The Boxing Bulletin History Corner: January 22 - 28

By Andrew Fruman

Moving on to the week of January 22-28, we continue our look at what was happening in the boxing world during the years 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940 & 1950.

We've got a couple of world title match-ups - Henry Armstrong vs Pedro Montanez and Joey Maxim vs Freddie Mills - in this edition, along with plenty of other fight reports and details of the times you might find interesting.

Check out last week's History Corner: January 15 - 21

1910

January 22…

Chicago’s Grover Hayes gave Jack Redmond an "unmerciful" battering, almost stopping the Milwaukee fighter in late going of their bloody 10 rounder at the Royal Athletic Club in New Orleans. Redmond started well, but was soon getting much of the worst of it. According to the AP wire report, "Neither man showed any science."

January 25…

Matty Baldwin of Charleston upset the odds with a close decision win against Owen Moran over 12 hard rounds at Boston’s Amory Athletic Association. Moran had just recently arrived back in the United States after a 6 month break from the ring which included a trip home to his native England.

The crowd was firmly behind Baldwin, and cheered loudly when referee Maffitt Flaherty declared him the winner, although there were some in attendance that felt Moran was entitled to a draw. Baldwin got off to a quick start and closed well, while Moran did his best work during the middle rounds.

The fighters agreed to fight under the *clean-break rule, although a frustrated Moran whacked Baldwin a number of times after being ordered to break. Baldwin was guilty at times of returning the favour, although it was Moran that further drew the ire of the spectators by mauling his opponent in the clinch.

• The clean-break rule was being adopted at the time – although there were many in the boxing fraternity that preferred the "anything goes" style of fighting in which holding and hitting along with other roughhousing tactics were perfectly acceptable strategies.

January 28…

Cyclone Johnny Thompson was held to a 20 round draw by hometown youngster Tommy McCarthy at Dreamland Park in San Francisco.

Entering as a sizable underdog, McCarthy surprised the fans early by dropping Thompson with a left hook just before the bell to end the opening round. The chicken farmer from Syracuse was up quickly, and forced the action the rest of the way, but had trouble catching up to the quick youngster.

"McCarthy fought a greatly improved battle and his judgement was one of the best. He ripped and jabbed with his left hand in clever fashion and once when he floored Thompson with a left hook to the jaw he proved that it carried force behind it and during the contest he further proved it by shaking the hard-headed farmer from head to foot with one well delivered punch. Tommy might be accused of having run about the ring a trifle too much, as he gave ground all during the contest, but for this he will never be censured by the fan who knows the game of boxing, for it was just right thing for a sapling of a boy to do when pitted against a battering-ram fighter such as Thompson." - Eddie Smith, Oakland Tribune

1920

January 25…

Fans at Boston’s Commonwealth Athletic Association "booed and jeered" Mike McTigue and Eddie Tremblay before referee Phil Donahue walked out of the ring, ruling the bout a no-contest in the 9th round. Donohue had warned both fighters to mix it up on several occasions before calling the bout off.

The Boston Globe called it "a case of lead and clinch all the time" and declared the bout "one of the poorest boxing exhibitions in this city in a long time."

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In a match-up of American military men, Sergeant Ray Smith pulled off a stunning upset, defeating the highly rated A.E.F. heavyweight Champion Bob Martin over 10 rounds in Cleveland. Martin reportedly injured his hand in the opening round of the heavyweight battle.

The loss puts a dent into the plans of Martin’s manager Jimmy Bronson, who had been hoping to match his fighter up with Georges Carpentier. Jack Kearns had recently threatened legal action against Bronson, believing the manager had helped spread negative publicity against Jack Dempsey, in order to boost demand for Martin to battle Carpentier. Bronson responded to the charges, claiming his innocence in the matter.

January 27…

Blood poisoning forced surgeons to amputate the left hand of European featherweight champion Louis de Ponthieu. The Frenchman had injured his hand a month earlier during a 17 round knockout win over British champion Tancy Lee.

One of the first French fighters to establish his credentials on the international level, Ponthieu came to the United States in 1911, and did well against many of the world’s best lightweights before heading back to France in 1913.

1930

January 24...

Giant Italian heavyweight Primo Carnera (269) made his American debut at New York’s Madison Square Garden, stopping Clayton "Big Boy" Peterson (209) just 70 seconds into the opening round of a scheduled 10. The New York Times reported that the "action and the finish provoked delirium among Carnera’s enthusiastic admirers."

Despite the crowd’s reaction, not everyone was completely convinced by the bout…

"Chairman James A. Farley of the State Athletic Commission, viewing the battle from his front row ringside seat, was not altogether satisfied with the contest, but at the same time, said he saw no basis for an official investigation. Disquieting rumors which preceded the battle and an absence of any betting on the outcome caused some scepticism." – James P. Dawson, New York Times

On the undercard, Larry Johnson (177) knocked out Fred Lenhart (177 ½) in a battle of light-heavyweight contenders. Over and over, Johnson found the mark with crunching right hands, depositing Lenhart on the canvas a total of 5 times. The final right hand smash left Lenhart down in a neutral corner for the full count at 2:05 of the 7th round.

