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Headline: Jimmy Wilde Continues to Dominate Flyweight Action

1915 FLY Title Bouts

WBA

Jimmy Wilde CH (20-1) vs Percy Jones #1 (14-4-1)

Wilde takes on the only man to defeat him, Percy Jones, but that was some time ago and Jones has also hit Post-Prime career stage, meaning he is not the fighter he once was.

Wilde starts off well, dominating the early action. In round three he delivers a devastating overhand right that lands flush, sending Jones to the canvas. Wilde pushes forward in round four, with Jones in full retreat. The challenger recovers enough to land a big hook late in round six, but the "Mighty Atom" is way too strong as he punishes Jones until the ref steps in to call a halt. Wilde by TKO 8.

Jimmy Wilde CH (21-1) vs Sid Smith #3 (22-8)

Smith gets a chance to recapture the WBA belt he lost to Wilde in 1914.

Sid Smith gets off to a slow start, and Wilde takes full advantage, pinning Smith in the corner in round one, landing repeatedly. Smith battles back to the make the bout competitive through the first four stanzas. In round five, Wilde lands a big combination that stuns the challenger. Then the Mighty Atom whips it into high gear, landing another big shot to put Smith down in round six. More of the same in round seven, and once again the ref sensibly steps in to save Smith from further punishment. Wilde by TKO 7.

Jimmy Wilde CH (22-1) vs Frankie Mason #2 (16-7-1)

Wilde next takes on the top American Flyweight, Frankie Mason, in the first meeting of the two. Mason, who last fought in 1914 (defeating aging BW Young Oliver) is seeking to regain the WBA title he held briefly in 1912-13.

Wilde tries to establish his jab early in the bout, landing two strong body shots for even greater effect near the end of round one. Round two, the Mighty Atom works inside, putting Mason on his back with a combination, and by the end of the round Mason's right eye is already starting to puff up. Wilde tries hard to put Mason away in the third, but despite a repeated pounding the American challenger stays on his feet. Wilde continues to hammer away, building a commanding points lead after five. Round six, a solid hook by Wilde scores the bout's second KD and the Champ follows up with an uppercut for another KD before the ref waves it off. Wilde by TKO 6.

Jimmy Wilde CH (23-1) vs Sid Smith #4 (22-9)

With no more available challengers around, a very active Wilde defends against Smith once more. He holds a 3-0 edge in prior bouts, and there is no reason to think this one is going to come out any differently.

Wilde dominates the early action in round one as Smith cannot find the range with his punches. Smith tries to box more on the outside in the second, but the Mighty Atom doubles up on his jab to win the round decisively. Round three sees Wilde swarming all over his hapless opponent, and the ref pulls him off when Smith is pinned, helpless against the ropes. Wilde by TKO 3.

Jimmy Wilde CH (24-1) vs Joe Symonds #7 (13-5-3)

The first meeting of the two, and Symonds' first title shot. Jimmy Wilde has been building up an impressive resume as a the dominant figure now in this fledgling division. Symonds did beat Percy Jones once, and Jones was the only man to defeat Wilde thus far, so an upset is not out of the question.

Wilde lands a big uppercut to punctuate a strong opening stanza. The Champ presses forward in round two, putting Symonds on the defensive. By round 3, there is noticeable swelling around the right eye of the challenger. Symonds tries to be more aggressive in round four, but he is just a more inviting target for Wilde's blows. The Mighty Atom finally ends it with a cross to the head in round five. Symonds does not get up. Wilde by KO 5.

USBA: The first-ever USBA Flyweight title bout is held in December 1915, with Frankie Mason and Young Zulu Kid serving as the two protagonists. Mason, an ex-WBA titlelist, is the clear favorite with a huge edge in experience. Mason breaks open a reasonably close bout when he lands a big shot early in round 6, putting the Kid on the deck for a 9-count. Mason follows up with a hook that staggers Kid in round seven, and he eases back in the later rounds as Kid wears down. Mason by UD 12 (117-111, 117-111, 115-113) to become the first holder of the USBA Flyweight title, just as he became the division's first WBA titleholder back in 1912.

CBU, GBU: Bill Ladbury defended his CBU belt in July of 1915 for the first time since late 1913. Percy Jones, then GBU champ, fought Ladbury in a bout with both belts (CBU and GBU) up for grabs. A combination by Jones put a shocked Ladbury on the canvas in round one. However, the fight turned around in dramatic fashion in round four when Jones suffered a severe cut over the right eye, and the bout was stopped. Ladbury was awarded both belts by a TKO 4. Later in the year, he defended the GBU belt against Tancy Lee. The action was slow to develop, but when it did, Lee was the aggressor, outscoring the more experienced Ladbury and punctuating his claim to the belt with a right cross that put Ladbury on the deck in the final round. Lee by UD 12 (118-111, 117-112, 118-111). Lee takes the GBU belt while Ladbury keeps the CBU title which was not at stake.