TBCB 2.5 - The Chilton Cup

[Lee]

A solid tournament for the little guys that sees some unbeatens fall away and Jed Gentry stake a solid claim to the top spot. He could have a decent run, though it is rumored that a couple of promising amateurs, Ike Weir and Tommy Kelly, may soon join the fight for pay ranks.

[Lee]

January 4th 1885 - Durbin, South Africa

CCBF Chairman Lord Chilton has issues a press release indicating that the Chilton Cup competition will not be contested in the Flyweight Division this year. "Their are concerns" stated Lord Chilton, "that there has been prolific compromises in this newest of boxing weight classes. Without expounding upon these details, it has been deemed by the governing board of the Chilton Cup, that it is in the best interest of the sport to cancel competition in this divsion." Lord Chilton went on to say that regional Championship matches would be held through the year and that he fully expected the competition for the cup to begin in this weight class in 1886.

There has been rampant discussion, unconfirmed, that there have been "professional" fights held at this division featuring boys as young as 12, who are passed off as older Fighters in order to make the weight restrictions of the class. Rumors are, that the World governing board is instituting requirements to ensure that all competitors in this, and every weight class, will have attained the age of 16 prior to being allowed to fight for profit. It is also well known that this weight class is largely made up of frail and sickly men at this time, who are not in the fighting form of some of Boxings more established divisions. The general feeling among those in charge, is that to award a Cup Championship to any of this lot, would be an embarrassment to the sport.

[Lee]

I will do 1 or 2 of these while I sim through each game year to keep the thread active. The spotlights will include the Fighters universe record and then some comparisons between their RL careers and their universe careers. Plus it will give a little bit of background on a few of the fighters for those that may not be big historical buffs.




As it was (Real Life)
George Godfrey was born in Prince Edward Island, Canada in 1853 and threw his lot into the prize ring in 1879. (The same year of his debut in the CCBF) Along with men like Charles Hadley and Peter Jackson, Godfrey was one of the premier black fighters of the latter part of the 19th century. As with the others he was never given the chance to fight for the sports greatest prize due to the color of his skin. During his career he fought all comers and avoided nobody, making his pro debut against Hadley in a 6 round draw. He fought later that year, knocking out 3 men in one day to claim the top prize in a Heavyweight competition in Boston. He would not enter the ring again until September of 1881, at which time he was scheduled to fight then 23 year old John L Sullivan. Both men were stripped and in the ring ready to fight when, depending on who you believe, either Sullivan refused to fight or Police intervened and prevented the bout from starting. A second Sullivan/Godfrey match was proposed in May of 1888 for Sullivan’s World title. Sullivan refused the challenge, saying he was not prepared at the time, but would at a later date. Sullivan never addressed the issue again and Godfrey's best hope was gone, as Sullivans successor, James Corbett was allegedly even more racist than Sullivan. (See accounts of the Johnson/Jeffiries fight for more insight into this commentary) Godfrey did hold the “Colored Heavyweight Championship” for five years during his career, beating Charles Hadley in six rounds, then eventually losing it to Peter Jackson. He also holds wins over Joe Lannon, Patsy Cardiff and Denver Ed Smith. He was beaten by the likes of Jake Kilrain, Peter Jackson, Peter Maher and Joe Choynski.


