BoxRec

If Zale didn't enter the military, how would his title reign have proceeded ?

Obiously we can only speculate, but here goes:

He probably would not have held onto the title for as long as he did.
There were several really good contenders.
Ezzard Charles was still at middleweight. He moved up shortly after. Maybe he would not have if he could have got a title shot at Zale.

Archie Moore as well.
There was also Holman Williams and Charley Burley. He may have been able to avoid them since they were black. (Not saying he would have.)
Jake LaMotta was also in the picture as well. All of these guys were capable of beating Zale, who was a great fighter in his own right.
It's just doubtful he could have chopped up one of theses guys after another.

From what I've been reading, Zale was going to fight a rematch with George Abrams in May 1942-I suspect Zale would have beaten him again. After that, I think Jose Basora or Coley Welch would have been given title shots. As for Moore, Williams and Burley-I can't see Zale fighting them as they had styles that were bad for him. Lamotta would be a war; a 50-50 bout, in my opinion.