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The Boxing Bulletin History Corner: March 12-18, 1910 & 1920

A.F. — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 03:42:10 -0000

Flyweight Champion Jimmy Wilde took on Frankie Mason in March of 1920 / Photo courtesy of Antiquities of the Prize Ring

By Andrew Fruman

We're back with another edition of the History Corner. Today, we've got news and fight reports from March 12 to 18, for the years 1910 and 1920. On Friday, we'll be moving on to 1930, 1940 and 1950.

Check out last week's editions of the History Corner: March 5 to 11, 1910 & 1920
& March 5 to 11, 1930, 1940 & 1950

In this edition...

Sam Langford vs Jim Flynn - Vernon, March 17, 1910
Abe Attell vs Johnny Marto - New York, March 18, 1910
Jimmy Wilde vs Frankie Mason - world flyweight title, Toledo, March 12, 1920
Plus plenty more fight reports and pugilistic news of the times...

1910

March 13…

Lightweight champion Ad Wolgast (pictured, Antiquities of the Prize Ring) confirmed the stance taken by his manager Tom Jones, stating that he would not defend his title against a black fighter…

As far as I am concerned the negroes are through with the fight game. The time for me to make this announcement is right now. There are no black men in the lightweight division now who have a chance with the champion and therefore I want to draw the color line now to show the public that it is not because I am afraid of any negro.

I do not think any good ones will be in the game while I am, but even in there should be some good colored boy pop up in the near future and look like a coming champion, I will not fight him. I will fight any white boy living, who deserves a championship fight at 133 pounds ringside.

Ad Wolgast

March 15…

Jack Goodman won the newspaper decision from Battling Hurley in a closely contested toe to toe struggle at the Fairmont Athletic Club in New York.

From the tap of the bell Hurley, with head down, slashed into his clever opponent, churning the air with wild, badly directed swings, hoping that one of them might connect with Goodman and send him to the floor. Goodman met this vicious attack coolly and slashed the Passaic Cyclone’s face his left eye was bruised and closed – and his face chopped and scratched.

There was never a moment when either of them let up. Drawn on the basis of a close decision, it might be said that Goodman, because of his cleaner blows and fine ring generalship had slightly the better of the rough milling, but to those who delight in the tumultuous slam-bang of the give-and-take scrap, it was an even thing.

– New York Times

March 17…

Sam Langford knocked out Fireman Jim Flynn (pictured, Antiquities of the Prize Ring) in the eighth round of a scheduled forty-five at the Jeffries’ Arena in Vernon, California. The bout had been the most anticipated bout ever staged in the Los Angeles area, but proved to be a total mismatch as Langford’s superior skills ruled from the opening bell until the brutal ending.

Buoyed with confidence after his 10 round newspaper victory over Langford back in February, Flynn had bragged all week of what he would in the ring, but was outclassed to the point that Los Angeles Times writer Harry C. Carr had this to say about the opening round…

Flynn fought gamely and desperately; but his pitiful awkwardness and glancing, uncertain blows did no harm. It was about like a girl having a baseball throwing contest with Christy Mathewson.

Before the round was over, Flynn was bleeding and in distress. It seemed impossible that bone and flesh could stand such appalling assaults.

Harry C. Carr

Carr added that…

Flynn fought like a maniac, but Langford was marvellous. His blows snapped in as though they worked on giant springs. You could hear them crack as they struck.

Langford had not been in the best on condition for the previous meeting, and many had been suspicious of his performance feeling that he’d intentionally gone easy, but on the occasion was reported to be in the best shape of his career.

Langford (pictured, Library of Congress) toyed with Flynn, brushing aside his rushes, picking his spots and taking his time in handing out a beating. Flynn’s seconds kept imploring their man to keep his hands up, but when the Fireman did so, Langford proceeded to batter him around the mid-section.

In the seventh round, with the contest becoming increasingly hopeless, Flynn was told by his corner that Langford was tiring. Flynn was so weak by this stage, that the remark drew a laugh from the Boston fighter. During the round, Langford staggered Flynn with a right to the chin, and it was clear to those watching at ringside that the end was near, although Flynn may have hastened the finish by whacking Langford after the bell.

This was reportedly unintentional though as Flynn was so out of it that he appeared unaware the round was over. Langford swore and responded with an angry look, but did not fire back before heading back to his corner.

Flynn had fought a clean fight to that point. He had promised to do so ahead of time, and had been further warned by referee Charles Eyton before the contest that the rough stuff that went on when the fighters met previously would not be tolerated.

The finish came a minute into the eighth round. After evading one of Flynn’s rushes, Langford turned to local sportswriter Beany Walker, who had written that Langford had easily been beaten by Flynn in the previous match-up, to let the newspaper man know the end was coming..

They went into another gentle clinch in the center of the ring and Langford broke from this and backed slowly toward Flynn’s corner. The long-looked-for opening was coming. The tired and beaten Flynn hurried toward the retreating Langford, and as he did so the roof fell in with a crash and Flynn tumbled into the deep dark abyss.

Langford met the oncoming fireman with a terrific right uppercut on the chin. If Flynn had been standing erect the blow might have knocked him out of the ring, but as he leaned toward it his weight stopped the force of the blow, in a way. Flynn fell forward on the floor on his face and as his nose struck the canvas the blood came again and he lay until counted out.

– Grey Oliver, Los Angeles Times

Flynn managed to get to his feet a few seconds after the knockout, before being lead to his corner and an ammonia bottle stuck under his nose. He was not fully aware of his surrounding though and "put up his fists desperately" when he saw Langford walking across the ring to shake his hand.

Flynn absorbed so much punishment during the bout and was in such a poor state at the end that the bout's headline in the following day's Los Angeles Times story by Harry C. Carr read: Sickening COLD, GORY HORROR, PITIFUL, REVOLTING. Carr wrote that Flynn's appearance, "was too bloody, and torn and swollen to be described in polite society."

Flynn was rewarded handsomely for the punishment he took, as was Langford for dishing it out, with the fighters taking home $5700 each.

March 18…

World featherweight champion Abe Attell took a beating over the last three rounds from lightweight Johnny Marto (pictured, Library of Congress), but hung to the finish to earn the newspaper decision victory.

Marto fought viciously as usual, with reliance not so much on his cleverness or science as in his ability to withstand Attell’s attack. In this belief he was borne out by events, and he finished in palpably better condition than his opponent.

– New York Times

Attell used his superior skills of hand and foot to easily outpoint Marto over the first seven rounds, but took a steady beating in the clinches from kidney punches which gradually weakened him.

The ninth and tenth rounds were all Marto’s. He forced Attell around the ring, landing repeatedly with left and right short arm swings on the face, but never on the part of the jaw that would have meant a knockout.

- New York Times

In the opinion of the Times, had the bout gone a few more rounds, Attell would likely have been stopped.

1920

March 12…

A bill was passed in the Kentucky senate to legalize twelve round no-decision bouts. The measure passed through the house a week earlier by a vote of 22 to 12. All that remains is the governor’s signature to sign the bill and appoint an athletic board of control to supervise boxing in the state. Under the terms of the bill, 5% of gate receipts from fights will go to a state school fund.

* * * *

Before a full house of 3,700 spectators at the Ringside Auditorium in Toledo, Welshman Jimmy Wilde (106 ¼) successfully defended his world flyweight crown in a furiously fought 12 round no-decision bout against Frankie Mason (106 ½) of Fort Wayne.

According to the newswire report from Toledo that included a round by round description of the fight, Wilde was a clear winner, taking nine of the twelve rounds, with two even and Mason (pictured, Antiquities of the Prize Ring) only winning the fifth.

Opinions as to the winner…

"Wilde won easily." – Sam Hall, Chicago Herald-Examiner
"Wilde won seven rounds." – Joe Williams, Cleveland News
"Wilde easily the winner, although Mason fought a great battle." – Tom Andrew, Milwaukee Journal
"Wilde won." – Oliver Pecord, the referee of the Willard-Dempsey bout
"Wilde easily winner." – C. W. Howard, Toledo Times
"Mason won by a shade." – Promoter Addison Q. Thacher

Wilde’s clean punching and aggressiveness, along with his defense impressed the newspaper writers. Despite having the worst of it in the opinion of the writers, Mason maintained a confident smile throughout the bout, and said he thought that" he had Wilde going."

The referee of the contest, Chicago sportswriter Ed Smith, said after the fight that he’d never seen a fighter more willing to mix it up than Wilde, but when asked what his verdict would have been, the official said it was a very even match but "was not at liberty to announce the winner" under the rules outlined by the commission.

Pictured right is a page from the autograph book of promoter Addison Q. Thacher, signed by Jimmy Wilde on the day of the fight. Courtesy of Antiquities of the Prize Ring.

March 15…

Canadian featherweight Frankie Fleming easily handled Buffalo fighter Dick Atkins at Massey Hall in Toronto…

Fleming proved as elusive as a shadow, and he made Atkins look foolish by the easy manner in which he evaded his punches. He dodged in and out with careless abandon, and "Fighting" Dick was plainly at a loss to understand his defense and attack.

Several times Atkins was on the verge of collapse, and that he succeeded in going the route was more owing to the generosity of the featherweight champion than because of his own ability. He stood up to his guns, however, like the plucky boxer that he is, and was a long way from being disgraced.

– Globe and Mail

The show also featured a pair of well matched local fighters going at it, with Teddy Joyce just edging out Benny Gould. The Globe & Mail reported that Joyce received "considerable punishment" crowd was very vocal in disputing the decision.

* * * *

Despite suffering from a strained tendon in his ankle, Ralph Brady of Syracuse closed strongly over the final two sessions to secure a 12 round draw with hometown fighter Frankie Britt at the Bristol Arena in New Bedford.

Both fighters were dropped once, with Britt tasting the canvas in the fifth round and Brady going down in the ninth. The newswire report mentioned that the Syracuse fighter had "technically" been knocked out twice, as the bout was stopped on a couple of occasions due to Brady’s troublesome ankle. The majority of the spectators were of the opinion that the decision should have gone to the local man.