As it now (CCBF)
Godfrey served notice early on when he defeated Jem Mace in just his second fight in Liverpool. The resulting hoopla resulted in a match with then unbeaten bruiser John C Heenan. Godfrey was woefully unprepared for the task and was battered, before being stopped in the 9th. An 18 bout win streak ensued with John P Clow and Morris Grant his biggest wins. Entering 1885 he was ranked #2 in the world among Heavyweights and entered the Chilton Cup as a favorite to win the honor of Worlds Champion. After John L Sullivan dispatched top seeded Charles Hadley in the Quarterfinals it seemed inevitable that Godfrey’s longtime real life protagonist would at last be forced to face old Chocolate in the ring. Something Sullivan managed to avoid on at least two occasions in real life. Sure enough both men survive solid semi-final challenges and meet for the biggest prize in boxing. Sullivan’s razor close unanimous decision could easily have gone to Godfrey if he had only managed to stay on his feet the entire 15 rounds as Sullivan’s 3-1 edge in knockdowns proved the deciding factor. We now stand in April of 1885 and while the Chilton Cup Champion travels the country indulging in the perks of his fame, Godfrey never left the Gym. Back in the ring in February, Godfrey looked like a man determined to exact revenge in next years Cup, belting out Captain James Dalton 19-11-2 (7) in the first round. Sitting now with a record of 24-2-0 (10) Godfrey will be taking a well deserved break, before beginning training for his June fight for the vacant CABO Heavyweight Title against John J Dwyer 27-5-5 (6). T he two men have never met and with both being Canadians there is no doubt the great white north will show up for this one in droves.


Fun Fact
Despite avoiding him in the Ring for his entire career in real life, John L Sullivan actually referred two of Godfrey’s bigger bouts. These included his Title winning effort against Charles Hadley and a 15 round draw against Joe Lannon in 1889, who he knocked out in 4 rounds in a rematch three years later.

[CONN CHRIS]

Nifty Lee. I liked these bits that you used to do in a universe some time ago and am certainly glad to see them back.

Well done!

[Romdawg88]

I really like the fighter spotlight Lee. It's cool to see how guys are doing in your universe compared to real life.

[btown32]

Really like the fighter spotlights, Lee. I am not as knowledgeable about the history of the sport as a lot of you are, so I enjoy reading the historical information. The comparisons of real life vs. sim life is a neat angle also.

[Brooks TVB]

The fighter spotlight is a nice feature. Keep it coming.

[Lee]

An exciting year for the Heavyweights with several notable upsets including Kilrain losing to an over the hill John Scholes, who also gave Charles Hadley all he could handle. John Heenan getting blasted out by Billy Wilson was a shocker and our UOTY, Jack Fallon's two round ambush of long time contender Yankee Sullivan. Speaking of Hadley, the agless wonder gave true meaning to the term wily vet. Despite being past his prime, Hadley managed to always find a way to squeak out a victory, winning three straight after his second round Chilton Cup loss to John L Sullivan. The final win being a narrow split decision over the dangerous Pat Killen that gave him the USBA strap as we head into 1886.

The Championship picture
It was truly a mixed bag as the APBF and USBA belts were short term rentals only, with nobody able to successfully defend either title. Mike Cleary showed no fear of the vaunted power of John C Heenan, blasting the Benecia Boy into submission in a thrilling 5 round war (As all of Heenan's fights seem to be). His first Defense saw him on his way to a comfortable win over Pat Killen, but one thing that Killen brings to the yard is a potent wallop and all it took was one to make him Champion, which he lost in short measure to the aforementioned Hadley. The APBF belt was contested among three Australians with two things in common. Wicked power and brittle chins, which made for two every entertaining tilts for that belt. Lying in the weeds for current holder Laing is perhaps the finest Aussie of them all, "The Black Prince" Peter Jackson, who seems to have hit stride with wins over Billy Wilson, Viro Small, Dick Atkinson and Jim Dunn, after opening 1885 with a disappointing DQ-9 loss to Mike Cleary.

George Godfrey enjoyed the pleasure of having no real threats outside of John Dwyer, who he dismantled with ease for the CABO title. Old Chocolate is a formidable foe, who boxes with grace and aplomb, but can also drop the thunder when needed. Duncan McDonald, fresh off a TKO-7 stoppage on cuts of Tom Hyer is the only other viable contender, but as Hyer was winning their fight when it was stopped, it is doubtful he will pose much of a threat to Godfrey should they meet. Joe Coburn was the one Champion who took on solid contenders and managed to hold his belt for the entire year. Tested all three times by top opposition, Coburn always managed to find the desired result, though it is certain a rematch with Tom Sayers is in the offing.

