Phoenix Boxing Federation

[bigMatt]

The Phoenix Boxing Federation Tournament has been a doozy thus far, with plenty of heated action and unexpected results.

A number of upsets dotted the early results, but the anticipated match-up between the number 1 and number 2 seed materialized nonetheless. Tonight, Dick Matthews and Muhammad Ali go to war to claim the PBF Heavyweight Championship Belt.

The throng that descended on Madison Square Garden tonight is a twitter with anticipation of a match between the two greatest fighters the PBF has to offer. Neither fighter has been dented during his time in the PBF: both sport flawless records - Ali at 18-0-0 (7) and Matthews at 17-0-0 (10).

The fighters enter the ring, first the number 2 seed Ali. It is apparent to all that he is in tip top shape once again. The crowd gasps when Dick Matthews appeared. What happened? Matthews looks as though he was chained to a buffet table for the past week! Flabby and listless, Matthews looks nothing like the warrior that has taken the PBF by storm in 1890. One has to wonder how his lack of conditioning will affect him against Ali.

The fighters come to ring center, receive instructions from referee Mike Ortega, and touch gloves. They return to their respective corners and the bell rings for round 1.

Matthews loves to start strong, dictating the pace and making his power known early. Tonight's fight is the exception, as Matthews has chosen to let Ali come to him. Round 1 is a lackluster affair, with Ali landing a couple of good shots, and Matthews not doing much of anything. Round 1 to Ali.

Matthews rushes from his corner in round 2. A left jab by Ali slows him up. Both continue to measure each other, and Matthews motions for Ali to bring it on. Ali sends a right cross to the side of the head of Matthews, who counters with a three punch combo. Ali appears shaken by the blows. Matthews doubles up on a right jab to Ali's head, both scoring nicely as the round ends, a frame for Matthews.

Round 3 is a carbon copy of round 2, with Matthews the aggressor but with mixed results. It is apparent that Matthews is much slower than Ali, leaving him just short on many of his salvos.

Ali changes up in round 4, chosing to take the action to Matthews. A right cross early in the round staggers "The Pacific Wonder". Another cross hurts Matthews and an uppercut sends him backward. As Ali pushes the action, Matthews sees an opening, delivering a wakeup call to Ali. The round ends with a powerful hook from Matthews that Ali definitely felt. It was a toss-up round, with more punches landed by Ali, more hurt delivered by Matthews.

Round 5 looks a lot like round 4. Ali is getting a lot of punches off ahead of Matthews, who definitely appears sluggish. When Matthews does break through, however, each shot stops Ali short.

In rounds 6 and 7 , Matthews appears slow coming off his stool. A hint of swelling is apparent under his left eye. Ali now goes to work on the body of Matthews, who grabs his opponent at every opportunity. The crowd begins to grow restless as the lackluster Matthews seems to believe he has entered a dance contest.

Ali is in great form in round 8, delivering early and often in the frame. Matthews is definitely fatigued, seeming to focus on protecting himself rather than punishing his opponent. A shot right at the end of the round by Ali almost send Matthews to the canvas.

The first minute of round 9 looks a lot like round 8, with Ali busy dismantling the exhausted Matthews. But just when the fight appeared to be over, Matthews fires a shot that rocks Ali's head back. Ali is now hurt and Matthews tries to take advantage. Matthews scores with an uppercut and then a gut shot that doubles Ali over. Several winging shots by Matthews miss their mark. Ali gets a right cross in to slow his opponent. The round ends, a rare notch for Matthews in this one-sided contest.

Matthews has definitely found his second wind. In round 10, he continues to assail Ali with ripping shots, several of which connect. Ali, who knows he is leading handily in the contest, appears content to let his opponent punch himself out. Round 10 belongs to Matthews, but Ali remains in control.

The beginning of round 11 finds both fighters squaring off in ring center. Ali launches a crushing cross that hurts Matthews. Ali applies a damaging hook to the head. Matthews clinches. Ali has a hard time delivering any further pain to his opponent, as Matthews hugs him again and again throughout the round. The round ends, decidedly belonging to Ali.

