott finds the range early, and by the end of round two, a mouse was beginning to form under Risko’s left eye. Then, in the fifth round, a big Walcott hook ripped open a cut on Risko’s lip. The cut was reopened in round seven, but Risko battled on, managing to last the distance with the wily Walcott. The end result, though, was not surprising – a lopsided UD 12 win for Jersey Joe Walcott (118-110, 118-110, 119-109) who moved to 28-2 (20) to retain his position as a top HW contender. Risko, at 33-14-4 (7) post-fight, was expected to return to his traditional journeyman status.

Mar. 14, 1936: Next fistic action is a relatively thin card at the Stadium in Liverpool. The main event sees Jim Kelly defending his GBU FW title against his predecessor, Dave Crowley, who is making his first appearance after losing his WBA FW title that he held briefly in 1935. Kelly has a solid start and holds the early edge in points. In the middle rounds, it is Crowley who gains ground by being the more aggressive of the two. However, Kelly is on target with some decent counterpunching, and by round nine, Crowley is feeling the effects of a cut and swollen left eye. Crowley managed to inflict some punishment of his own, and by round 11 Kelly shows signs of swelling under his right eye. The bout, a close one, goes the distance, and Kelly takes a MD 12 (116-113, 114-114, 116-112) to thwart Crowley’s efforts to regain the belt. Post-fight career marks: 20-2-1 (7) for Kelly, and 22-13-1 (11) for Crowley.

Mar. 14, 1936: Next card is at Vancouver’s Exhibition Gardens. Main event is for the Commonwealth HW title, preceded by a co-feature matching two ranked LHs, Canadian Charley Belanger and up-and-comer Bob Olin. Belanger, who ousted veteran Jack Delaney for the Commonwealth LH crown, manages to hold on through the early rounds where Olin is the aggressor. Belanger becomes stronger as the bout wears on, but the end comes suddenly as Olin gets careless and leaves himself open for a big shot from Belanger. Olin goes down and is counted out. KO 8 for Belanger, who runs his career totals to 34-16 (17). Olin is now 24-9-3 (10). Then, in the main event, Don McCorkindale puts his Commonwealth HW title belt on the line against the man he defeated for that belt, Canadian Larry Gains – and both men are angling for a World title shot as well. Early on, McCorkindale suffers a split lip that proves to be a problem as the fight unfolds. Gains has a huge round four, and McCorkindale’s corner must deal with some swelling around his right eye in addition to the cut. In round six, Gains stuns McCorkindale with a huge uppercut, and eventually the South African is defenseless as Gains lands blow after unanswered blow. The bout is halted, and it goes down as a TKO 6 for Gains, who has never looked more impressive against a quality opponent (McCorkindale had registered wins over Sharkey, Braddock, Stribling and Heeney in recent outings). The win moves Gains to 40-10 (22) overall, putting him in back among the top HW contenders. McCorkindale slips to 29-8-1 (17) after the loss.

[JCWeb]

This is a summary of ring action from the second half of March 1936, covering a total of 55 bouts.

Mar. 20, 1936: Next is a very solid Friday night card at Manila’s Rizal Arena. Featured is a WBA title bout, with an OPBF title clash as the co-feature. Jack Carroll puts his OPBF WW title on the line, facing Filipino Lope Tenorio, a former Champ, who Carroll defeated for the belt in 1935, avenging an earlier loss; Carroll enters the bout having won his last six. Carroll moves in front with a big round four, where Tenorio is cut under his left eye while also suffering from a rapidly swelling left eye. With Tenorio’s attack neutralized, Carroll goes on to take a fairly routine UD 12 (119-110, 117-112, 115-114) to keep the belt, although one judge had seen the bout a lot closer than the others. The win moves Carroll to 34-15-5 (13), while Tenorio ends the bout at 30-17-8 (8). Then, in the main event, the WBA Flyweight title is on the line as Midget Wolgast makes his 14^th defense against newly-crowned OPBF Champ and hometown fan favorite, Filipino Small Montana. Wolgast has not lost since 1930. In this bout, all the early damage is done by the Champ, who causes Montana’s left eye to puff up by the end of round two. After five rounds, Montana’s other eye begins to puff up as well. More bad news for Montana’s corner in round eight, as the challenger is cut over his right eye. The bleeding proves to be difficult to control, and after a few more rounds, Montana’s face is a bloody mess. The swelling and the cut ends up being a huge problem, and the bout is halted in the 14^th round. TKO 14 for Wolgast on the cuts stoppage. Post-fight records: Wolgast, 39-4-1 (18); Montana, 18-5-2 (7).