Odds and ends
Tom Allen fought his 9th career draw with a stalemate against Paddy Ryan and it is certain he will be the first in the history of fisticuffs to reach double figures in this area. Allen is a cautious fighter, who often allows opponents to salvage draws by going into his shell late in fights to avoid a possible knockout blow. The men who have battled on even terms with old Tom include John Morrisey, Callum Hesketh, Mats Paerson (a fighter who was 1-5-0 at the time) Joe Goss, Jem Mace, Charles Hadley, Mike McCoole and Steve Taylor. John C Heenan was the terror of the prize ring entering 1885 and had not lost since October of 1880 (TKO-2 loss to Pat McGowen) entering his Chilton Cup Semi-Final bout against John L. Unfortunately, this marked the first of three straight stoppage losses and though Heenan ended the year with an 8th round starching of Charlie Richardson, the aura of invincibility has been stripped. He certainly seems to still be in fine fettle and has not lost speed or power, but the fact that John C chooses to engage in wars of such high brutality, seem to taking a bit of a toll on his ability to absorb a punishing blow.

Looking ahead
This years Chilton Cup will feature four new entrants in Duncan McDonald, Joe Coburn, Mike Cleary and Paddy Ryan. Ryan is an example of gaining stature and entrance to the cup, merely by facing top Boxers. Going 1-1-1 on the year with the SD loss and draw coming against two other cup entrants. (Coburn and Allen) Absent from the competition this year after being in the inagural challenge are John Morrisey. (on a 3 bout losing streak) Jake Kilrain, who was upset by aging John Scholes and Captain James Dalton and ended up 3-3-0 (1) for the year, though all his losses were by split decision. Pat McGowan, now little more than a trialhorse and the revered Yankee Sullivan are also out of this years competition. Sullivan is now ranked 39th in the world after his embarrasing loss to Fallon and December split decision defeat at the hands of Joe Walby 8-9-1 (3) In fact Yankee's only win of the year was a KO-4 over then 3-14-0 (1) Ray Maxwell. Hardly the stuff that legends hang their hats on.

The 1886 cup looks to be hotly contested with Godfrey hot on Sullivan's tail to snatch the coveted honor, while veteran Hadley will look to go out in a blaze of glory as his career winds down. Others that should figure in the mix are the always tough Tom Sayers, rebounding Tom Hyer and the still potent John C Heenan, who will face a tough road as the 14th seed this year. Others who just missed the cup this year, that should find a spot in the future Pat Killen and Peter Jackson, while Kilrain and Morrisey stand a chance to return, especially with long term top contenders Hadley, Scholes and McGowen nearing the twilight of their careers.

[Lee]

The Light-Heavyweight division, or Bob Fitzsimmons' playground as it should be more appropriately called was not much for the dramatic during 1885. Chilton Cup Champion Fitzsimmons dominated, knocking out every opponent he faced during the year, only being taken past the 4th round once (TKO-6 over Martin O'Neil in the Chilton Cup) His most impressive win of the year was a 2nd round knockout of now #1 contender Danny Greene, also in the Chilton cup. This is just a division void of talent as the highly regarded fighters (Green, Josuke Tanaka) are either one dimensional bullies or fighters of promise that have yet to show the results. (Joe Butler) It is probable the Ruby Robert will rule this Island of misfit toys until either he decides to jump up to Heavyweight, of some of the better fighters in the Heavyweight division try to slim down.

The Championship picture
Sparse talent makes for a quick summary here, as both the APBF and the CABO refused to even sanction championship bouts. Japanese nemesis Josuke Tanaka and Sadao Hayagawa are set to square off for the APBF belt in March as Tanaka 11-3-0 (7) has signed for his 15th pro fight (sanctioning requirement) in Janaury.