It was a busy week for Brady, as only three days earlier he had defeated Philly fighter Joe Tiplitz in another 12 rounder in Baltimore.

March 16…

At the Cirque de Paris, former world champion Johnny Coulon made an unsuccessful return to the ring against European bantamweight title holder Charles Ledoux (pictured, Antiquities of the Prize Ring). The once great Chicago fighter was described as being "only a shadow of his former self" and was outclassed by the Frenchman before being stopped in the sixth round.

* * * *

In a 12 rounder at the Armory A.A. in Boston, southpaw Pal Reed made it two wins in a row over fellow Massachusetts fighter George Robinson (pictured, Library of Congress). The middleweights had met five months earlier in Framingham.

The battle was one of the most rugged that has been held in Boston for some time. From gong to gong, in every round, the pair exchanged rights and left to face, jaw and body.

It was a succession of left hooks that Reed kept sending into Robinson’s stomach that made the latter weary. The colored boxer did his best work at close range. AT the end of the ninth round, Robinson was very tired. Reed seemed tired too, in some of the sessions.

– The Boston Globe

For more great boxing photos of the past, make sure to visit Antiquities of the Prize Ring.

Check back later in the week for more of The Boxing Bulletin's History Corner as we move on to the years 1930, 1940 and 1950 for the week of March 12 to 18.

e-mail Andrew Fruman

British Scene Weekend Recap: Echo Undercard - Kell Brook Wins in 6

A.F. — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 21:45:12 -0000

Dave Oakes recaps the under-card from this past Friday's Echo Arena show in Liverpool. Dave's recap of the main-event: Scrappy Smith Retains Title

Kell Brook produced a punch perfect performance to stop Poland’s Krzysztof Bienias in the sixth round of a one-sided contest. Bienias was very negative throughout and didn’t make any attempt to win the fight.

Brook soon found the Pole’s chin, landing snappy jabs and quick straight rights in the opening session. Bienias held his hands high and looked content to see the opening round out without throwing a punch.

The second round was similar to the first; Brook was jabbing well to head and body, the body jabs in particular being very impressive and well thought out against an opponent with such a high guard. The negative Bienias threw no more than five punches in the round and looked scared to death of Brook.

Brook turned southpaw at the start of the third and caught Bienias flush with a right jab - straight left combination. Brook continued to switch stances during the round, landing every shot in the book on a bewildered Bienias, who was throwing a few more punches than he had done up to that point but was still fighting in a shell and was looking like an already beaten fighter.

The Yorkshireman slowed the pace down in the fourth and fifth rounds but was still dominating the tame Bienias. Brook never looks like he’s rushing his work and seems to look as comfortable fighting at a slower pace as he does when he’s going for the early knockout.

The end came in the sixth; Brook hadn’t done much in the round up until he landed a solid right uppercut that hurt Bienias, he followed up with a flurry of punches, the best of which was a left uppercut that sent the Pole’s head jolting back and prompted the referee to intervene. Bienias wasn’t badly hurt but the fight was dreadfully one-sided and the referee was correct to stop it.

Tony Bellew won the first title of his short career after obliterating the woefully inept Atoli Moore inside a round to claim the vacant Commonwealth light-heavyweight title.

Bellew looked as happy as a kid in a sweetshop as he was joined in his ring walk by his boyhood hero, and former world champion, John Conteh. It was a nice touch by Conteh, a Scouse light-heavyweight legend giving his support to the up-and-coming Scouse light-heavyweight.

Moore’s record going into the fight was claimed to be 10-0 (6KO’s), if that record’s true, I’d hate to watch the boxers he’s beaten. He looked like a novice as he swung wild looping punches that were miles off their intended target.

Bellew wasn’t in any mood to hang around and drilled the Ghanaian repeatedly with hefty looking straight rights, one of which had Moore stumbling forward onto his knees, the referee didn’t rule it as a knockdown but in my opinion it was Bellew’s right hand that had caused him to go down rather than the slip / loss of balance the referee ruled.

The knockdown not being scored didn’t matter as Moore was stopped seconds later. Bellew hammered Moore with two vicious straight rights that had him on unsteady legs, the referee jumped in just as Bellew was unleashing a right uppercut.

Bellew let out a huge scream of delight at the stoppage, visibly enjoying winning his first title in front of his hometown fans. He takes his record to 13-0 (9KO’s) but needs to step up the level of opposition soon as he doesn’t learn anything with one round blowouts against the likes of Moore.

Former world champion Enzo Maccarinelli bludgeoned Zoltan Czekus to the canvas twice on his way to a one round stoppage win. Czekus never got into the fight and looked in trouble every time Maccarinelli landed a shot, it was the body shots that did the most damage with the Welshman clubbing away at his ribs.

Stephen Smith destroyed Jason Thomas in the first round, he landed a picture perfect left hook – straight right combination that sent Thomas down heavily, and despite Thomas bravely getting to his feet, he was stopped seconds later.

Hot prospect Ronnie Heffron had far too much for old trial horse Karl Taylor, he out-boxed him with ease for two rounds and forced the veteran journeyman to retire at the end of the second session.

Other Results: Liam Smith beat Billy Smith on points over four rounds, John Thain beat Kevin McCauley on points, Joe Selkirk stopped Manoocha Salari in the first round and the fights between Tom Costello and Lee Noble and Tobias Webb and Lee Duncan were draws.

e-mail Dave Oakes

Manny Pacquiao - Too Good for Joshua Clottey

A.F. — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 07:57:07 -0000

Manny Pacquiao / Photo © Marty Rosengarten / Ringsidephotos.com

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Andrew Fruman takes a look at last night's welterweight showdown between Manny Pacquiao and Joshua Clottey.

Set in front of over 50,000 spectators at the new state of the art Cowboys Stadium in Dallas, the welterweight contest between Manny Pacquiao and Joshua Clottey was called The Event, but the battle fell far short of its lofty billing.

Don’t blame the Filipino marvel for the lack of fireworks though.

Pacquiao did his thing, darting in and out, throwing lightning fast punches in bunches, and gradually upping the intensity as the bout wore on. But, it takes two agreeable partners to make for a good scrap, and Clottey just didn’t take the kind of chances required to give the fight some desperately needed life.

What was so frustrating to the neutral observer hoping to see an entertaining fight was that Clottey had success when he let his hands go. He was accurate, landing some decent uppercuts, some nice right hands, and when he did go to the body, he often found the mark.

These little bursts of action were far too infrequent to make any kind of dent in the scoring however, and as the rounds went by, the Ghanaian dropped farther and farther behind on the cards.

Towards the end, the situation had clearly become more desperate, but Clottey just waited… and waited… and waited some more, his gloves remaining almost permanently affixed in his shell like defense, strangely seeming content to go the distance with his speedy rival rather than trying to throw leather with the kind of reckless abandon the situation begged for.

Perhaps the images of a battered and bleeding Miguel Cotto, an unconscious Ricky Hatton, and a dejected Oscar De La Hoya were burnt too deep in his mind. Clottey managed to avoid a similar type of physical beating to those previous Pacquiao victims, but the way he lost was arguably as emphatic.

It might be unfair to come down too hard on Clottey for his lack of output, as the kind of vigour he needed tonight has never been part of his game and probably is just not wired into his fighting psyche. A great prizefighter needs more than craft to reach the pinnacle of the sport; he needs that little bit of extra internal fire to drive his hands to constantly move.

In the face of Pacquiao's rapid fire combination punching, perhaps Clottey was destined to retreat deeper into his shell. He is who is... a skilled defender, but limited by his overly economic offense, and likely always going to come up a distant second best when matched with a fighter of Pacquiao's ability.

The final scores were 120-108, 119-109 and 119-109 and were a fair evaluation of the difference in class on display.

As for the other three bouts on the show, the less said about those the better, as despite the main-event’s lack of drama, the undercard was even more forgettable in terms of excitement.

e-mail Andrew Fruman

The Boxing Bulletin History Corner: March 5 - 11, 1930, 1940 & 1950

A.F. — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 06:25:04 -0000

Lew Jenkins took on Tippy Larkin in March of 1940 / Photo courtesy of Antiquities of the Prize Ring

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By Andrew Fruman

Picking up from where we left off on Tuesday (March 5 to 11, 1910 & 1920), we're moving on to the years 1930, 1940 and 1950 for the week of March 5 to 11.

In this edition...

Maxie Rosenbloom vs Larry Johnson - New York, March 10, 1930
Eddie Mack vs Goldie Hess - Los Angeles, March 11, 1930
Lew Jenkins vs Tippy Larkin - New York, March 8, 1940
Bob Montgomery vs Al Nettlow - Philadelphia, March 11, 1940
Rocky Graziano vs Bob Curcio - Miami, March 6, 1950
Arthur King vs Rafael Lastre - Toledo, March 7, 1950
Plus plenty more news and fight reports...

1930

March 5…

Irish born New York fighter Bartley Madden (pictured left, Antiquities of the Prize Ring) died after falling twenty feet from the steps of Treasury Building in Washington D.C. The fighter had stopped in the capital for a sight-seeing trip on the way home from Miami, where he had unsuccessfully sought a bout with Young Stribling.

Before succumbing to his injuries at the hospital, Madden said he was almost penniless and had been heading back to New York to take care of his son Bartley Jr., as his wife Anna had passed away three weeks earlier.

A professional fighter for almost two decades, the 39 year old had fought many of the best big men of the era, only being stopped on one occasion by Gene Tunney, who referred to the Irishman as one of the most courageous fighters he’d ever met.

March 7…

In a battle of local middleweights at the Broadway auditorium in Buffalo, Harry Fuller dropped Frankie Schoell four times en route to a 10 round decision victory.

According to the United Press, Fuller’s "youth and strength" were too much for Schoell’s "speed and skill". The younger man did have one particularly rough moment though, when he was dropped for a nine count in the third round.

It was the second win in quick succession for Fuller over Schoell. The Niagara Falls fighter had also been victorious when the two had met in another 10 rounder a week earlier at the same location.

