In 1942 Lem Franklin faced Bob Pastor in Cleveland, Ohio. Franklin was coming off an incredible hot streak since a loss in 1939 to Eddie Simms. His victims during this stretch inlcuded Willie Reddish, Eddie Blunt, Paul Hartnek, Frank Androff, Jimmy Bivins (KO'd!), Eddie Simms (KO'd), Curtis "Hatchet Man" Sheppard (KO'd), Tony "The Blue Island Tank" Musto (KO'd), and Abe Simon (KO'd). He had to have been the betting favourite going in against Pastor, who had just 16 knockouts in his 50 wins. Frankling had only failed to answer the final bell once, and that had been in 1938. Franklin must've been pumped. After all, he had all those KOs against tough guys and he had the physical advantages too. He stood 6' 2" to Pastor's 5' 11 1/2", and he outweighed Pastor 197 to 181.
Then he got beat up and KO'd in 8 rounds!
Wonder what went wrong?
Cap