The two title bouts that were held were fast and furious, as Dangerous Danny Greene showed that if he can you before you hit him, you are in trouble. Greene blasted out #3 contender O'Neil in convincing fashion, dropping him with sweltering combo in the 1st round, then again in the 2nd stanza with a right hand that had O'Neil out before he hit the deck. In the EBU tilt Lennart Dikenksen hurt the scrappy Scot Steve Lindsey with a hard 3 punch salvo, then proceeded to pound him into submission, landing 19 unanswered blows as Lindsey languished in the corner, before the slaughter was halted.

Odds and Ends
It seems that the only man who anybody gives even the slightest chance of beating Bob Fitzsimmons is Joe Butler, due to the latters boxing savvy. The two have never met, but Butler, despite his obvious ability has been inconsistent in his young career, currently standing at 8-3-1 (2). Butler's losses have been to O'Neil (KO-5) Tanaka (KO-8) and Frank Shannon (UD-10) whom he also has a draw with. The disparaging news for Butler's fans, is that Fitzsimmon's has already starched both O'Neil (Twice) and Tanaka, and will probably do the same to Shannon 9-1-2 (4) should they meet during 1886. For Shannon, 2 bouts shy of ranking and Cup qualification, would be wise to fight a couple of stiffs and look to avoid Fitz until the 1887 Chilton Cup, if only to delay the inevitable. Taylor Pimblet, a hero in his native Dominca, if only because he is their only pro fighter, is known for an iron will and china chin. With a record of 4-10-0 (1) Pimblett has been down 14 times in his career and stopped cold 7. If you want to see the resilency of the canvas tested, a bout between him and anyone that can land a punch is a good ticket.

Looking ahead
It is a shame Tanaka was not given a waiver for the 1886 Chilton Cup as he certainly would have provided more promise than the likes of Pierre Roy, in only because of one upset win and the fact that he is one of only 18 Fighters that have the mandatory ranking requirement of 15 bouts, a provision that was waived last year for the fledgling division. There are several other fighters just short on qualifying that will make next years cup much better than this years. Those include Tanaka and Butler, Steve Davenport 11-2-0 (7), John "Bootstrap" Turner 10-3-0 (5) and a young, exciting puncher from the Phillipines name Gaston Artemio 8-1-0 (7). A man who has won his last 8 after being foolish enough to debut against the mighty Fitzsimmons who took him out in round 1. Good years lie ahead for this group, it just won't be next year as the Ruby one appears a good bet to complete his 6th year in the game without a loss. The scary part is, despite his prowess, Fitzsimmons has still not reached hie prime according to those around him.

[comicfanman]

Love the format - very enjoyable

[Ric915]

Great stuff Lee really loving this uni

[Lee]

The Middleweight division did not bring a lot of marquee fights to the table in 1885 as the big guns avoided each other for the most part. We did witness the emergence of some young guns as George LaBlanche broke into the top 10 going 4-1-0 (2) on the year, though his one loss was a shocking 1st round KO at the hands of Javier Costello 5-8-0 (4). This result ran a close second in the Upset of the year category, but LaBlanche recovered nicely and should make some noise in this years cup. Others on the cusp of big things are Mike Lucie 9-0-1 (7), Charles Turner 9-0-0 (4), Young Mitchell 10-2-0 (5) and of course the brightest prospect of them all, Jack "Nonpareil" Dempsey 10-1-0 (7). Dempsey was clobbering Krech before a lucky swing caught him and he will be chomping at the bit for a rematch. Peter Newton, though choosing his opponents conservatively, showed why is the reigning Chilton Cup champ wth a stellar year and it can be said that he was now completely resurrected a career that looked destined for mediocrity after a 2 round KO loss to Richard Bellett back in May of 1883. Since then he was won 9 straight and is enjoying the view from his lofty perch atop the Chilton Cup.

