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JCWeb · 03-23-2007, 11:52 PM

Jan 1918 Division Profile

Total: 155 RL: 79 TCs: 76

RL by Career Stage:
End - 1
Post - 10
Prime - 54
Pre - 7
Beginning - 7 (5 New)

Rated: 60
800+: 12
500+: 19
200+: 45

Jan 1918 Rankings (Perf Pts and Changes from 1917 in Parens)

Champ: Harry Wills 27-2-1 (22) (1463) (+4)
1. Sam Langford 58-9-1 (44) (1462) (NC)
2. Sam McVey 46-11-2 (28) (1419) (-2)
3. Tommy Burns 47-13-5 (31) (1136) (+2)
4. Joe Jeannette 47-8 (34) (1097) (-1)
5. Billy Miske 22-3-1 (12) (1079) (+8)
6. Jack Dempsey 23-0-1 (23) (1025) (+5)
7. Jeff Clarke 31-9-2 (22) (917) (+1)
8. Frank Moran 31-12-1 (18) (909) (-1)
9. Jeff Willard 22-6 (15) (896) (+3)
10. Bartley Madden 22-4-3 (11) (858) (NC)

Comments: Everyone listed here is at Prime except for Jeannette, who is at Post-Prime (turns 39 in 1918). Were it not for the presence of Dempsey, one might think Wills was ready for a long run as WBA Champ after his impressive domination of Langford after ousting McVey. Langford had won six in a row before the loss to Wills. McVey, who had a 10-bout win streak snapped when he lost the WBA title, bounced back with a MD 10 over Billy Miske. Burns went 2-1 for the year, losing to Langford but managing a UD 10 over Jess Willard. Jeannette began to show his age, losing a KO 7 to Miske but scoring a TKO over Coffey to keep his high ranking after KO wins over second-rate HW contenders Fulton and Bell. Miske moved up with the KO over Jeannette but the MD loss to McVey prevented any further progress. Dempsey's rise has been well-documented, he seems a bit underrated as #6 but remember so far the top five guys have not faced him. "Joplin Ghost" Jeff Clarke secured his spot with a 3-1 year, his only loss coming to Miske. Moran remained in contention with a UD win over Bill Brennan coupled with a MD loss to Miske. Willard scored an impressive KO 3 over Jack Johnson but faltered when matched with Bell and Burns. Madden clings to a Top 10 spot despite the EBU title bout loss to Flint, mainly based on a UD 10 win over former Top Tenner Colin Bell.

Other Notables: Dropping out of last year's Top 10 was Jack Johnson (#2), who retired; Aussie Colin Bell, who dropped five spots to #11 after losses to Jeannette and Madden, despite a win over Willard; and Gunboat Smith, who dropped from #9 to #14 after successive losses to Dempsey and Jim Savage. EBU champ Otto Flint is ranked #12, compiling a 23-6-2 (19) mark with 729 pp -- he suffered a KO loss to Langford to go with his two EBU title bout wins. Savage moved up smartly to #13 after winning four in a row, including UDs over Fulton and Smith and a KO over Bombadier Billy Wells. Fulton had a 2-2 year and languishes in the #15 spot. GBU Champ Joe Beckett has compiled a 19-6 (18) record, but languishes in #7 spot with 393 pp, mainly because he has not defeated any top fighters to date. The top newcomer, Bud Gorman, debuts at #17 with a 13-0-2 (6) mark, but all his wins are versus TCs and his two RL encounters with Agile Anderson led to both draws.

Prospects: The aforementioned Anderson checks in at 10-1-2 (8), losing on a foul to a TC in addition to the two draws with Gorman. Paul Samson-Korner of Germany is an impressive 13-0 (12), all versus TCs. Also feasting versus TC competition were Aussie George Cook, at 11-0 (7) and American Fat LaRue, now 10-0 (6). Argentinian Luis Angels Firpo is off to a solid 4-0 (2) start, and Herbert Crossley is a perfect 3-0, all three wins inside the distance.

