My Universe

[mh2365]

If I am remembering correctly Dempsey comes enters in 1913, only one more year until he debuts in my uni.

[Romdawg88]

Great win for Dempsey, bring on the World Title.

[JCWeb]

August 11, 1917, Vancouver's Exhibition Stadium: Gene Tunney, the "Fighting Marine," puts his unbeaten mark on the line against his first non-TC opponent, unbeaten fellow LH prospect Steve Choynski, aka "The Milwaukee Iron Man," who has compiled a very impressive 12-0-2 (5) mark, including a 10-round draw with the highly regarded Mike McTigue. Choynski is coming off a 10-round UD win over Dick Smith of the UK, and he should give Tunney a real test.

Round one, Choynski misses with a leaping shot and Tunney connects with a short uppercut. Choynski clinches and lands a quick hook. Possible head butt as there is plenty of in-close action, slight edge to Tunney in a close round.

Round two, Tunney stays outside while Choynski moves inside. A lead right scores for Choynski. Tunney then takes charge, landing a hook to the head, an uppercut, and a hook to the body. Another uppercut scores but Choynski is able to block the right follow-up by Tunney. The bells sounds after a solid round for Tunney.

Third round sees Tunney moving inside while Choynski stays outside. Tunney scores again with the uppercut, following up with a hook that forces Choynski to retreat. Tunney doubles up on the jab, dominates the action for the rest of the round but nowhere does he come close to a knockdown.

Round four, both are willing to mix it up on the inside. Tunney opens the action with a left, Choynski comes back with a right. Tunney counters with a right cross and a left hook. Choynski clinches. Good ring movement by Tunney, who takes the round.

Fifth round and Choynski tries to be more aggressive while Tunney is content to stay on the outside. Two big shots land for Tunney as Choynski is wild with his punches. Tunney dominates the action but gets called for a low blow that costs him a point. 49-45 on the unofficial card at ringside.

Round six, Tunney scores with crosses and jabs and Choynski absorbs more punishment and Tunney piles up more points.

Round seven, both work the inside and Choynski connects with a combination but leaves himself open for a Tunney overhand right followed by a crippling hook. More trouble for Choynski who is cut below the right eye.

Round eight, Tunney looks for a knockout as Choynski elects to protect the cut. Tunney bangs away with a right cross, a solid hook and a straight right and Choynski is bleeding from the cut once again. A stinging jab right before the bell punctuates another strong round for the Marine.

Ninth round, Choynski fires and misses in an effort to corner the elusive Tunney. Gene responds by doubling up on his hook and following up with an uppercut and a straight right.

Final round, Choynski goes all-out but Tunney defends well, apparently content to settle for a UD 10 win.

Tunney's KO streak goes by the boards as the final bell sounds. No arguing with the outcome, a lopsided UD 10 win for Tunney (99-90, 98-91, 99-90) as the foul in round five prevent a perfect 100 score on two of the cards.

The win runs Tunney's record to 11-0 (10) and 51 pp for the win brings his total to 537. More experienced opponents await.

[JCWeb]

August 25, 1917 -- New York City, the Polo Grounds: The main event on this star-studded card features the unbeaten HW, Jack Dempsey, the Manassa Mauler, who seeks his 22nd win in defense of his USBA title bout against veteran HW Gunboat Smith. Gunboat, who has been around the block a few times, has been the KO victim in two prior title tries against Joe Jeannette and Sam McVey who both went on to capture the WBA HW crown. Smith enters the ring with an excellent 27-8-1 (18) mark, good enough to be ranked just outside the top 10 HWs at #11. Dempsey enters the ring rated 10th.

Round one, first blows are exchanged and a short hook lands for Smith. Dempsey bulls his way inside, but misses with a poorly-timed hook. Smith retaliates with a lead right that connects. Dempsey finally breaks through to dominate the final minute, scoring with a flurry of unanswered blows including a hook and a cross that are enough to give him the edge on the scorecards.

Round two, Dempsey sets up to fight inside while Smith stays on the outside. Dempsey traps Smith in the corner and lands a big hook, followed by an uppercut. Smith is hurt. After a tussle and some clinching on the inside, Dempsey gets his hands free and lands a nice uppercut. The ref, Abe Goldstein, warns Dempsey for holding and hitting. Jack does not slow down, however, as he connects with a straight right to the jaw of Smith. Smith fires back with an uppercut but Dempsey is there with a solid hook. Finally, a perfect combination by Dempsey sends Smith sprawling on the canvas. The bell sounds, but Smith cannot be saved. Dempsey scores an amazing total of 38 pts in the second round and scores his 22nd KO of win of his career.

Dempsey by KO at 3:00 of round 2. Dempsey moves to 22-0-1 (22 KO) and 957 pp, good for 9th spot in the HW rankings. Gunboat drops to #12 with 844 pp.

Rumors are already circulating about who will be the opponent in Dempsey's next bout, set for some time in late October. Three names are being mentioned: Ex-WBA Champ and current NABF champ Sam Langford, who recently thrashed Tommy Burns, is most prominent among them. But also mentioned are ex-WBA champ, the aging Jack Johnson, along with current WBA king, Harry Wills.

Who will be the next HW to step into the ring with Dempsey?

[JCWeb]

September 8, 1917 -- Mammoth Gardens, Denver, CO: "The Fighting Marine," unbeaten LH prospect Gene Tunney, takes on fellow LH prospect Eddie Trembley in the co-feature bout this evening. Trembley, like Tunney, enters the ring with an unblemished 11-0 mark, with 9 wins inside the distance. However, all of Trembley's wins are against weak TC opposition. Ringside experts are quick to install Tunney as the 1-to-5 favorite.

