Newletter no 17

[robert.snell1]

The Boxing Biographies Newsletter
Volume 1- No 17 26th November 2007

http://www.boxingbiographies.com please visit our parent site http://www.crapboxingchat.com

If you wish to receive future newsletters please email the message “NEWS LETTER” [email protected]
As always the full versions of these articles are on the website


The Titusville Herald 17 July 1928
TOM LOUGHRAN RETAINS CROWN IN CLOSE BOUT

Wins Decision Over Pete Latzo by Margin of One Round.

CHALLENGER STAGES RALLY AT FINISH

Miner Rushes Champ Through
Battle, But Winner Is Too
Clever For Him.

By EDWARD J. NEIL
Associated Press Sports Writer

WILKES-BARRE, July 16.—While rain hovered in the sky and seats and the ring alike sogged under an early downfall, pudgy Pete Latzo. pride of this anthracite mining center, battled with all the viciousness and pride of a kid fighting in his own back yard but in vain—tonight for Tommy Loughran's light heavyweight championship.

Game as his stand was, furious as his gallant attack, the brown skinned youth was forced to bow for the second time this season to the mastery of the Philadelphian.

By the narrowest of margins was one of the most vicious skirmishes of the. outdoor season decided in Loughran's favor after ten rounds of the kind of milling that had even the spectators, bitter partisans in this all- Pennsylvania struggle, fighting among themselves. The Associated Press score card gave Loughran five rounds with four for the challenger and one even.

"Battled Champ Two Months Ago

A little over two months ago, Latzo. once the welterweight champion, but now grown to a full-fledged light heavyweight, battled Loughran on almost as even terms in a 15-round go in Brooklyn. .And tonight, as then, the gameness and plunging, two-fisted attack of the challenger carne within an ace of stripping Loughran of his crown.

Remembering that fight and hoping for the best, the miners who trooped to Scranton two years ago to see Peter, then a lithe 147-pounder, batter Mickey Walker's welterweight crown into the shape of his own head, flocked out tonight to honor the former breaker boy and cheer him to victory. But with honor in his grasp and Loughran fading before him in the third and fourth rounds, Pete found that he had wasted too much strength in his rushing assault.

Loughran Takes Fresh Hold

Then it was that Loughran took a fresh hold, and stabbed out the decision over his closest rival in the 175- pound division. Rallying in the middle rounds, Tommy boxed his way to enough of an advantage to hold Pete off again when he stormed the championship citadel with a final desperate rally in the last two rounds.

Boxing as cleverly as he ever has, Loughran had. Latzo totally at sea in the first round. Again in the second, the champion, boxing like a well-oiled machine, poured a flood of gloves into Pete's face that had the miner constantly gnawing the leather of his left hand.

But the one trait that seems to rise in every fight--to threaten Loughran's perfect boxing technique—inability to defend himself properly on the ropes caught Tommy in the fourth. Pete. game and rushing every second, stormed the champion to the ropes and in a-moment the .entire complexion of the battle was changed. Ripping rights and lefts to the head staggered Tommy as Latzo pinned him to the hempen barriers and poured a storm of leather into the champion's head and body. .Loughran came away with a streak of blood crossing his right eyebrow. Within another round Latzo’s vicious attack had opened a broad cut there and blood streamed into the champions eyes and down his face. Here the strength Latzo had been saving for just a moment failed him. He allowed the titleholder to steal the show with stabbing lefts as Tommy
danced backward around the ring, eyes foggy, brain a bit numb, but instinct, still controlling his fists. Before Latzo could gain control again the opportunity was lost and Pete's second chance of winning his second crown went aglimmering. '

It mattered little that Latzo, after letting the next three rounds drift to Tommy with the eighth even, rallied in the final two sessions, whaled into Loughran with new vigor and again cut his eye and cheek. The effort was too long delayed. The champion had retained his title by the margin of a single round and the coal regions must wait for another champion.

The crowd of approximately 15,000 paid $60,000 to see the show. Promoter Morgan Bird was reported to have paid Loughran $25,000 to defend the title while latzo received $7,500.


The Bridgeport Telegram
13 December 1927

Loughran's Rush in Final
Rounds Wears Slattery Down
Buffalo Youngster Chooses to Swap Punches with Philadelphia
Rival after Loughran Wears Him down with
Body Blows—Crowd Is Dissatisfied with Decision
By Edward J Neil

Madison Square Garden , NewYork, Dec. 12—(By Associated Press.)