Mar. 21, 1936: Back to Europe for the next card, at the Sportpalast in Berlin, Germany. The feature is a European MW title bout, preceded by an interesting HW encounter in the main support, with German “Der Blonde” Walter Neusel facing off against the “Basque Woodchopper,” veteran Paulino Uzcudan. The two appear to be evenly matched, but the fact that Uzcudan is now at Post-Prime could tip the balance in the German’s favor, particularly in light of the support of the home crowd here at the Sportpalast. Neusel adapts a conservative approach of staying outside, effectively neutralizing Uzcudan’s power, then waiting patiently for the Basque’s stamina to run low. It works to perfection, and Neusel walks away with a relatively easy UD 10 win (99-91, 99-92, 99-91), as Uzcudan appears to be a shadow of his former self. The win lifts Neusel to 21-3-1 (16) and puts him in line for a possible EBU title shot. Uzcudan is 35-16-1 (12) after the loss, his fifth in a row, which should drop him out of the top 20 HW rankings. Then, in the main event, Jock McAvoy travels from the UK to put his EBU MW title on the line against Germany’s Jupp Besselmann. It is McVey’s first outing since losing his bid for the WBA title, and a big step up for Besselmann, whom many feel is not ready for this level of competition. After some preliminary skirmishing, McAvoy stuns Besselmann with a big uppercut midway through the second round. Then, again, in round three, another McAvoy uppercut finds the range, and once again Besselmann is forced to cover up to last the round. Then, in the fifth, McAvoy drops the challenger with a hook to the head, and Besselmann is struggling to survive. Then, in round 10, after two more KDs, Besselman is done and the ref calls a halt. It is a TKO 10 win for McAvoy, who dominated most of the action from start to finish. Post-fight career stats: 27-8-4 (19) for McAvoy; 20-6-3 (16) for Besselmann.

Mar. 21, 1936: Back in the States for a solid card at the Coliseum Arena in New Orleans. No titles at stake, but a pair of entertaining co-features top the card. First of these pits two top LW contenders, Jack Portney and Benny “Little Fish” Bass. First meeting of the two. Bass starts well, and by the end of round three, Portney is bothered by a swollen and cut left eye. Portney battles back in the middle rounds, and the bout becomes a close one. In round seven, the cut over Portney’s eye is reopened, but some good cornerwork is sufficient to prevent further damage. Then, near the end of round eight, Portney catches Basws with a barrage of blows, dropping Benny for the bout’s only knockdown. Portney and his corner do a good job of protecting the cut the rest of the way, and the one KD weighs heavily in the judge’s scoring as Portney goes on to take a MD 10 win (97-92, 95-95, 97-94) to move his career totals to 30-8-3 (16) while Bass is now 41-21-5 (14). The second co-feature is a battle of two ranked FWs, matching current LABF FW Champion, Kid Chocolate, against Frankie Covelli. Chocolate gets off to a solid start and, by the end of round two, Covelli’s left eye is showing signs of swelling. Chocolate continues to dominate, but Covelli’s strong chin manages to keep him in the bout and last the distance. No cuts or knockdowns, and Chocolate – the more powerful puncher of the two – takes a decisive UD 10 (98-92, 100-90, 98-92), duly impressing the judges and putting himself back in the picture for a WBA title shot. Post-bout records: Chocolate, 30-5-5 (15); Covelli, 22-6-6 (7).