March 10…

Before 12,000 spectators at New York’s Madison Square Garden, Harlem fighter Maxie Rosenbloom (173 ½) won by a sixth round disqualification over Larry Johnson (174 ½) of Chicago.

Rosenbloom (pictured right, Antiquities of the Prize Ring), who had been cut badly on the forehead after a clash of heads in the second session, was slightly out in front at the time the bout ended. His non-stop swarming attack kept the big hitting Johnson off balance for the most part, but the visiting man had landed his share of heavy right hands.

The disqualification of Johnson was justified, for Referee Patsy Haley had no other course, since the blow was palpably erratic, although unintentionally so.

The finish came after the sixth round had gone exactly twenty-nine seconds, and put and end to a battle which started in the whirlwind fashion characteristic of Rosenbloom and waxed warmer and more exciting as it progressed. The foul blow was a long left aimed for the body as the men raced together at close quarters. Under its impact Rosenbloom sank to the floor.

– James P. Dawson

Haley hesitated to disqualify Johnson immediately, but after conferring with the two ringside judges, made the call.

Buffalo light-heavyweight Lou Scozza (169 ½) also featured on the card winning an exciting 10 round decision against Rosey Rosales (171) of Cleveland. The Times had Scozza in front by 8 rounds to 2, with Rosales having the edge in the second and seventh sessions. It was Scozza’s first bout since losing his title shot against Jimmy Slattery a month earlier.

March 11…

At the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles, flashy lightweight Eddie Mack of Denver, had the better of local fighter Goldie Hess. It was the second meeting between the pair, with Mack having gained a disputed verdict back in September of the previous year.

Hess nearly scored knockdowns on a couple of occasions after connecting with heavy left hooks, but it was Mack that scored the points win. The Los Angeles Times had the bout 5-3 with 2 even.

Not your average pugilist, Mack has been fighting to pay his way through school and recently graduated with a degree in philosophy from St. Regis University.

1940

March 6…

Canadian boxing trainer Charlie Mendoza died suddenly in front of the Old Pal’s Gymnasium in Toronto. The 75 year old trainer had worked the corner of Georgie Pace in the Cleveland fighter’s title clash with Lou Salica only two nights earlier…

Mendoza was long associated with boxing in Toronto and acted as trainer for Pace in the champion’s thirteen fights in Toronto. Despite his age he was very spry.

– Globe & Mail

Pace and his manager George Stanley had returned to Cleveland the day before Mendoza’s passing. The fighter was reported to have suffered a hand during the bout, and was forced to cancel engagements scheduled against Tony Olivera in San Francisco and Pablo Dano in New York.

March 8…

At Madison Square Garden in New York, big hitting Texan Lew Jenkins (134 ½) won a showdown of highly rated young lightweights in spectacular style with a one round knockout of Tippy Larkin (135 ½).

The bout started cautiously with both fighters probing with their jabs looking for openings, before Jenkins (pictured right, Harry E. Winkler) unloaded...

Jenkins disposed of the New Jersey entrant in only 2 minutes 41 seconds of fighting, sending him down for the full count with a straight right to the chin and a lightning follow-up to the jaw, delivered while Larkin was falling.

Larkin landed squarely on his face in his corner, his head beyond the ropes. He rolled slightly in a prodigious effort to adjust himself while Referee Pete Hartley tolled the count into his unheeding ears.

– Joseph C. Nichols, New York Times

Larkin was attended to in the corner by Dr. William Walker, and it was not before several minutes had passed that the fighter regained his bearings.

The bout had been scheduled for the 15 round distance, as the two fighters were considered by the NYSAC to be the leading contenders for a crack at the 135lb crown held by Lou Ambers. After the bout, Gardens promoter Mike Jacobs wasted no time announcing that Jenkins would be matched with Ambers for May 10 at the Garden.

The under-card featured an eight round draw between Chicago fighter Pete Lello (137 ¼) and Tony Marteliano (140) of New York’s East Side.

The bout was bitterly contested from first bell to last, and the warriors received a mighty ovation when it was over.

- Joseph C. Nichols

Lello nearly scored a knock-out early in the bout, dropping the local man late in the second session, only for the bell to ring at the count on 9 with Martinello still on his knees.

March 11…

Local middleweight Coley Welch (162) rebounded from a first round knockdown to win a ten round unanimous decision from Frankie Nelson (157) at the Exposition Building in Portland, Maine.

Welch used a heavy body attack to get back in the fight and had the better of the later rounds, although the decision in favour of the hometown fighter was not popular with the crowd.

* * * *

At the Arena in Philadelphia, 21 year old local lightweight Bob Montgomery (136) needed a couple of second round knockdowns to edge out a 10 round decision from Detroit’s Al Nettlow (140). The two fighters had battled to an exciting draw at the same venue six weeks earlier.

A capacity crowd of 9,000 that paid a gross of approximately $11,000 saw the Detroiter stagger to his corner at the end of the second round, his face covered with blood from cuts on the eye, nose and mouth. He managed to weather the third round by constant backing up, then came on with a great rally that earned him an even break as far as rounds was concerned.

– Associated Press

Nettlow’s manager Al Weill – also the manager of lightweight champion Lou Ambers – said he would consider giving Montgomery (pictured left, Antiquities of the Prize Ring) a crack at the title in June. Ambers of course is slated to face Lew Jenkins in May.

1950

March 6…

Before a crowd of 7,500 at Miami Stadium, former middleweight champion Rocky Graziano (162 ¼) made very short work of Joe Curcio (153 ½). Curcio came charging out of the gate, taking the fight to the big punching Graziano (pictured right, Antiquities of the Prize Ring) for the opening two minutes…

Graziano, making a bid for a fight this summer with Jake LaMotta to regain his middleweight crown, rolled with the punches, none of which appeared to hurt him.

The fighters had reached Curcio’s corner when Graziano loosed a one-two jab to the stomach that straightened the Newark fighter up for the knockout. Graziano then threw a right and a left to Curcio’s face and dropped him with a right cross to the jaw.

– United Press

March 7…

On the strength of a strong late round rally, Manuel Ortiz (132) edged out his one time nemesis Harold Dade (128 ½) over 10 rounds at the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles.

Three years earlier as a 12 to 1 underdog, Dade (pictured left, Antiquities of the Prize Ring) had pulled off one of the sport’s all-time greatest upsets by defeating Ortiz and capturing the bantamweight title over 15 rounds in San Francisco. Ortiz won his crown back two months later in Los Angeles, although many observers felt Dade had done enough to keep his title.

On this occasion it was clear that both fighters were mere shadows of their former selves.

Ortiz, hog-fat at 132 pounds dropped Dade with a sharp right to the chin for a no-count in the last round to win the fight. He had the willowy Negro tottering at the final bell, yet Ortiz would have deserved to lose the fight had he not summoned his last ounce of energy to finish like the champion that he is – or used to be.

Dade, who has gone back as far as Ortiz – and that’s quite a distance – confounded the crowd by actually outslugging the El Centro Mexican throughout much of the fight.

– Frank Finch, Los Angeles Times

The ref scored the bout 56-54 for Dade, while the two judges had Ortiz out in front 57 ½-52 ½ and 58-52.

* * * *

British Empire and Canadian lightweight champion Arthur King (138 ½) took a ten round decision from Rafael Lastre (138 ½) at the Sports Arena in Toledo.

Artie King, British Empire lightweight champion shaded Raphael Lastre of Cuba in their 10-round bout, showing just a trifle more speed than the Cuban, beating him just a fraction to the punch and being just a a shade too clever on the infighting.

– Lou Klewer, Toledo Blade

The two fighters had originally been scheduled to face off in Toledo on January 31, but King was forced to pull out with the flu. Lew Jenkins took the Canadian’s place that night, and was knocked out by Lastre in the 10th round.

The show also featured former middleweight contender Anton Raadik (166). Now on the downside of his career, the rugged Estonian knocked out local fighter Bobby "Kid Alphonso" Hughes (164) in the 9th round of a scheduled 10. Raadik kept the pressure on throughout, gradually grinding Hughes down until he finished the exhausted fighter off with a left hook.

In another 10 rounder on the card, Virginia light-heavyweight Reuben Jones (175 ½ ) was far too quick for Irishman Charles Patrick Henry (172 ½). Henry was staggered several times over the last few rounds, and although bleeding badly from a cut by his left eye, made it to the finish.

March 10…

Freddie Herman (140) nailed Harold "Baby Face" Jones (140) repeatedly with straight right hands on the way a unanimous decision victory at Hollywood Legion Stadium.

Jones, who gave Enrique Bolanos and Art Aragon ac ouple of tough fights here last year, won only one round – the fourth. He held Freddie even in the first and 10th, but aside from those infrequent flurries he took quite a pasting.

The southpaw, at times looked like the heavier hitter but he let the clever Herman take the play away. Freddie beat Baby Face to the punch nine times out of 10.

– Frank Finch, Los Angeles Times

For more great boxing photos of the past, make sure to visit Antiquities of the Prize Ring.

Check back in next week for more of The Boxing Bulletin's History Corner as we move on to the week of March 12 to 18.

e-mail Andrew Fruman

Manny Pacquiao vs. Joshua Clottey: Advantages and Disadvantages

A.F. — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 18:14:00 -0000

Manny Pacquiao and Joshua Clottey square off tomorrow night / Photo © Marty Rosengarten / Ringsidephotos.com

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Michael Nelson takes a look at tomorrow night's welterweight showdown between Manny Pacquiao and Joshua Clottey.

Sparring issues. Trainer problems. Rinky dink gym. Not an ideal situation going into Cowboys Stadium to lock horns with the best fighter in the world.

But that's what Joshua Clottey is faced with Saturday night. And he'll be going up with a man who easily disposed of Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, and Miguel Cotto within a year. Iconic figure Manny Pacquiao, a fighter proven to have boundless energy and transcendent power.

Clottey is not without his advantages though. He should come into the ring close to 15 pounds heavier than the Filipino star, which essentially pits a middleweight against a welterweight. And there are a number of ways Clottey can make full use of his size.