Round one: Tunney scores first with a solid uppercut that forces Trembley to retreat. Gene follows with a strong cross and a hook to the head. Trembley flicks a straight right, and Tunney wraps up a strong opening stanza with a volley of blows just before the bell.

Round two: Trembley moves inside, Tunney fights on the outside. Trembley pursues Tunney to a corner and connects with a cross and an uppercut. He follows with a straight right before Tunney manages to work his way off the ropes and out of trouble. Tunney rallies to land an uppercut right before the bell, but it is otherwise a strong round for Trembley.

Round three: both men elect to fight inside. Tunney misses, and Trembley counters with a straight right but Tunney effectively slips the punch. Tunney forces his way inside, scoring with a sharp uppercut and a cross. Then there is a sharp exchange, not much action but the round is clearly Tunney's.

Round four, both men on the outside and Trembley scores. Tunney fights with his back to the ropes, nailing Trembley with an uppercut and generally waiting for an opening as Trembley misses. Late in the round Tunney seizes the opportunity and nails Trembley with a picture-perfect combination. Trembley slumps to the canvas and does not arise. It's a KO win for Tunney!

Tunney's record moves to 12-0 (11 KOs) and 584 pps. Trembley falls to 11-1 (9) and 467 pp. Tunney appears poised to move into the LH rankings by early 1918, putting him in a position to take on the division's elite.

[JCWeb]

October 27, 1917 -- Madison Square Garden in NY City: The Manassa Mauler, Jack Dempsey, puts his USBA Title belt on the line against ATG ex-WBA champ Jack Johnson. The two did not meet IRL, of course, but through TBCB2, they are matched together: an aging former great versus Dempsey, a future champ. Dempsey enters the bout as #8 ranked HW with a gaudy 22-0-1 (22) record while Johnson, at 73-11-6 (51) is still ranked higher, at #6, and is entering his 91st ring contest, tying LW Jewey Cooke for the all-time record. However, a KO or stoppage loss will likely mean the end for Johnson's career. The bout, scheduled for 12 rounds, is billed as a co-feature with the WBA BW title clash, has attracted a huge crowd to see Dempsey matched against the aging great.

Round one, Dempsey rushes out and nails Johnson with a sharp combination. In a huge surprise, Johnson slumps to the canvas and is almost counted out. He arises at the count of 8 and continues the action, covering up to avoid further damage. But Dempsey's killer instinct has kicked in, and he nails Jack with a devastating hook to the head. Johnson goes down again, tries to get up quickly, rolls back down but is able to beat the count and make it back on his feet. A third KD by Dempsey will mean an early end to the contest, and Dempsey connects with a jab and an uppercut but is wild with a hook that could have ended the bout. Johnson barely survives the first round, and the crowd is roaring.

Second round, Dempsey is looking to finish Johnson who is fighting a defensive holding action at this point. Johnson lands a couple of shots that don't hurt Dempsey, then the Manassa Mauler surges forward and scores with a huge left. Dempsey also is effective with a double jab, but his punches lack the devastating effect they had in the initial round.

Third round, Dempsey continues to press the action on the inside. Dempsey fires and misses with a roundhouse blow, then connects with a short cross. Johnson starts clinching to slow down the action, and he is warned by ref Goldstein. A hard jab by Dempsey punctuates another solid points-scoring round for the Manassa man.

Round four, and Johnson tries his luck on the inside, with Dempsey working from the outside. Johnson starts well, connecting with his jab, but Dempsey gets in an uppercut that staggers the ex-Champ. Not much action for the rest of the round, score it for Dempsey.

Fifth round, Dempsey is back working the inside again. He pins Johnson in a corner, takes a jab to the face, then punishes the Galveston man with a right followed by a jab. Johnson sets up a winning exchange with a clever head fake, but Dempsey scores with a quick hook to the head to stay in command.

Round six, Dempsey is back to head-hunting as Johnson appears to be tiring a bit. A Dempsey uppercut staggers the former champion. Johnson stalls for time, clutching and grabbing, then wards off Dempsey's blows to last the rest of the round. Looks like it is a question of time now, however.

Seventh round, Dempsey dominates the action with an effective cross, hook and combination. Johnson is forced to retreat into a defensive posture, but right now he appears as only a shell of his former greatness.

Round eight, Johnson shows signs of swelling about his right eye as Dempsey administers more punishment, Johnson flicks a meaningless jab that lacks sting, then Dempsey is back to work with a big hook. He can't put Johnson on the canvas, but he did succeed in opening a cut on the bridge of Johnson's nose.

Round nine, Johnson's corner worked on the cut but it could still pose problems for the former champ. Dempsey is looking for the KO again, but he can make little progress as the round is dominated by much clutching and grabbing as Johnson tries to hang on.

Round ten, Johnson decides to make a stand and try to slug it out with Dempsey. Big mistake. A two-fisted attack and Jack re-opens the cut early in the round. The ref calls over the ring doctor to look at the cut, and they reluctantly allow the bout to continue. Dempsey lands a hook, and more blood spurts out. The cut worsens, and the bout is stopped. TKO win for Dempsey in what proves to be the final bout of Jack Johnson's illustrious 24-career.

The win pushes Dempsey to the #6 in the HW rankings list, with a 23-0-1 mark, all 23 wins by KO, and 1125 pp. His management is now actively negotiating for a World title fight in 1918.

