[JCWeb]

Pleased to report that the Jan. 1928 bouts have been completed, using the new, streamlined system. More featured bouts results follow.

Jan. 21, 1928: Rizal Arena, Manila, Philippines: Featured event here is a 10-round MW bout, featuring the "Georgia Deacon," Tiger Flowers who takes on Ceferino Garcia, the new Filipino OPBF MW titleholder. Garcia is slowed by a cut under the eye suffered early in the bout, and Flowers proves to be the more accurate puncher. Garcia steps up the pace in the later rounds, and he opens a cut under the eye of Flowers in round seven. Garcia, however, begins to telegraph his punches, and Flowers takes advantage, finishing strongly with a big final round in the 10th. The UD 10 goes to Flowers (97-93 on all three cards) to move his career record to 33-12-1 (17) while Garcia is now 19-3 (14).

Jan. 27, 1928: "Friday Night Fights" series journeys to Gran Stadium, Havana, Cuba. After a lenghty series of preliminary bouts, it is time for tonight's main event, a 10-rounder, involving perennial HW contender and former Champ Harry Wills, who is matched with the German, Hans Breitenstrater. Both men have just recently past their peak and are at Post-Prime for this bout. Breitenstrater is the aggressor in the early rounds, but quick hands and counterpunching enable Wills to pile up an early points advantage. In round four, a hard cross from the German gets through, forcing Wills to cover up. Wills turns the bout around quickly, decking Breitenstrater with a huge shot a round later. Things get worse for Breitenstrater as his left eye starts to puff up in round six, but Wills also sustains a cut over his eye in a dangerous location. Wills puts Breitenstrater down for a second time in the seventh, then administers the coup-de-grace with a sharp combination that puts his opponent down and out. The KO 7 triumph moves Wills to 57-8-1 (46), while Breitenstrater falls to 23-8-3 (19). Wills' KO count is now only one behind the pace set by Jack Dempsey for stoppages among all active fighters in the Uni.

Jan. 28, 1928: Action moves to London's Harringay Arena, this time the featured bout is for the WBA JWW crown, and it pits the only man to hold the crown, Pinkey Mitchell, up against Jack Kid Berg, the hometown favorite and #1 rated JWW contender. After a close battle in the early rounds, Mitchell gradually begins to wear down as Berg forces the action in the middle rounds. Mitchell's right eye starts to puff up from the impact of the repeated blows. Berg continues to press forward, and a rapidly tiring Mitchell lacks the stamina to mount a comeback. Berg slices open a cut over Mitchell's left eye, and Mitchell's five-year reign as WBA JWW Champ comes to an end when the bout is stopped in round 10 after the cut and swollen eye become too severe to allow the bout to continue. The title win lifts Berg to 19-0-1 (9) while Mitchell drops to 31-11-3 (13).

Jan. 28, 1928: Final fight card of the month sees the LH title on the line as WBA Champ Tommy Loughran takes on #2 ranked LHW Jack "Bright Eyes" Delaney, the bout takes place as the Coliseum Arena in New Orleans. Rematch of Oct. 1926 title clash won by Loughran (UD 15). Delaney starts off well, but falls behind in middle rounds as Loughran gets on track. Both fighters are troubled by swelling around their left eyes. Delaney lands a big cross right before the bell in round five, but after that Loughran's defense proves too difficult for the Canadian challenger to penetrate. Delaney tires badly in the later rounds, and Loughran outboxes him for a solid UD 15 win (146-139, 145-141, 144-141). The win, Loughran's six title defense, lifts his career totals to 32-4-2 (12) while Delaney falls to 32-4-1 (20).