Photo courtesy of The Cyber Boxing Zone / Lightweight champion Ike Williams was in action against Johnny Bratton in January of 1950.

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Moving on to the week of January 15-21, we continue our look at what was happening in the boxing world during the years 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940 & 1950.

As usual, we've got plenty of fight reports, news of big fight negotiations and other details of the times you might find interesting.

Check out last week's History Corner: January 8 - 14

1910

January 18...

Applying steady pressure from start to finish, Pittsburgh middleweight Frank Klaus comfortably beat Jack "Twin" Sullivan at Boston’s Armory Athletic Association. Sullivan occasionally found the mark with left hooks, and often clinched in close to slow down the visiting man, but Klaus was undeterred and always came back firing with both hands after breaking free.

"He did not show the least bit of fear of Sullivan and the way he kept on top of Twin made the latter look bad… Klaus handed him some of the hardest punches he ever got here, and they came more often than any of the fans saw him receive in this city." – Boston Globe

After the bout, Sullivan claimed to have injured his hand in the 3rd round, and said he would request a rematch as soon as he’d recovered.

January 19...

Giving away 30 pounds in weight, a "flabby, battle-marked" Philadelphia Jack O’Brien used all his ring savvy in lasting the full 6 rounds against heavyweight Al Kaufmann. O’Brien managed to hold Kaufmann on level terms for the opening couple frames, but by the 3rd round, the bigger – and younger by 8 years - man was having much the better of the action. Absorbing a great deal of punishment, O’Brien was often in trouble late, but was always able to survive by either using his legs or forcing a clinch.

The fighters had met before in 1905, with O’Brien winning via a 17th round stoppage.

January 21...

Battling Nelson defended his lightweight title in Memphis with an 8th round knock-out of a "game" but "hopelessly outclassed" Eddie Lang. A body shot finished Lang who was down for some time before recovering in his corner.

With the 45 round match-up against Ad Wolgast looming, and having not fought in many months, Nelson reportedly took the bout to test out his condition.

1920

January 19...

Two bills designed to make boxing "clean and wholesome" were offered by the Legislature tonight in another attempt to place the sport on a legal basis in the State. – New York Times

The bills were put forth by Senator James J. Walker, the minority leader in the Senate and Assemblyman Harvey J. Ross.

Both bills called for the creation of a 3 man boxing commission, and decision bouts scored by a referee and two ringside judges. The significant difference between the two bills appears to be a provision in the Walker bill that would force anyone connected with the sport to be licensed by the commission.

The provision to employ two judges in addition to a referee, contained in the bill, will make the possibility of unfair decisions most difficult according to Senator Walker. - New York Times

January 20…

Jack Kearns sent an angry telegram to Jimmy Bronson, the manager of heavyweight Bob Martin, the American Expeditionary Forces champion. Bronson had used the controversy surrounding Jack Dempsey’s War service to try and put Martin’s name in the mix as a potential opponent for Georges Carpentier…

"In justice to Jack Dempsey world’s champion, I must demand that you cease immediately your propaganda that you are starting throughout the country in your efforts to boost Bob Martin and to promote a fight between him and Carpentier by sending out literature which is false and misleading, in which you are attempting to convey an impression that Jack Dempsey was a draft dodger and unfit to represent America in titular battle…

Your action is the most outrageous injustice ever attempted by a manager and rival fighter. Real sportsmen do not have to adopt those methods and if there are any more moves like that on your part, I will be forced to take proper legal action." - Jack Kearns

1930

January 17...

The sparse crowd that braved a bitterly cold night to make it out to the Chicago Coliseum stayed for 5 minutes after the main-event to boo the *draw verdict handed out by officials for the Leo Lomski (172) vs Jim Braddock (178) light heavyweight clash. Lomski survived a hard 2nd round knockdown, and battled through cuts – old wounds that had been re-opened – to take the fight to the heavy hitting Braddock. One judge had it for Lomski, the other for Braddock, while referee Dave Miller's card was dead even.  The Associated Press had Lomski in front 7 rounds to 1, with 2 even.

• Eleven days later, the Illinois State Athletic Commission announced that Lomski was the rightful winner, after it was revealed an error had lead to the draw announcement. Referee Miller’s scorecard should have read 53-47 instead of 50-50.  The mistake is supposed to have occurred due to some of the numbers on the ref's card being blurred due to perspiration.
  