Round 12 of the 15 round contest gets underway. Ali looks fresh, with not a mark on him. Matthews looks weary and fatigued. Ali goes to work on Matthews, scoring with a wicked combination that staggers Matthews. Fighting inside, Ali lands a vicious uppercut right to the chin of Matthews. Matthews drops to the canvas. At the count of 4, Matthews tries unsuccessfully to rise. At the count of 8, Matthews climbs wearily to his feet. He's going to continue, but it is hard to imagine he'll last long in this condition. Ali sets right to work on Matthews again, scoring with every punch he directs at Matthews. Matthews tries to cover up, but is too weary to lift his arms. A beautiful combination by Ali sends Matthews crashing into the corner. Ali continues the assault. Matthews appears out on his feet. Referree Mike Ortega has seen enough. At 2:53 in the 12th, Ortega waves Ali off. The fight has ended and Muhammad Ali is crowned the first heavyweight champion of the PBF!

[bigMatt]

The PBF Heavyweight tournament is over, and Muhammad Ali has been crowned the Champ. Below are the complete results.

PBF matches will resume again in August, 1890.

June 20, 1890
HW: James Corbett 14-0-0 (0) UD10 James Dalton 12-5-0 (4)
HW: Muhammad Ali 15-0-0 (5) KO2 George Rooke 11-2-2 (4)
HW: Teofilo Stevenson 12-1-1 (5) KO1 Billy Australian Smith 12-2-0 (3)
HW: Dominic McCaffrey 14-1-0 (3) UD10 Joe Choynski 12-1-1 (5)
HW: Jimmy Elliot 14-1-0 (3) UD10 Billy Wilson 12-1-2 (1)
HW: Joe Goss 12-3-0 (1) UD10 Herbert Slade 13-1-0 (3)
HW: Dick Matthews 14-0-0 (8) TKO1 Charles Cooley 10-3-2 (1)
HW: Thomas Sayers 12-1-0 (2) UD10 Tom Allen 12-3-0 (3)

June 27, 1890
HW: Muhammad Ali 16-0-0 (6) KO9 Teofilo Stevenson 13-1-1 (6)
HW: Dominic McCaffrey 15-1-0 (3) UD12 James Corbett 15-0-0 (0)
HW: Joe Goss 13-3-0 (1) TKO11 Jimmy Elliot 15-1-0 (3)
HW: Dick Matthews 15-0-0 (9) KO3 Thomas Sayers 13-1-0 (2)

July 4, 1890
HW: Muhammad Ali 17-0-0 (7) UD12 Dominic McCaffrey 16-1-0 (3)
HW: Dick Matthews 16-0-0 (10) UD12 Joe Goss 14-3-0 (2)

July 11, 1890
HW: PBF Title: Muhammad Ali 18-0-0 (7) TKO12 Dick Matthews 17-0-0 (10)

[Romdawg88]

Damn, what a underwhelming end to the tournment hell of a time for Matthews to decide to go on the Kirk Johnson diet.

[bigMatt]

Originally Posted by Romdawg88

Damn, what a underwhelming end to the tournment hell of a time for Matthews to decide to go on the Kirk Johnson diet.

Yeah, no kidding. I debated whether to turn off conditioning for the tourney, as you'd figure everyone would be in top shape. Then again, conditioning and approach are all part of the package. I have to say I was disappointed when I saw Matthews was not bringing his best effort to the party. I have a feeling there will be a rematch at some point. In the meantime, Ali sits atop the heap and I suspect it will be difficult for anyone to topple him, even if they are in top physical condition.

[CONN CHRIS]

Matt - if you keep the logs, I'd be curious as to what the score was when Ali took Stevenson out.

Edit: I didn't think it was in that other post but just double-checked, it wasn't.

[Romdawg88]

Originally Posted by bigMatt

Yeah, no kidding. I debated whether to turn off conditioning for the tourney, as you'd figure everyone would be in top shape. Then again, conditioning and approach are all part of the package. I have to say I was disappointed when I saw Matthews was not bringing his best effort to the party. I have a feeling there will be a rematch at some point. In the meantime, Ali sits atop the heap and I suspect it will be difficult for anyone to topple him, even if they are in top physical condition.

The only chance I see anyone having against Ali would be if they catch a break like Stevenson and Ali shows up in bad condition. Hm, I'm looking forward to seeing how far Ali can push his undefeated streak before finally losing if he does ever lose.