Clottey has a probing jab that's very difficult to counter, and Pac has shown susceptibility to a good jab in the past. Unfortunately, Joshua's jab output declines appreciably as a fight progresses (not unlike De La Hoya). He'll have to use his stick more consistently to impose his reach advantage and keep Manny honest.

In between a healthy dose of jabs, Clottey has to follow Juan Manuel Marquez' blueprint and find creative ways to throw his right hand - something that Pacquiao's last four opponents weren't capable of doing. Mix lead straight right hands with looping ones around the guard, uppercuts in-close, and blows to the sternum. Clottey can throw beautiful combinations when he chooses to; he'll be best served to finish them off with a cleverly aimed right.

On a more abstract level, he needs to simply act like he's the bigger man. Treat Pacquiao as if he's a diminutive who shouldn't be in front of him by pushing him around the ring. Exorbitant respect for a fighter of Manny's stature is understandable, but given Clottey's history of under-performing, we need to see a certain disdain out of him.

Meanwhile, Pacquiao's main weapons to circumvent Clottey's size are his feet. One of the reasons Joshua couldn't dominate a reeling Miguel Cotto down the final stretch of their bout is because he's not great at hitting a moving target. Expect Pac to fight the tough Ghanaian similar to how he fought De La Hoya; constantly circling away from Clottey's strong hand, attacking with angles, and springing in and out with combinations.

Freddy Roach has likely devised a plan that focuses on Clottey's body, since that's the most exposed part of his guard. The Grandmaster will have to adjust accordingly, which may leave him vulnerable to damaging head blows in the second half of the bout. A recipe for stopping Clottey - if there is one - is to create holes in his guard by thrashing his lumbars early and often.

A big, durable fighter in his prime is a unique challenge for Pacquiao, and it's hardly a formality despite the numerous obstacles Joshua faces. How both men work to overcome their distinct set of disadvantages will make for an intriguing chess match.

e-mail Michael Nelson

The Boxing Bulletin History Corner: March 5 - 11, 1910 &1920

A.F. — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 19:32:58 -0000

Johnny Coulon was in action against Jem Kendrick in March of 1910 / Photo courtesy of Antiquities of the Prize Ring

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By Andrew Fruman

We're back with another edition of the History Corner. Today, we've got news and fight reports from March 5 to 11, for the years 1910 and 1920. On Friday, we'll be moving on to 1930, 1940 and 1950.

Check out last week's editions of the History Corner: February 26 to March 4, 1910 & 1920
& February 26 to March 4, 1930, 1940 & 1950

In this edition...

Johnny Coulon vs Jem Kendrick - 115lb title, New Orleans, March 6 1910
Jimmy Clabby vs Jimmy Gardner - Milwaukee, March 11, 1910
Joe Dundee vs Willie Jackson - Jersey City, March 8, 1920
Plus plenty more pugilistic news of the times...

1910

March 6…

According to the Oakland Tribune’s Eddie Smith, there is a movement about to try and enact a law at the next California legislature meeting to limit fights to 10 rounds…

It was always understood that the limit should be twenty rounds, but when Jimmy Britt and Battling Nelson were matched the forty-five round proposition was sprung and the law pointed to as not barring them. It would be a sad blow to the game here if the limit was cut down to ten rounds for at the present time it looks as if the sport would be opened up in many of the Eastern cities soon and this would cut us out of the high-class talent we have been accustomed to seeing.

– Eddie Smith

March 6…

In a rare Sunday bout, Johnny Coulon (114) stopped an exceedingly game Jem Kendrick (114) in the nineteenth round of a scheduled twenty before 10,000 spectators at the West Side A.C. in New Orleans. The gathering was reportedly the largest to see a fight in the city since Corbett met Sullivan 18 years earlier.

Coulon controlled the bout from the start, expertly handling the Englishman’s attacks, before turning on the pressure in the fifth with a torrid body assault. While the British fighter was still competitive over the next few rounds, the contest quickly became a question of not who would win, but how long the challenger would last.

Kendrick was so weak during the last three rounds that he only kept upright by clinging to the ropes and making a feint at defence. In the 16th, the Englishman was floored and in the 17th he stumbled. Coulon graciously assisted him to rise. The 18th saw Kendrick down for the count of nine.

In the final round just before the bell rang, Coulon ended the agony by delivering a terrific right over the heart. Kendrick utterly routed, staggered back to the ropes and sank to his knees, rolling over like a log. At the count of nine he managed to attain and upright position, and made a pluck effort to save himself for the scheduled 20th round. The referee however, stopped the bout and declared Coulon the victor.

– Newswire report

After the stoppage, Coulon put his arm around Kendrick and helped the beaten man to his corner. He received a huge cheer from the crowd for his performance and sportsmanship.

The bout had been billed as being for the world bantamweight title, but there was still much debate as to who should be recognized as the holder of the crown.

Frankie Conley (pictured left, Antiquities of the Prize Ring) claimed a stake to the "bantamweight" honors with his victory over Monte Attell on February 22, but even in Conley’s home state of Wisconsin, there was some question amongst sports writers over whether anyone had a right to claim the championship for their own. One of the major issues preventing a single title holder from full recognition was the weight class limit had not yet been universally defined.

Conley is reportedly anxious to clear up the confusion and meet Coulon at 115lbs ringside. One hitch though towards the possible staging of the bout is Conley’s insistence that the contest be set for 45 rounds.

The Chicago Tribune on the weights issue…

The dispute over the title comes from the fact that Coulon has been fighting inside the legitimate weight of 115 pounds. The coast fights have been fought at 116 pounds, weigh in several hours before the contest.

Chicago boxing writer Ed Smith had his say on the situation…

If Johnny Coulon of Chicago and Frankie Conley of Kenosha, Wis., are matched soon for the bantamweight championship of the world, one of the most troublesome questions of the fighting game will have been cleared up and settled, for the time being at least. The question is over the right and just limit for the bantamweight class. Should the match be made, the limit will be set at 115 pounds at the ringside and doubtless this precedent will rule future battles in the division for a long time to come.

- Ed Smith

Coulon’s father, Eugene "Pop" Coulon, who happens also to be the fighter’s manager shared his opinion on the matter…

There is a general feeling, I know, against the smaller class that at one time was called the bantam. Back in the days of Jimmy Barry, one of the greatest little fighting machines that ever lived, the limit of the bantams was 105 pounds. Since Johnny whipped all of the available boys at this figure it was gradually raised until at the present time it is up to 115 and in some cases 118 pounds, which being only four pounds short of the featherweight limit, makes it ridiculous to say the least.

Now I am in favour of making the lowest class in the pugilistic category at 105 pounds and calling it the flyweight or the paper weight or something of that sort. From that on I am in favour of making an even ten-pound jump to each of the other classes. That would make the bantamweight 115 pounds and the featherweight 125 pounds. Next we would have the lightweights at 135 as they are in England at the present time and the class above that would be the welters with the limit at 145 pounds. The jump after that would be to the middleweights, which would be placed at 155 pounds. As the present champion claims that 158 pounds – not made at the ringside either – is the present limit this would be somewhat of a radical change but one should remember that only a few years ago it was an accepted fact that the middleweight limit was 154 pounds. Tommy Ryan will bear out the truth of this. From the middle we could jump 20 pounds instead of 10 and make the light heavyweight division limited to 175 pounds. Above that call them heavyweights, pure and simple.

– Eugene "Pop" Coulon

The elder Coulon’s suggestions reflected the frustrating nature of the fluctuation title weight limits in America, but eventually the United States would come around to the class limits – 112, 118, 126, 135, 147, 160, 175 – established the previous year by the National Sporting Club of London.

March 11...

In Milwaukee, local fighter Jimmy Clabby (pictured right, Antiquities of the Prize Ring) battled to a hard fought ten round newspaper draw with Jimmy Gardner of Lowell. New lightweight champion Ad Wolgast covered the fight for the Milwaukee Sentinel and handed out the draw verdict in his write-up, although J.A. Ermatinger of the Milwaukee Free Press thought Clabby had an edge.

Both Wolgast and Ermatinger agreed that Clabby had the best of the early rounds, while Gardner was sharper in the later rounds. In Wolgast’s opinion, Clabby could have won the bout had he been more aggressive when he was having the better of things, as the Lowell man was clearly not in the best of condition.

Along with Wolgast, bantamweight title claimant Frankie Conley was also in attendance at the show. No strangers to each other, the two have fought three competitive battles in the past, as well as sparring together recently in California while both were preparing for their marathon title bouts.

1920

March 8…

In a battle of world class lightweights at the 4th Regiment Armory in Jersey City, Willie Jackson (133) of the Bronx, pounded out a decisive eight round newspaper decision victory in a thrilling encounter with Johnny Dundee (130 ¾) …

Jackson, forcing matters continually from start to finish, battered Dundee effectively with both hands in a varied attack which had the Italian bewildered. Through outslugged in the majority of rounds, Dundee lost none of his courage, but only fought faster went stung hardest.

This combination, Jackson consistently forcing matters, and Dundee being buffeted about in a veritable gale of blows, resulted in one of the most spectacular and sensational lightweight bouts ever held in this vicinity.

– New York Times

According to the Times report, Jackson had the edge in six of the eight rounds, with Dundee (pictured left, Antiquities of the Prize Ring) only winning the fourth - the eighth was even. The bout was a hit with the 6,000 spectators who were on their feet yelling themselves hoarse from start to finish.

* * * *

At Exposition Music Hall in Pittsburgh, a local lightweight dual between Johnny Kirk (135 ½) and Johnny Ray (137) ended in chaotic scenes after hostilities between the fighters continued after the second round ended, eventually involving many of the spectators.

The trouble started when Ray took exception to Kirk tapping him on the shoulder after the bell rang. Ray was still angry after being fouled by Kirk in the opening round, and responded to the gesture by throwing a punch at his local rival. Seconds from both corners immediately rushed into the ring, and before long supporters of both fighters followed suit.