"While the action of the commission was nothing more than a routine matter, it caused great consternation among the gambling element. Betting on the Lomski-Braddock affair was said to have been heavier than on any clash of the winter season.

Those who became paper winners yesterday angrily are seeking to liquidate but with little success. Stakeholders, of course, returned all bets on the announcement of the draw." – Edward Burns, Chicago Tribune, January 29

At a packed Madison Square Garden in New York, 3 to 1 underdog Jack "Kid" Berg (134 ½) outfought Tony Canzoneri (133) over 10 fast paced rounds. Canzoneri’s sharp precise punches garnered the opening round, but it was Berg’s two handed swarming attack that carried the fight – especially over the last few rounds. Described as a "tornado in action", the English fighter never stopped punching, and while most of his mauling blows lacked real power, he did manage to stagger Canzoneri during a 7th round exchange.

"Berg rose to the occasion by giving Canzoneri one of the worst beatings he ever has experienced and winning the decision to the compete satsifaction of the crowd which jammed the Garden." - James P. Dawson, New York Times

January 20...

World featherweight champion Bat Battalino (127 ½) lost a unanimous 10 round decision in a non-title fight against Lew Massey (127) at the Arena in Philadelphia. Battalino entered the contest suffering from an infection of the two middle fingers on his left hand, and other than the occasional light jab, was limited to using his left for defensive purposes. Despite the handicap, it was still a good competitive fight with Massey holding only a slight edge.

Frank Weiner, the chairman of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission said after the bout that he wouldn’t have permitted Battalino to fight had he known about the condition of the champion’s hand.

1940

January 16...

Lightweight contender Dave Castilloux (134 ½), holder of the Canadian 126 and 135lb titles, was forced to settle for a controversial draw in his New York debut at the Bronx Coliseum. The Montreal fighter appeared to have a clear edge in the 8 round contest, as he steadily countered Charley Gomer (134 ¾) from the outside with a sharp left jab and the occasional well timed right cross…

"Castilloux… hammered Charley Gomer of Baltimore through every one of the eight rounds at the Coliseum in the Bronx last night, but the best he got at the finish was a draw. A crowd, estimated at 10,000 set up a terrific din of disapproval when the verdict was announced." – New York Times

January 21...

After two days of discussions with the California State Athletic Commission, The Hollywood American Legion Post backed off its policy of not allowing black fighters to participate at Hollywood Legion Stadium.

The change was brought about after Henry Armstrong announced he would pull out of his upcoming Hollywood Post promoted bout with middleweight champion Ceferino Garcia unless the Post’s discriminatory practices were addressed. The CSAC had originally responded to Armstrong’s stance by threatening the welterweight champion with a suspension.

The Armstrong-Garcia match is still not certain for California however, as New York’s Madison Square Garden promoter Mike Jacobs has claimed to have both fighters under contract.

1950

January 16...

Willie Pep (123 ½) defended his featherweight title with a 5th round knock-out of challenger Charley Riley (125 ½) before 12,000 fans at Kiel Auditorium in St. Louis.  Deftly avoided Riley's big right hand, Pep dominated from the start before catching the hometown fighter coming in with a perfect uppercut…

"Pep had feinted with a left. Like a streak of lightning the right came barrelling through, an uppercut to the jaw and Riley hung for a moment in space, his knees buckling. Pep held back the left had ready for a follow-through. Riley spun 45 degrees and fell flat on his face, out cold." – Associated Press

January 20...

In front of 11,535 fans at Chicago Stadium, Ike Williams (143) scored heavily with his right hand in winning a TKO over a game, but badly beaten Johnny Bratton (146). Having suffered a compound fracture to the left side of his jaw earlier in the fight, Bratton gave a gutsy effort in battling on against the lightweight champion before indicating to referee Norm McGarity that he was finished at the 1:44 mark of round 8.

The injury was a re-fracture of the broken jaw suffered by Bratton two years earlier against Beau Jack.

Check back in next week for more of The Boxing Bulletin's History Corner as we move on to the week of January 22 to 28.

e-mail Andrew Fruman