[JCWeb]

Division Profile

Total Boxers: 67
Real Life: 32
Tomato Can: 35

Real Life By Career Stage:
Beginner: 4 (2 new in 1912)
Pre: 12
Prime: 9
Post: 3
End: 4

Rated: 21
800+: 4
500+: 13
200+: 19

Jan 1912 Rankings (Perf Pts and Changes from 1911 in parens)

Champ: Abe Attell 49-2-1 (21) (1548) (NC)
1. Brooklyn Tommy Sullivan 40-14-4 (23) (917) (NC)
2. Eddie O'Keefe 19-2 (13) (823) (+1)
3. Johnny Kilbane 18-3-2 (10) (811) (-1)
4. Percy Cove 24-11-2 (8) (776) (NC)
5. Grover Hayes 30-8-1 (21) (760) (NC)
6. Young Corbett 38-18-4 (22) (753) (+6)
7. Owen Moran 33-12 (15) (676) (+2)
8. Joe Bernstein 37-23-2 (17) (672) (+2)
9. Kid Julian 13-2-2 (5) (639) (new)
10. Patsy Brannigan 13-1-1 (6) (619) (new)

Comments: Still looks like Abe and the ten dwarfs as Attell's record pp total surged past 1500 based on his 1911 results. All the above boxers at Prime except for Corbett and Bernstein, who are both at End, and Julian and Brannigan, who are still at Pre. Attell has now gone for 22 bouts without tasting defeat. Brooklyn Tommy bounced back from a loss by DQ to Cove to remaine number two, and he has one more year before hitting Post-Prime. O'Keefe recovered from two losses to register wins over Santry, Hayes and Bernstein, and he seems poised to take a stab at one of the lesser titles. Kilbane is still probably the greatest threat to Attell's supremacy. Cove was 2-1 on the year, splitting a pair of bouts with Sullivan. Grover Hayes lost a MD to O'Keefe that could have moved him up the ranks. Corbett moved back into contention with several key wins before losing to Attell; he is unlikely to contend after this. Moran suffered a loss to Corbett but won versus Snailham and Herrera; he is about the only top contender yet to face Attell. Bernstein remains on the list despite losing his NABF title to Kilbane; his best years are behind him. Julian had a long unbeaten string snapped by Attell; he might have his sights on the EBU belt held by Billy Elliott. Brannigan had a busy year, fighting 7 times and winning 6 (his only loss was to Julian).

Other Notables: Jimmy Walsh dropped four spots to #11, as losses to Sullivan and Johnny Crowe hurt his chances, his record now stands at 23-10-1 (6) woth 535 pp. Crowe, now 27-13-1 (16), has won five straight to move up to #12 with 531 pp. EBU champ Elliott is next at #13 with a 13-3 (6) mark, 488 pp. Veteran Billy Snailham, another Post-Prime boxer, slid six spots to #14. The other Top 10 fighter from last year (Harry Lyons, who was #6) retired in 1911.

Prospects: George "KO" Chaney blasted out his first 10 opponents (all TCs) before being forced to go the distance in a UD 10 win over Joe Russell. Enrique Criqui of France is also unbeaten, 10-0 (8), as is Leo Johnson, at 10-0 (7). Johnny Dundee suffered a DQ loss but otherwise has been perfect, with a 9-1 (7) record. Joe Russell, at 11-2 (5), has lost to Chaney and Ty Cobb. Steve Sullivan and Battling Reddy are just getting started.

Retirements: Four boxers, including two former WBA Champs, called it quits in 1911. Their career marks:

Benny Soloman 1898-1911 35-19 (28) No Titles Highest rank: 3
Harry Lyons 1895-1911 51-17-2 (26) WBA Champ
Terry McGovern 1897-1911 36-10-1 (33) WBA Champ
Eddie Santry 1895-1911 32-28-3 (18) NABF, USBA Champ Highest rank: 2

Four boxers are at End stage now (Corbett, Bernstein, Aurelio Herrera and Harry Decker) so look for more retirements in 1912.

Looking Ahead: The division is still a bit thin compared to others like the HW, MW and LW, and only two newcomers will enter the fold in 1912. Attell still needs some stiff competition, and perhaps Kilbane will provide it. Look for Owen Moran to defend the GBU belt against Billy Elliott. Kid Julian and Enrique Criqui are positioning themselves for a run at Elliott's EBU title.