From The Phillyboxing Site

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JANUARY 22, 1973

GEORGE FOREMAN CRUSHES FRAZIER, TAKES TITLE

On this day in 1973, Heavyweight Champ Joe Frazier took on fellow Olympic Gold Medalist George Forman in what was expected to be a time killer before a second epic event with Muhammad Ali. The result however was a shocking and emphatic changing of the guard, as Big George scored six knockdowns in his two round snuffing of Smokin' Joe to claim the championship. It was Frazier's first-ever loss.

Foreman would reign for two years before falling to Ali. Joe would go on to two more classic bouts with Ali as well as a rematch with Foreman.

OTHER FIGHT RESULTS ON THIS DATE:
1932 - Al Ettore W10 Sam Weiss at Philadelphia, PA

1932 - Leroy Haynes KO3 Jack Van Noy at San Francisco, CA
1937 - Benny Bass W10 Red Cochrane at the Cambria A.C. in Philadelphia, PA
1948 - Johnny Forte W8 Earl Huff at Philadelphia, PA
1951 - Tommy Ciarlo W10 Eddie Giosa at The Philadelphia Arena
1951 - Harold Johnson KO4 Dusty Wilkerson at The Philadelphia Arena
1973 - Willie 'The Worm' Monroe KO1 Roy Lee at National Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica

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JANUARY 23, 1939

HAYNES NEARS THE END WITH 10-ROUND LOSS TO LAZER

Leroy Haynes, the once highly rated contender who dreamed of a shot at Joe Louis, lost a ten round decision to Roy Lazer in Newark, NJ on this day in 1939, signaling the end of his excellent ring career. The loss dropped his record to 40-11-2 and started his final slide into retirement. He would fight 11 more times after this bout, winning only once.

In 1936, Haynes had his best year, going 9-1-1 with 8 knockouts. The run included a pair of KOs over former Heavyweight Champion Primo Carnera. The first, held at the Philadelphia Arena, ended in round 3. They met for the second time outdoors in Brooklyn at Ebbet's Field, with Haynes winning in nine.

Haynes and Lazer would square off once again, four months after their first contest, in the same Newark ring. The result was a similar 10-round decision win for Lazer. Haynes would trudge on to the end of 1939, retire, and then return in 1941 for his final four bouts.

OTHER FIGHT RESULTS ON THIS DATE:
1928 - George Godfrey KO1 Joe White at Atlantic City, NJ

DEATHS:
1971 - Tommy O'Toole

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JANUARY 25, 1944

BOBCAT KOs WILLIAMS

Ring greats Bob Montgomery and Ike Williams fought the first of their two classic battles on this day in 1944. To the delight of Philly fight fans, the rivalry between the two was a bitter one. Montgomery won this first match by KO in round 12 at Philly's Convention Hall.

Three years later, still seething from his loss in the first fight, Williams exacted a brutal revenge, whipping the Philadelphia Bobcat in six nasty rounds at Municipal Stadium, taking the Lightweight crown in the process.

OTHER FIGHT RESULTS ON THIS DATE:
1945 - Johnny Forte W6 Red Schultz at Philadelphia, PA

1950 - Joe Blackwood KO4 Billy Fox at Akron, OH (Fox's final bout)
1954 - Sonny Liston TKO6 Martin Lee at St. Louis, MO
1955 - Joey Giardello W10 Al Andrews at Norfolk, VA
1965 - Gypsy Joe Harris W4 Oscar Freeman at Norfolk, VA (Gypsy's 2nd pro bout)
BIRTHDAYS:
1897 - George Godfrey

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JANUARY 26, 1954

TURNER WINS IN 10

Gil Turner won a ten round decision against Pierre Langlois at the Philadelphia Arena on this day in 1954. The win raised Turner's record to 43-4 (30 KOs), as he continued his dalliance with the middleweight division. Fighting a good ten pounds heavier than his natural weight, Turner was still trying to shake off the effects of his 1952 KO loss to Welterweight Champion Kid Gavilan. Some say he was never the same after that bout, but the crowd-pleasing workman from North Philly fought on for many years in both the 160 & 147 pound classes. He had many more high-profile fights, but never again did he contest for the title.