[bigMatt]

A busy month in the PBF with 22 total fights in August. With the recent tournament, many of the participants, particularly those advancing to the final rounds, took the month off to recover.

No huge surprises to report, as most of the favorites found their way to victory. The feature match between Joe Choynski and Tom Hinch was almost an upset, with Hinch leading on all cards after felling Choynski in the 4th round. "The Chrysanthemum" finally found Hinch's light switch in the 10th, felling Hinch twice in round 10 and twice again in the 11th before the match was called.

Tom Sayers also tasted the canvas in his match with Dan Donnelly before vanquishing his opponent in the 5th round of his scheduled 12 round bout.

The most entertaining of them all was probably the Main Event at the New Haven Convention Center in Connecticut, where Jason Estrada bested Herbert Slade to take a 12 round unanimous decision earlier in the month. Both fighters held sway at various points of this match, but Estrada's consistency trumped Slades periodic barrages.

Below are complete results from the Phoenix Boxing Federation August bouts:

August 6, 1890
HW: Billy Australian Smith 12-3-0 (3) Tech Draw3 Posh Price 12-2-0 (2)
HW: William Miller 12-2-1 (1) UD10 Bill Doherty 7-5-1 (1)
HW: Denver Ed Smith 11-3-0 (0) UD8 Bill Farnan 8-4-2 (2)
HW: Charlie Norkus 6-6-3 (0) TKO7 Ian Millarvie 6-5-2 (2)

August 10, 1890
HW: Thomas Sayers 13-2-0 (2) KO5 Dan Donnelly 11-3-1 (3)
HW: James Figg 8-5-1 (3) UD10 Dan Dwyer 8-3-3 (1)
HW: Primo Carnera 10-4-0 (2) TKO6 Jack Boylan 10-5-0 (0)
HW: Mike McCoole 8-3-3 (0) UD6 Jim Daly 10-4-0 (1)
HW: Jack Stewert 7-7-1 (0) SD6 Morris Grant 5-7-2 (0)
HW: Jack McAuley 5-6-2 (1) UD4 Jem Smith 7-7-1 (0)

August 23, 1890
HW: Jason Estrada 11-4-0 (3) UD12 Herbert Slade 13-2-0 (3)
HW: Roy Williams 10-3-1 (2) UD8 Fred Crossley 11-4-1 (2)
HW: George Rooke 11-3-2 (4) KO8 Jack Fallon 10-4-0 (0)
HW: Alex Garcia 12-2-0 (3) MD6 James Robertson Couper 8-5-0 (2)
HW: Tommy Chandler 10-5-0 (3) TKO4 Frank Glover 6-3-4 (0)
HW: PJ Rentzler 6-8-0 (0) UD4 Lonnie Clark 4-9-1 (0)

August 30, 1890
HW: Joe Choynski 12-2-1 (5) TKO11 Tom Hinch 10-4-1 (0)
HW: James Dalton 12-6-0 (4) KO6 Scott Landsdowne 10-2-1 (2)
HW: Tom Allen 12-4-0 (3) TKO8 John Mcdermott 10-3-1 (1)
HW: Jake Kilrain 8-6-0 (1) UD6 Fred Pointer 5-7-1 (0)
HW: Mike Brennan 10-4-0 (2) MD6 John McDermont 6-7-2 (0)
HW: Mike Kine 5-5-4 (0) SD4 Joe Hess 6-7-1 (1)

[bigMatt]

BONNER SPRINGS - With the PBF tourney now in the rear view mirror and another month of action in the books, the Top 20 looks a bit more defined. Muhammad Ali, the only undefeated boxer in the PBF, holds undisputed claim to the title.

