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Jack Robby · 12-30-2003, 04:48 PM

I'm starting an alternative history of the middleweight division during World War II, using the new Tight Bout Championship Boxing program (I refuse to call it a game).

THE REALITY: Tony Zale became the first undisputed middleweight champion since Mickey Walker with a 15-round decision victory over George Abrams on Nov. 28, 1941. The next year, after losing an over-the-weight bout to Billy Conn, he entered the U.S. Navy and the middleweight crown was placed in the deep freeze until the end of World War II. During this time, the division was dominated by a half-dozen outstanding black middleweights (most of them from California) and a bad-boy named Jake LaMotta. After the war was over, none of the black fighters ever got a title shot at the middleweight title, and it took LaMotta nearly four years to get his.

THE SCENARIO: With Joe Louis setting the standard for patriotism by defending his title twice in benefit bouts for military relief funds in 1942, Tony Zale is convinced to forego his match with Billy Conn and instead defend his title in Pittsburgh to show his support for the men and women working to support the war effort in the armaments industry. Unlike Louis, Zale was not willing to donate his purse to the effort, but he did agree to strike a blow for the brotherhood of man by defending his title against the country's hottest black middleweight, Charley Burley. The fight is held on May 25, 1942 at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh (a hotbed of Negro League baseball as well as the Pirates in the major leagues).

Burley has won 20 straight fights since dropping a 10-round decision to Jimmy Bivins nearly two years earlier. In the alternate universe known as Reality, Burley's winning streak was snapped on this day when he lost a 10-round decision to Ezzard Charles, who had just recently moved into the light heavyweight class. In this universe, he is instead to receive the crack at the championship unfairly denied him in the other.

THE FIGHT: Both fighters are well-conditioned and seem ready for action. Still, Zale must have wondered why he ever agreed to such a match as Burley bombs the champion almost at will for the first three rounds, flooring him in the second with a wild overhand right. He takes a breather in the fourth, and Zale fights back hard. Burley comes back in the fifth, outfighting Zale on the inside but then is penalized a point by Referee Arthur Donovan for rabbit-punching near the end of the round.

Burley ioutboxes Zale at long range in the sixth, then is cut over the left eye by a sharp right-hand punch in the seventh as champion gains the upper hand in that round. Seemingly inspired by the blood, Zale launches an all-out assault in the eighth, scoring with hard punches repeatedly until near the end of the round, when Burley lands a hard right that takes some of the steam out of the champion's attack. Burley scores with several powerful punches at long range in the ninth. Zale's right eye begins swelling in the tenth, but he rallies to win the round.

In the eleventh a hard left hook to the chin drops Burley for a 9-count. The crowd, unfamiliar with the Zale versus Graziano wars four years into the future, is stunned by this sudden turn of events. Although Zale lands several more bombs, he can't put Burley away, however. Burley bounces back cautiously in the twelfth, outboxing the champion at long range. Burley starts out the same way in the thirteenth, but Zale comes on strong at the end of the round and hurts the challenger with several hard punches.

The momentum of the fight clearly seems to be shifting to Zale. Fans at ringside sense the battle was close but are unaware that the referee and one of the judges had the fight dead even, with the other judge giving Burley a two-point margin with two rounds still to go. They were also unaware that lightning was about to strike

Early in the fourteenth round, Burley clips Zale with a terrific uppercut to the chin. Zale is stunned momentarily, then pitches forward on his face in a delayed knockdown. He is up at the count of 6 but in serious trouble. Still respectful of the champion's fighting heart and recuperative powers, Burley cautiously pursues Zale until a hard right cross followed by a left to the body drops champion again, this time for an 8-count. With time running out, Burley lands a barrage of blows to the head until finally the referee steps in and stops the bout at 2:34 of the 14th round. Charley Burley is the new middleweight champion of the world!

THE AFTERMATH: After thanking the Lord for his victory, Burley also thanks Tony Zale for giving him this chance at the title. While wishing that a rematch were possible, he knew that Zale was about to go into the military and would probably be available to fight for an indefinite period. He promised, however, to be a fighting champion in the tradition of Tony Zale and specifically guaranteed to face the best middleweights in the world regardless of race. All he would ask is that whoever he fought promise to do the same if he should win the title. Soon after, he proved his point by signing to defend his title against Archie Moore on August 14 at the Cow Palace in San Francisco.