The Championship picture
Only three Championship fights but they were three of a kind, all ending in abrupt 4th round knockouts with the man seemingly in control of the proceedings spiraling to defeat each time. The USBA clash between Mitchell and Banks was close, though Mitchell looked the cleaner of the two at range. Unfortunately he allowed Banks to bull his way inside and took a terrifying hook to the jaw as a result, that left him senseless as the new Champion paraded his belt around the ring. Pettengell was giving Rollins a thorough facial massage when a lightning quick 1-2 separated him from conciousness at the 2:33 mark of the final round.

The Dempsey/Krech affair, as mentioned above was the most stunning of them all however. Dempsey had Krech swelling like a bloated animal carcass left to rot in the sun and had simply lambasted him over the first three rounds, outscoring the German 116 punches to 10. The 4th started much the same, when Krech, his head looking at the canvas, caught Dempsey with a wild overhand right, followed by a looping hook that spun the nonpareil halfway around like a corkscrew. Despite the impact the crowd seemed to have little doubt Dempsey would regain his feet and go back to the task of administering a sound thrashing. It took the final count of 10 to turn that belief into shock as Dempsey was carried back to his stool in a stupor.

Odds and Ends
The few times top fighters did meet, produced some memorable encounters with plenty of firepower. Richard Bellet it seemed, was involved in such a scrap each time out. After being blasted in the 1885 Chilton Cup by heavy handed John Banks (TKO-5) he rebounded to stop WC McClelland in 8 in May. Riding high, he then fought highly touted prospect Mike Lucie and was belted out via 2nd round TKO two months later. Bellet's last man standing style was winning quite the following as he closed the year with a KO-3 win over Frederek Lunde. At 10-9-3 (5) and ranked 18th, Bellett will not make this years Cup, but should again give the fans their monies worth.

Perfect Stranger? Not quite. Johnny the Stranger sits at 1-8-5 (0) in the ring, but he is the undisputed King of the enigmas outside of it. Hailing from Fiji and barely uttering a word, Johnny shows up for his fights and then vanishes from the public eye until his name is called again. It has become quite the game amongst the journalists to attempt to glean the truth about this mysterious stranger from a strange land. In this sport at least, the Stranger remains unbeaten.

Looking ahead
The 1886 Chilton Cup looms as much more exciting than the first edition, with a full field of 16 fairly able bodied combatants set to quest for the prestigious Chalice next month. The division looks to get only stronger as prospects gain experience and a capable core of veterans remain at the top of their game. Peter Newton will be hard to dethrone, and his most ardent challenger, USBA belt holder John Banks, has only managed to defeat him once in four fights, winning by 4th round KO in 1878, then losing by KO-7 in March of 1880 and a KO-2 in July of the same year, before finally meeting him again in last years cup, losing via TKO-10. Besides Banks, fellow Aussies Starlight Rollins and Jim Pettengell will also have their say and Newton has yet to face either man. Though still learning his craft, George LaBlanche also looks to have the tools to give the champ a run this year. In addition both Paul Patton (TKO-9) and Richard Ogden (SD-10) hold victories over the champ in years past and both will be in the cup competition.

Thanks Ric and Comicfan, this faster style fits into my schedule nicely, and I am enjoying the change of pace this one provides as opposed to the more deliberate style of RCB2K7. Glad to have you both following.

[Lee]

The Welters, while not enjoying an abundance of talent, certainly provided the unexpected. Paddy Duffy, one of the most talented Men in the division was an enigma in 1885 going 3-3 on the year and in fact, would have been much worse off were it not for Thai Huynh, who beat everybody but Duffy. It was a muddled picture throughout the year as Trent Pengilly beat Arazi Elesbaan, who beat Paddy Duffy. Pengilly was then blasted out by Mhelter Meneses, who was then stopped by journeyman Tomas Reyes.

