McVey and Langford Australian title fights

Lionel · Post by **Lionel** » 29 Apr 2002, 05:56

According to the book "Heroes of the fancy-A history of Australian boxing" pub.1999 in Australia, the fights between Bill Lang vs Sam McVey, 28th October 1911 won by McVey, and Sam McVey vs Sam Langford ,8th April 1912 won by Langford, were both for the Australian heavyweight title. McVey won the title from Lang then lost it to Langford. When the American pair returned home, the title reverted back to Bill Lang.

Colin · Post by **Colin** » 30 Apr 2002, 09:13

The 1923 publication "Australasian Boxing Record" gives Lang's record and states that he won the title from Bill Squires on 17th January 1910 and lost it to Dave Smith in 1913. The fight aginst McVey is listed but not mentioned as a title fight. I will see if I can find a Sydney paper for that time and see how it was promoted. I have never heard it mentioned as a title fight.
Colin

Lionel · Post by **Lionel** » 01 May 2002, 05:44

I'll also try and check it out in "Reads Australian Record Book" pub.1947 when I get a chance.

Colin · Post by **Colin** » 03 May 2002, 22:30

Hi Lionel
The Sydney Morning Herald on the day of the fight does not mention it as a title fight. The story is just that Lang was expected to do better than Jack Lester whom McVea beat in his first fight in Australia. Lang did'nt - being knocked out in the second round. The story the next day on the fight itself does mention that Lang was introduced as the champion of Australia despite having been beaten a few weeks earlier by Lester (an American). If Lester wasn't considered the Australian champion, McVea who had been in Australia for a shorter period of time, surely wouldn't be. I will be interested to see if you can find any other source whihch accepts him as such.
Colin

Lionel · Post by **Lionel** » 03 May 2002, 23:02

Colin,

Hopefully I'll be able to have a look at "Reads record book" within a week(it's in the State library, and I have to book it to have a read). If I remember correctly it has a section about the lineage of the Australian titles up to 1947.

Lionel.