(To be continued)

12-30-2003, 04:48 PM	#1 (permalink)
Jack Robby Minors (Rookie Ball) Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 20	Alternative WWII Middleweight Champs I'm starting an alternative history of the middleweight division during World War II, using the new Tight Bout Championship Boxing program (I refuse to call it a game). THE REALITY: Tony Zale became the first undisputed middleweight champion since Mickey Walker with a 15-round decision victory over George Abrams on Nov. 28, 1941. The next year, after losing an over-the-weight bout to Billy Conn, he entered the U.S. Navy and the middleweight crown was placed in the deep freeze until the end of World War II. During this time, the division was dominated by a half-dozen outstanding black middleweights (most of them from California) and a bad-boy named Jake LaMotta. After the war was over, none of the black fighters ever got a title shot at the middleweight title, and it took LaMotta nearly four years to get his. THE SCENARIO: With Joe Louis setting the standard for patriotism by defending his title twice in benefit bouts for military relief funds in 1942, Tony Zale is convinced to forego his match with Billy Conn and instead defend his title in Pittsburgh to show his support for the men and women working to support the war effort in the armaments industry. Unlike Louis, Zale was not willing to donate his purse to the effort, but he did agree to strike a blow for the brotherhood of man by defending his title against the country's hottest black middleweight, Charley Burley. The fight is held on May 25, 1942 at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh (a hotbed of Negro League baseball as well as the Pirates in the major leagues). Burley has won 20 straight fights since dropping a 10-round decision to Jimmy Bivins nearly two years earlier. In the alternate universe known as Reality, Burley's winning streak was snapped on this day when he lost a 10-round decision to Ezzard Charles, who had just recently moved into the light heavyweight class. In this universe, he is instead to receive the crack at the championship unfairly denied him in the other. THE FIGHT: Both fighters are well-conditioned and seem ready for action. Still, Zale must have wondered why he ever agreed to such a match as Burley bombs the champion almost at will for the first three rounds, flooring him in the second with a wild overhand right. He takes a breather in the fourth, and Zale fights back hard. Burley comes back in the fifth, outfighting Zale on the inside but then is penalized a point by Referee Arthur Donovan for rabbit-punching near the end of the round. Burley ioutboxes Zale at long range in the sixth, then is cut over the left eye by a sharp right-hand punch in the seventh as champion gains the upper hand in that round. Seemingly inspired by the blood, Zale launches an all-out assault in the eighth, scoring with hard punches repeatedly until near the end of the round, when Burley lands a hard right that takes some of the steam out of the champion's attack. Burley scores with several powerful punches at long range in the ninth. Zale's right eye begins swelling in the tenth, but he rallies to win the round. In the eleventh a hard left hook to the chin drops Burley for a 9-count. The crowd, unfamiliar with the Zale versus Graziano wars four years into the future, is stunned by this sudden turn of events. Although Zale lands several more bombs, he can't put Burley away, however. Burley bounces back cautiously in the twelfth, outboxing the champion at long range. Burley starts out the same way in the thirteenth, but Zale comes on strong at the end of the round and hurts the challenger with several hard punches. The momentum of the fight clearly seems to be shifting to Zale. Fans at ringside sense the battle was close but are unaware that the referee and one of the judges had the fight dead even, with the other judge giving Burley a two-point margin with two rounds still to go. They were also unaware that lightning was about to strike Early in the fourteenth round, Burley clips Zale with a terrific uppercut to the chin. Zale is stunned momentarily, then pitches forward on his face in a delayed knockdown. He is up at the count of 6 but in serious trouble. Still respectful of the champion's fighting heart and recuperative powers, Burley cautiously pursues Zale until a hard right cross followed by a left to the body drops champion again, this time for an 8-count. With time running out, Burley lands a barrage of blows to the head until finally the referee steps in and stops the bout at 2:34 of the 14th round. Charley Burley is the new middleweight champion of the world! THE AFTERMATH: After thanking the Lord for his victory, Burley also thanks Tony Zale for giving him this chance at the title. While wishing that a rematch were possible, he knew that Zale was about to go into the military and would probably be available to fight for an indefinite period. He promised, however, to be a fighting champion in the tradition of Tony Zale and specifically guaranteed to face the best middleweights in the world regardless of race. All he would ask is that whoever he fought promise to do the same if he should win the title. Soon after, he proved his point by signing to defend his title against Archie Moore on August 14 at the Cow Palace in San Francisco. (To be continued) Last edited by Jack Robby; 12-30-2003 at 06:50 PM.