Mar. 27, 1936: Next is a Friday night card at the Olympia in London. No title fights, but two key bouts of note that headline the agenda. First up, top 10 WW Manuel Quintero takes on the newly crowned GBU WW Champion, Ernie Roderick. The two have not met before. In the early going, Roderick lands repeatedly from the outside, taking advantage of the fact that Quintero has recently hit Post-Prime career stage and is a bit slower in this outing. In the later rounds, the Cuban assumes the role of aggressor, ramping up the pace. By round nine, there is noticeable swelling under Roderick’s left eye. The bout goes the distance, and Quintero is fortunate to escape with a draw (97-93 Quintero, 95-95, 93-97 Roderick) with the cards revealing an unusually large disparity in the marks. Post-fight career marks are 31-14-7 (12) for Quintero, and 15-4-3 (5) for Roderick. Then, in the feature, Ruby “Dark Cloud” Bradley faces Young Perez in a battle of two top Flyweight contenders. Bradley, the new USBA Flyweight Champ, has something to prove and gradually pulls ahead as both men take a cautious approach to the early rounds. Perez rallies with a big round in the eighth, causing some swelling around the right eye of Bradley. Boh men are cut in round nine, Bradley on the forehead and Perez over the right eye. The bout goes to decision, with Bradley taking a MD 10 (96-95, 95-95, 96-94) to move his career totals to 30-13-6 (6), compared to 24-6-3 (10) post-fight for Perez.

Mar. 28, 1936: Next fistic action is at the Polo Grounds in New York City. Featured on the program is the NABF HW title clash pitting Max Baer, in his first defense of that crown, against Tommy Loughran, the former LH Champ who is still seeking to prove his mettle as a HW. On the undercard is unbeaten LH prospect Gus Lesnevich, who takes on Norman Conrad in an effort to move up the rankings. Early on, Conrad is cut over his forehead, and the cut is reopened a couple of times before leading to a late stoppage with Lesnevich well ahead on points. The TKO 10 moves Lesnevich to 16-0 (12) overall; Conrad drops to 18-6-1 (12) with the loss – a solid performance by Lesnevich who is clearly a young fighter on the rise. Then, in the main event, it is the prototypical slugger (Baer) matched up against the consummate boxer (Loughran) for Baer’s NABF HW title. Loughran starts well, repeatedly flicking his jab and controlling the bout from the outside. By the end of the third round, Baer’s left eye is beginning to puff up. Baer’s best work comes near the end of round four when he traps Loughran in a corner and lands some good shots. He follows up with a good round five before Loughran reasserts control by moving outside while Baer flails away to no avail. By the end of the seventh, Baer begins to tire, and Loughran’s solid defensive display frustrates Max. Loughran goes on to lift the belt with a UD 12 (117-112, 117-111, 116-112). Post-fight career marks: 55-8-4 (19) for Loughran, and 23-7 (22) for Baer.

Mar. 28, 1936: The month wraps up with a big card at Seattle’s Sicks Stadium. Featured is the “Tacoma Assassin,” Freddie Steele, who is making the 12^th defense of his NABF MW title won back in 1932. His opponent is Ken Overlin, whose only career loss came when he battled Steele to a close MD 12 for this same belt back in 1935. Good matchup, with Steele as the slugger and Overlin as the boxer. Starting round four, Steele begins to assert himself, using some body shots to set Overlin up for a hook to the head that stuns the challenger; Overlin covers up to last the round. In the middle rounds, Overlin impresses the judges with his boxing skills, gaining a slight points advantage. Steele applies pressure on the inside, gradually wearing down his opponent. By round nine, Overlin is visibly fatigued; by the end of the round, there is minor swelling under Overlin’s left eye. Steele tries to take advantage but is off target with his punches – more credit to Overlin’s defensive boxing skills. The result is another close bout, with Steele making a final surge to secure a majority draw (115-114 Steele, 114-114, 114-114) that just manages to keep the belt. Post-bout records: Steele, 35-5-1 (27); Overlin, 25-1-4 (11).