PBF HW Champ: Muhammad Ali 19-0-0 (8)
Challengers
#01 - Dick Matthews 17-1-0 (10)
#02 - Dominic McCaffrey 16-2-0 (3)
#03 - Joe Goss 14-4-0 (2)
#04 - James Corbett 15-1-0
#05 - Jimmy Elliot 15-2-0 (3)
#06 - Tom Sayers 14-2-0 (3)
#07 - Joe Choynski 13-2-1 (6)
#08 - Teofilo Stevenson 13-2-1 (6)
#09 - Tom Allen 13-4-0 (4)
#10 - William Miller 13-2-1 (1)
#11 - James Dalton 13-6-0 (5)
#12 - Billy Australian Smith 12-3-1 (3)
#13 - Jason Estrada 12-4-0 (3)
#14 - Herbert Slade 13-3-0 (3)
#15 - George Rooke 12-3-2 (5)
#16 - Primo Carnera 11-4-0 (3)
#17 - Billy Wilson 12-2-2 (1)
#18 - Roy Willams 11-3-1 (2)
#19 - Charles Cooley 10-4-2 (1)
#20 - Charlie Norkus 7-6-3 (1)

On the rise:
#21 Tommy Chandler 11-5-0 (4)
#23 Alex Garcia 13-2-0 (3)
#24 Joe Goddard 13-3-0 (3)
#27 Denver Ed Smith 12-3-0
#30 James Figg 9-5-1 (3)

[bigMatt]

A number of intriguing contests in the 15 bouts scheduled this month in the PBF, as several of the top heavyweights return to action.

The feature contest of the month pits 5th ranked James Corbett 15-1-0 against 15th ranked Herbert Slade 13-3-0 (3), in a duel of contrasting styles. Gentleman Jim, world reknown for his unparalleled boxing skills and ring prowess, against The Maori's superior strength and knockout punch. While Corbett is the unquestioned favorite going into the bout, a well-placed power shot by Slade can turn the lights out on anyone at any time. The Co-feature event on the same card presents 14th ranked Jason Estrada 12-4-0 (3) against wily southpaw, 33rd ranked Jake Kilrain 9-6-0 (1). Estrada has made some noise since narrowly missing an invitation to this summer's tournament, dispatching Herbert Slade last month in a 12 round unanimous decision, and now selecting the surging Jake Kilrain as his next opponent.

At the top of the second of three September fightcards, 4th ranked Joe Goss 14-4-0 (2) laces up against #27 O'Neil Murray 12-3-0. Goss, his reputation repaired after a dynamite showing in the PBF tourney, hopes to make short work of the Jamaican, who in turn hopes to surprise what might possibly be an overconfident Goss.

The third Main Event of the month features 11th ranked William Miller 13-2-1 (1) in a battle with slugger Primo Carnera 11-4-0 (3), currently ranked 17th. Both fighters narrowly missed entry into the PBF tourney despite success in the PBF so far this year. Each looks to use a victory this month as a stepping stone into the top 10.

[bigMatt]

It was a month where favorites ruled, as September goes into the books with no notable upset.

The only Main Event worthy of detail was William Miller's 10th round TKO of Primo Carnera. The fight was even going into the 10th, with neither fighter hitting the canvas. But Miller turned it up a notch in round 10, pummelling his Italian foe from one end of the ring to the other. After the second knockdown, referee Richard Steele stopped the action at 1:03 in the round and awarded the bout to Miller.

In an undercard matchup at La Macarena in Panama on September 10, Charlie Norkus came from behind to vanquish Jimmy Ryan in the 8th round of a 10 round contest. Norkus was behind on all cards when he dropped Ryan to the canvas 3 times to earn a TKO victory. Norkus continues his unlikely success in the PBF, going 4-1 this year, earning victories against the likes of Jason Estrada, and now Jimmy Ryan.

Below are September's PBF results:

September 3, 1890
HW: William Miller 13-2-1 (1) TKO10 Primo Carnera 11-4-0 (3)
HW: Mike McCoole 9-3-3 (0) UD10 Joe Lannon 3-9-2 (1)
HW: Billy Wilson 12-2-2 (1) UD8 John McDermont 6-8-2 (0)
HW: Mervine Thompson 9-4-0 (3) UD6 Jack Stewert 8-7-1 (0)

September 10, 1890
HW: Joe Goss 14-4-0 (2) KO10 O'Neil Murray 11-3-0 (0)
HW: Charlie Norkus 7-6-3 (1) TKO8 Jimmy Ryan 10-3-0 (2)
HW: Joe Goddard 13-3-0 (3) UD8 Marvin Stinson 4-10-0 (0)
HW: Steve Taylor 8-5-1 (1) UD6 Jim Daly 10-5-0 (1)
HW: Mike Conley 5-7-3 (1) Draw6 Tug Wilson 6-6-2 (0)