All in all, it left a very uncertain picture for next years Chilton Cup with one exception. Champion Charles Kemmic, while not taking on anyone worthy of mention, was unbeaten for the year none-the-less. He looks like a solid favorite to retain the cup at this point, unless Duffy can escape the funk that started with a loss to Bob Smith in last years competition.

The Championship picture
A light year for title bouts with only a pair. Neither of which was overly thrilling. Smith, vanquisher of Duffy, was held to a draw against by mediocre Cesar Valenzuela, then struggle in his title winning effort over Steve Caesar. With both lackluster efforts against men with similar names, perhaps Smith should stick to only Salads with Caeser in their title.

Sergio Garcia dominated an overmatched Paco Avila, though there is little doubt that he is merely holding the belt for the talented Colombian Raul Blanco, who will undoubtedly come looking for the strap if his Chilton Cup aspirations fall short

Odds and Ends
Mitch Richards 10-4-1 (3) may be one of the more intriguing Fighters next year. Going a perfect 4-0 in 1885, Richards has clawed his way to a #12 ranking and his first Chilton Cup encounter and a first round match with Paddy Duffy. This will be an interesting encounter for both as it will prove if Richards (with early career losses to the likes of Alastari Laidlaw 3-8-2 and Dick Sandall 4-3-2) has truly arrived. It will also be a stiff test for Duffy who will be looking for his first win over someone not named Huynh since stopping Sinfonio Cleto nearly one year ago in the first round of the 1885 Chilton Cup.

Looking ahead
The 1886 Chilton Cup will feature only 4 returners (Kemmic, Smith, Duffy and Huynh) from last years competition and the new blood will make things very interesting. Newcomers Raul Blanco and Arazi Elesbaan are both drawing lots of attention, with many giving Blanco a legitimate shot. The rugged Colombian has yet to taste the canvas and his only downfall is a tendency to appear bored at times. Arazi is equally capable, but is not a defensive whiz, though he has only been down twice in his career, he will take some punches. There are no newcomers of not on the horizon and it looks as though this division will remain unpredictable and uninspring throughout 1886.

[Lee]

The lightweight division provided fans with a potpourri of upsets, excitement and intrigue. The incomparable Bat Mullins became the first fighter in the lightweight division to surpass 40 career fights, as he stepped into the ring eight times in 1885. Despite the fact that he failed in both his attempts to win a title, losing in the Chilton Cup final via disqualification, then later dropping a close split decision to Arthur chambers for the EBU lightweight title, he is still considered by many to be the finest lightweight active in the world today.

Martin Snee became the first reigning Chilton Cup Champion to lose a fight after the tournament, as he was blasted out by Bill Mahan in nine rounds on March 17th. Snee was on borrowed time throughout the Cup competition in the eyes of many, as he was taken fifteen rounds by his first round opponent Marcellus Baker, and another nineteen in his second round match against Arthur Chambers. In fact Snee fought a total of 59 rounds during the tournament, which could easily explain his lackluster performance two months later against Mahan. After scoring the biggest win of his career, Mahan promptly threw away a golden opportunity by getting stopped in the first round by journeyman Colin Rodman in his next outing to sink as quickly as he had risen.

The Championship picture
There was plenty of Championship action in 1885, as regional belts were contested seven times. Slick boxing Horace Leeds was well on his way to the CCBF fighter of the year honors when he defended his USBA title in October against Bill Mullins. Boxing methodically, Leeds entered the eleventh round ahead on all three cards by scores of 97-94, 97-94 and 98-95. At this point he committed what was deemed to be his third blatant foul of the fight, landing a low blow which resulted in his immediate disqualification. Leeds first captured the vacant USBA title by stopping Marcellus Baker in the third round on cuts. A vicious right hand opened a 4 inch gash above Baker's left eye, resulting in a veritable deluge of blood. This promped an immediate stoppage by the referee, who after consulting with the ringside Physician awarded the fight and the Title to Leeds. Taking on Sam Collyer just over three months later, Leeds again boxed effectively, using a crisp jab and tight defense to take a lackluster unanimous decision, setting up the fateful defense against the "other" Mullins.