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Welterweight champion Jackie Fields (146 ¾) won a unanimous 10 round verdict over Vince Dundee (151 ¼) in a non-title bout at the Chicago Stadium.

After a close opening couple of rounds, Fields took charge in a dominant 3rd round, sending Dundee to the canvas on no fewer than 4 occasions, the last of which looked like it would end the fight, only for the bell to save the Baltimore fighter. Dundee got much the worst of it over the next few rounds, but remarkably staged a rally in the 10th…

"In the final round, Dundee tried desperately for a knockout throwing punches from every angle. Near the close, Fields held on. It was a great finish for a fighter who appeared doomed to be knocked out earlier in the fight." – Walter Eckersall, Chicago Tribune

This was the second win for Fields over a member of the Dundee family in the past 6 months, having defended his welterweight crown with a victory over Vince’s brother Joe Dundee the previous July.

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In a battle of flyweight contenders at the Coliseum in Toronto, Wee Willie Davies (111 ½) of Charleroi, Pennsylvania won a razor close 10 round decision over local fighter Steve Rocco. The hard charging Toronto fighter kept the pressure on throughout with a steady body attack, while the slicker Davis was most effective from the outside with his left jab.

"…it was as fast a bout as the flyweights have ever given Toronto fans and served to show Davies at his best against a foeman who must be reckoned as one of the most capable in the world." – W.T. Munns, Toronto Star

The fight was a rematch of an abbreviated battle held 4 weeks earlier. On that occasion, a no-contest was declared after Davies had injured his head falling backwards through the ropes and landing hard on press row.

1940

January 22...

The National Boxing Association's top rated welterweight contender Fritzie Zivic (144) won a split decision over Boston's Mike Kaplan (142) at Philadelphia's Convention Hall.  After a slow start, the Pittsburgh fighter came to life over the last 4 rounds, putting Kaplan down for a 9 count at the end of the 7th round and scoring another knockdown in the 10th.

January 24...

Henry Armstrong (139 ¾) put to rest talk that he was a burned out fighter ready for the taking, by thrashing Pedro Montanez (144 ½) over 9 rounds before before 19,000 spectators at Madison Square Garden.

"For 24 minutes and 47 seconds, Montanez stood up against Hurricane Henry. Punches landed on him from the right, from the left, from above, from below and from somewhere over the rainbow. They stung him, they dazed him and worst of all, they cut him until the right side of his face was a red smear and the blood that he blinked out of his eye rolled to his shoulder and on down to his wrist. So after 27 seconds of the ninth round, Referee Billy Cavanagh commanded the hurricane to stand still and Montanez dropped helplessly on the stool in his corner, eyes glassed over and legs turned to rubber." – Harry Ferguson, United Press

The fighters battled on almost level terms through the first couple of rounds, before the challenger started wilting under Armstrong’s pressure in the 3rd round. Montanez was down twice in the 4th – and took such a beating over the course of the round that there were cries from ringside to stop the bout. Somehow Montanez not only stayed on his feet through the next few rounds but slugged it out at times, staging a small rally during the 6th round, before being floored again just before the bell to end the 8th.

"For savagery and bruising fighting, virtually all of it displayed by the irrepressible Armstrong, this was a fight that seldom has been excelled." – James P. Dawson, New York Times

"Armstrong, scaling 139 ¾, the heaviest of his career, indicated by tonight’s impressive showing that he is ready to try for his fourth world title and another pugilistic record. Henry, former featherweight and lightweight king, now craves a crack at the middleweight crown claimed by both Ceferino Garcia and Al Hostak." – Jack Cuddy, United Press

1950

January 24…

Cleveland’s Joey Maxim (174 ¼) became the new holder of the world’s light-heavyweight title with a 10th round stoppage of England’s Freddie Mills (173) at Earl’s Court in London. The surprising finish – Maxim was a solid favorite, but not considered a threat to win by knockout - was witnessed by over 18,000 spectators, a new indoor British record.

The stoppage came after Mills, well behind in the fight and throwing desperate bombs, was caught with a hard counter left uppercut. Maxim followed with a left hook, straight right combination that sent Mills crashing down. Mills tried to rise, but could get only to his knees before falling sideways face down on the canvas. He was out for several minutes and needed to be helped from the ring.

The Associated Press had Maxim up 6 rounds to 1, with 2 even heading into the 10th round.

"Veteran Mills has a contract for a return title bout with Maxim within 90 days; but Manager Ted Broadribb said today he and Mills would not ask for a return bout. If 30-year-old Mills couldn’t beat 27-year-old Maxim last night, he’ll never be able to. Broadribb suggested that Mills, his son-in-law retire." – Victor Kalman, United Press

The following day, Mills announced his retirement, while Maxim indicated he plans to turn his attention toward the heavyweight division in the hopes of landing a bout with Ezzard Charles.

Check back in next week for more of The Boxing Bulletin's History Corner as we move on to the week of January 29 to February 4.

e-mail Andrew Fruman