[JCWeb]

November 24, 1917 -- San Francisco's Cow Palace: Gene Tunney, the "Fighting Marine," takes on another unbeaten LH prospect, Edward "KO" Kruvosky, in the co-feature bout on tonight's card. Tunney, who has compiled an excellent 12-0 (11) record, meets Kruvosky, whose 11-0 (10) mark seems equally impressive, except for the fact that it was compiled entirely as a result of TC opposition. Those "in the know" are predicting another Tunney triumph.

Round one, KO Kruvosky pins Tunney against the ropes and connects with a leaping cross and a couple of good follow-up shots before Tunney gets going, countering with a hook to the body, taking another cross from Kruvosky, nailing the vulnerable "KO" with a right hand. Lots of back and forth action in a great round of boxing -- slight edge to Kruvosky who appears to be offering some stiff opposition to Tunney.

Round two, Tunney elects to fight outside while Kruvosky moves inside. Tunney lands a glancing blow, works free from a clinch while on the ropes, lands a strong uppercut. Kruvosky misses, then Tunney works the uppercut, following up with a cross. Kruvosky rallies a bit toward the end of the round, which is clearly Tunney's.

Third round sees both men on the outside, and Tunney looks good when landing a nice combination. KO Kruvosky counters with a combination of his own. Tunney doubles up on the uppercut, with some success. Some fancy footwork leaves his opponent befuddled, and Tunney connects with a big hook that lands flush on Kruvosky's chin. Another hook to the head and there are signs of swelling below Kruvosky's left eye. The bell sounds after a big round for Tunney.

Round four, Kruvosky comes out swinging, landing a left, but Tunney fires back with a hook, glides off the ropes, lands a right cross and follows with a three-punch combo. Kruvosky responds with a right that sends Tunney back up against the ropes. Another good action round with both men winging away.

Fifth round sees Tunney moving inside while Kruvosky stays on the outside. Tunney is backed into a neutral corner, flicks a jab to keep Kruvosky away, and "KO" is clinching, unable to find the range. Tunney connects with a jolting uppercut that is matched by a Kruvosky right just before the bell. Halfway through the bout, the so-called ringside expert has Tunney up by just one point, 48-47.

Round six, Kruvosky gets aggressive, looking for the knockout while Tunney elects to stay outside. Kruvosky opens by landing a right, but Tunney is able to outmanuever his opponent and land a solid combination. Tunney lands a right, but Kruvosky fires back with a right of his own and splits Tunney's gloves with a nice uppercut. Kruvosky gets in a left before Tunney rallies, scoring with a hard shot to the head right before the bell.

Seventh round, both work inside with some heavy toe-to-toe action. Lots of stalking and posturing early in the round. Kruvosky gets in a cross. Tunney counters with a quick hook to the head. Upstairs and downstairs, Tunney works both the head and the body to pile up points. Tunney connects with a combination and follows up with a strong uppercut. He pops a jab but misses with a left hand and Kruvosky manages to survive the onslaught.

Round eight, Tunney adopts a more defensive posture against the much more aggressive Kruvosky. Tunney works his jab, Kruvosky missed, Tunney backs up against the ropes but Kruvosky can't find the range. The Fighting Marine continues to bob and weave, sneaking a cross home. Kruvosky finally connects with a straight right hand but it's clearly another round for Tunney.

The ninth stanza sees Kruvosky tiring noticeably, while Tunney relies on the jab to keep "KO" at bay. A lead right followed by a punishing jab coupled with a cross near the end of the round all mean more punishment for Kruvosky, whose left eye has ballooned up from the accumulated blows.

Final round, and a confident Tunney is ever-present with his piston-like jab. Constant motion makes for an elusive target, and when the bell finally sounds there is little doubt in the outcome.

The scorecards confirm a decisive UD 10 win for Tunney, by counts of 99-91, 98-92, 99-91, who moves to a 13-0 mark (11 KOs) and a total of 633 pp. A brief layoff is in store for Tunney, as he heads into 1918 when he is expected to rise quickly up the LH ranks.

[Lee]

Loving the buildup for both Tunney and Dempsey, 1918 should be a big year for both. Can I put in an advance request to follow the career of Mickey Walker in a similar manner when he debuts in 1919?

[JCWeb]

... what I was planning on doing was discontinuing the reports for Dempsey once he fights for the World title, which right now looks like it might happen in 1918. I agree Mickey Walker would be a good candidate for the next fighter to track.

I am now in the process of wrapping up with the Dec. 1917 fights so the year-end reports should be starting up in few days.

[Tommysixfingers]

I've never been that interested in heavyweights that fought earlier than the 60's but your write-ups actually made my interest grow. I'm cathing up with both Tunney and Dempsey right now.

This is great reading JC!

[JCWeb]

Starting the year-end review for 1917 with the HW division.

WBA Title Bouts

Sam McVey CH (45-10-2) vs Harry Wills #4 (25-2-1)

First meeting of the two. Wills, "the Black Panther," has not lost since his TKO blowout at the hands of Sam Langford, including at KO 7 of Jess Willard and a draw with former Champ Tommy Burns. McVey has won 10 in succession since his last loss in September 1913, over 3 1/2 years ago.

Not much action in the initial rounds. Wills starts to establish control on the inside in round three, but McVey comes on strong at the end of the round. McVey moves inside in round four, and there is puffiness around the left eye of the challenger. The Black Panther comes back to take round five by a narrow margin, and at this point our ringside observer has it even, 48-48. Round six is a good action round, with McVey on the winning end of most exchanges. Then, in dramatic toe-to-toe action in round seven, Harry Wills catches McVey with a strong combination, putting the champ on the canvas and following up with a vicious hook to send McVey to the deck for a second time. McVey is unable to regroup and finally the ref stops the contest. Harry Wills is the new WBA Champion by TKO in the 7th.