[JCWeb]

Sorry to report that, after nine years, what could be the end for this Universe. I recently had my computer worked on to improve internet speed and, in the process, apparently the baby was thrown out with the bath water ... now my version of TBCB (which was the earlier 2.0.27) won't run. Looks like the data is still there, but the exe file won't work. Given the change of ownership and the fact that earlier iterations don't seem to be supported, I don't see anyway of the situation other than to cease running the Uni.

If anyone has any suggestions as to how to keep things going, please send a PM. I did manage to keep my license intact, but don't see anyplace that has a workable version that I can download. Let me know if I am missing something, otherwise, it could be curtains for this Uni.

[bob_bask]

Originally Posted by JCWeb

Sorry to report that, after nine years, what could be the end for this Universe. I recently had my computer worked on to improve internet speed and, in the process, apparently the baby was thrown out with the bath water ... now my version of TBCB (which was the earlier 2.0.27) won't run. Looks like the data is still there, but the exe file won't work. Given the change of ownership and the fact that earlier iterations don't seem to be supported, I don't see anyway of the situation other than to cease running the Uni.

If anyone has any suggestions as to how to keep things going, please send a PM. I did manage to keep my license intact, but don't see anyplace that has a workable version that I can download. Let me know if I am missing something, otherwise, it could be curtains for this Uni.

If you have lost 2.5 you can still download from this direct link here.

Hopefully as you still have your license everything will be okay.

If you want the 2.5.27 patch you can download here.

Fingers crossed for you.

[JCWeb]

Originally Posted by bob_bask

If you have lost 2.5 you can still download from this direct link here.

Hopefully as you still have your license everything will be okay.

If you want the 2.5.27 patch you can download here.

Fingers crossed for you.

Bob, tried what you suggested, it didn't work. I assume it's because my license is for 2.0, not 2.5. Was only able to access the trial version. Did see something in there about moving 2.0 files over, but don't really know how that works.

[bob_bask]

Originally Posted by JCWeb

Bob, tried what you suggested, it didn't work. I assume it's because my license is for 2.0, not 2.5. Was only able to access the trial version. Did see something in there about moving 2.0 files over, but don't really know how that works.

Sorry didn't realise license was for 2.0, here's direct link for that download.

[JCWeb]

Originally Posted by bob_bask

Sorry didn't realise license was for 2.0, here's direct link for that download.

Hey, it worked! (didn't even need the license number, and it looks like the old files are in the right folders) Now, will have to get work on putting together the April 36 fight cards.

[kenyan_cheena]

That's great news, and a shout out to bob_bask for the assist.

[bob_bask]

Great to hear all okay.

[JCWeb]

Yep, thanks to Bob I am back to playing the game once again. Have all of the April 1936 cards set, got one card done already, and am looking forward -- and this is a teaser for anyone following this Universe -- to a fairly big-time WBA title matchup coming near the end of April.

[JCWeb]

This is a summary of ring action from the first half of April 1936, covering a total of 59 bouts.

Apr. 3, 1936: The month kicks off with a Friday night card at the War Memorial Arena in Syracuse, New York. No titles at stake, but an intriguing main event sees two top five LWs – veteran Ray Miller and Cecil “Kaintucky Colonel” Payne – squaring off. Miller, a long-time top contender, has recently hit Post-Prime, while Payne is on fire, having won his last five encounters and not having lost since mid-1934 – a nearly two-year unbeaten streak. Miller suffers a cut over his left eye in the second round, with Payne being warned for head-butting although the cut was ruled due an accidental butt. Payne takes advantage of the situation, reopening the cut over Miller’s eye in round three and again in round four. Miller is clearly bothered by the cut and he falls behind as a result. Miller tries to be more aggressive in the later rounds, but the cut leads to a late stoppage, and the bout goes to the cards with Payne holding a sizable points lead to claim a UTD 10 (89-82, 89-82, 88-83) to run his winning streak to six bouts and his career totals to 36-7-4 (8). The “Kaintuck Colonel” is definitely now near the top of the line for a title shot. With the loss, Miller drops to 41-13 (18).