The light heavyweight championship of the world, a diadem disputed for months between the representatives of the New York State Athletic commission and the National Boxing association rested tonight on the curly-headed thatch of Tommy Loughran. Sturdy heavy fisted youngster from Philadelphia.

Loughran, recognized in New York as king of the 175 pounders won the crown beyond all dispute by whipping Jimmy Slattery. rival standard-bearer, in a thrilling fifteen round match that kept 15.000 spectators in the spacious arena in a constant uproar. At the close the crowd roared their disapproval of the decision, and cheers for the Buffalo boy and his game stand volleyed to the rafters as the fighters
left the ring.

Despite masterly boxing ability that at times made the speedy Loughran appear slow by comparison, and a willingness to swap punches with an opponent enjoying an eight pound weight advantage, the lithe New York youngster appeared to have been bettered in eight of the 15 rounds after winning five and holding Loughran even for two.

Came With Rush.

Tommy came with a rush toward the close, when Slatterv's dancing legs tired under the torrid pace and arms, wearied by constant blocking, grew trembly and weak. Then it was that Loughran. bleeding slightly from a cut Jimmy had opened under his left eye, stormed in close, flailed both hands in an unceasing stream to the body, and pounded out his margin of victory.

The match was a brilliant display by two master craftsmen, clean, decisive punchers, fast and furious workmen. Showing all the form that won him heraldy as another Jim Corbett before the flashing fists of Dave Shade knocked him from prominence, Slattery outboxed and outgeneralled Loughran through, the early rounds.

Hands hanging limply at his sides "Slats" bounced around the ring, flipping stinging Jabs into Loughran's eves and whipping solid right crosses to the chin. After him pounded the "Philadelphia Adonis," grim and unrelenting. out speeded but by no means out gamed.

Slattery Slows Up.

The occasional right hand shots Loughran drilled into Slattery s body slowed the lighter youth, brought his speed closer to his own and wore the lean youngster down steadily. As his speed gave out under the long grind, Slattery chose to mix in close, swap shots with his husky rival—and lose all claim to the 175 pound title, fighting rather than running away.

There were no knockdowns and neither was in serious danger at any time during the sensational milling, although several times Slattery's clean . rifle-like shots to the chin shot Loughran's 'head back. But Tommy always was able to retaliate by storming in close, laying a barrage on Slattery's ribs, and driving the Buffalo youth away with overhand smashes to the head.

Loughran scaled-in at 173 ½ pounds
Slattery 165 ½ .

By Rounds

Round One

Both were very cautious as they pranced in the centre of the the ring measuring each other with light lefts to the head. Tommy cut loose with a fierce two fisted body attack that drove Slattery into a neutral corner arms doubled across his ribs. Boxing flashily, Jimmy worked his way out and speared Loughran with lefts to the head but Tommy's fists dug solidly Into the Buffalo boys body. Tommy punched Slattery viciously
with short rights to the ribs on the rope. Slattery broke away and peppered Tommy's face with lefts at the bell.

ROUND TWO

They formed a pretty picture, dancing cleverly in the center of the ring shooting with both hands to the head and body, shots that traveled almost too fast. Tommy punched through Slattery's dazzling footwork and rocked the Buffalo boy with a right under the heart. Jimmy gave ground, backing away behind a whiplash left, but Tommy caught him and ripped to his body at the ropes. They jabbed and retreated simultaneously so that the bell found them standing in their own corners with Slattery winking confidently at the ringside denizens.

ROUND THREE

Loughran came steaming out on the offensive shooting lefts to Slattery's chin . Jimmy ducked and dodged backwards, spearing Loughran neatly with a left and right to the head when Tommy missed once. Loughran was warned when a right dropped below the foul line. Slattery took the offensive, threw caution to the wind, and they slugged to the head and body like a pair of leaden footed heavyweights in the center of
the room while the crowd roared approval. They broke loose to look the situation over as the gong clanged.

ROUND FOUR

Tommy snapped his left in the general direction of Slattery six times before he managed to tap jimmy’s nose. They were content to jab and duck, counter and block until Slattery chased Loughran into the ropes where they swapped rights to the body. Slattery was dazzlingly fast and Tommy appeared slow and a bit puzzled in comparison. Dancing around hands at his sides. Slattery forced Loughran to miss and march disgusted with back turned to the centre of the ring just before the bell.
The Billings Gazette
8 October 1927
Irishman Loses His crown Over decision Route
Philadelphian L i f t s L i g h t Heavyweight Crown From Veteran
in 15-Round Fight.