Harry Wills CH (26-2-1) vs Sam Langford #1 (58-8-1)

Wills makes his first defense against the Boston Tar Baby, the former WBA Champion, who handed him his last loss by a TKO in round one in December 1915.

Wills is off to a tremendous start, dominating the early action. By the end of the second, Langford is bothered by some swelling near his right eye. Langford is forced to cover up after a strong round four for Wills. Langford gradually becomes the aggressor, but he is caught by a short uppercut and floored briefly by the Champ in round 6. Langford perseveres, and by the end of the 7th, the Champ is exhibiting signs of swelling around his left eye. Wills is constantly put on the defensive, but holds off a strong rally by Langford to keep the belt. Wills by UD 15 (143-140, 144-139, 143-140).

NABF: Aging veteran Jack Johnson starts the year as the Champ but is easily dethroned by Langford, who scores two knockdowns en route to a comfortable UD 12 victory. Then Langford quickly disposes of "Fireman Jim" Flynn in a mismatch, winning by TKO at 2:59 of the initial round. Finally, he manages to overcome Canadian veteran Tommy Burns in a matchup for both the NABF and CBU belt, dominating the action with three KDs of Burns for another UD 12 win.

USBA: Wills began 1917 with the belt and defended it once, versus Jess Willard, dropping Willard once in the fourth before finishing him with a KO in round 7. Then, Wills vacated the belt which was picked up by Jack Dempsey, whose exploits were documented in posts 279 (winning the belt over Homer Smith), 284 (defending versus Gunboat Smith) and 286 (most recent defense versus ex-Champ Jack Johnson in a memorable bout that turned out to be the end of the line for Johnson).

CBU: Burns defended versus Aussie Ern Waddy, barely surviving a late rally in the final round to escape with a SD 12 win before losing the belt to Langford (see NABF title history, above). Langford thus wound up the year with two titles, the NABF and Commonwealth belts.

GBU: Joe Beckett defended against ex-Champ "Iron" Hague and proved too much for the aging vet, scoring a KO win in round 5.

EBU: German Otto Flint defended twice, first versus Ireland's Bartley Madden, who he had down twice (in rounds 7 and 12) and registered a UD 12 verdict, then followed with an easier TKO 9 win over Brit Tom Cowler.

[JCWeb]

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.

[JCWeb]

1917 LH Title Bouts

WBA

Georges Carpentier CH (31-2-1) vs Charles Grande #6 (17-6-1)

USBA champ Grande gets his first WBA title shot, and it's the first meeting of the two.

After a couple of lackluster opening rounds, Carpentier begins to assert himself and takes control in round three. Round four features both men on the inside for some exciting toe-to-toe action, and again the "Orchid Man" comes out on top. Carpentier takes a solid points lead to the middle rounds, and a short clean hook ends it with one second left in the ninth round. Carpentier by KO 9.

Georges Carpentier CH (32-2-1) vs Jack Dillon #2 (32-5-3)

First meeting of the two, bringing together the current champ with the man who held the title from 1912-15. Tough challenge for Carpentier.

It's a cautious start by both men, but Dillon seizes control by round two, shooting effective jabs that cause Carpentier to keep his hands low. The "Orchid Man" seeks to apply pressure on the inside, and it's a close bout (48-48 on the unofficial card) after five. Dillon dominates an inside battle in round six. The middle rounds see more of the same, as Carpentier is gradually worn down by the strong defense and counterpunching of the challenger. Jack "the Giant Killer" builds a solid points lead and is able to coast to the title in the final rounds. Dillon by UD 15 (145-141, 147-141, 146-141).

Jack Dillon CH (33-5-3) vs Larry Williams #7 (19-8)

Williams enters the bout with two successive wins, versus Frank Farmer and Harry Reeve, but Dillon is a huge favorite.

Dillon is off to a strong start but Williams does enough to keep the bout close for the first five rounds, a 48-47 edge to Dillon according to the ringside "expert." Dillon dominates the toe-to-toe action on the inside in round six, and Williams' left eye is starting to swell. Dillon continues to inflict punishment on the hapless Williams, who drops to the canvas briefly in round 13 for the fight's only knockdown. Dillon by UD 15 (147-136, 147-136, 146-137).

Jack Dillon CH (34-5-3) vs Frank Farmer #8 (18-7-2)

First meeting of the two. Farmer just won the NABF title belt to re-establish his career as a prominent LH contender.

Farmer starts well, but Dillon is quick to establish the jab for a slight early edge (48-47 after five) according to the unofficial scorecard. Farmer becomes the aggressor in the middle rounds and manages to keep the bout competitive. A solid hook to the head by Dillon forces Farmer to cover up at the end of round 10. There are no knockdowns, and when the decision is announced, it is surprisingly close. Dillon by SD 15 (142-143, 145-140, 145-140).

NABF: Dillon defended the belt versus Bob McAllister, in an exciting bout where McAllister was cut early and came back to put Dillon on the canvas. Dillon hung on to take a SD 12 verdict and then vacated the crown after taking the WBA belt. Bob Sweeney and Frank Farmer were matched up, the two having battled to a 10-round draw in a previous bout. Farmer survived a knockdown and a cut to take a narrow UD win and the belt.

USBA: Charles Grande defended the belt versus McAllister, who dominated the bout from the get-go and registered a TKO 9 win. McAllister did not rest on his laurels, defending versus ex-WBA champ Tommy Gibbons in a very close bout where a KD in round 9 made all the difference for McAllister, who register a SD win. Then he took on the luckless Battling Levinsky, who turned in a strong performance but the judges went for McAllister in a solid UD 12 win.