September 17, 1890
HW: James Corbett 15-1-0 (0) UD12 Herbert Slade 13-3-0 (3)
HW: Jason Estrada 12-4-0 (3) TKO7 Jake Kilrain 9-6-0 (1)
HW: George Rooke 12-3-2 (5) SD8 Al Greenfield 8-7-0 (2)
HW: Morris Grant 5-8-2 (0) MD6 Dan McCarty 5-9-1 (0)
HW: Charles Cooley 10-4-2 (1) TKO3 Truck Hannah 1-13-0 (0)
HW: Mike Kine 6-5-4 (0) UD4 Art Bayliss 3-10-1 (0)

[bigMatt]

Teofilo Stevenson 13-2-1 (6) has already earned a reputation as one of the top guys in the PBF. He hasn't had an easy time of it, with closely fought losses to PBF belt holder Muhammad Ali and top ranked challenger Dick Matthews. His #9 ranking understates his potential as one of the 4-5 top fighters in the PBF.

Again this month, Stevenson takes on a top fighter, as this month's feature event pairs the Cuban against top ring star James Corbett 16-1-0. Gentleman Jim is currently ranked 5th in the PBF, his only blemish thus far a narrow 12 round loss to Dominic McCaffrey.

On the undercard, fans will be treated to a matchup of 31st ranked James Figg 9-5-1 (3) against the surprising #17 Charlie Norkus 8-6-3 (2). Figg is still considered one of the dozen best fighters in the PBF, despite his slow start coming into the PBF, and his current lowly ranking. Despite Norkus' recent showing, this is considered Figg's best opportunity to date to break into the top 20 ranks. Norkus has been solid this year, but the jury is still out on his true abilities. Many experts predict his momentum will be stalled against the hard-hitting Figg.

At the top of the second of three fight cards this month is another exceptional matchup. Dominic McCaffrey 16-2-0 (3), the 3rd ranked fighter in the PBF, will lace it up against 8th ranked Joe Choynski 13-2-1 (6). McCaffrey is undoubtedly the favorite going into the contest, but Choynski has the skills to upset.

The third fight card of the month features the top ranked challenger, Dick Matthews 17-1-0 (10), in the first match since his disappointing loss to Muhammad Ali last July in the championship bout of the PBF tournament. Matthews return is against tough slugger #18 Herbert Slade 13-4-0 (3), a match custom made to rebuild his confidence. For Slade, one has to wonder what his promoter is thinking, pitting the Maori against 3 of the top fighters in the PBF over the space of three months. After his loss to Jason Estrada in August, Slade was thrown in against James Corbett last month, suffering another loss. It seems almost unfair that he now must face Dick Matthews, the #2 fighter in the PBF. Slade, who once enjoyed top 10 status in the PBF, now appears on the brink of dropping out of sight altogether. But Matthews must not take this match too lightly, as Slade packs a wallop.

[Romdawg88]

Well Stevenson sure doesn't seem to believe in turn up fights, that man has probably had the toughest run of opponents of anyone in the PBF. The rest of the months action is top notch as well, looking forward to some fun fights.

[CONN CHRIS]

Originally Posted by Romdawg88

Well Stevenson sure doesn't seem to believe in turn up fights, that man has probably had the toughest run of opponents of anyone in the PBF. The rest of the months action is top notch as well, looking forward to some fun fights.

He'll get to Corbett. TKO9

[bigMatt]

Originally Posted by Romdawg88

Well Stevenson sure doesn't seem to believe in turn up fights, that man has probably had the toughest run of opponents of anyone in the PBF. The rest of the months action is top notch as well, looking forward to some fun fights.

That's true - he and Slade both have a similar run going - Stevenson was Matthews, Ali and now Corbett; Slade was Ali, Corbett and now Matthews. But for Stevenson, he has a reasonable chance of turning this match into a springboard to dominance, whereas Slade is now hanging on by his fingertips and is a big underdog against Matthews.