Retirements: Five HWs left the ranks, including one all-time great:

Bert Lowe (NZL) 1912-17 13-8-1 (2) No Titles Highest Rank: 56
Luther McCarty (USA) 1911-17 16-6-1 (10) No Titles Highest Rank: 21
Joe Grim (USA) 1900-17 30-25-5 (7) USBA Champ Highest Rank: 11
Al Palzer (USA) 1911-17 16-11-2 (12) No Titles Highest Rank: 11
Jack Johnson (USA) 1894-1917 73-12-6 (51) WBA Champ

Johnson held the WBA title on two occasions, from 1905 through 1907 and again from 1909 to 1910, and was a perennial Top 10 in the year-end pound-for-pound ratings.

Looking Ahead: Big question is when will Dempsey be in line for a WBA title shot, and right now it looks like some more seasoning against other Top 10 guys may take priority. Miske may also test the waters against the other top contenders, and Jess Willard (now in the Top 10) may have a chance to improve his position as well. Look for veterans like Burns and Jeannette to fade from contention. It could be a crossroads year for long-time Top Tenners like Clarke and Moran. Bartley Madden has thus far failed to excel after his surprising draw with Dempsey in late 1916. Five newcomers will be added to the HW ranks in 1918, but none of them are likely to strike fear in the hearts like Dempsey has done, as Nick Van den Bergh of South Africa (a "7") is the highest rated newcomer.

Predictions: Hit two for four last year, including the "bold" ones, i.e., that Wills would take the WBA title and Dempsey would annex a NABF or USBA one. But, once again, Madden failed to come through for the EBU title, and Moran did not make it into the Top 5 (I meant to say Miske, not Moran, really...) For 1918, I am going to predict that Wills will hold onto the belt and Dempsey will not win it, but Jack will move into the Top 5 and win a NABF title which will probably mean a win over one of the Top 5 guys. I predict Samson-Korner as the next EBU titleholder, supplanting Madden as the only European in the top 10.

