Fight:116059

Virgil Akins 138 lbs lost to Johnny Gonsalves 136 lbs by MD in round 10 of 10

• Date: 1953-04-04
• Location: Rainbo Arena, Chicago, Illinois, USA
• Referee: Bill Doty 46-54
• Judge: Ed Hintz 46-54
• Judge: Harold Marovitz 50-50

Johnny Gonsalves strengthened his third place ranking in the lightweight division with a ten-round split decision over Virgil Akins of St. Louis. The Oakland fighter, 136, got the decision in the last few rounds by faster punching the 138-pound Akins. The fight at Chicago’s Rainbo Arena was nationally televised by ABC. There were no knockdowns, but Gonsalves had Akins reeling with a flurry of hard punches in the sixth round. The winner suffered a cut eye in the same round. It was quickly patched between rounds and Gonsalves was unhampered as he outboxed Akins to the final bell. Akins was the aggressor in the first four rounds. Referee Bill Doty scored the fight 54-46 for Gonsalves; Judge Ed Hintz also scored it 54-46, and Judge Harold Martin had it 50-50, a draw. [Springfield News-Sun Ohio]