CBU: Dave Smith of Australia defended versus Dick Smith of the UK, registering a solid UD 12 win. He then lost the belt in a surprise result when he was decked for the count in the opening round versus UK's Harry Reeve. Reeve thus added the CBU belt to the GBU one he already held.

GBU: Harry Reeve had one easy defense against aging veteran TC Chuck Carrick, who has become nothing more than a punching bag. Reeve blasted Carrick out by TKO in round one and then moved on to defeat Dave Smith as well.

EBU: Battling Siki defended against ex-Champ Carpentier, who overcame a cut to knock Siki down in round three and register a dominating TKO victory before the round was out. Carpentier defended against Brit Harry Reeve, who was looking for a third title, but his hopes were dashed when the "Orchid Man" rose to the occasion with a 6th round KO.

[JCWeb]

Jan 1918 Division Profile

Total: 62 RL: 30 TCs: 32

RL by Career Stage:
End - 0
Post - 2
Prime - 16
Pre - 10
Beginning -2 (2 New)

Rated: 21
800+: 4
500+: 11
200+: 20

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

Champ: Jack Dillon 35-5-3 (15) (983) (+4)
1. Georges Carpentier 34-3-1 (24) (992) (-1)
2. Bob McAllister 31-7-1 (20) (990) (-1)
3. Tommy Gibbons 23-4-1 (12) (887) (-1)
4. Leo Houck 38-16-4 (12) (769) (+3)
5. Battling Siki 18-4-2 (12) (719) (-2)
6. Battling Levinksy 27-11-1 (14) (645) (-1)
7. Kid Norfolk 19-2 (13) (611) (+4)
8. Mike McTigue 19-4-1 (17) (578) (+6)
9. Bob Sweeney 20-7-1 (15) (553) (-1)
10. Frank Farmer 18-8-2 (11) (515) (+2)

Comments: Everyone listed is at Prime condition, making for a highly competitive but still rather thin division. Dillon went 4-0 in 1917 and recaptured the WBA title, but Carpentier and McAllister have slightly higher PP numbers. Carpentier lost the title but bounced back to regain EBU supremacy, going 3-1 in 1917. McAllister lost a split duke to Dillon but recovered nicely with three wins over Grande, Gibbons and Levinsky in USBA title tilts. Houck was unbeaten, going 3-0 in 1917 action with UD 10 wins over Dave Smith and Sweeney, plus a DQ over Levinsky. Siki scored a KO over Wiggins but lost the EBU belt to Carpentier. Levinsky started the year off well, with UDs versus Dick Smith and Norfolk, but the losses to McAllister and Houck set him back a bit. Norfolk stormed into the top group by winning 4 of 5 bouts in 1917, including his last three in a row. His victims included Morrow and Grande (both UD 10s) and Aussie Albert Lloyd (a KO triumph) but he was beaten by Levinsky. McTigue recovered from a SD loss to Gibbons with wins over Dick Smith (TKO 8), Steve Choynski (UD after a draw earlier in the year) and Williams (SD). Sweeney went 2-2 for the year, as KO wins over Morrow and Eddie Trembley were balanced by losses to Houck and Farmer. Farmer rounds out the top group, losing some ground after the WBA title bout loss despite his capture of the NA belt.

Other Notables: Three dropouts from the prior year's Top 10 were Charles Grande, who went 0-3 for 1917, slipping 5 spots to #11; Howard Morrow, who suffered a KO loss to Sweeney and a UD loss to Norfolk to fall from #9 to #13 after a 1-2 campaign; and Dave Smith, who lost the CBU belt and tumbled from #10 down to #15. Reeve, the CBU and GBU champ, still appears below Dave Smith, whom he defeated, at #16 with a 17-10-1 (14) mark and 342 pp. Steve Choynski debuts at #14, with a 12-2-2 (5) record. He was unbeaten until his last two outings, which resulted in two UD losses to Gene Tunney and McTigue.

Prospects: Tunney kept his unbeaten string going, moving to 13-0 (11) with three wins versus non-TC opposition, UDs over Choynski and KO Kruvosky and a TKO over Eddie Trembley, who wound up the year at 11-2 (9) after a second TKO loss to Bob Sweeney. Kruvosky checks in at 11-1 (10), the only blemish being the Tunney defeat. Lou Bogash overcame a poor career start (a loss by DQ in his debut in 1916) to pound out nine successive wins; his career mark is now 9-1 (6). Pat McCarthy has gone 9-0 (4), all versus TC opposition. Two other prospects, Ted Jamieson and Joe Lohman, battled to a draw but otherwise kept their tallies clean and now have identical 5-0-1 records.

Retirements: None in 1917.

Looking Ahead: Gibbons is well positioned to challenge Dillon for the WBA crown. Houck is also in position to challenge for a title bout. Norfolk and McTigue have established their credentials as bona-fide top contenders, and it will be interesting to see if Levinsky can shake off the label of hard-luck loser. Carpentier is probably a year or so away from testing the HW waters. Tunney is poised to wrap up his career build-up and take on some of the Top 10 contenders soon.

Predictions: Didn't do so well for the LHs. Had Carpentier losing the WBA crown, but Tommy Gibbons did not win it -- it was Dillon instead. McTigue to win the USBA belt? Didn't happen, although Mike moved into the Top 10 list. Reeve beating Dick Smith for the GBU belt? No, but Dick Smith did try for the CBU belt and lose to the other Smith from Australia. I was correct, however, in predicting that Tunney would keep his unbeaten string intact but not the consecutive KO streak once he got past the TC opposition.
So, for 1918, I will boldly forecast that Dillon will keep the WBA belt despite some impressive looking opposition. Norfolk and McTigue will progress and will each capture one of the lesser belts (USBA or NABF). Carpentier will soldier on as EBU champion, and Tunney will end the year in the Top 10 but avoid taking on any of the top contenders or titleholders.