In direct contrast to Leeds, CABO lightweight champion Harry Gilmore engaged in two exciting championship tilts, including the CCBF lightweight fight of the year against fellow canuck George Fulljames. Contested for the vacant CABO title in May, this fight saw both combatants engage in vicious toe to toe action. The end came suddenly as a blistering combination knocked Fulljames cold at the three minute mark of the seventh round, the referee reaching the 10 count just as the bell rang. In Gilmore's first defense he battered a game, but overmatched Ruben Guzman, finally pounding him into submission in the eighth round at the 2:29 mark. Referee Hubert Earle had no choice but to step in and stop the bout, with Guzman helpless, slumped in the corner as Gilmore blazed away with both hands.

CCBF fighter of the year Arthur Chambers gained the honor largely on the strength of two difficult EBU title fights against Bat Mullins, from whom he captured a close split decision, followed by an equally close majority verdict over the rugged Billy Edwards. The Mullins fight will undoubtedly result in a rematch as there was little to choose between the two men through most of the scrap, with conditioning being the slight deciding factor. In his first defense against Edwards, Chambers had to survive an early cut as the challenger opened up his left eye in the second round. The wound proved troublesome as it was reopened three times and was coming under close scrutiny by the time the fight ended. APBF champion James Isworth is a largely unknown commodity. His title winning performance against Australian Jack Hall being his only start in 1885. The Jamaican boxer will be either validated or exposed in the Chilton Cup, as his first round opponent will be former USBA champion Horace Leeds.

Odds and Ends
Jem Carney started his career losing four of his first six fights. However, after an October 1880 defeat at the hands of George Taylor, Carney was four years without a loss entering 1885 with a record of 9-4-2 (4). In his first Chilton Cup match, Carney quickly gained revenge over Billy Edwards, who defeated him in his pro debut with a UD-8 in the first round, before losing his second round match against Bat Mullins. From this point it was all downhill as Carney was stopped in two arounds by trialhorse Derek Green in his next outing. (The CCBF co-upset of the year in the LW division) Carney rebounded against Andrew Burt with an 8 round stoppage, but closed the year in poor form losing via third round knockout to Jack Nicholson. In 1886 Carney is facing an uncertain future. The one time Chilton cup contender is now ranked 46th in the world, as whispers abound that he is washed up after only twenty pro fights.

Looking Ahead
The 1886 Chilton Cup holds plenty of intrigue for the boxing fan. No fewer than five of the entrants are given a better shot at capturing the prestigious honor than current Champion Martin Snee. This includes Bat Mullins, Arthur Chambers, Horace Leeds, Harry Gilmore and Billy Edwards. One can never count Snee out after last year's performance, though the odds are long we will see a repeat next year. Perhaps even more anticipated than next year's Cup competition, is the maturation of Irish slugger Jack McAuliffe. Currently sporting a record of 13-1-0 with 12 knockouts, McAuliffe is expected to pose a serious challenge for the Chilton Cup in 1887 and should challenge for the EBU title long before that. Another fighter who has piqued the interest of the boxing community is New Zealander Barney Donovan, who went into his August fight against George Taylor a perfect 10-0. Unfortunately for Donovan, the crafty Taylor was able to stop him in the eighth round which dimmed his luster somewhat. Still many feel he will rebound and raise a ruckus in 1886.

[shane6969]

nice work Lee!

[Cap]

Excellent work, Lee. Looks like you really enjoy this. Title Bout sure comes in handy to provide you fodder for your universe.

