The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-12-24
.SOOSE WON MODS OVER TWO 16O. POUND CHAMPS
Defeat of Armstrong Was Surprise; Largest Gate
 Less Than $I5O,OOO
By JACK CUDDY United Press Staff Correspondent

By JACK CUDDY
 United Press Staff Correspondent
 New York, Dec. 24.-(UP)-Live1y events in the middleweight and well terweight divisions featured fisti- cuffs in 1940 as boxing continued its robust renaissance in virtually all sections of the United States.
 Joe Louis and Billy Conn retained their heavy and light heavy titles, respectively, while other champions went down around them like bowl ing pins, but it was the lads in the 160 and 147-pound classes who con- manded most attention. And they deserved it.
 The middleweight division, blessed with a plentitude of top flight tal- ent, crowned two new champions and then had both of them licked in non-title fights by the same young upstart.
 This upstart was Billy Soose of Farrel, Pa., who was almost ready to quit boxing when he won a sur prise 10-round non-title decision over Champion Ken Overlin of Washington, D. C., at Scranton, Pa., Ill the summer Overlin was rec ognized by New York and affiliated states as 160-pound king by virtue of his victory over Ceferino Garcia in May.
 About a month after beating Overlin, Soose took an easy TO- round non-title decision over Tony Zale of Chicago. Zale was recog- nized as middleweight champion by the National Boxing association be- cause of his earlier knockout vic- tory over Al Hostak at Seattle. Following these victories, Soose was unable to get a title fight with either champ However, playboy Overlin defended against young Steve Belloise of New York on Nov. and almost got knocked out be- fore emerging with the decision. Overlin again defended successfully against BelloiSe on Dec. 13. Mean while, three other young contenders came up rapidly: Tami Mauriello of New York, Coley Welch of Portland, Me, and Ernie Vigh of Newburgh, N. Y.
 Draw With Garcia
 Henry Armstrong's activities fea- tured competition in the welter- weight division. The bull-shoulder- Cd Los Angeles negro, who once wore three crowns tried to wrest the m1ddleWeight title from Garcia on March l, but wound up with a draw Armstrong knocked out Lew Jen- klns, lightweight champ, in a non- title fight in July. In addition Ham, merlng Henry made six successful oefenses of his welter crown in 194O before losing the title to Fritzie IlVlc Of Pittsburgh on a decision in 1 October. zivic engaged in three non-title tilts, but didn't defend his crown.
 Meanwhile Conn defended his light heavyweight title but once, against Gus Lesnevich at Detroit in June. But Pittsburgh Billy became the new white hope" with victories over four heavies-Henry Cooper, Bob Pastor, Lee Savold and Al Nc Coy-and was matched for a title nght next June with Louis, or who- | ever IS heavy champion then. Smaller Gates" 1 Louis made four title defenses, the same number as in 1889. This brought his record total of defenses to l2. He beat Arturo Godoy of Chile twice, knocking him out the second time. Ills other victims were Johnny (Scared Stiff) Paychek and Al Puffed Eye) Mccoy. Despite general prosperity in the game, the ysars largest gate was only $l49,- 5Oo, drawn by the second Louis Godoy engagement at Yankee Sta- dlum in June. This was nearly $200,0C0 smaller than the largest gate in 1889, which was $347, ,87O attracted by Louis and Bob Pastor at Detroit.
 Make Baer staged a comeback Dy Knocking out TWo.Tton Tony Galento and blasting the white nope" ambitions of young Pat Com lskey with a first round kayo.
 In the lightweight division, Lon Ambers lost the title on a stun nlng upset when knocked out in the third round by Lew Jenkins of IeXas in May. Jenkins made one ttiie deefnse, knocking out Pete Lello in November. In three non- tltle bouts with welterweights, Jen- Klns was kayoed by Armstrong, won a decision over Bob Montgomery at Philadelphia and held Ziyic to draw. Before Ambers was beaten by Jenkins, the National Boxing Association vacated his crown, and recognized Sammy Angott of Louis Vile as champion by virture of his ms victory over Davey Day on the eve of the Kentucky Derby.
 In the featherweight division. Joey Archibald, recognized as champ by New York state, lost the title 10 Harry Jeffra of Baltimore in May Petey Scalzo of New York is recog- niAed by the N B. A. by virtue of his victory over Frnkie Xii Coyelli in Washington, D. C., in May.
 Lou Salica of New York became undlsputde bantam king by beating Georgie Pace at New York in Sep- tember, after being held to a draw by Pace at Toronto in March.
 The flyweights commanded little attention. Little Dado of Los An- geles is generally regarded as cham pion.
 Other Notes
 Jack Dempsey made an "exhibi- ton comeback" by belting over a few wrestlers in various cities, but dis continued these activities upon the sound advice of friends.
 The federal prohibition against Interstate Commerce in fight movies was removed, opening the door to a lucrative field for motion picture