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Highlight of the Year: A New World LH Champ is Crowned!

1915 LH Tittle Bouts

WBA

Jack Dillon CH (28-2-3) vs Leo Houck #3 (32-13-4)

Dillon holds a win and a draw versus Houck in two prior meetings, the most recent being a win in an October 1913 title defense. Leo has gone 3-1 since then -- Dillon enters as a heavy favorite for his ninth WBA title defense.

Dillon moves ahead in the early going, with slick defense combined with quick counterpunching ability. Jack "the Giant Killer" moves inside in round four, landing a huge uppercut to stagger Houck. Houck presses forward on the inside in round five, has some success, but is penalized for hitting after the bell. Dillon's repeated blows produce some swelling around Houck's right eye toward the late middle rounds of the fight. Houck manages to hang tough, las the distance, and when the scores are announced the bout is surprisingly close -- Dillon by UD 15 (144-143 on all three cards).

Jack Dillon CH (29-2-3) vs Tommy Gibbons #4 (17-2-1)

Gibbons had three successive wins over Morrow, Dave Smith, and Levinsky and is just hitting his stride as he enters the Prime of his career. Yet Dillon remains the favorite in this first meeting between the two.

Gibbons gets off to a fine start, landing a straight right to stun the Champ, and there is some puffiness about Dillon's right eye already. Round two, both seek to establish their jabs, it's essentially an even round although Dillon had Gibbons trapped on the ropes, he couldn't do much damage. Dillon tries unsuccessfully to pressure Gibbons on the inside in round three. Both land well in the fourth stanza, slight edge to Gibbons who was the aggressor. Gibbons breaks through on the inside with a strong round five, punishing Dillon with a cross followed by a huge uppercut. Gibbons continues to press home the attack in round six, piling up a points lead. Dillon is cut just above the right eye in round seven, and the cut is in a bad spot. Gibbons targets the cut, which takes a couple of rounds for Dillon's corner to bring under control. Dillon starts to tire in round 10, and in round 11 Gibbons rips the cut open, leading to a stoppage. Dillon's three year reign as WBA LH Champ is at an end. Gibbons by TKO 11 (cut).

Tommy Gibbons CH (18-2-1) vs Frank Farmer #5 (15-3-1)

Gibbons' first defense is against USBA Champ, Frank Farmer, the "Old Bald Eagle." The two have not met before.

Farmer starts well in the opening round, and in round two he opens a cut above the left eye of the Champ. Farmer is himself cut above the left eye in round four, and the battle of the cuts continues as Gibbons' cut is reopened in round five. Gibbons bears down and gradually asserts control in the middle rounds, aided by some great cornerwork to close the cut. The cut above Farmer's eye is reopened in round 8, and the cut above Gibbons' eye is reopened a second time in round 9. Gibbons perseveres and Farmer suffers some swelling around the right eye by the end of the 9th. The cut over Farmer's eye gradually worsens, and it leads to an 11th round stoppage. Gibbons by TKO 11 (cut).

NABF: Bob McAllister started the year with the belt and made three defenses in 1915. First up was Bob Sweeney, who had looked impressive in a KO of Charley Haghey in his last bout. This one was all one-sided as McAllister turned in an impressive performance to register a dominate UD 12 win. He then took on the aging ex-Champ, Phila Jack O'Brien, who seemed a shell of his former self, taking a beating until the ref stopped it. McAllister by TKO in 5. Then it was Battling Levinsky, trying once again to win an elusive title belt to jump-start his stalled career. It was a close bout, but an early cut that gradually worsened led to the end for Levinsky, TKO 10 for McAllister as he held a narrow lead on all the cards when the ref stepped in.

USBA: Charles Grande defended the belt he won in 1914 by taking on Frank Farmer, who was coming off a KO of Phila Jack O'Brien. Farmer looked sharp early, then coasted to an eaay UD 12 win as Grande tired in the later rounds. Then Farmer gave aging vet Charlie Haghey one last shot. Farmer seized control early but could not put Haghey away, but the ref put a stop to it late in round two. TKO 2 for Farmer, and Haghey retired right after this loss.

CBU: Australia's Dave Smith defended versus British champ Harry Reeve in a repeat of their 1914 encounter, this time in London. Smith trapped Reeve in the corner in round one, putting him down for a quick KD. Smith had Reeve on the defensive for most of the rest of the way until the ref called a halt in round 7. TKO win for Smith. He defended late in the year against fellow Aussie Albert Lloyd, who surprised Smith with a big uppercut for a knockdown in round one. Lloyd was unable to follow up on his early success, and Smith gradually applied the pressure, scoring two knockdowns in round 8 and three in round 9 for a TKO win. Smith by TKO 9.

GBU: Not much to report, as Harry Reeve found the aging TC ex-GBU champ Chuck Carrick an easy opponent, scroing three KDs to end it by TKO in round one. Looks like this was the last we will see of Carrick in any kind of title bout.

EBU: Georges Carpentier put his EBU belt on the line against the Senegalese, Battling Siki, who is fighting under the French flag and thus eligible for the EBU belt. Siki acquitted himself well in his first title try, recovering after the Orchid Man applied some early pressure that had Siki on the defensive. Siki opened a severe cut over Carpentier's right eye late in the bout and did enough to secure a draw (scores were 115-113 for Carpentier, 115-113 for Siki, 114-114 even). After this narrow escape, Carpentier then took on an easier foe, Brit Harry Reeve. The bout was shaping to be an interesting, action-packed affair until a right hook by Carpentier floored Reeve for the count. Carpentier by KO 5.