New York, Oct. 7.

Tommy Loughran of Philadelphia Friday night lifted the light heavyweight championship from Mike McTigue, getting the Judges decision at the end of 15 rounds. The contest was marked by frequent claims of fouls in the early rounds, but there also was much heavy punching.

Through the entire fight the veteran McTigue carried the fight to Loughran, but Tommy defended himself and piled up points. He rocked McTigue a number of times with heavy blows to the head and stomach.

In the fourteenth McTigue came out stronger than his 10-year younger challenger and drove him around the ring with a furious barrage of lefts and rights. The old warrior , when he was expected to be tired, Mike slashed and banged away until it seemed Loughran could not last the round.

Cheer Decision.

The decision was cheered loudly, and there was scarcely a boo as the crowd learned that McTigue had lost the light heavyweight emblem which the New York boxing commission conferred on him in July after it was vacated by Jack Delaney of Bridgeport, who joined the ranks of the heavies. It was McTigue’s first fight to defend the title. He rallied too late, however to save it.

Loughran rushed from his corner in the first and sent three stiff rights and left to McTigue's head. They hurt Mike, but he soon took the play away from Tommy with a heavy right jolt to the Jaw. In the last 15 seconds of the round Tommy took three hard punches to the head.

In the second. Mike took a number of light ones to get in to drive a stiff right o Tommy's head that shook the Philadelphian. In the third, Mike complained of having been struck low. After this he took a flurry of rights and lefts to the head and came back to drive on to the stomach. After three seemingly low blows, Loughran was warned to keep them up Mike came back to send a right and left to the head.

The fourth round was mostly arguments about fouls, with both claiming to have received them. Mike, after complaining of a low blow, took a hard right to the Jaw. Then Loughran claimed a foul. Mike then claimed another foul, and Tommy was warned to keep them up.

The fifth saw Mike tear into shake Loughran with a right and left. Tommy went after him shaking him with a terrific right to the head. Loughran was twice again warned to keep them up Because of confusion at the bell spectators thought that McTigue had won on a foul, the referee sending Loughran to his corner.

Tommy Rocks Mike.

The sixth saw them both take real punishment to head and body. Often they stood toe to toe and slugged away In the seventh, but Mike came back. Loughran rocked Mike with a right only to run into left jabs. Mike's right caught Tommy in the stomach, a very hard blow that slowed down the Philadelphian.

In the eighth Loughran kept coming In. In a furious exchange, both took terrific jolts to the stomach, and both seemed hurt. The bell overtook them in a scramble In a neutral corner.

The ninth saw McTigue taking quite a drubbing, Loughran forcing his way into the body and jabbing the head at long range. Mike kept coming in and finally caught Tommy with two hard rights to head and stomach.

In the tenth Loughran rushed in to send two hard rights to the head. Then he caught Mike with three sharp upper cuts and in an exchange he took a hard right to the head and gave half a dozen in its place. Mike seemed to slow down a bit and was hurt as Tommy sent an other half dozen or so to the head.

In the eleventh Mike took a left to the stomach that brought an expression of pain to his face.

Boxes Cleverly.

Mike kept coming in, but was missing. Tommy boxed cleverly to help this, and Mike took a sharp uppercut. Tommy kept leading with his left, and driving his right to the head, Mike fighting back gamely.

Tommy kept up his jabbing in the twelfth, Mike dogging him, around to get close. Tommy sent in a flurry of rights and lefts to the head. McTigue was missing often. Tommy again was told to keep his punches higher. The thirteenth started with Mike driving a terrific right to Tommy's stomach. The crowd cheered the veteran as he followed Loughran around the ring. Mike's left eye had a hen's egg lump over it. Both had slowed down considerably.

In the fourteenth Mike tore in to send Tommy reeling with a barrage of rights and lefts to the head. Tommy was slowed down and seemed hurt at the bell. McTigue came out in the fifteenth with a rush. He hammered away at Loughran's head and body, scoring at
long range and having the best of it at close quarters. Loughran covered up under the barrage and was reeling around the ring as the bell rang.


The Salt Lake Tribune
6 February 1929

Loughran Gains Decision Over Emanuel

Jewish Barrister Bows for Second time



Tommy Loughran, the Philadelphia light-heavyweight champion, won a ten-round decision from Armand Emanuel of San Francisco before more than 10,000 fans who packed the Olympic auditorium here tonight. Loughran, the master boxer, scared Emanuel with a fancy assortment of lefts and rights to win a decisive victory and earn the right to meet Paolino Uzcudun or possibly a shot at the winner of the Sharkey
Stribling bout.