Apr. 4, 1936: Cannes on the French Riviera is the scene for the next fistic action and again, no titles at stake, and a fairly thin card topped by two veteran European HWs, Pierre Charles and Jose Santo. The two are meeting for the fourth time, with Santo holding a 2-1 edge although Charles won their last encounter (a TKO win back in 1934) and is the higher rated of the two. Santo is on target early, and by the end of the second round, there is a bit of swelling around Charles’ right eye. Charles remains calm and lands some shots of his own, so there is swelling under Santo’s right eye as well by the end of round four. Santo, who is trailing by this point, steps up the attack as the bout heads into the middle and later rounds. However, in round seven a nice combination from Charles puts Santo on the canvas. A second KD follows a round later, but Charles cannot put Santo away. A cut over Santo’s right eye, opening in round eight, right after the second knockdown, leads to an early end as the ref calls a quick halt after the cut is reopened in round nine. TKO 9 for Charles on the cuts stoppage. Charles, now 41-17-2 (28), has won seven of his last eight and his last three to put him in line for a possible EBU HW title shot soon. Santo is now 31-15 (22) after the loss.

Apr. 4, 1936: Back to the States for a nice card in Philadelphia. No title bout action, but two intriguing co-features top the card. First of these pits rising MW prospect Tony Zale against Glen Lee in a rematch of a 1935 encounter, won by Zale (KO 5). This time, Zale wastes little time, dropping Lee in the opening round with a hook to the head. He also rips open a cut over Lee’s right eye. Lee recovers to last the round, but the cut continues to be a problem. It is reopened in the second round, and then in round three he walks into a Zale cross for the bout’s second KD. The end comes a round later, when blood begins flowing freely once again from Lee’s badly cut eye. TKO 4 for Zale moves him to 14-1 (13), and he will initially be ranked just outside the top 30 MWs. Lee is now 12-3 (12). The second co-feature is a battle of two top 10 WWs, as Young Corbett III faces German Gustav Eder. It is the third meeting of the two, with Eder holding the edge with a win and a draw, the win coming in Germany while the draw was in Detroit. This time, Corbett starts off well and gradually builds a solid points lead, outboxing the German. By the end of round eight, Eder begins to show the effects, as his right eye begins to swell. Eder is unable to mount an effective rally, and he goes down as Corbett takes a decisive UD 10 (98-92, 98-92, 99-91) in a dominant performance against a quality opponent as he looks for another WBA title shot. Eder has not won a bout since May 1934, a two-year drought. Post-bout records: Corbett, 48-12-5 (12); Eder, 26-4-7 (9).

Apr. 10, 1936: Next is a Friday night card at Vancouver’s Exhibition Gardens. Once again, no titles on the line, but two former WBA FW Champions – both top contenders – do battle as Battling Battalino takes on the man who defeated him for the title, Canada’s Pete DeGrasse. Battalino, looking to avenge that loss on DeGrasse’s home turf, gets off to a solid start in the opening few rounds, moving inside for a big round three. DeGrasse bounces back with a big round of his own in round four, and by the end of that round Battalino is battling a rapidly swelling right eye. After a slow start, DeGrasse is hoping to keep the bout close and benefit from some hometown judging advantage. The Canadian also has a slight stamina advantage, but Battalino continues to pile up points with some impressive boxing. Late in the bout, DeGrasse picks up a mouse under his left eye. The bout goes to decision, and Battalino comes away a UD 10 winner (97-93 on all three cards) to avenge the earlier loss and solidify his #1 contender status. Post-fight career marks are 34-9 (12) for Battalino, and 29-11-2 (6) for DeGrasse.

