[djday45]

26th January 1920 Colorado Springs

Lon Chaney considered the cleverest fighter in the game and nicknamed "The man of a thousand styles" won his pro debut here in Colorado. Reunited with his double training combination of Wallace Worsley and Tod Browning,his brain trust were in the corner to help his achieve victory.

Known for his ability to analyze his opponent then adapt his style to win. Chaney started the bout boxing from the outside for the first two rounds smoothly winning both then turned puncher in the third after seeing the deficiencies in Kaufmann's wide open style. He was dispatched quickly with a series of smooth right hands ending in the knockout. On this performance Chaney must be a favorite in the world champion tourney to come.

[djday45]

Today the NBBOR announced that the first world championship tournament will involve 12 fighters over four separate rounds of bouts.

the first round will consist of eight boxers in a single elimination series of bouts those boxers are Francis X Bushman, Werner Krauss, Emil Jannings, Conrad Veidt, Roscoe Fatty Arbuckle, Buster Keaton, William S Hart and Richard Barthelmess.
The winners of these bouts will go foward to a quarter final round and four top seeds will be bought in at this stage and they are Harold Lloyd, Lon Chaney, Douglas Fairbanks and John Barrymore.

These top seeds cannot fight each other at this stage and will be matched against the winners of the first round.

The winners of the quarter final will be then matched in semi final and final to determine the first professional world champion.

the first round and quarter finals will be over ten rounds, the semi final twelve rounds and the final fifteen rounds.

This announcement brought much praise as it was rumored that it would only consist of eight boxers over three rounds. Adding in the quality European fighters in another round has made the tournament much more international and given it more credibility.

the tourneys first round will start in early summer giving its participants time to prepare and arrange some tune up bouts.

[djday45]

1st February 1920 New York

Here in the big apple we have had a major card of Pro boxing with three of America's leading contenders for the world title showing their skills.

First up was veteran boxer William S Hart who won a clear but never exciting unanimous decision over Joseph Singleton. Hart as is his style was methodical, and deliberate in defeating his younger opponent and did everything asked of him with his solid and heavy jab I just feel he will need more against the top lights of the division.

Next up was young dashing Richard Barthelmess who was fighting with DW Griffith in his corner in the fight bout of their new contract.
His opponent was Walter Kolomoku who frankly was so below Barthelmess skill level it was really a mismatch. Barthelmess is such a skilled all rounder that an opponent of Kolomoku's stature had no chance him against him.

Barthelmess seemed to toy with him until the 3rd when a nasty looking jab opened up a bad gash on his left eyelid the ref stopped the bout immediately as Kolomoku had no chance to win the contest.

Lastly we had Douglas Fairbanks who soon showed his awesome power against Freddie Hawk. With Victor Fleming in his corner he wasted no time in dispatching his hapless opponent with a series of brutal uppercuts inside that soon had Hawk semi conscious on the canvas muchto the delight of his fans.

All three contenders came through their bouts safely although many people are saying they cannot wait for the tourney to start so they can start fighting each other.

[djday45]

New tough guy trainer on the block John Ford has announced he will be part of veteran boxers William S Hart's corner for the upcoming world championship tournament this year.

Ford was quoted as saying "William has always been a boxer I have admired, with his tenacity and dedication to the sport making him a real good fit for my training style"

This is seen as a major boost to Hart's chances as Ford is seen in some quarters as a major new training talent.

[djday45]

Feb 4th 1920 Cincinnati

Fatty Arbuckle that huge 320 pound man of a fighter was mightily impressive today. It never ceases to amaze me that despite his huge girth he is able to move so much, so speedily and actually to possess great stamina.

Yes it was only over four rounds and his opposition was no great shakes, but Arbuckle showed why he is considered a solid top ten contender for the world crown.

Round after round he continually speared his chasing opponent with a sneaky left hand as he closed and by the third had him both bleeding and reeling.

Roscoe's problem however is a distinct lack of pop in his punches and really much like his amateur days he should of got Crimmins out of there.

[djday45]

Since the NBBOR announced the formation of the new professional sport of boxing and the decision was made to crown the first world champion through means of a tournament things have moved quickly.

The rights to promote and stage the tourney have gone up for auction and at the moment two promoters have emerged to battle over the rights.

