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1916 WW Title Bouts

WBA

Ted Kid Lewis CH (22-3-3) vs Art Magirl #7 (19-2)

Lewis defends versus the USBA champ, Magirl, who is one of the hottest fighters in the WW division having won eight straight heading into the bout. First meeting of the two.

Lewis looks sharp early, is overly aggressive in rounds two and three, but Magirl is able to hold his own. Lewis is forced to retreat in round four, as concerns develop in the corner about some swelling around his right eye.
Magirl surprises the Champ with a crushing right hand and follows up with a series of unanswered blows that puts Lewis on the canvas in round five. Lewis recovers quickly with a strong round 6 and 7, but Magirl reasserts himself, pressuring the champ in rounds 8 and 9. Magirl continues to pour on the pressure in rounds 10 and 11, until Lewis is unable to respond, leading to a surprising stoppage in the 11th. Magirl by TKO 11 (a peek at the cards showed the challenger on top 96-94 by virtue of of two strong rounds 9 and 10, plus the earlier knockdown).

Art Magirl CH (20-2) vs Dick Nelson #4 (32-14-4)

Magirl takes on the former WBA champ, Nelson, in their first meeting. Magirl is gunning for his 10th win a row but is only even money in the pre-fight betting.

Action is slow develop in a fairly even first round. Magirl works inside in round two, Nelson sets up shop on the outside and is able to sneak in some countershots. Both move inside in the third, and the Oklahoma Whirlwind is able to find the target with an uppercut and a hook, staggering Nelson. The Dane comes back to stagger the Champ near the end of the fourth, and he holds a 49-46 lead after five on the unofficial card. Magirl takes another strong shot from Nelson in round six but bounces back to apply more pressure in rounds 7 and 8, and there is noticeable swelling around the challenger's right eye. Nelson begins to tire as Magirl is repeatedly beating him to the punch. Round 13, Nelson sneaks in a right and bloodies Magirl's nose. But the Champ recovers quickly, flooring Nelson twice in the 13th and then three times in the final round, leading to a TKO triumph. Magirl by TKO 15.

Art Magirl CH (21-2) vs Albert Badoud #5 (21-5-1)

First meeting and Badoud, the EBU champ, comes in with a five-bout unbeaten streak (four wins and a draw).

Round one, Magirl starts strongly but is cut right below the right eye late in the round. Badoud starts targeting the cut, but by round three it is all Magirl as the Oklahoma Whirlwind connects with a wild overhand right that puts Badoud down for an 8-count. After the KD, Magirl is swarming all over the Frenchman, who cannot fend for himself. Magirl by TKO 3.

NABF: Packey McFarland, unable to arrange a WBA title bout with either Lewis or Magirl, settles for two more successful defenses of his NABF title, first versus Willie Schaeffer, whom he puts on the defensive early, dominating the action until the ref steps in to award him a TKO in the 7th. Next up is Mike Glover, who keeps it close for 6 rounds until McFarland breaks through with a huge uppercut that staggers Glover in the 7th, followed by a combination for a KD in round 10, which enables McFarland to register an easy UD 12 win (117-109, 115-111, 116-112).

USBA: Magirl vacates this title belt, so ex-WBA champ Jack Britton steps into the breach and takes on Kyle Whitney for the vacant belt. Britton repeats his earlier success versus Whitney with a comfortable UD 12 decision (117-111, 118-110, 117-111) and then defends versus Kid Graves, who keeps the bout close and the result -- a draw (117-112 for Britton, 113-115 for Graves, 114-114) seems justified.

CBU: Johnny Basham meets fellow Brit Arthur Evernden for the belt vacated by Lewis. Basham has Evernden in trouble early, withstands a late surge and finally finishes him off with a KO in round 11. Then he takes on young Aussie Tommy Uren, who gets off to a quick start until a cut above the right eye slows him considerably. Basham sends Uren to the canvas in the 8th and the cut gradually worsens, leading to a TKO 11 stoppage in favor of Basham. Finally, Canadian Frankie Barrieau gets his first title shot, and Basham forges an early lead, then coasts to a UD 12 victory (118-111, 116-111, 117-110).

GBU: Yet another belt up for grabs, vacated by Lewis at the end of 1915. Matt Wells meets Sid Burns in a mismatch, as Wells' superior hand speed enables him to build a huge points lead en route to a UD win (118-110, 115-113, 116-112). Wells then faces the ex-Champ, Lewis, later in the year, and Lewis takes advantage of an early cut to regain the belt with an eighth round stoppage.

EBU: Frenchman Albert Badoud made two more defenses of the EBU title he won in 1915. Dane Waldemar Holberg was expected to provide a stern test, but Badoud had Holberg on the canvas in round one, survived a cut under the left eye, and landed another strong shot in the 6th to finish matters. Badoud by KO 6. Then ex-Champ Jimmy Gardner gave it another try, and Badoud survived a bruising battle to score a SD 12 victory (sorry, don't have the final scorecards for this bout).