Apr. 11, 1936: Next fistic action is back at the UK in Liverpool. Two non-title bouts are the co-features, both in the Flyweight division, and both featuring British fighters. In the first of these, one-time GBU titleholder Benny Lynch takes on a former EBU Fly Champ, Frenchman Emile Pladner. It takes less than two minutes before Lynch puts Pladner on the canvas with a strong shot in the opening round. Pladner recovers, but not before Lynch has pulled ahead with a huge points advantage. By the end of the fourth round, Pladner begins to show the effects, with some noticeable swelling under the right eye of the Frenchman. More bad news for Pladner in round six, as he suffers a cut under the right eye. The rest of the bout is uneventful, and Lynch goes on to claim a solid UD 10 win (97-92, 96-93, 97-92) to push his career mark to 21-4 (12). Pladner ends the bout at 26-16-2 (9), having suffered his second straight loss once hitting Post-Prime career stage. Then, in the final co-feature, veteran Fidel LaBarba, still a top contender despite hitting Post-Prime and losing his last two outings, faces Jackie Brown, the current EBU and GBU titleholder. Buoyed by the support of a hometown crowd, Brown is on target early and pulls ahead to an early lead. LaBarba battles back, and he manages to close the gap somewhat in the second half of the bout. In the end, though, Brown does enough to earn the nod from the judges, taking a solid UD 10 (97-95, 98-94, 98-93). Post-fight career marks: 28-10-3 (10) for Brown; 37-11-1 (9) for LaBarba.

Apr. 11, 1936: Next is a big card at Denver’s Mammoth Gardens. The main event is a NABF FW title matchup, with young Henry “Homicide Hank” Armstrong, having won the USBA title in his last outing, stepping up to challenge Freddie Miller in Miller’s fifth defense of the NABF belt. Armstrong wastes little time, going on the attack non-stop from the outside. He penetrates Miller’s defenses with a straight right hand, followed by a hard cross. Miller is pinned in a neutral corner as Armstrong continues to fire away. Hank doubles up on the jab, then hurts Miller with a straight right, then a big hook follows – Miller is out on his feet. The ref steps in and calls a halt to save Miller from further punishment – TKO 1 for Armstrong. Armstrong, now 20-1-2 (18), will be actively campaigning for a WBA title shot while Miller, at 29-6-12 (13), needs to reassess his career goals.

[SAL]

Glad you were able to get this uni back up and running.

[JCWeb]

Thanks, SAL, now a news bulletin ...

German HW Champion Max Schmeling has taken the bold step of defending his WBA HW crown against unbeaten young HW Joe Louis, who at 15-0 (14), has just made his initial debut in the HW rankings. It's a bold and somewhat risky move by Schmeling, to put his HW title on the line against an unknown with perhaps limitless potential, but the lure of the big bucks was perhaps too great for Max to resist.

From Louis' standpoint, the move was a bit of a shocker as Joe has been brought along very carefully thus far by his handlers, notably trainer Jack Blackburn, himself a long-time LW contender. Many question whether Louis, still at the Pre-Prime of his career, may be over his head in taking on an experienced, long-time Champion such as Schmeling.

Can Louis' punching power and youthful enthusiasm overcome a huge experience deficit? Or will Schmeling continue his reign as Champion?

At any rate, fight fans won't have to wait long to see the results. The bout is set to go off on April 25, 1936, at the Polo Grounds in New York City.

[Bryan Swartz]

[smartaleck]Like Schmeling would have ever fought a patzer like Louis[/smartaleck].


Looking forward to it! I've got a lot to catch up on, but just wanted to say this uni and the amount of time and dedication you've put into it is amazing, and most impressive.

[JCWeb]

This is a summary of ring action from the second half of April 1936, covering a total of 63 bouts. Two WBA title bouts are included on these cards.