When I roll up the potential bouts for the month, I go down through the modified draw power of each fighter and sort the active fighters for the month. The higher modified draw power gets choice of who he fights. So if, for instance, Dick Matthews has Dominic McCaffrey, Herbert Slade and PJ Rentzler as his potential opponents, he chooses Slade (McCaffrey has a higher fighter rating than Matthews and has much more to gain than Matthews, Rentzler is a bum who hurts the gate. Slade is a beatable opponent who still has enough draw power to make for a Main Event match). On the flip side, Figg has a decent modified draw power despite his lower ranking. So, despite his 33rd place in the PBF, he has a better draw rating than 19th ranked Charlie Norkus, so when he rolls up Norkus as a potential opponent, he gets to demand Norkus fight him and Norkus can't duck him.

If you only roll up one fight, that's the one you have to take.

I have an additional rule that multiple incidences of the same match-up make it a must-fight. Stevenson and Corbett rolled up twice, so that was a no choice contest. Corbett had the higher modified draw power, so he would have had the choice had there been one. He had multiple potential opponents, and you can bet he would not have picked Stevenson as his opponent.

For Stevenson, this is an excellent opportunity to jump right into the mix for a title shot if he can pull this off. It is one of the most interesting matches I've had in either uni I've run. We'll see very shortly what transpires.

[bigMatt]

Originally Posted by CONN CHRIS

He'll get to Corbett. TKO9

The objectivity that is required of the commissioner prohibits me from weighing in on your prediction (though I would definitely like to), but am very happy to see the bout has captured your interest.

[bigMatt]

MIAMI - When tonight's Main Event commenced, it became apparent early that Herbert Slade's manager had perhaps seen something that had eluded earlier foes of Dick Matthews. The Maori was hot in the early going of tonight's contest, connecting consistently with stiff rights and combinations that rocked the usually unflappable Matthews. By the end of round 3, it looked like Slade was carrying the match, perhaps taking each of the first three rounds. But Matthews is nothing if not dangerous. Keen observers of The Pacific Coast Wonder must have assumed it only a matter of time before Matthews made his presence felt in the ring. Round 4 was that time. Before the round was a minute old, Matthews had pummeled his opponent to the canvas. Throughout the balance of the round, Matthews administered a withering barrage of punishment to Slade's head and body. Slade, who came into the match hoping to dispatch his opponent early, had evidently planned to tuck defense in his hip pocket, for Matthews could not miss if he tried. As the seconds ticked down on round 4, Slade went from being a puncher to being a punching bag, and with 13 seconds left to go in the round, referee Larry Rodazilla had seen enough, stopping the bloodbath and awarding the victory to Dick Matthews.

On the undercard, Tom Allen once again proved his mettle as an under-valued pro, dispatching Bill Farnan in a 10 round unanimous decision. Allen was down in points early, but carried all of the middle and late rounds to win the day. Allen lathered on the cake's icing with a knockdown of the weary Farnan in round 10 to win going away.

And in an earlier match, Alex Garcia continued his climb with an 8th round TKO of Dan Dwyer due to cuts.

October 2, 1890
HW: Dick Matthews 17-1-0 (10) TKO4 Herbert Slade 13-4-0 (3)
HW: Tom Allen 13-4-0 (4) UD10 Bill Farnan 8-5-2 (2)
HW: Alex Garcia 13-2-0 (3) TKO8 Dan Dwyer 8-4-3 (1)
HW: Mervine Thompson 10-4-0 (3) KO6 PJ Rentzler 7-8-0 (0)

[bigMatt]

With most of the boxing world focused on this month's battle between #5 James Corbett and #9 Teofilo Stevenson, Dominic McCaffrey remains decidedly unimpressed. And happy to tell anyone who will listen.

"People keep looking at the division, talking about Ali, Matthews, Corbett, Stevenson. I have to say, I just don't get it." McCaffrey begins, reaching for the soapbox that has been his perch the past few weeks. "Do people forget I took 'Gentleman Jim' apart the last time I faced him?" asks the 3rd ranked heavyweight in the PBF. "Why does everyone seem to think the winner between Stevenson and Corbett should even be in the top 5, let alone deserving of a title shot?"

McCaffrey continues, just warming up. "And let's not forget, I went 12 rounds with the current champ. Who else can say that?" asks McCaffrey, forgetting Joe Goss accomplished the same dubious achievement in January of this year. "I've beaten Corbett, I'm about to beat Choynski for the second time this year. Only Ali's beat me. Matthews won't fight me and no one else is even on my level. So let's get real here - the class of the division is me and Ali. It's about time I get my due."