Both fighters were over the light heavyweight limit.

ROUND ONE

Loughran scored right to head. Emanuel hooked two lefts and Loughran left to body. Loughran jabbed two lefts to nose. Tommy jabbed left and then right to body. Emanuel missed left uppercut and hard right. Emanuel ducked left. Louthran missed left. They traded lefts to head. and repeated. Armand. sent two lefts to chest and light left to jaw at bell.

ROUND TWO

Both sparred cautiously. Loughran sent left to head and Armand countered with left jab. Tommy sent left to stomach and to head. Loughran jabbed. He sent a long left to the stomach. Loughran hooked left and crossed with right that grazed chin. Emanuel sent two right uppercuts to body in clinch. Emanuel sent two uppercuts to chin. Tommy hooked with a left and Emanuel crossed with right. Loughran sent overhand
right that Emanuel stepped away from, sending three right uppercuts to stomach. Loughran ducked right and hooked left to jaw. He repeated with a left to shoulder at bell.

ROUND THREE.

Loughran stabbed left. Both exchanged lefts. Emanuel beating Tommy with a left. Tommy missed right. Emanuel stuck another left in Loughran's face. Emanuel right to jaw. Tommy sent two stiff lefts to the stomach. Arnand's nose started to bleed a bit. Loughran sent left to stomach and right to ribs. Emanuel drove three rights to ear in clinch. Emanuel drove a hard right to stomach. Emanuel sent Louthran's head back with a straight left. Loughran landed in back of the ear with a. light right. They clinched at the bell.

ROUND FOUR.

Both jabbed lefts. Armand landed left. They sparred cautiously. Loughran sent left to head and stiff right to head in uppercut. Emanuel blocked Loughran's body blows in clinch. Emanuel jabbed two lefts. Loughran put left to stomach and drove right to body in a clinch. Loughran jabbed left and Emanuel crossed a light right. Armand sent a stiff right to head. Loughran drove right to heart and Emanuel hooked a left to head, right to body, making Loughran break ground. Emanuel sent left to body and both dug in. Emanuel put a right to head and ducked a left counter as the bell rang.

The Billings Gazette
19 July 1929

Champ Easily Outpoints Jersey Jimmy
15 Rounds In Defense Of His Crown

YANKEY S T A D I U M , New York, J u l y 18.—(AP) —

Tommy Loughran dispelled all doubt about his ability to dominate the light heavyweight division Thursday night by administering a sound thrashing to his youthful New Jersey challenger, Jimmy Braddock, In 15 rounds that for the most part were dull and one-sided.

Few masters of ringcraft have ever manifested so clear and undisputed superiority as did Loughran in the skillful manner he cuffed, punched and punished the 23-year-old youth from the other side of the Hudson.

In the opinion of a majority of ringsiders Loughran won at least 12 or 13 rounds. The unanimous decision of the two Judges and Referee Eddie Forbes, at the close of the bout was a mere formality.

On just two occasions. In the first and seventh rounds was the world's 175-pound champion apparently in any danger or difficulties. Almost from the first punch of the fight, a short inside left by Braddock opened a severe cut over Loughran's left eye. This not only started a stream of blood that half blinded the titleholder, but so flustered him that Braddock was able to land telling punches to the head and body.

Tommy Opens Gash

Safely past this bothersome episode and back inn complete command of the fight. Loughran had Braddock in distress In the seventh round. In the previous rounds, the facial damage was evened when Tommy opened a gash at the side of Jimmy's right eye. But as they emerged from a mixup near the of the seventh, Loughran's Face quickly became a mass of blood from n fresh cut, almost in the center of his forehead, apparently i|t was caused from a grazing left, but it also was claimed in Loughran's corner that the challenger had butted the champion to open the cut.

Whatever the cause the champion was for a few moments the bloodier of the two figures and the crowd yelled for more as it urged Jimmy on. Instead, Loughran, hastily repaired, came out In the eighth to turn the match into a rout and cuff Braddock all over the ring for the rest of the fight.

From the tenth round, there was not the slightest, question of the outcome as the champion, handling Braddock with ease at close quarters. Jabbed, poked and baffled the young challenger with an assortment of blows that were punishing, even though not particularly damaging Loughran outsmarted and outboxed Jimmy by so wide a margin toward the close that the crowd began hooting derisively,

No Knockdowns.