[JCWeb]

1917 MW Title Bouts

WBA

Mike Gibbons CH (29-3-1) vs Joe Borrell #2 (21-6-1)

Gibbons makes his 10th defense of the WBA belt he won back in 1914. This is Borrell's second try for the WBA title, having lost a UD15 to Gibbons in 1915. Borrell has defeated Joe Chip and McGoorty in his last two, capturing the USBA belt in the process.

Good start by Borrell, who launches an effective inside attack although the St. Paul Phantom is able to evade most of the heavy blows. Gibbons moves inside and outside, gradually pulling ahead on points. Borrell must deal with some swelling around his right eye. A nasty cut opens above the left eye of the challenger, and Gibbons coasts into the late rounds. The cut gradually worsens and leads to a late stoppage. Gibbons by TKO 13.

Mike Gibbons CH (30-3-1) vs George Ashe #8 (22-3-3)

Gibbons seeks his 15th win in a row, while Ashe has earned his first World title shot after a draw with ex-Champ Billy Papke. First meeting of the two.

Both men start cautiously. Gibbons' defense dominates in the early rounds, and he piles up at 49-47 lead, according to unofficial cards. Ashe tries to become more aggressive after several indifferent rounds. Ashe nails the Champ with a big hook in round 9, his best round of the fight. Gibbons slips punches and stays on the outside, dominating the late action to bring home a UD 15 victory (145-140, 145-142, 145-141).

Mike Gibbons CH (31-3-1) vs Jeff Smith #6 (27-6)

This is a rematch of a 1916 title bout, which resulted in a SD win for Gibbons. It's the third WBA title try for Smith, who was on the short end of a SD on each of the two previous occasions.

Smith dominates the opening stanza and appears to be ready to offer a stiff challenge when, suddenly, at the outset of round three, a Gibbons blow lands right on the button, breaking Smith's nose. There is nothing to be done and Gibbons is awarded a TKO in the 3rd.

Mike Gibbons CH (32-3-1) vs Harry Greb #1 (22-2)

Greb, the "Human Windmill," steps up to challenge for the World title. Gibbons will be going for his 17th in a row, but this is a difficult test.

Gibbons looks sharp early, but Greb comes on strongly at the end of the first round. Greb moves to the inside and dominates the action in round two. Gibbons counters by moving to the inside in round three, but in the last minute of the round Greb catches him flush with a huge combination, and Gibbons barely hangs on to last the round. A cut above the right eye of the Champ spells trouble as well. Greb continues to push the action, and he connects with a tremendous left that forces the St. Paul Phantom to cover up near the end of round five. Greb keeps Gibbons on the defensive, and by round nine the cut worsens and leads to an early stoppage. Greb by TKO 9 to take the World title via a cuts stoppage.

NABF: Papke starts the year with the belt, defending against Greb, and the "Human Windmill" takes charge early, opening a cut over Papke's eye that leads to a late stoppage. Greb by TKO 11 to take the belt. Greb defends against the hapless Eddie McGoorty, putting Eddie on the deck in the 6th and again in the final round, the third KD ending it in a KO 12 for Greb. Albert "Buck" Crouse gets a shot at Greb, who survives despite a cut above the eye and pounds out a UD 12 decision.

USBA: Borrell defends the belt against Fighting Billy Murray in what proves to be a very entertaining bout. Borrell puts Murray on the canvas in round four with a wicked uppercut. Then, in round five, Borrell is cut over the right eye, while Murray suffers a cut under his right eye. More action in round seven, as Murray comes back with a huge combination that puts Borrell on the canvas. Murray takes charge, and the cut above Borrell's eye worsens and leads to a 9th round stoppage. Borrell by TKO 9 to take the belt.

CBU: Aussie Les Darcy defends versus Jake Ahearn, and the aging Maitland Wonder cannot keep up with Ahearn, who piles up a points lead and scores a decisive UD 12 win to take the belt. Later in the year, Ahearn gives Darcy a rematch which sees Darcy, now a shadow of his former self, forcing to retire with a bad cut over the eye. Ahearn by TKO 9.

GBU: Gus Platts did not defend this title.

EBU: Denmark's Chic Nelson defends versus Ahearn, taking the early edge and pounding out a rather boring UD 12 win. Then Gus Platts, the "Sheffield Blade," steps in and scores big in round 8 with a three-punch combo that forces Nelson to cover up. Platts adds the EBU title to his GBU belt with a narrow MD 12 win.