During the commotion, Kirk was kicked in the groin and had to be carried from the ring, from where he was eventually escorted to the Central Police Station along with Ray and charged with disorderly conduct. Two other local fighters that helped fan the flames of the brawl were also taken into custody.

The following day, referee Loudon Campbell announced he had disqualified Ray.

March 9…

Legalized boxing in New York State received a boost with the news that the Senate Judiciary Committee in Albany voted 9 to 3 in favour of Senator James J. Walker’s boxing bill. The measure is now in the hands of the Legislature.

In New York City, the Board of Alderman "went on record in favour of legalized boxing," voting 56 to 4 in support of the sport. The board will be sending a copy of the resolution to the legislators in Albany.

One of the council members that did not vote yes, argued that the sport was "in the hands of the lowest element in the community, and that the public had become disgusted as a result of fake fights."

March 11…

In Toledo, flyweight world champion Jimmy Wilde (pictured right, Antiquities of the Prize Ring) is set to defend his title on March 12 against Frankie Mason. Both fighters are reportedly down to the contracted limit of 108 pounds with Wilde tipping the scales at 105lbs and Mason at 107. The official weigh-in will take place ringside at 3 PM.

Promoter Addison Q. Thacher had wanted to make the contest a decision bout, but this was not agreed to by Wilde’s manager Dave Hughes - which means Mason must win by knockout to win the crown. The referee will be Chicago sportswriter Ed Smith. The original third man was to have been Oliver Pecord, the Toledo boxing commission’s official referee, but this detail was also objected to by Hughes.

Wilde has been guaranteed $10,000, and Mason $5,000.

Both fighters have abundance of gameness. Mason is a wicked puncher, as strong as the Briton and with a faculty of taking a lot of punishment. Wilde is said to have made his reputation along those lines. He, too, is a rapid puncher, with a tremendous amount of force behind his blows.

Mason is more compactly built and if comparative reports of their styles have any bearing, Mason is a faster worker than Wilde. Wilde is of the type who waits for the lead, countering with quick and deadly precision.

– Newswire from Toledo, Ohio

For more great boxing photos of the past, make sure to visit Antiquities of the Prize Ring.

Check back in on Thursday for more of The Boxing Bulletin's History Corner as we move on to the years 1930, 1940 and 1950 for the week of March 5 to March 11.

e-mail Andrew Fruman

The Boxing Bulletin History Corner: February 26 - March 4, 1930, 1940 &1950

A.F. — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 08:50:23 -0000

Henry Armstrong took on Ceferino Garcia in March of 1940 / Photo courtesy of Antiquities of the Prize Ring

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By Andrew Fruman

Picking up from where we left off on Tuesday (February 26 - March 4, 1910 & 1920), we're moving on to the years 1930, 1940 and 1950 for the week of February 26 to March 4.

In this edition...

Jack Sharkey vs Phill Scott, World Heavyweight Title Eliminator - Miami, February 27, 1930
Jimmy McLarnin vs Sammy Mandell - Chicago, March 1, 1930
California Joe Gans takes on two opponents - Valparaiso, March 3, 1930
Ceferino Garcia vs Henry Armstrong, World Middleweight Title - Los Angeles, March 1, 1940
Georgie Pace vs Lou Salica, World Bantamweight Title - Toronto, March 4, 1940
Jersey Joe Walcott vs Omelio Agramonte - New York, March 3, 1950
Plus plenty more news and fight reports...

1930

February 26...

In San Francisco, a coroner’s jury returned a ruling of "accidental death" in the tragic passing of 23 year old welterweight Fred "Dummy" Mahan (pictured standing, Harry E. Winkler).

The Arizona fighter had been killed two days earlier when his parachute had failed to open during a jump of 5,000 feet. Mahan had been deaf since the age of eight months after falling from a high chair, and had tried skydiving in the belief that it might cure his condition.

According to Harry Abbott, the pilot of the plane and the inventor of the parachute Mahan was wearing, the fighter had pulled the ripcord much too soon, causing the cords to become tangled in his legs.

Mahan had taken up jumping against the wishes of his manager Fred Winsor. Winsor was at the air field along with a big crowd that had gathered to watch, and had pleaded with the fighter not to jump right up until the plane took off.

Mahan was a quality fighter, and had very nearly captured the world junior-welterweight title in May of 1929, dropping champion Mushy Callahan twice before losing via third round knockout. He had been scheduled to meet former lightweight champion Jimmy Goodrich on February 28 in San Francisco.

February 27…

On a disappointing night at Madison Square Garden Stadium in Miami, Jack Sharkey (197) stopped Phil Scott (205) in the third round of a scheduled fifteen.

The bout was halted at the 2:34 mark of the second round by referee Lou Magnolia when Scott (pictured right) had indicated he could not continue after turning to his corner claiming a left hook from Sharkey (pictured below left) had hit him low. Earlier in the round, chaotic scenes had unfolded after another low blow claim, when the Englishman’s seconds had jumped into the ring with Scott writhing on the floor.

Scott had already been down 3 times – twice from left hands to the head - before the low blow controversy started…

The spectacle of this third round, the climax to a carnival of clout that was a financial as well as a fistic flop, probably has no precedent in the history of American heavyweight boxing – with Sharkey first warned for hitting low, Scott then sinking with an agonized look and cry of foul, police and handlers in the ring as the referee helped to carry Scott to his corner for an examination and a minute’s rest.

Sharkey raging around the ring with tears streaming down his face as he feared disqualification. Scott then limping out to continue the bout with pain written all over his face and finally, the abrupt ending with Scott erect but virtually helpless on the ropes, protesting his inability to continue from the effects of body blows or an alleged foul or both.

– Alan Gould, Associated Press Sports Editor

It is likely that Magnolia was keeping a careful eye on the Englishman’s belt-line, as winning by disqualification through the low blow route was nothing new for Scott.

He had won his most recent bout by claiming a low blow foul against Norwegian heavyweight Otto Von Porat in New York. He had also won on a low blow foul against Ted Sandwina in January of the previous year at the Royal Albert Hall in London. On that occasion, Scott’s home fans had booed the result and the British press had called the decision a fiasco.

Also on the card were heavyweights Victorio Campolo (226) of Argentina and Johnny Risko (195) of Cleveland. According to the AP report, Risko appeared to have a "clear cut margin" on points but the bout was called an "unpopular" draw by referee Kid McPartland.

Campolo and Risko had been scheduled to fight in New York the previous month, but the NYSAC refused to sanction the bout, reasoning that the Argentinean was too big. The commission’s ruling had been derided by the New York press, who felt Risko was more than capable of handling himself against Campolo.

March 1…

Jimmy McLarnin (142 ¾) won a decisive 10 round decision from light-weight champion Sammy Mandell (140) before 15,000 spectators at the Chicago Stadium…

It was a fight from bell to bell. There were rallies. There was toe to toe fighting and on several occasions Mandell was on the verge of being knocked out. Three times Jimmy had Sammy against the ropes and peppered him with blows around the head and body. When it appeared as if one solid punch would terminate the fight, the bell rang.

McLarnin, who does not hold a title but who is anxious to meet Jackie Fields for the world’s welterweight title, tossed science to the winds. He took Mandell’s punches without backing away. He never failed to trade punch for punch in the rallies.

– Walter Eckersall, Chicago Tribune

The win was the second straight for McLarnin (pictured right, Harry E. Winkler) over Mandell, and in the opinion of the Chicago Tribune, the lightweight champion was showing signs of slipping. In terms of judging distance, blocking punches and footwork, he was reportedly not the same fighter as he had once been.

March 3…

California Joe Gans came to the rescue of promoter George Londos, saving the show at the Varsity Theatre in Valparaiso, Indiana, by taking on two opponents in the same night.

The trouble for Londos started when middleweight Archie "Kid" Cain refused to go on against Frank McQuillan at the last minute, due to the latter’s weight advantage. Gans had originally been scheduled to fight Tony Rocco (the Valparaiso paper did not mention what happened to Rocco), and volunteered to fight Cain.

Having somewhere in the neighbourhood of 20+ pounds on Gans, Cain was agreeable to the switch, but after being toyed with for 4 rounds, pulled out of the bout citing a leg injury…

The Gans-Cain fiasco was announced as a 10-round bout to replace the scheduled main go, but proved nothing less than an exhibition. Cain looked like a mere novice against the wily Gans and after falling through the ropes was through for the night. Cain told the fans after the bout that it was not worth while for him to go through with the bout against a far superior opponent as he was getting paid nothing to speak of.

– The Vidette-Messenger, Valparaiso

To give the fans their money’s worth, Gans then agreed to box a 4 rounder with McQuillan. Once more, Gans made his opponent look foolish, as he easily boxed rings around the bigger man. After the bout, Gans made a plea to the fans on behalf of Londos, urging them to support future local shows with the promise that better talent would be coming.

* * * *

Primo Carnera (272) *snatched victory from the jaws of defeat by knocking out local fighter Roy "Ace" Clark (232 ½) at the Arena in Philadelphia. Carnera’s left eye was closed and he had taken a bad beating before the "miracle" comeback…

When the sixth round started Carnera staggered about with blood streaming down his face. The referee appeared ready to heed the cries to stop the fight. Even Carnera's seconds were debating the advisability of throwing in a towel.

Primo sensed the situation and took matters in his own hands, ending the ringside arguments. He shook his massive head, snorted like an angry bull and rushed.

Clark had no chance to sidestep and two might blows almost glued him to the canvas. After the tolling of the 10-count he was dragged to his corner and revived by liberal use of smelling salts and water.

– United Press

*Years later, as the real details behind Carnera’s climb up the heavyweight ranks came out, the bout was looked back on in a different light…

In Philadelphia, a Negro heavyweight named Ace Clark walloped hell out of Carnera through the first five rounds. Just before the bell called him out for the sixth, a small, icy-faced man slid up against the ropes near his corner and said, "Look down here, Ace." The fighter looked, saw something gleaming and metallic beneath a coat, and performed an extremely believable dive in the next 30 seconds.