03-23-2007, 11:52 PM	#292 (permalink)
JCWeb All Star Starter Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 1,052 Thanks: 0 Thanked 15x in 14 posts	1917-Heavyweights Part II Jan 1918 Division Profile Total: 155 RL: 79 TCs: 76 RL by Career Stage: End - 1 Post - 10 Prime - 54 Pre - 7 Beginning - 7 (5 New) Rated: 60 800+: 12 500+: 19 200+: 45 Jan 1918 Rankings (Perf Pts and Changes from 1917 in Parens) Champ: Harry Wills 27-2-1 (22) (1463) (+4) 1. Sam Langford 58-9-1 (44) (1462) (NC) 2. Sam McVey 46-11-2 (28) (1419) (-2) 3. Tommy Burns 47-13-5 (31) (1136) (+2) 4. Joe Jeannette 47-8 (34) (1097) (-1) 5. Billy Miske 22-3-1 (12) (1079) (+8) 6. Jack Dempsey 23-0-1 (23) (1025) (+5) 7. Jeff Clarke 31-9-2 (22) (917) (+1) 8. Frank Moran 31-12-1 (18) (909) (-1) 9. Jeff Willard 22-6 (15) (896) (+3) 10. Bartley Madden 22-4-3 (11) (858) (NC) Comments: Everyone listed here is at Prime except for Jeannette, who is at Post-Prime (turns 39 in 1918). Were it not for the presence of Dempsey, one might think Wills was ready for a long run as WBA Champ after his impressive domination of Langford after ousting McVey. Langford had won six in a row before the loss to Wills. McVey, who had a 10-bout win streak snapped when he lost the WBA title, bounced back with a MD 10 over Billy Miske. Burns went 2-1 for the year, losing to Langford but managing a UD 10 over Jess Willard. Jeannette began to show his age, losing a KO 7 to Miske but scoring a TKO over Coffey to keep his high ranking after KO wins over second-rate HW contenders Fulton and Bell. Miske moved up with the KO over Jeannette but the MD loss to McVey prevented any further progress. Dempsey's rise has been well-documented, he seems a bit underrated as #6 but remember so far the top five guys have not faced him. "Joplin Ghost" Jeff Clarke secured his spot with a 3-1 year, his only loss coming to Miske. Moran remained in contention with a UD win over Bill Brennan coupled with a MD loss to Miske. Willard scored an impressive KO 3 over Jack Johnson but faltered when matched with Bell and Burns. Madden clings to a Top 10 spot despite the EBU title bout loss to Flint, mainly based on a UD 10 win over former Top Tenner Colin Bell. Other Notables: Dropping out of last year's Top 10 was Jack Johnson (#2), who retired; Aussie Colin Bell, who dropped five spots to #11 after losses to Jeannette and Madden, despite a win over Willard; and Gunboat Smith, who dropped from #9 to #14 after successive losses to Dempsey and Jim Savage. EBU champ Otto Flint is ranked #12, compiling a 23-6-2 (19) mark with 729 pp -- he suffered a KO loss to Langford to go with his two EBU title bout wins. Savage moved up smartly to #13 after winning four in a row, including UDs over Fulton and Smith and a KO over Bombadier Billy Wells. Fulton had a 2-2 year and languishes in the #15 spot. GBU Champ Joe Beckett has compiled a 19-6 (18) record, but languishes in #7 spot with 393 pp, mainly because he has not defeated any top fighters to date. The top newcomer, Bud Gorman, debuts at #17 with a 13-0-2 (6) mark, but all his wins are versus TCs and his two RL encounters with Agile Anderson led to both draws. Prospects: The aforementioned Anderson checks in at 10-1-2 (8), losing on a foul to a TC in addition to the two draws with Gorman. Paul Samson-Korner of Germany is an impressive 13-0 (12), all versus TCs. Also feasting versus TC competition were Aussie George Cook, at 11-0 (7) and American Fat LaRue, now 10-0 (6). Argentinian Luis Angels Firpo is off to a solid 4-0 (2) start, and Herbert Crossley is a perfect 3-0, all three wins inside the distance. Retirements: Five HWs left the ranks, including one all-time great: Bert Lowe (NZL) 1912-17 13-8-1 (2) No Titles Highest Rank: 56 Luther McCarty (USA) 1911-17 16-6-1 (10) No Titles Highest Rank: 21 Joe Grim (USA) 1900-17 30-25-5 (7) USBA Champ Highest Rank: 11 Al Palzer (USA) 1911-17 16-11-2 (12) No Titles Highest Rank: 11 Jack Johnson (USA) 1894-1917 73-12-6 (51) WBA Champ Johnson held the WBA title on two occasions, from 1905 through 1907 and again from 1909 to 1910, and was a perennial Top 10 in the year-end pound-for-pound ratings. Looking Ahead: Big question is when will Dempsey be in line for a WBA title shot, and right now it looks like some more seasoning against other Top 10 guys may take priority. Miske may also test the waters against the other top contenders, and Jess Willard (now in the Top 10) may have a chance to improve his position as well. Look for veterans like Burns and Jeannette to fade from contention. It could be a crossroads year for long-time Top Tenners like Clarke and Moran. Bartley Madden has thus far failed to excel after his surprising draw with Dempsey in late 1916. Five newcomers will be added to the HW ranks in 1918, but none of them are likely to strike fear in the hearts like Dempsey has done, as Nick Van den Bergh of South Africa (a "7") is the highest rated newcomer. Predictions: Hit two for four last year, including the "bold" ones, i.e., that Wills would take the WBA title and Dempsey would annex a NABF or USBA one. But, once again, Madden failed to come through for the EBU title, and Moran did not make it into the Top 5 (I meant to say Miske, not Moran, really...) For 1918, I am going to predict that Wills will hold onto the belt and Dempsey will not win it, but Jack will move into the Top 5 and win a NABF title which will probably mean a win over one of the Top 5 guys. I predict Samson-Korner as the next EBU titleholder, supplanting Madden as the only European in the top 10.