Apr. 17, 1936: Next card is the traditional Friday night fight “Down Under,” this time in Sydney, Australia. The main event has Current OPBF MW Champion Ambrose Palmer is matched against all-time great Mickey Walker. Now nearing the end of his career, Walker is still a big draw and a huge test for Palmer in this 10-round, non-title contest. Palmer surprises Walker in the opening stanza when he decks the veteran with a nice combination. Walker scrambles back to his feet at the count of eight, and he covers up to last the round. Walker stages a rally to take round two, but his punches lack zip. For the most part, Palmer is comfortable to stay on the outside while Walker attempts to pound away on the inside. In round eight, Walker walks into a Palmer hook and goes down for the second time. Palmer, seeing the finish line, retreats into a defensive shell in the final two rounds, having done enough to earn a solid UD 10 win (96-92, 95-93, 96-92) over the former Champion. Post-fight, Palmer improves to 26-9 (16); Walker is now 55-9-1 (41).

Apr. 18, 1936: Next card is in Europe at the Ullevi Stadium in Gothenburg, Sweden. In the feature, Marcel Thil takes on Johnny “Bandit” Romero for a possible top 10 spot in the MW rankings. Romero stuns Thil with a big cross in round one. Thil remains on the defensive in round two, developing some early swelling uner his right eye from Romero’s very accurate punching. In the third round, Romero digs a hook to the midsection that causes Thil to wince; by the end of the round, there is swelling under Thil’s other eye. Romero goes on to dominate most of the action, while Thil delivers a fairly listless performance. A Romero cross gets through and drops the Frenchman for a three-count in round seven. Thil is out of gas in rounds nine and ten, but he manages to stay on his feet to last the distance. Lopsided UD 10 win for Romero (99-91,100-89, 100-89) moves “Bandit” to 31-9 (19). Thil drops to 38-22-6 (13) with the loss.

Apr. 18, 1936: Back to the States for a nice card at Comiskey Park in Chicago. Once again, Tony Canzoneri is defending his WBA LW title. But, first up, a notable debut as young MW Charley Burley joins the pro ranks, making mincemeat of his TC opponent, landing a flurry of solid right hands that lead to a first-round TKO stoppage. Burley gets off to the right foot, and he is now 1-0 (1). Then, in the main event, Canzoneri faces EBU LW Champ Aldo Spoldi in the 16^th defense of the WBA title he has held for the past four years. Canzoneri looks sharp early, as both men seem content to work from the outside. Spoldi does well to stay with the “Roman Warrior” through the early rounds, but Canzoneri gradually pulls ahead in the middle rounds. By the end of round 11, Spoldi is showing the effects of swelling under both eyes. The Italian waits until the later rounds to begin to take risks, opening himself up to some counterpunching from Canzoneri. The Champ takes advantage, gradually wearing Spoldi down until the end comes in round 14: Spoldi, cut and bleeding from a gash over the right eye, is defenseless against the repeated blows landed by the Champ, so the ref calls a halt to save him from further punishment. TKO 14 for Canzoneri, whose seventh win in a row lifts him to 40-4-3 (16) overall. Spoldi, who returns to Italy with his EBU title still intact, is now 25-3-3 (12).

Apr. 24, 1936: Next is a Friday night card at Manila’s Rizal Arena. Main event is a BW bout, pitting ex-Champ Speedy Dado against Korean Jo Teiken. Dado is the more aggressive of the two, and in round three he opens up a cut around Teiken’s mouth. Midway through the bout, Dado enjoys a points edge but Teiken keeps plugging away, keeping the bout close. Dado exhibits superior stamina, but he is slowed by a cut over his right eye in round nine. In the end, the cut is not a factor and Dado prevails, but only barely – taking a MD 10 (96-95, 95-95, 96-94). Post-fight marks: Dado, 28-13-2 (13); Teiken, 22-4-1 (16). With the win, Dado solidifies his position among the top five BWs.