Jack Sher, Sport Magazine, February 1948

1940

February 27…

Local featherweight contender Pete Scalzo (127 ¼) staged a remarkable rally, climbing off the deck from four early knockdowns to earn an 8 round draw with Puerto Rican Primo Flores (136) at the New York Coliseum.

Flores dropped Scalzo for a count of nine in the first round with a right to the jaw, but Scalzo got up and weathered a storm of blows. Scalzo was down again for a count of nine in the second round from a left hook, rising as the bell rang.

A left hook dropped Scalzo in the third for a third count of nine. Then Flores tried to finish him and dropped Scalzo again with a rain of lefts and rights, but Pete was rising as the bell rang.

– New York Times

The undersized but resilient Scalzo (pictured left, Harry E. Winkler) came back strong in the fourth, landing frequently with right uppercuts and won the fifth and sixth rounds as well. The final two sessions were closely fought, with the Bronx crowd – numbering 8,500 – cheering hard for Scalzo, and the draw was gained when referee Otto Susking penalized Flores for hitting low in the last round.

March 1…

At Gilmore Stadium in Los Angeles, Henry Armstrong (142) fell short in his quest to win a world title in a fourth weight class. Most of the ringside press and the majority of spectators in attendance felt Armstrong deserved the nod over middleweight champion Ceferino Garcia (153 ½), but in the eyes of referee George Blake, the bout was a draw…

Most of the 16,000 persons in the place disagreed. And they voiced their disapproval as the arbiter dashed down the aisle and disappeared out of the gate before he could be asked to explain the decision that had the experts shaking their heads.

– Paul Zimmerman, Los Angeles Times

Henry McLemore of the United Press, who scored the fight 6-2-2 for Armstrong, was particularly bewildered by the decision handed out…

What referee George Blake saw is something he will reveal probably only in his memoirs. How on earth he could see this as an even fight is beyond even my comprehension.

- Henry McLemore

According to the International News Service, 90% of the ringside press had Armstrong winning, although Robert Myers of the Associated Press reported that there were those at ringside that felt, "Garcia had earned it with his clean, shocking uppercuts to the head."

It was a bruising bloody fight, in which Armstrong dictated the terms by crowding and pushing Garcia back from start to finish. Garcia held his own on the inside over the first half of the bout, but never had the space to unload his booming bolo punch and was out-hustled down the stretch.

Garcia’s best moment came early in the bout when he landed a shot just above Armsrong’s left eye that hurt the challenger. He also momentarily backed Armstrong up on a couple occasions with punishing shots on the inside. Armstrong had his best rally in the eighth when he stunned Garcia with a series of crisp mid-range shots, but the champion recovered quickly.

Only two round deductions prevented Armstrong from claiming the title, as Blake took the second and fifth sessions from the challenger for his rough tactics. According to Garcia’s manager George Parnassus, Blake would have been well within his rights to award the bout to his fighter simply based on Armstrong’s infractions. When Armstrong’s manager Eddie Mead was informed of the remark, he called the Garcia team, "a bunch of cry babies."

Unlike his "ranting and raving" manager, Garcia had no such complaints. He had emerged from the bout with two cuts over his left eye, a badly bruised up face and a swollen right hand that he’d injured in the fourth round, and was just happy to leave the stadium with his title.

Armstrong was similarly battered. His left eye started swelling early in the bout and was completely shut by the seventh round. He’d also aggravated an old hand problem, and suffered a painful injury to his left arm which was later revealed to be a hemorrhage of his bicep. According to Cal Whorton of the Los Angeles Times, the fighter looked like he’d just been in accident.

Despite all the damage, Armstrong was still smiling and while he thought he’d won the bout, accepted the decision…

"It was a hard fight, but if Referee Blake saw it as a draw, then that’s the way it should have been, I guess."

- Henry Armstrong

His talkative manager was also accepting of the result…

"I have all the trust in the world in George Blake. He’s a fine official and knows his boxing. Besides, he’s one of the most honest men in the game. I thought Henry was the winner, but Blake has spoken and that’s good enough for me. He’s unbiased and calls ‘em as he sees ‘em."

- Eddie Mead

Mead admitted that Blake had warned Armstrong about using his head and elbows on the inside, but felt the ref could have been harsher on Garcia for intentionally whacking Armstrong in the kidneys. The official had warned Garcia about the kidney blows, but had not penalized him.

Mead said Armstrong would not seek a rematch, but after taking a rest might turn his attention to the other middleweight champion, Al Hostak. Next up for Garcia is an already scheduled match-up with Ken Overlin set for Madison Square Garden in New York, although Parnassus mentioned the hand injury might push that fight back.

March 4…

The title of world bantamweight champion remained in question after Georgie Pace (117 ¼) of Cleveland and Lou Salica (117 ¼) of New York battled to 15 round draw at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto. Each man entered the bout with a claim to the championship, with Salica recognized as the holder by the New York and California commissions and Pace recognized as champion by the National Boxing Association.

It was a bout that was exceptionally swiftly paced for the distance and rather cleverly fought from the opening bell. Pace picked up a fair margin in the first nine heats, mostly through a snaking left to the body and fast right crosses. In the later rounds, he tired and in the final he went all to pieces just concentrating on keeping his pants off the floor, while Salica worked two hands unceasingly to head and body, to deadlock an issue that appeared lost at the end of the 13th.

– Joe Perlove, Toronto Daily Star

The Star’s Perlove had Pace winning by 3 rounds, as did Cleveland sportswriter, Andy Cunningham. Doug McQuarrie, also of the Star, felt Pace had a slight edge, while The Globe & Mail’s Vern DeGeer had Salica coming on strong to edge the fight by 1 round.

There was vigorous protesting from the ringside after the official decision was announced; with supporters of Salica claiming that the challenger’s strong finish had dispelled any doubt about the issue. One of the judges Fred Norbert, voted for Pace. The other judge, Dr. Les Black, cast his ballot in favour of Salica. Billy Burke, the referee, who handled the bout in efficient manner, elected to call it a draw.

– Vern DeGeer, Globe & Mail

Both manager’s said their fighters had been ill leading up to the fight, with Pace’s manager Tom Stanley producing a doctor’s bill to prove his fighter wasn’t in peak condition. According to Salica’s manager Hymie Caplin, the New York fighter had just recovered from pneumonia a month earlier.

What the fighters had to say…

"Phew! That ws some fight. I thought I won, but that Salica, he’s sure a good fighter. He’s the best I’ve ever met. The fifteen rounds bothered me, all right, because it was the first time I’ve ever done it. From the tenth to the finish I was pretty tired – I’m still tired. I’d like to have another fight with Salica. In Toronto too."

– Georgie Pace

"It was a hard fight. I thought I might have had an edge, but maybe it was my own fault the referee didn’t see it that way, I tried to pace myself just a little too far. If I had opened up one or two rounds earlier, there’d have been no doubt about it. Anyway, I’m certain I can take him if I get him into the ring again."

– Lou Salica

1950

February 28…

Promising Chicago lightweight Luther Rawlings (136) pulled away over the last two rounds to claim a clear cut unanimous 10 round decision over Tommy Campbell (136 ½) at the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles. It was the first ring action for Rawlings since the tragic death of his previous opponent Talmadge Bussey back in October.

The bout was competitive through eight with the 20 year old Rawlings scoring effectively with his jab and right cross, while Campbell frequently found the mark with sharp left hooks. Campbell however tired badly in the ninth and struggled to stay upright for much of the tenth. The scores were 58-52, 59-51 and 56-54. Frank Finch of the Los Angeles Times had it 57-53.

March 1…

The New York State Athletic Commission implemented a comprehensive plan to try and decrease the chances of serious injuries and deaths. Chairman Eddie Eagan specifically noted that the plan created by the commission’s new medical advisory board had been in the works for awhile and the timing had no connection with the death of Laverne Roach.

March 3…

Veteran heavyweight Jersey Joe Walcott (198) stopped Omelio Agramonte (183 ¼) 2:11 seconds into the seventh round of a scheduled 10 at New York’s Madison Square Garden.

Walcott very nearly ended the bout in the opening round, dumping Agramonte for a count of 9 with a left hand and again at the end of the round with a right. The younger man by 11 years, the Cuban came back strong over the next few rounds and carried the fight to Walcott until the seventh…

The latter opened the seventh by shooting a stiff right to the mouth, and following with a left hook to the head that dropped Omelio for a count of nine. Another left hook spilled Agramonte once more, this time for a count of 8, but he was so unsteady on arising that Watson decided to call it a night.

- Joseph C. Nichols, New York Times

The semi-final bout provided a major upset with Irish Jimmy Rooney (127 ½) of Bridgeport, losing by knockout to Johnny Breeze (123 ¾).

Thanks to an aggressive mindset and crowd pleasing style, Rooney had been the major draw of the show, and looked to be on his way to an easy win after chasing Breeze around the ring in the first session. The second was looking like a carbon copy of the first with Breeze looking none too interested in mixing, when late in the round he suddenly flattened Rooney with a counter left hook square on the jaw.

Rooney managed to get to his feet at the count of 8, but was on unsteady legs, and Breeze quickly moved in for the finish. A left and a right sent the heavily favored Bridgeport fighter sagging into the ropes, prompting the ref to quickly jump in.

Check back in next week for more of The Boxing Bulletin's History Corner as we move on to the week of March 5 to March 11.

e-mail Andrew Fruman

The Boxing Bulletin History Corner: February 26 - March 4, 1910 &1920

A.F. — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 08:10:24 -0000

Owen Moran was in action against Harlem Tommy Murphy in February of 1910 / photo courtesy of Cyber Boxing Zone

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By Andrew Fruman

We're back with another edition of the History Corner. Today, we've got news and fight reports from February 26 to March 4, for the years 1910 and 1920. On Thursday, we'll be moving on to 1930, 1940 and 1950.

Check out last week's editions of the History Corner: February 19 to 25, 1910 & 1920
& February 19 to 25, 1930, 1940 & 1950

In this edition...

