Imperial Valley press., 1944-01-02
Beau Jack Led
Lightweights
To Top of Heap
By JACK CUDDY

NEW YORK, January l tUP)-
Though most of the name" fighters
were in uniform for the global
battle during 1943, professional box
ing provided the war-worn public
with a flood of mediocre talent in
the greatest rash of nation wide
shows the country ever has known.
Lightweights, who even in nor
NAL times are the second-money
division of pugilism, commanded
| the up p-front-center of the cauli-
| flower stage, since the four cham
pionS above them - Louis. Lesne-
vich. Zale and Cochrane-were in
service. with their titles frozen for
the duration.
And among the busy lightweights.
unqueStionably the boxer -of-the-
year was Beau Jack, ex-bootblack
of Augusta, Ga, who lost and re-
captured the New York state ver-
sion of the 135-pound crown; who
drew more than s630,000 in eight
main events at Madison Square
Garden, and who attracted S105,-
900 in his bout with Henry Arm
strong. the country's biggest fight
gate of 1943
Beau Jack-bull-s l-shouldered. pri-
mitive Negro pummeler from Dixie
started the year as a champion
recognized by New York and af-
filiated states by virtue of his
knockout victory over Tippy Larkin
late in AZ in the final of an elm
ination tourney, after Sammy An
gott had retired, because of hand
injuries, as undisputed and unde-
feated champ.
Jack lost his title to Bob Mont
gomery, Philadelphia Negro, at
Madison Square Garden, May 10.
His stock sank lower when he
dropped a 10-round decision to
Bobby Ruffin. smart New York
lightweight. Beau was handicapped
by an injured knee that prevented
proper training for Ruffin. But he
came back in heroic fashion to re-
gain the crown from Montgomery
at the Garden on Nov. 19, taking
a 15-round decision after an cleo
trifying fight.
Meanwhile, Angott had come out
of retirement and attempted to
claim the title. But Slammin' Sam
of Washington. Pa. was given the
nod by none until he won Is
round decision over Slugger White
of Baltimore at Los Angeles. An
gott's campaign to wrest the crown
from Beau Jack and again become
undisputed lightweight king prob
ably will be a feature of 1914.
With Sgt. Joe Louis, heavyweight
champion, and Pvt. Billy Conn, his
No challenger, both in the Army,
the most important development
in the heavy division was the rise
of Lee c. Murray, big Negro from
Norwalk, Conn. After proving his
punching prowess against lesser op-
ponents, Murray tangled with
Jimmy Bivins at Cleveland on Dec
l and lost an unpopular 10-round
decision to the duration heavy
weight champion Fans booed the
verdict and most of the boxing writ
ers thought Murray had beaten the
Cleveland Negro, although Murray
broke his hand in the fourth round
Bivins was called the duration
champion because he had beaten
the other prominent civilian
heavies. including Tami Mauriello
of New York and Lee Savold OF
Paterson, N. j.
Nothing of historic importance
occurred in light heavyweight COM
petition, as champion Gus Lesne-
vich went about his duties in the
Coast Guard. Tony Zale, king Of
the middleWeights, remained in the
Navy, but other 160-pounders were
busy, with Jacob LaMotta, Jose
Basora, Coley Welch and Holman
Williams heading mediocre flock.
Welterweight activities lost a
great performer when Ray Robin
son, New York's dynamiting dane
ing master, Joined the Army. Rob-
inson was a victim of one of the
years greatest upsets when he lost
Detroit decision to middleweight
La Motta, breaking Robinson's VIC
tory string at Al straight.
In similar fashion. Wee Willie
Pep of Hartford, Conn, recognized
in New York state as feather king,
had his winning cluster shattered
at So straight when beaten in a
non-title brawl by lightweight An
gott in Sammy's first comeback
bout. Pep later entered the Navy.
Meanwhile. Jackie Callura of Can
ada, who had been recognized as
feather champ by the NBA, lost his
title claims to Phil Terranova of
New York.
In the bantam division. Manuel
Ortiz of Ell Centre. Calf, made sew
eral successful defenses of the
crown; and among the flyweights,
Jackie Patterson of England was
recognized universally as champion.
Ancient F'ritzie Ziyic of Pitts
burgh, former welterweight cham
pion, continued as one of the busi-
est of leather-tossers, winning most
of his bouts. Bob Pastor, former
heavyweight contender, announced
his intention of returning to the
ring Henry Armstrong, former
triple champ, announced his second
retirement after his comeback
campaign was ended by Beau Jack.
BY Dec. TO- total of 4,023 pro-
fessional fighters had gone into SER