Adolph Zukor a 47 year old Hungarian who first came to prominence backin 1912 with his formation of the Famous Boxers company and signed many of the leading amateur lights.
He soon after formed a bigger company Paramount Boxing which has emerged as the leading promotional company of the day. Zukor is bidding hard to get the rights to the tourney and is considered the favorite at the moment due to his long track record in the amateurs.

His rival Samuel Goldwyn a 41 year old Polish promoter who has been in America for many years. He first came to prominence promoting with Zukor at Paramount until a famous falling out which has never been explained but made them terrible enemies. He then went to help form MGM Boxing until being bought out last year and forming his own Goldwyn Boxing.

Considered a bit of a rebel and maverick within the sport he nonetheless has a flair and knack for knowing the public mood and cannot be discounted in the battle for the tourney rights with Zukor.

[djday45]

7th Feb 1920 Portland

Buster Keaton won an easy unanimous four round decision here today over Harry McCoy with hardly a glove laid upon him.
Keaton is fast becoming known as a defensive wizard and his precise style of slowly picking apart his opponent right in their faces while making them miss has made him been given the nickname "Old Stoneface".
He made easy work here of the hapless McCoy who I really cant remember landing a solid blow in four rounds. Keaton for his part landed at will a combination of jabs hooks and crosses continually peppering his opponents body.
In Buster's corner was Roscoe Fatty Arbuckle who continually advised his charge on the finer points of the game.

They were both quoted afterwards as being firm friends as well as fighter and trainer and confirmed that if matched together in the tourney they would refuse to fight.

[djday45]

Today the National Boxing Board of Review announced a major coup, Irving G Thalberg the amateur matchmaking guru who currently works for Universal Boxing and is known as "the Boy Wonder" for his amazing ability to match boxers to produce amazing fights has been head hunted to have complete control over the matches made with the tourney to crown the new champ.

In a controversial move for some the tournaments match ups will not be drawn randomly as is traditional in the amateur game, Instead Thalberg will be selecting the fights based on the styles of the fighters and the possible revenue to be made to ensure the tourney is as successful as possible.

It has been revealed that he has been criss crossing the world watching every fighter in action over the last couple of months and has compiled hefty dossiers on each of them to help him with his match making.

He announced to the press that this would be a permanent move into the professional game and he would announce his decisions on the first round tourney fights next week. These are thought to be binding and any fighter not wishing to fight the opponent selected will have no choice but to withdraw from the tourney,

[djday45]

Today irving G Thalberg announced his final decisions regarding the first round matchups of the world championship tourney.

They are as follows.

Francis X Bushman Vs. Conrad Veidt
William S Hart Vs. Emil Jannings
Richard Barthelmess Vs. Buster Keaton
Roscoe Fatty Arbuckle Vs. Werner Krauss

These bouts will be over twelve rounds of boxing and will take place in March and April.

[djday45]

1st March 1920 Paris

In a very much closer fight than anyone ever anticipated Conrad Veidt the young German hope squeezed through against the American veteran Francis X Bushman. Bushman despite being inactive recently gave a wonderful spirited performance and showed why he used to known as the king of boxing.

The smooth, fast Veidt was supposed to have too much youth and speed for him and in the end this proved so, but just. Bushman's great experience really told against the young German and despite taking punishment himself he was able to spear Veidt with many counter shots then clinch to prevent Veidt's superior hand speed and combination punching become a factor.

He was able to do this effectively for 8 or 9 rounds and after this I had Bushman just slightly ahead. It was this point either Bushman faded or Veidt's youth and stamina told and he took the last 3 rounds quite convincingly capping it off with flash knockdown in the 11th. Bushman got up bravely from this and was not seriously hurt but the damage on the scorecards was done.

Veidt was victorious just on two cards and will have to improve remarkably in the future rounds if he is to progress nearer to his world title goal.

As for Bushman his future is murky. I would advise him to retire rather than face becoming a stepping stone for young turks moving up but it seems unlikely he will heed that advice.

[djday45]

Would you guys be interested in me posting the ratings for the various boxer/actors and trainer/directors I am using in the sim?

If you want me to I can post them in the analysis form I originally used in the day council ratings thread so you can get the logic of why ive rated them the way I have.

let me know if that interests you.