Owen Moran vs Harlem Tommy Murphy - San Francisco, February 28, 1910
Pal Moore vs Al Delmont - Boston, March 1, 1910
Eugene Brosseau vs Roddy McDonald, Canadian middleweight title - Halifax, March 2, 1920
Jimmy Wilde vs Patsy Wallace - Philadelphia, March 3, 1920
Plus plenty more news and fight reports...

1910

February 28…

In a battle of lightweight contenders at Dreamland Park in San Francisco, Referee Eddie Smith awarded Harlem Tommy Murphy a contentious 20 round verdict over Owen Moran. The Englishman reportedly had the better of the contest until Murphy started a late round rally in the fifteenth.

Moran was hopping man and vehemently protested when Smith raised Murphy’s hand at the close of the bout. Many in the crowd were in agreement that Moran deserved a better shake, believing the Englishman deserved a draw at the very least.

The 15th was the best round of the fight and marked the turning point in favour of the New Yorker. He jarred his opponent frequently with left hooks and left hand swings to the jaw, Moran countering with right stomach punches.

In the 18th round the Harlem fighter dazed the little Englishman with a succession of left chops on the jaw. Moran, however, came up strong in the last round, forced the fighting and at one time had Murphy in distress. The fight ended with both men strong and fighting hard.

– Associated Press

In his story on the fight in the following day’s Oakland Tribune, referee Smith explained his decision…

No one with half an eye for the game is claiming Moran as a winner, however, and that is the best indication in the world that Murphy had the better of the bout. Murphy and Moran are so well matched and have boxed together so many times that they know the style employed by the other so well that unless decisions were rendered on a small margin the men would be able to fight a draw every time they stepped in the ring.

– Eddie Smith

Smith went on to argue out that Murphy has an awkward defensive style and that many of Moran’s punches that might have appeared to land, were actually blocked by the New Yorkers arms and gloves. Smith had Moran up by a slight margin at the end of 12, but felt Murphy’s work over the remaining sessions, especially at close quarters, more than made up the difference.

The Boxing Bulletin History Corner: February 19 - 25, 1930,1940 & 1950

A.F. — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 23:48:12 -0000

Young Corbett was in action against Jackie Fields in February of 1930 / Illustration from The Oakland Tribune

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By Andrew Fruman

Picking up from where we left off on Thursday (February 19 - 25, 1910 & 1920), we're moving on to the years 1930, 1940 and 1950 for the week of February 19 to 25.

In this edition...

Pete Latzo vs Larry Johnson - New York, February 21, 1930
Young Corbett vs Jackie Fields - San Francisco, February 22, 1930
Steve Mamakos vs Sammy Luftspring - Toronto, February 19, 1940
Lou Ambers vs Bummy Davis - New York, February 23, 1940
Nick Barrone vs Bob Satterfield - Chicago, February 22, 1950
Plus plenty more fight reports and other pugilistic news of the times...

1930

February 21…

At New York’s Madison Square Garden, former welterweight champion Pete Latzo (173) pulled off a surprise by outpointing fellow light-heavyweight contender Larry Johnson (174) of Chicago over 10 rounds.

The southpaw from Scranton’s crouching style perplexed the hard punching Johnson in the early going, the latter finding it difficult to land a telling blow with his big right hand. After having some success in the fourth round, Johnson scored heavily in the fifth only for Latzo to come back strong over the next two rounds behind a steady body attack.

Having a lead in points going into the final rounds, Latzo resorted to holding tactics to slow Johnson up, but again came to life in the ninth after hurting the Chicago fighter with a left hand. Johnson made a strong start to the tenth, scoring a flash knockdown early in the round with a hard left hook, but Latzo fought back gamely until the final bell.

February 22…

Young Corbett (149) won a 10 round decision over welterweight champion Jackie Fields (146 ½) in a non-title contest before 20,000 spectators at San Francisco’s Recreation Park. The challenger had been contractually obligated to come in over the 147lb limit so that the title would not be at stake.

It was far from a thrilling bout, with Corbett initiating plenty of clinches and the referee was forced to get in and pry the fighters apart in every round. Fields (pictured left, Harry E. Winkler collection) took a bit of time to get started, as he found the local fighter’s southpaw style tough to solve, but by the fourth round the champion was effectively bobbing and weaving away from incoming fire and doing the better work. It was still close going into the ninth round, but a steady two handed attack from Fields over the final two frames seems to put him out in front…

The decision was popular with the San Francisco fans who had wagered heavily on Corbett but Referee Jim Griffin came in for severe censure from other sources. Fields appeared to have an edge and going into the last round it was freely predicted he would be awarded the verdict. Jackie took the last session all by himself and there was considerable surprise when Corbett’s arm was raised in token of victory.

- Bob Shand, Oakland Tribune

Ringside opinions varied, and many veterans of the game figured the champion was at least entitled to a draw. A shower of cushions and paper programs into the ring followed the decision.

– Associated Press

Fields’ usually talkative manager Gig Rooney was reportedly too stunned by the decision to articulate his thoughts in the immediate aftermath, but later on voiced his displeasure over the verdict.

* * * *

In a bout that featured an amazing nine knockdowns, Junior-lightweight champion Benny Bass (128 ¾) and "Cowboy" Eddie Anderson (131 ½) fought to a 10 round draw in Milwaukee. The champion’s title was not at stake in the over the limit contest.

The ninth round, with both fighters endeavouring to land a knockout punch was replete with thrills. During this session, the champion was knocked dizzy twice, while Anderson was on the canvas three times. Anderson had been on the floor four times in previous rounds, but always managed to weather the jolts to come back strong. The decision of the referee in calling the bout a draw met with favour of the fans.

– Associated Press

1940

February 19…

In front of 4,500 spectators Steve Mamakos (151 ½) of Washington D.C. won a 10 round split decision over hometown fighter Sammy Luftspring (151 ½) at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto.

The busy Mamakos had much the best of the first six sessions…

Through the first six rounds Mamakos threw and connected with every punch in the book, plus a couple of variations on several themes. He flung straight lefts, left hooks, left uppercuts and left swings, right crosses, hooks, uppercuts, chops and slaps to the body and the head, to the head and the body.

Sammy played the nonchalant boxer through all this, stabbing a left, hooking a left, moving from side to side, weaving, bobbing – and mostly catching.

- Joe Perlove, Toronto Star

Luftspring came alive in the final minute of the seventh, finally opening up with his right hand and landing it effectively on his aggressive opponent. Mamakos came back to edge the eighth, before the Toronto fighter let loose with a non-stop attack over the final two rounds that had the visiting man backing up. It was a crowd pleasing finish to a bout that had looked like a runaway only a short time earlier.

The "call" that everybody in the house gave was one for a return bout for these two gamesters, who provided Toronto fight fans with their most exciting fistic dish in a long time.

– Vern DeGeer, Globe & Mail

* * * *

After consulting with the two judges, referee Norman McGarity called an abrupt end to the scheduled 8 round bout between Lem Franklin (204 ½) and Andy "Kid" Miller (182) a no-contest. The opening three minutes were uneventful, but the next session proved a different story…

Shortly after the next round opened however Franklin caught Andy coming in with a right to the point of the chin and his opponent went down for a six count. This was the only clean punch of the encounter, although Miller slipped to the canvas five more times. After Miller’s last trip to the floor the referee called a halt and consulted the judges.

Fans believed Franklin tried but that Miller’s refusal to fight turned the fight into a farce.

– Chicago Tribune

* * * *

The Cocoa Kid (148 ½) won a ten round decision in Baltimore over Milwaukee’s Tony Martin (148). The classy Puerto Rican used his sharp left jab to build up a big lead before Martin came on a little bit in the final two frames.

On the undercard, a six round preliminary between Tommy Julius (127) and Hitoshi Tanaka (122 ¾) featured the use of a headgear specially designed to "prevent injuries from knockout blows". The Maryland State Boxing Commission is experimenting with the new gear that features padding to protect the temples, forehead and the back of the skull.

* * * *

Dallas heavyweight Jack Marshall (193) stunned heavily favored Argentinean Valentin Campolo (223) before 2,500 fans at Laurel Gardens in New Jersey. A 10 to 1 underdog, Marshall went into the bout with an unhealed cut over his left eye that bled steadily throughout the contest, but still managed to hammer his bigger opponent…

Unmindful of the blood, Marshall laid down a barrage of hooks and swings (that started in left and right fields) and battered the bewildered Pampas Bull to the canvas three times in the second round. The counts were seven, nine and nine. Poor Valentin was sprawled backwards for a three count in the third; and for eight in the fourth session, and for six in the seventh heat.

– Associated Press

The one sided loss puts Campolo’s scheduled March 15 date with Buddy Baer at Madison Square Garden in doubt.

February 20…

Referee Abe Roth decided he’d had enough of Angelo Puglisi (167 ½) and his spoiler tactics and awarded TKO victory to Turkey Thompson (165) 1:12 into the sixth round of a scheduled 10 at the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles.

At the time of the stoppage, Puglisi had done little more than clinching and mauling his more talented opponent, while constantly crouching in a low shell to evade incoming fire. Roth had already warned the light-heavyweight from Minnesota on a couple of occasions to start fighting before tossing him from the contest. To go with his other infractions, Puglisi also infuriated Thompson in the second round by allegedly biting the hometown fighter’s thumb.

Puglisi defended his style in the dressing room after the abbreviated contest…

"I was fighting my usual fight. It was my plan to stay down low and let Thompson tire himself out hitting me on top of the head. Thompson is a great fighter and hard hitter. I thought I was doing the right thing by keeping in a crouch. It was my plan to open up in the seventh round."

– Angelo Puglisi

February 23…

Before a record Madison Square Garden crowd of 20,586, Lightweight champion Lou Ambers (139) scored a decisive 10 round victory overly formerly unbeaten welterweight Al "Bummy" Davis (146 ½) of Brooklyn. Davis had gone into the bout hoping a win might led to a title shot against welterweight champion Henry Armstrong.