No one can argue McCaffrey's successes in the PBF this year. He has been consistent if not dominant in his struggle for the PBF title. And while it can be said that Matthews choice of Herbert Slade as his opponent this month was a judicious one given his rigorous bout with Ali last time out, it is also true that Matthews had the opportunity to fight Dominic McCaffrey this month and declined to do so.

The next few months will help fans to sort out the division a bit more conclusively. One thing is certain. Dominic McCaffrey will be in the mix.

[bigMatt]

JERSEY CITY, NJ - Dominic McCaffrey entered tonight's fight as a man on a mission. Before the echo of the bell had faded in the ears of a packed audience, Joe Choynski was on the canvas, a victim of non-stop aggression at the hands of McCaffrey. Choynski rose at the count of 7 to finish the round, but it was clear that McCaffrey was serving notice.

In addition to his earlier frustrations over press coverage leading up to the bout, McCaffrey was said to be upset that bookmakers odds going into the fight had the contest as Even between the two fighters. It appeared Choynski was the unfortunate recipient of McCaffrey's consternation.

Round 2 was uneventful, but round 3 again belonged solely to McCaffrey, who sent Choynski reeling to the canvas midround with a vicious barrage. Choynski bounced back up at the count of 3, but the attack had begun to take its toll on the Chrysanthemum. For the next 5 rounds, McCaffrey held court, with Choynski just trying to remain upright.

In round 9, Choynski found new life, abandoning all caution and going on the attack for the first time. With 30 seconds gone in the round, Choynski hit paydirt for the first time, staggering McCaffrey with a right cross. McCaffrey immediately adopted a defensive posture, trying to keep Choynski at bay while his head cleared. But Choynski wasn't done, sending an uppercut right to the chin of McCaffrey, whose knees buckled but kept from folding. Another strong right by Choynski sent McCaffrey into the ropes. McCaffrey held on, showing a strong chin in the face of Choynski's attack, but significant swelling had begun to develop under McCaffrey's right eye.

Round 10, Choynski began to target the swelling on McCaffrey, and McCaffrey focused on defense. The frame belonged to Choynski due to his activity, but McCaffrey held on. Round 11 found Choynski nearly spent, his efforts falling short throughout the round. McCaffrey appeared content to let the fight come to him.

In the final round, Choynski went all out in one last ditch effort to drop McCaffrey. McCaffrey adopted a Cover Up strategy, coasting through the round without further damage.

In the end, all three judges found the fight for McCaffrey by a wide margin. Choynski, a tough battler in his own right, will likely not want any more of McCaffrey in the near future.

In other action, Billy Australian Smith pummeled Joe Lannon to a 9th round TKO to further solidify his occupation within the top 20; Tommy Chandler, who was sitting at the doorstep ranked 21st in the PBF, finds bitter defeat at the hands of tough George Godfrey; and Mike Brennan surprises with a 3rd round KO of Bill Doherty.

October 17, 1890
HW: Dominic McCaffrey 16-2-0 (3) UD12 Joe Choynski 13-2-1 (6)
HW: Billy Australian Smith 12-3-1 (3) TKO9 Joe Lannon 3-10-2 (1)
HW: Mike Brennan 11-4-0 (2) KO3 Bill Doherty 7-6-1 (1)
HW: George Old Choco Godfrey 7-5-2 (1) UD6 Tommy Chandler 11-5-0 (4)
HW: James Robertson Couper 8-6-0 (2) UD6 Fred Pointer 5-8-1 (0)
HW: John Mcdermott 10-4-1 (1) SD4 Mike Conley 5-7-4 (1)

[bigMatt]

SYDNEY - They have just completed round 8 at Sydney Stadium, and the dream match between James Corbett and Teofilo Stevenson has "DRAW" written all over it at this point.

Stevenson came out with guns blazing in round 1, applying the leather to Corbett regularly in the lopsided frame. It looked like it was going to be a short night for Gentleman Jim.