[JCWeb]

Jan 1918 Division Profile

Total: 135 RL: 72 TCs: 63

RL by Career Stage:
End - 2
Post- 6
Prime-46
Pre - 10
Beginning-8 (5 New)

Rated: 58
800+: 8
500+: 26
200+: 52

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

Champ: Harry Greb 23-2 (16) (1297) (+5)
1. Mike Gibbons 32-4-1 (13) (1296) (-1)
2. Billy Papke 36-6-3 (23) (1056) (-1)
3. Eddie McGoorty 36-13-1 (30) (934) (+1)
4. Jack McCarron 26-9-2 (13) (899) (+4)
5. Fighting Billy Murray 21-7-2 (13) (853) (+6)
6. Joe Borrell 21-8-1 (14) (853) (-4)
7. Jeff Smith 27-7 (12) (816) (-4)
8. Johnny Wilson 19-4-1 (10) (751) (+11)
9. Panama Joe Gans 18-2 (13) (723) (+6)
10. Mike O'Dowd 20-5 (10) (717) (+6)

Comments: All of the top ten are at Prime career stage. Greb powered his way to the top, winning four in a row after suffering a narrow SD loss to Jeff Smith early in the year. Gibbons had won 16 in succession before losing the title to Greb. Papke lost to Greb but recovered with a SD over Panama Joe Gans. McGoorty was 2-1 for the year, losing the title bout with Greb but besting Al McCoy (UD) and Gus Platts (TKO 9). McCarron was unbeaten, with three wins versus lesser opponents: Platts, Darcy, and Panama Joe Gans (the latter being a technical decision). Murray leapt into the list of top contenders with his TKO win over Borrell, also scoring a TKO over Jeff Smith but losing to Panama Joe Gans and being held to a draw by Joe Chip. Borrell dropped out of the top five with two losses, both in title contests. Smith went 1-2 in 1917, as he was unable to follow up on his SD over Greb -- losing two title bouts by TKO to Murray and Gibbons. Wilson made a big move, extending his win streak to four, downing Howard, Ashe and Littleton (all by UD) in 1917. Panama Joe Gans was unbeaten in 18 bouts but lost his last two to Papke and McCarron. O'Dowd eased into the top 10 after a busy year in which he fought six times, starting off with two losses (a UD loss to Ashe and a MD loss to Mitchell) but finishing strongly with four successive wins against Mantell, Fleming, Howard and Grayber.

Other Notables: Four fighters slid out of the Top 10 ranks from the prior year. "Buck" Crouse dropped from #7 down to #14, losing decisions to Fleming, Littleton and Greb after a TKO of Joe Chip. Ashe dropped seven spots to #17, scoring a UD win over O'Dowd but losing to Wilson and George (KO) Brown. Joe Chip fell 12 spots to #21 after losses to Crouse and Robinson, despite a TKO over Chic Nelson. Biggest Top 10 dropout, however, was Aussie Les Darcy, who fell all the way from #6 to #29 after two losses to Platts and an 0-3 year that extended his losing streak to four. CBU Champ Ahearn collected the two wins over Darcy but lost to George Brown and Chic Nelson to wind up the year in 28th with 487 pp and a 26-9-1 (14) record. Platts, despite holding both the EBU and GBU belts, is mired in the #35 spot with a 19-11-3 (8) mark and 372 pp. Top newcomer is Jimmy Darcy at #24, with a 14-1-2 (6) record, his only loss coming to Willie (KO) Brennan. One spot behind him is Battling Ortega, who compiled a 13-1-3 (9) mark with the one loss to Darcy and two draws with Bob Moha and Stockyards Tommy Murphy. Also worth noting is Augie Ratner, whose 14-1 (11) record was only good for 46th, due to a loss by DQ to Fitzgerald. UK's Frank Moody barely made the ratings list at #57 after a DQ loss to a TC and two losses to drop him to a 12-3 (7) record.

Prospects: Tillie Herman at 11-1 (4) tops the list of prospects, dropping one bout to a TC but defeating Frank Denny. Denny checks in at 10-2 (3), losing on a foul to a TC coupled with the loss to Herman. Still unbeaten, all versus TCs, is Jack Malone at 9-0 (4). Kid Mexico and Oakland Jimmy Duffy battled to a draw but vanquished all TC opposition to post 9-0-1 marks. Also unbeaten versus TCs are Johnny Gill at 7-0 (4), Gordon McKay at 4-0 (2), Roland Todd at 3-0 (2) and Rene DeVos, the "Little Fox," at 1-0 (1).

Retirements: None in 1917.

Looking Ahead: Greb gained the WBA title a bit sooner than expected; he could now be poised for a long title run although there are several very talented contenders now. McCarron is ready to step up and tackle tougher competition, and now that Gans is at Prime he could contend for a NABF belt (now vacant). The crop of prospects, with Todd and DeVos having the best long-term potential, will be supplemented by five new MWs in 1918, paced by Tiger Flowers and Dave Shade.

Predictions: A mixed bag, as Greb turned out to be a year ahead of schedule in capturing the WBA belt from Gibbons. Panama Joe Gans, as forecast, did move into the Top 10. Frank Mantell did not fulfill the prediction of recapturing the EBU belt (he did not get a title shot). On a positive note, though, the forecast of three new faces in the Top 10 was accurate, as there were four new Top 10 guys.
For 1918, I will predict that Greb will retain the WBA belt and that Gans will annex the NABF title. I will renew my prediction that Mantell will capture the EBU crown, and I will once again predict at least three boxers moving in/out of the top 10 list by year's end.

[JCWeb]

1917 WW Title Bouts

WBA

Art Magirl CH (22-2) vs Packey McFarland #1 (36-2-3)

Magirl faces his toughest challenge to date, taking on the #1 contender and current NABF champ. First meeting of the two; it is McFarland's third try at the WBA title.

Magirl stuns McFarland with a strong shot in round one. Magirl presses the attack in round two, and he succeeds in bloodying the cheek of the challenger. Magirl follows up in the third round, and both of McFarland's eyes start to swell. McFarland comes back with a strong fourth round, and it's a good action round, with Magirl's left eye starting to swell up. McFarland tries to work inside in round five, but he is still bothered by the cut, which continues to bleed. After five, a clear edge (50-45) for Magirl. McFarland makes a major effort in rounds six and seven, stepping up the pace, but can make no impression on the Champ. The Oklahoma Whirlwind presses his advantage as McFarland starts to tire. A strong uppercut for Magirl forces McFarland to cover up in round nine. This great action fight lasts until round 13 when Magirl breaks through with a knockdown and then follows up with a KO. Magirl by KO 13.