There were no knockdowns, although twice early in the fight Loughran slipped in his efforts to dodge Braddock's persistent rushes. Both times the champion caught himself by going into a clinch. Loughran not only demonstrated complete superiority over the challenger, thereby registering his seventh successive and successful title defense within a period less than two years, but the handsome Philadelphia boxer disproved all advance alarm that he was sapping his strength in making the 175-pounrl limit. Tommy came In at 174 pounds, four more than Braddock, and was stronger at the finish than his rival.

The bout was witnessed by one of the smallest crowds that has ever turned out for s major championship match in an outdoor metropolitan arena. Official figures were lacking, but it was estimated the attendance was about 26,000 and the gate receipts in the neighborhood of $100,000.

In the 10-round semifinal put on after the main bout because of a threat of rain early in the evening

the veteran middleweight, Dave Shade, scored a surprisingly decisive victory over Rene Devos, hard hittin Belgian. The crouching, bobbing Shade outboxed and outpunched his rival consistently. Each weighed
159 ½ .

Round One.

Loughran led with his left jab and handled the challenger easily in a clinch. The champion came out of the mixup with a nasty gash over his left eye. Blood streamed from the cut. It seemed to spurt the champion into action and the fight began at a fast clip. Braddock smashed hard right to Tommy's head but missed two swings. Loughran kept jabbing with his left but was unable to keep the challenger from coming
in close with a body attack. They were in a clinch at the bell.

Round Two

They swapped punches in the center of the ring and clinched. The champion fought carefully showing a healthy respect for Braddock's right Tommy slipped and only a clinch saved him from slipping to the floor as he dodged Jimmy's charge. The challenger was forcing the fight but missing as often as he landed. Braddock landed an over-hand right to the head as he forced the champion into a corner. Loughran went back on his heels from a solid left to the head just before the gong sounded.

Round Three.

Loughran boxed and jabbed as he fought to stop Braddock's doggedly persistent rushes. The challenger
started, a fresh flow of blood from the cut over Tommy's eye and gave the champion both fists in a lively mixup. Loughran's defensive tactics slowed up the fight. Loughran backed up against the ropes, Loughran chose to fight and smashed Braddock solidly about the head. One of the champion's blows cut Braddock's nose just before the end of the round.

Round Four,

After a succession of clinches, Braddock drove the champion back with a right to the head and a left hook to the stomach. The champion kept sticking his left into Jimmy's face and had the Irishman swinging wildly There was a cut now under Loughan's right eye. Braddock stalked his rival with right hand poised but seldom found a target as Loughran shifted and boxed cleverly. Jimmy took a stiff left to the nose just before the bell.

Round Five.

Braddock drove a right hook to the ribs and repeated with an uppercut that landed under Tommy's heart. They spent, a lot of time clinching at lose quarters. The champion clearly outgeneraled the young Jersey man. Loughran smashed a series of rights to the jaw a and took a light left to the body as he sidestepped Braddock's counter-attack. Tommy's left seemed to puzzle the challenger but he connected to the
champion's jaw with ,a hard overhand right. Loughran hooked his left to the body as the round ended.

[robert.snell1]

The Boxing Biographies Newsletter
Volume 1- No 18 Part 1 6 December 2007

http://www.boxingbiographies.com please visit our parent site http://www.crapboxingchat.com

If you wish to receive future newsletters please email the message “NEWS LETTER” [email protected]
As always the full versions of these articles are on the website
This edition is split into two parts and provides a detailed account of the life of one of the true legends of sport
Tex Rickard
It is the complete set of 12 articles printed in the
Waterloo Evening Courier 9th January 1929 . this edition is to extensive to post as a thread on the forum. If you wish to have the email version please contact me .The word doc is also available on request.

[BoxBuzz]

Wonderful history lesson! Thanks

[robert.snell1]

thanks mate. i am trying to get as much of this as i can produced and as you say a great history lesson.

i have over 20 more chapters on rickard which were written by him and published during the same time period.some will be done in the next week or so.

[granberry]

Thank you Robert.

Keep them coming.

Pete Latzo is a forgotten fighter.

I don't know of any other fighter who has jumped two full weight classes and still been successful.

It would have interesting to have Latzo fight Mickey Walker at their heavier weights.

[robert.snell1]

Thank you Robert.

Keep them coming.

Pete Latzo is a forgotten fighter.

I don't know of any other fighter who has jumped two full weight classes and still been successful.

It would have interesting to have Latzo fight Mickey Walker at their heavier weights.

yes yet another guy who has been overlooked.