Apr. 25, 1936: Big card at London’s Harringay Arena is next. Featured is a Commonwealth title bout, with two top LHs matched in the non-title co-feature, as Tiger Jack Fox takes on Len Harvey. It’s a rematch of their 1933 WBA title clash, which went via a TKO to Fox. This time, Harvey puts up a solid defense to Fox’s aggressiveness to keep the bout close through the early rounds. Harvey has a big round in round four, causing some swelling under Fox’s left eye, bringing the crowd to its feet. Fox gamely hangs in, and gradually recovers to take the later rounds and a narrow SD 10 win (98-93, 95-96, 96-95) as Harvey runs out of gas in the later rounds. Post-fight career marks: Fox, 36-3 (27); Harvey, 46-12-3 (19). In the main event, Dick Corbett faces Horace Gwynne, the man he defeated for the Commonwealth BW title back in late 1935 before a pro-Gwynne crowd in Toronto. For the rematch, the Canadian, now 19-1, is at Prime and looking to avenge his only career loss. Gwynne starts well and builds an early points lead. Corbett, seeing the title slipping away, becomes more aggressive as the bout wears on. By the end of round eight, however, his face shows the effects: a split lip and a rapidly swelling left eye. Both men tire badly in the later rounds, and this time Gwynne emerges as the victor, taking a UD 12 (117-113, 117-113, 119-111) to regain the CBU belt. Gwynne improves to 20-1 (13) with the win, while Corbett, who still holds the EBU and GBU BW titles, is 32-11 (11) after the loss.

Apr. 25, 1936: Final card of the month is at the Polo Grounds in New York City, with the centerpiece being the widely anticipated WBA HW title clash between Max Schmeling and Joe Louis. The main support for this huge bout is for the vacant USBA LH title, but first up on the undercard is highly touted LH prospect Billy Conn, who faces veteran TC Dick Philpott. After a cautious start, Conn decks the hapless Philpott with an overhand right in round four, then follows up until the ref calls a halt – TKO 4 for Conn to move him to 6-0-2 (6) overall. Later in the evening, HW “Two Ton” Tony Galento takes to the ring, facing 16-1 Johnny Paychek. Galento unloads with a big shot and puts Paychek down in the opening round. Galento continues to dominate the action, and midway through the bout, there is noticeable swelling under the left eye of Paychek. The end comes in round six, with Galento landing blow after unanswered blow until the ref steps in to call a halt. TKO 6 for Galento. Galento has now won five in a row, all by KO, to improve to 28-7 (24) overall. For Paychek, it is his second loss in a row, dropping him to 16-2 (8), as he is finding the competition a bit stiffer in recent months. Then, in the USBA LH title bout, Battling Bozo faces Al Stillman; it is Stillman’s first title shot of any kind, while Bozo is attempting to regain the belt he held briefly back in 1933. Bozo is content to fight from the outside for the most part, and he builds an early points lead. By the midway point, there is swelling under the left eye of Stillman, who seems unable to cope with the superior boxing skills of Bozo. Bozo continues to fire his accurate jab from long distance, making it difficult for Stillman to find the range to land many punches. Bozo goes on to take a comfortable UD 12 (118-111, 118-113, 119-109) to regain the USBA LH belt, registering his sixth win in a row. He moves to 29-8-3 (11) overall, compared to a post-fight career mark of 23-6-1 (12) for Stillman, who had a three-bout winning streak snapped with the loss.

Finally, it is time for the big fight, billed as the “Fight of the Year” if not the “Fight of the Decade,” as Max Schmeling faces Joe Louis for Schmeling’s WBA HW crown. Schemling enters the bout having won his last 18 in a row, while Louis is undefeated, at 15-0, yet still at Pre-Prime career stage. Who will win? Is Louis ready for such a big test, or has Schmeling bit off more than he can chew, being lured by the big bucks to defend against Louis in the USA? A detailed round-by-round, blow-by-blow account of this highly anticipated title matchup will follow in the next post.

[SAL]

The suspense is killing me. Who won....Schmeling or Louis?

Hurry up with the results JC