Cap

[Lee]

The big excitement with the Feathers is the arrival of Billy Murhpy and Young Pluto in the rankings, two brash young fighters that promise to shake things up at January's Chilton Cup. Apart from these two, the biggest news revolved around the struggles of Chilton Cup holder Tommy Barnes, who at this time is ranked lower than any other Cup holder in the sport. Barnes endured 3 very close fights during the 1885 competition taking a split and two majority decisions en route to the Title. Then, in his first fight after the Cup, he was shocked by Sam Ellis in the 8th round. He followed that up by looking very unimpressive taking a UD-10 from Pedro Roman in November. Still, the reigning champ has only been off his feet once his entire career and is still considered tough as nails. There is currently a clamor for the top Fighters to face each other more during the year, and if you take away the four title fights, Aghababian and Yama****a are the only two men appearing in the 1886 Chilton cup that squared off in 1885.

The Championship picture
Sparse action with only the EBU and USBA titles being contested. George Seddons was dominant in capturing the EBU belt, starching Harry Meads in 11. Meads tried to give a good accounting, but in end Seddons was simply too much, peppering Mead with solid right hands throughout, that eventually rendered him unconscious. In his defense against Claude Rossi, Seddons appeared half bored at times, toying with the frenchman over 12 less than stimualting rounds.

The USBA belt was contested under much stiffer conditions as Champion Billy Parkinson surived a dogged challenge from Dan Gray to win the United States top honor, then battled tooth and nail with tough Terry Walker in a thrilling 12 round draw in October. Both men gave copious amounts of blood in this slugfest as they traded brutal shots and dirty tricks throughout, in their quest for the coveted red, white and blue, belt. A rematch is definitely in the offing for these two at some point in 1886. Others expected to pose a threat for this title are Gray, Harry Reid, Sam Ellis and rising youngster Tommy Danforth, who has won 9 of his first 10 bouts.

Odds and Ends
Sinking the Torpedo. Billy Murphy has burst onto the scene, debuting as the #1 ranked Bantamweight in the world heading into next months Chilton Cup, yet there are still many who would cast the shadow of doubt on his credentials. First is the fact that he has only beaten 5 men with winning records. One can rebut that this is hardly unusual for a young fighter. In fact it can be argued that Murphys percentage of opponents with a winning mark (33%) compares favorably to more established fighters like George Seddons, who has faced 9 opponents in 23 fights with a winning ledger, or better yet, Chilton Cup champ Tommy Barnes, with only 8 of 27 opponents on the upside of wins. In addition, the among those with winning records Murphy has beaten, Billy Parkinson is a Champion, Harry Mead fought for a title and Wilbur Davis has beaten Chilton Cup entrants Sam Ellis (who beat Barnes) and Greg Kreiger. With these facts established the question should be, when will Torpedo Billy Murphy win the Chilton Cup, not can he?

Looking Ahead
With Murphy, George Seddons, Young Pluto and Dan Gray all given shorter odds of winning the Chilton cup than Champion Tommy Barnes, there is no doubt the competition will be chocked full of action and suspense. As if this were not enough, it is some of the young lions on the horizon, that promise to make the Bantamweights a division to watch. Poised to challenge for the EBU title this year are Sam Baxter 9-2-0 (2) and rugged Irish brawler Dick Hollywood with a stellar 13-1-0 (6) mark. With no other viable challengers on the horizon, Seddons will be forced at some point to extend pen and paper to these two. The possible future of the division however, rests with two fighters debuting next year that many say have the making of future Cup holders, before either has even laced up the mufflers for profit. Young Griffo and George Dixon were both so dominant in their respective countries as amateurs, that nary a tout in the game has not predicted big things for both men as professionals.

[mh2365]

good stuff Lee

[Lee]

Originally Posted by mh2365

good stuff Lee

Thanks Mike, the Bantamweight and flyweight summaries will go fast. I am really anxious for some of the matchups in the 1886 Cup competition.

Can Sullivan retain the HW cup with Godfrey primed for revenge?

Can anyone beat Fitz at LHW?

Will Dempsey rebound from his disappointing 1885 showing in the MW tourney?

Any predictions?