Davis did have his moments, stunning Ambers (pictured left, Harry E. Winkler collection) with a "roundhouse right to the jaw" in the second, and forging forward in the fourth with a determined body attack that had the lightweight king a little bothered. Those moments were few and far between however, as for much of the contest Ambers used his unmistakable jumping jack style to dart in and out, as he baffled his bigger but relatively inexperienced foe with a punishing two handed attack.

In the vernacular of the ring, Ambers gave Davis the shellacking of the latter’s life. He undoubtedly will swallow more defeats, this Davis, as he plods pugilisms highways and byways. But none will be so painful, none so thorough going short of a knockout, none so crushingly humiliating as this one.

In the fifth, sixth and seventh rounds Ambers gave his foe a boxing lesson. He had Davis missing so awkwardly and was pounding the heavier fighter so freely and uninterruptedly that the crowd yelled ridicule at the so-called Brownsville Terror.

He battered Davis so relentlessly in the tenth that Al spent the round clinching and grimacing when he wasn’t being jolted by a rain of rights and lefts to the head, face, jaw and body.

– James P. Dawson, New York Times

Referee Billy Cavanagh scored the contest 8-1-1, while the judges had it 8-2 and 7-2-1. Dawson had Ambers up 8-2 on his card.

February 25…

Eddie Mead and George Parnassus, the respective managers of Henry Armstrong and Ceferino Garcia, continued bickering over the details of the upcoming middleweight title fight.

After being alerted to a rule in the California state boxing code that gave a fighter weighing below 145 pounds the right to wear 5 ounce gloves, Mead announced Armstrong would be wearing the lighter mitts when he tackled Garcia. Not surprisingly, this did not sit well at all with Parnassus…

"Over my dead body, over my dead body! There will be no fight. It is our title that is at stake, not Armstrong’s."

– George Parnassus

The issue over the gloves is the latest bit of gamesmanship between the two sides. On February 19, Garcia pulled out of the original February 22 date citing a minor rope burn abrasion on his right knee, forcing the contest to be pushed back to March 1.

Some have suggested the move may have been a retaliatory gesture to what took place before Garcia challenged for Armstrong’s welterweight title in 1938. On that occasion, Armstrong pulled out only a few days before the bout, making up a story about a non-existent back injury at the behest of promoter Mike Jacobs. According to Armstrong, Jacobs had wanted extra time to let the Madison Square Garden press agents build up interest in the bout.

1950

February 21…

Local fighter Clarence Henry came through some shaky moments to stop Irish Bob Murphy in the sixth round at the Olympic in Los Angeles.

Henry almost ended the bout in the closing seconds of the fifth round; breaking free of a clinch, he unleashed a short right hand that caught the San Diego light-heavyweight flush on the chin. Murphy’s seconds dragged their man back to his corner and had him on his feet to start the following round, but it was on a matter of time as the former sailor was still in rough shape…

When the sixth round started, Henry was off his stool and fuming for the kill. He nailed the game Murphy with a right to the chin and the Battling Blond fell for nine. Murphy was groggy but loaded with determination to go on. Henry stalked his foe. Then he shot home another right to Murphy’s button.

As the badly battered Irishman sailed backwards through the ropes, Referee Reggie Gilmore moved in and stopped the cruel slugfest.

– Cal Whorton, Los Angeles Times

Henry got off to a solid start, putting Murphy down with a short right in the second, but found himself on the ropes taking punishment for long stretches after that. The aggressive wild swinging Murphy won the third and fourth rounds and was poised to win another round before Henry caught him with the fighting changing shot at the end of the fifth. At the time, the hometown man’s left eye was starting to swell, while his nose and mouth were both bleeding.

February 22…

In the first of two main-events at the Chicago Stadium, iron jawed Nick Barrone (175) kept his record of never being knocked off his feet intact, but was decisively beaten by underdog Bob Satterfield (173 ½).

Barone, 23-year-old ex-marine, received a terrific battering but Satterfield was unable to floor him. Satterfield started moving ahead in the second round and remained out in front by a wide margin.

In the ninth round, Satterfield drove the rugged punch-absorbing Barrone around the ring under a heavy two-fisted barrage. Satterfield connected with five left hooks to the body and then drove rights to the same spot. Barone was hurt, but gamely held his feet under a fresh assault that Satterfield directed to the head.

– Associated Press

All 3 judges had Satterfield up by a wide margin with two scores of 54-46 and another of 56-44.

In the co-feature, Gene Burton evened the score with George Costner by winning a tight 10 round split decision. Costner had earned the nod when the two met the previous month in New York.

Burton’s victory was by divided verdict and by a total margin of two points which aptly represented the difference in a battle that had steady action but few thrills. Many in the crowd apparently thought Costner should have been the two point victor, although their verbal disagreement faded quickly.

– Wilfrid Smith, Chicago Tribune

The scores were 51-49 twice for Burton, with a dissenting 51-49 card in Costner’s favour.

February 23…

Middleweight Laverne Roach died at New York’s St. Clare hospital a day after suffering a tenth round knockout on his 24th birthday at the hands of Georgie Small. Roach had been well ahead after 7 rounds, winning the fight at long range and close quarters before starting to tire…

With the eighth round however, Roach started to weaken under the pain of Small’s savage body blows. A right to the face split Roach’s upper lip and jarred the Texan. Roach was never the same. He fought on gallantly through the ninth, more by instinct than design.

Early in the tenth, Small rocked his foe with a left hook to the head. A following right to the jaw stretched Roach flat on his back for a count of nine.

Arising groggy but game, Roach faced his foe, but feebly. A right to the jaw dropped the Texan flat on his face. Referee Fullam dispensed with a count, waved an end to the contest, and assisted Roach to his corner, after the tenth round had gone 1 minute 57 seconds.

– James P. Dawson

The referee came in for harsh criticism after the bout, but defended his actions by pointing out Roach would have won had he saw out the round. The former professional fighter said he believed Roach was in good shape and explained why he ignored the urging of spectators to stop the bout…

"Because of my long experience as a referee, and because of my experiences as a fighter, I do not become excited by the site of blood, or by the cries of spectators. I know that the cries for a fight to be stopped maybe coming from gamblers."

– Frank Fulham

Adding to the controversy was the fact that Roach was in the process of a comeback, started in early January after a fourteen month absence from the ring. The fighter had taken the advice of others and retired in 1948 after a punishing knock-out loss to Marcel Cerdan, was followed by two more defeats in which his reflexes appeared to have slowed.

The former Marine from Plainview, Tex., proved in death, what the fight mob already knew – that you don’t ever recover enough to make a safe comeback, once you have gone over the hill because of injuries.

Too many things of this nature – as nineteen deaths in boxing last year proved – are permitted. The tipoff is the frequent disclosure of this or that fighter being blind in one eye, yet permitted to fight. There even was a case, not too long ago where a man was fighting with a glass eye – and passing the physical examinations.

Boxing is going to have to clean house of the crooks and sharpsters who decorate its fringes. Also, it must tighten its system of physical examinations to prove that it wants to save the lives of other kids like Laverne Roach – or else it should be outlawed.

– Oscar Fraley, United Press

Roach was considered a fighter with plenty of potential before the Cerdan bout. He had received an award from Gene Tunney as the best fighter the marines had produced during the war and had been voted the rookie of the year by Ring Magazine for 1947.

Check back in next week for more of The Boxing Bulletin's History Corner as we move on to the week of February 26 to March 4.

e-mail Andrew Fruman

Marvin Sonsona vs Wilfredo Vasquez Jr. Preview

A.F. — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 23:42:16 -0000

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Andrew Fruman previews Saturday night's 122lb match-up featuring Marvin Sonsona and Wilfredo Vasquez Jr.

It’s safe to say boxing fans can expect fireworks Saturday night in Bayomon Puerto Rico when a couple of promising up and comers tangle in a mouth watering junior-featherweight clash.

It wasn’t too long ago that the top of the 122lb chart was stacked with established stars, but with the migration of several top battlers to the featherweight class, and a couple others likely moving up in the near future, the door is opening for new talent to step up and make a name for themselves.

Enter Filipino Marvin Sonsona and Puerto Rican Wilfredo Vasquez Jr.

Besides the obvious implications of grabbing a belt, the match-up between the young sluggers is most appealing from an action standpoint.

Neither fighter is what you’d call a wild brawler, but both bring heavy hands and a willingness to exchange power shots to the table. With that type of offensive mentality in play from two fighters that are still a little rough around the edges, it’s hard to imagine a scenario that doesn’t involve a good deal of leather being traded.

Sonsona is a good counter puncher that can bang away from his southpaw stance with either hand and isn’t afraid to fire shots downstairs. He likes to set his feet and rip, and along with his right hook and straight left has a terrific uppercut which he really digs with.

Despite being the younger man by a little over six years, he appears to be the more battle tested of the two fighters. While his most recent performances were uneven – a gritty star making effort against Jose Lopez, followed by a sluggish outing against Alejandro Hernandez – the combined experiences gained from those outings, could give the Filipino an edge in a lengthy conflict.

Vasquez has yet to be involved in similarly gruelling struggles – or cracked on the chin by an elite opponent - so his durability has to be in question, but when it comes to his strengths, he possesses similar attributes to Sonsona.

He’s also an effective counter puncher with power in both hands, and has a sharp jab to go along with the heavy shots. Like his opponent, he goes to the body well, as evidenced by his fight ending hook downstairs against Cecilio Santos in one of his most recent outings.

In his last fight – and only real step up in competition – Vasquez dismantled Genaro Garcia. Granted Garcia was somewhat shop-worn, but the former title challenger was still a decided step up in talent for the promising Puerto Rican and the manner in which Vasquez handled the test was impressive.

It’s on the defensive end however, that he might not be up to scratch as he’s far from an elusive target. While he keeps his hands up, he doesn’t seem to pick off shots all that effectively and the times he appears a little slippery are when he’s clearly not looking to counter.

Sonsona has similar defensive issues, and that’s what makes the match-up so appetizing. Both these fighters can really crack and neither man is all that hard to find.

That’s a tried and true fan friendly formula, which makes this a fight not to be missed.

e-mail Andrew Fruman