OTHER FIGHT RESULTS ON THIS DATE:
1950 - Joey Giardello W8 Johnny Bernardo at Philadelphia, PA

1962 - Dick Turner KO3 George Carter at Philadelphia, PA
1962 - Leotis Martin W4 Bobby Warthem at Ontario, Canada (Martin's pro debut)
1969 - Bennie Briscoe KO8 Vincente Rondon II at San Juan, PR
1971 - Eugene 'Cyclone' Hart KO3 Fred Martinovich at the Blue Horizon in Philadelphia, PA

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FEBRUARY 11, 1975

JIMMY YOUNG UPSETS LYLE IN HAWAII

North Philadelphia's then-still developing heavyweight prospect, Jimmy Young, brought a 12-4-2 (3 KO) record all the way to Honolulu to face the more experienced and far scarier Ron Lyle of Denver, CO. Lyle was 30-1-1 going in, and boasted 21 KOs. His record showed wins over the likes of Buster Mathis, Oscar Bonavena & Jimmy Ellis. Young's record just didn't match up. Although he was a promising youngster, Jimmy had been KO'd when he stepped up in class to face crude crusher Earnie Shavers a couple of years before. Although he had avenged that loss with a recent draw over Shavers, Young seemed to be heading for another thumping at the hands of Ron Lyle. But Young showed just what a slick and gifted boxer he was, by surprising his well-seasoned opponent - and the rest of the boxing community. Young took the 10-round decision and moved onto a world title challenge against Muhammad Ali a year later. In 1976, Young and Lyle would fight again (pictured), with Young winning another decision, this time in 12 rounds.


OTHER FIGHT RESULTS ON THIS DATE:
1923 - George 'KO' Chaney W8 Alex Hart at the Arena in Philadelphia
1923 - Joe Tiplitz W8 Joe Reno at the Arena in Philadelphia
1923 - Danny Kramer WDQ6 Bobby Burman at the Arena in Philadelphia
1954 - Jimmy Soo KO4 Bobby Gory at Philadelphia

1954 - Jake Josato W4 Charley Scott at Philadelphia
1963 - Bennie Briscoe KO4 Brad Silas at Philadelphia

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FEBRUARY 12, 1958

GIARDELLO BEATS SZUZINA AT ARENA

Joey Giardello beat Franz Szuzina on points at the Philadelphia Arena on this day in 1958. The 10-round victory upped Joey's record to 78-13-5 with 1 ND.

For Giardello, his long wait for a middleweight title shot would continue for two more years. In 1960, he received a crack at Gene Fullmer, but came away with a dissatisfying and controversial 15-round draw.

Finally in 1963, Joey's moment would come in a bout with old rival Dick Tiger. Giardello won the World Middleweight Title by decision.

At the end of his illustrious career, Giardello's overall record was 101-25-7-1 NC (33KO).


OTHER FIGHT RESULTS ON THIS DATE:
1958 - Len Matthews KO4 Norman Young at the Philadelphia Arena

1958 - Mel Middleton W6 J.D. Ellis at the Philadelphia Arena
DEATHS:
1949 - Battling Levinsky

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FEBRUARY 13, 1952

MARCIANO MUGS SAVOLD AT HALL

Rocky Marciano upped his record to 39-0 and moved one step closer to a world title shot, by scoring a 7th round TKO over the veteran Lee Savold, on this day in 1952. The bout was held at Philadelphia's Convention Hall before 9,243 fans who came to see the newest young heavyweight lion. It was a messy affair, with Savold's blood reportedly splattering the ringside audience. Although some reports criticized Rocky for looking crude and being unable to score a clean knockout, win the bout he did, as Lee's corner stopped it before the 7th.


OTHER FIGHT RESULTS ON THIS DATE:
1952 - Waddell Hanna W6 Rocky Jones at Convention Hall in Philadelphia
1983 - Wilford Scypion W12 Frank Fletcher at the Sand's Hotel Casino in Atlantic City, NJ

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FEBRUARY 14, 1953

SCOTT DEBUTS WITH WIN AT CAMBRIA

North Philadelphia welterweight and future number one contender, Charley Scott made his professional boxing debut on this day in 1953. The bout was held at Philadelphia's "Blood Pit", the Cambria Athletic Club, with Scott taking a four-round decision over Steve Cole.

Scott would go on to post an overall ring record of 34-32 (19 KO). A popular east coast attraction during his 13-year career, Charley fought many tough foes including Gil Turner, Bennie Briscoe, Bennie Kid Paret, Isaac Logart, Jose Stable, Gasper Ortega, Virgil Akins, and in his most memorable fight of all, Garnet 'Sugar' Hart.

His victory over Hart, a 9th round TKO on October 19, 1959 at Convention Hall, would bring him the number one ranking in the welterweight division, but the fight itself was such a savage, grueling contest, that even he, the winner, would never be the same afterward. None the less, coming out on top in that epic bout, secured his place in Philly boxing history forever.


OTHER FIGHT RESULTS ON THIS DATE:
1929 - Johnny Jadick W10 Henri DeWancker at Bethlehem, PA

1930 - Lew Lafferty W8 Eddie Cool at the Cambria in Philadelphia, PA
1933 - Midget Wolgast W6 Nick Montano at Plainfield, PA
1936 - Wickey Harkins W8 Tony Ciaccio at the Cambria in Philadelphia, PA

[GorDoom]

Bounce.