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Volume Five
WWBU Monthly,
Volume 5, September 1902
As the year rolls on there remain no world titles in play as yet as the Heavyweight division waits with baited breath for the eighth fighter to get to 15 wins or 25 bouts. There has been some pressure from the top contenders to make the title active, with Jimmy Clark (ranked #4) being particularly vocal as he left the ring after his victory. The WWBU has refused to countenance making the titles available till after there are eight ranked fighters. With three fighters with 14 wins, you would expect that the public will not have long to wait now.
August In Review
In an important heavyweight eliminator, Alfio Righetti (#2, 20-0-1), won a well fought victory over Rex Layne (#7, 15-5-0). Layne was trying to steal his way into the forthcoming HW World title tournament by being ranked in the top 4 by trying to topple Italian golden boy Righetti. Earlier in the year Layne challenged Greg Page to gain a high ranking, but he was dispatched quickly by the powerhouse. It looked like a similar story early as Righetti had Layne in all sorts of trouble in the first round. Layne however recovered and the next four rounds honours were even with some good action. Righetti’s well schooled boxing style had Layne confused at times once the initial bursts of energy wore off and he started to take control of the contest. Sensing the bout slipping away Layne stepped up his efforts in the eighth and ninth rounds but he was punched out by the tenth and Righetti would knock Layne down in the twelfth just to put the finishing touch on a well earned win. In the co feature, rising middleweight sensation, Charley Burley (13-0-0) was grievously tested early before he cruised to a unanimous decision win over Curtis Parker (13-3-1), the first time Burley has heard the final bell in his short career. The first two rounds didn’t show what was to come as Burley mesmerised Parker early with his speed and skills, however it all changed in the third round. At the bell Parker decided that this would be his time on the attack and probed for an opening before unloading a left hook that knocked Burley down. It looked dire for the Burley camp early in the count but Burley clambered to his feet at the count of eight and was deemed ready to continue. Parker would try to end it in the next two rounds, but Burley weathered the storm and then regained control with three rounds of explosive boxing, before putting things into cruise control.
WW Billy Backus (#2, 16-0-2), had a scare in his first outing since earning his ranking in the WWBU against one time Felix Trinidad opponent, Paddy Buttle (1-6-0). With a capacity crowd packed into the Fordham Recreation Center, Buttle felled Backus in the opening minute of the first round and dominated the action through the first two stanzas. Backus however found his range in the third round and would only be challenged once more in the fifth when Buttle landed a pair of heavy blows that seemed to leave Backus stunned. Backus took the win here, but opponent’s would have noted his lack of composure under fire.
In other action in the month Flyweight Little Dado (#1, 17-1-0), punctuated this win with a last round knockdown in this one sided and sometimes boring encounter against the very green Pete Millard (1-2-0). Light Heavyweight Victor Robledo (#2, 16-3-0), took 4 rounds before knocking down Marcus Antill (2-6-0) in the fifth round and taking over the fight from there to grab the unanimous decision win. Featherweight top contender Jaime Garza (16-1-0), destroyed Bradley Bacon (0-2-1) in a bout that was only designed to keep his name in front of the public. Heavyweight Jimmy Clark (#4, 18-6-0) wanted a fight to regain lost confidence and he showed glimpses of old form in amongst some uninspiring stuff in this majority decision win over Mick Cornell (2-1-0).
Results of Note
HW Alfio Righetti #2 20-0-1 UD12 Rex Layne #7 15-5-0
WW Billy Backus #2 16-0-2 UD8 Paddy Buttle 1-6-0
FW Jaime Garza #1 16-1-0 KO2 Bradley Bacon 0-2-1
FLY Little Dado #1 17-1-0 UD6 Pete Millard 1-2-0
LHW Victor Robledo #2 16-3-0 UD8 Marcus Antill 2-6-0
HW Jimmy Clark #4 18-6-0 MD6 Mick Cornell 2-1-0
BW Ruben Olivares 14-0-0 KO5 Israel Contreras 12-5-0
WW Fritzie Zivic 11-1-0 UD10 Jimmy Leto 14-2-1
MW Charley Burley 13-0-0 UD10 Curtis Parker 13-3-1
Current Rankings and Analysis
Heavyweight Division
Champ – Vacant
1. Greg Page
2. Alfio Righetti
3. Audley Harrison
4. Jimmy Clark
5. Frankie Daniels
6. Kevin Isaac
7. Rex Layne
No Change
Light Heavyweight Division
Champ – Vacant
1. Michael Bennett
2. Victor Robledo
No Change
Middleweight Division
Champ – Vacant
1. Mike O’Dowd
2. George Abrams
3. Rocky Mosley Jr.
4. Vergil Cooper
5. Eric Lucas
6. Daniel Santos
Santos joins the rankings at number 6.
Welterweight Division
Champ – Vacant
1. Felix Trinidad
2. Billy Backus
3. Reuben Shank
No Change
Lightweight Division
Champ – Vacant
1. George Lavigne
2. Jack McAuliffe
No Change
Featherweight Division
Champ – Vacant
1. Jaime Garza
2. Vuyani Bungu
3. Ricardo Cardona
Cardona joins the rankings at number 3
Bantamweight Division
Champ – Vacant
1. Felix Friedemann
2. Jiro Watanabe
Watanabe comes in at number 2.
Flyweight Division
Champ – Vacant
1. Little Dado
2. Rosendo Alvarez
No Change
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