But then Corbett put into play the incredible ring control that is his trademark. Through rounds 2-5, Corbett frustrated his opponent, repeatedly ducking the Cuban's shots and countering with combinations that failed to hurt Stevenson but still piled up points in his favor. In round 6, Stevenson looked as though he hurt Corbett with a strong right hand early in the round, and followed it up with several hard blows that got the crowd involved once again. But Corbett continued to duck many of Stevenson's best shots, and remained unmarked at the end of the frame. Rounds 7-8 were toss-up rounds, with a slight nod to Stevenson on my scorecard.

I have the fight dead even going into round 9. Andreas Raht, ringside expert, has the fight currently at 77-75 for Corbett.

We now await the commencement of round 9, the frame in which expert Conn Chris predicted a TKO victory for Teofilo Stevenson.

More action momentarily.

[bigMatt]

SYDNEY - The action begins with round 9, pretty much an even contest between Jim Corbett and Teofilo Stevenson. The 9th frame turns out to be anticlimatic, as a chess match ensues, both fighters manuever, but neither punching effectively. It would be tough to award the round to either fighter, but if pressed, I'd give a nod by the slimmest of margins to Corbett.

Round 10 is what round 9 was predicted to be. Stevenson obviously had had enough of the pitter patter that is Corbett's trademark, choosing instead to do a little headhunting. With a minute gone in the round, Stevenson struck with his best punch of the bout, a roundhouse right that staggered Corbett. Stevenson smelled blood in the water, charging his obviously hurt opponent. A couple of wild winging shots go awry, but a left uppercut connected solidly and Corbett is in trouble. Stevenson landed a short hook to Corbett's chin, a hammering right that turned Corbett's legs to jelly. Corbett reached for the ropes, as Stevenson sent home another brutal right hand to Corbett's face, staggering him. Corbett looked ready to go when the bell sounded, ending round 10. It was a big round for Stevenson, but an opportunity appeared to be lost.

Round 11 was vintage Corbett. Holding, moving, hitting (at least once on the break, to the consternation of referee Vann). By the end of the round, Corbett's earlier plight was a distant memory. Both fighters looked ready to go another dozen if it was needed.

Round 12 began with Stevenson charging across the ring, hellbent on a knockout. It appeared from the start that Stevenson's corner thought their fighter behind in the contest, his reckless assault a testament to urgency bordering on desperation. Corbett was not ready to tuck into a ball however, as his corner thought it prudent to consider the match still in doubt. Corbett adopted an outside approach, with defense his chief concern. Stevenson went after his opponent, missing badly with a wild hook, only to eat leather from Corbett's counter left. Corbett tried to clinch, but Stevenson landed an uppercut to keep his opponent at arm's length. Corbett jabbed and missed. Stevenson swung for the cheap seats and just missed by a fraction. Corbett would have felt that one! Corbett continued to show superior footwork, dancing away from Stevenson and landing jabs at every opportunity. A frustrated Stevenson grabbed Corbett's head and leaned on him, earning rebuke from the referee. The bell sounded, ending a close round and a close match between the two warriors.

The fight went to the scorecards:

Judge Humbert Frugoni scored it 116-112

Judge Ole Ovesen had the bout 116-112

Judge Phillippe Verbeke scored the fight 115-113


The unanimous decision winner: Jim Corbett

On the undercard, James Figg came from well behind on all judges' cards to drop Charlie Norkus for the count in round 7 of a 10 round contest, and Dan Donnelly subdued Denver Ed Smith in a 3 knockdown 8th to take a TKO victory in the last round of the match. Smith was narrowly ahead in the contest when he checked out.

Below are complete results from Sydney Stadium in Australia:

October 31, 1890
HW: James Corbett 16-1-0 (0) UD12 Teofilo Stevenson 13-2-1 (6)
HW: James Figg 9-5-1 (3) KO7 Charlie Norkus 8-6-3 (2)
HW: Dan Donnelly 11-4-1 (3) TKO8 Denver Ed Smith 12-3-0 (0)
HW: Joe Goddard 14-3-0 (3) UD6 Dan McCarty 5-10-1 (0)
HW: Steve Taylor 9-5-1 (1) MDraw6 Daniele Langhi 1-10-3 (0)
HW: Al Greenfield 8-8-0 (2) Draw4 Art Bayliss 3-11-1 (0)