Art Magirl CH (23-2) vs Jack Britton #1 (40-6-3)

Magirl takes on the three-time former Champ, Britton. First meeting of the two.

Not much action in round one. Britton, working on the inside in round two, establishes his jab and has a slight edge. Magirl is more aggressive in round three, but the "Boxing Marvel" keeps him at bay with some strong defense. Round four sees the tide turn in favor of the Champ, who puts Britton down with a solid hook, plus Britton also sustains a cut above his left eye. Magirl puts Britton on the defensive in round five, as Britton is protecting the cut. Britton lands a big uppercut but Magirl counters with a three-punch combination just before the end of a close round. Round six, the cut above the challenger's eye is reopened and becomes a major problem for Britton. The ref consults with the ringside physician who agrees with the decision to halt the bout. Magirl by TKO 6 (cut).

Art Magirl CH (24-2) vs Willie Loughlin #6 (17-0)

The unbeaten Loughlin is offered a WBA title shot, but is the youngster over his head, despite 15 KOs in his 17 wins.

The action is slow to develop, but beginning in round two the Oklahoma Whirlwind begins to connect with regularity, and Loughlin is on the defensive. A solid cross from Magirl in round four has Loughlin covering up to survive the round. Magirl follows up with relentless pressure in round five, and Loughlin's left eye starts to show signs of swelling. Loughlin tries to get more aggressive but Magirl is able to use his jab to keep Loughlin at bay. Finally, in round nine, Magirl catches Loughlin with a good shot that finishes the challenger's bid. Magirl by KO 9.

NABF: McFarland defended the belt he has held since 1910 once, taking on Kyle Whitney. McFarland is cut below the right eye, but pounds away, repeatedly beating Whitney to the punch and finally finishing him off with a 10th round KO.

USBA: Britton gives Jimmy Clabby his first title shot, surviving a strong start by the challenger, gradually taking charge and scoring a solid but close UD 12 win to defend the belt.

CBU: Johnny Basham defended versus Aussie Fred Kay, coming on strongly after a slow start to coast to a comfortable UD 12 win. He then defended versus fellow Brit, veteran Johnny Summers, applying constant pressure and scoring a late KD to sew up another UD 12 verdict.

GBU: Ted Kid Lewis started the year with the belt, defending it versus Summers. Lewis dominated the early rounds and was cruising to an apparent victory when Summers staggered him with a crushing hook in round 9. Summers' late rally was sufficient to claim the belt with a MD 12 win.

EBU: Frenchman Albert Badoud defended against the CBU champ, Basham, and found himself trailing after Basham put him on the canvas in round 4. Badoud made a late surge, putting Basham on the deck in the final round, enabling Badoud to maintain the title with a UD 12 win. Badoud then took on the Dane, Dick Nelson, a former WBA champ. Nelson dominated the early action and dropped Badoud in round ten. A cut above the right eye of Badoud was sliced open and led to the stoppage a round later. Nelson by TKO 11 (cut).

[JCWeb]

Jan 1918 Division Profile

Total: 94 RL: 48 TCs: 46

RL by Career Stage:
End - 3
Post - 12
Prime - 22
Pre - 7
Beginning - 4 (4 New)

Rated: 38
800+: 7
500+: 19
200+: 35

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

Champ: Art Magirl 25-2 (22) (1309) (NC)
1. Packey McFarland 38-3-3 (21) (1272) (NC)
2. Jack Britton 40-7-3 (15) (1260) (NC)
3. Dick Nelson 35-15-4 (21) (996) (+2)
4. Johnny Basham 24-7-3 (10) (859) (+4)
5. Kid Graves 32-9-3 (9) (858) (-1)
6. Albert Badoud 22-7-1 (15) (812) (NC)
7. Kyle Whitney 33-14-2 (17) (789) (+3)
8. Jimmy Clabby 31-16-3 (9) (742) (+3)
9. Willie Loughlin 17-1 (15) (741) (new)
10. Waldemar Holberg 29-12 (13) (718) (+4)

Comments: All the above at Prime except for Nelson and Whitney at Post and Loughlin, still at Pre. Magirl has now won 14 in a row and proved himself in 1917 by downing top contenders McFarland and Britton. McFarland was 2-1 for the year, downing Summers by a SD in addition to his two title bouts. Britton retained his USBA belt but lost to Magirl and is a strong #2. Nelson won all three bouts in 1917, capturing the EBU belt and scoring a TKO over the aging vet, Dixie Kid. Basham went 3-1 for the year, defending his CBU belt twice and besting Graves (TKO 5) but dropping the EBU title tilt to Badoud. Graves topped Ted Kid Lewis by a foul, took a split duke from Evernden, but slipped a bit after the loss to Basham. Badoud only fought twice, losing to Nelson but beating Basham. The veteran Whitney shook off the effects of aging to win three of four bouts, including a KO over Evernden, a UD versus Glover and a SD versus Matt Wells. Clabby went 3-2 for the year, suffering a TKO loss to Laughlin but rebounding with wins over Wells and Glover. Laughlin had piled up 17 wins in a row but was overmatched and overextended when paired with Magirl for the WBA title belt. Holberg rounds out the top ten, despite a MD loss to Dixie Kid by virtue of wins over Ted Kid Lewis and Aussie Fred Kay.

Other Notables: L