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Television took a firmer grip on professional boxing in the United States during 1953, with the result that a majority of the small clubs of the country, some of which had carried on for many years without a break in their weekly schedule, were forced to shut down. The Ring magazine reported that 51% of the fight clubs that had operated in 1952 went out of business because of the inroads made by television. Small organizations that previously had been able to operate by using ordinary local talent found it impossible to compete with the opposition furnished by four weekly national television boxing shows. This resulted in the elimination of the smaller clubs, the cradles of boxing, and, with their passing, in a huge shrinkage of national talent. Because of this, the International Boxing guild, a protective organization for managers and boxers, was organized. Through its efforts, the major networks carrying nation-wide television boxing shows agreed to pay each of the main event fighters $4,000 for every network show. This arrangement made up in some degree for the losses sustained by the managers and fighters as a result of poor attendances at shows that were nationally televised. The attendance often fell below 1,000 in the nation's major arenas. The biggest gate of 1953 was attracted by the Rocky Marciano-Roland LaStarza world heavyweight championship bout, held on Sept. 24 at the Polo grounds, New York city, with the receipts amounting to $435,820 and the attendance 44,562. Marciano, undefeated in 45 professional bouts, knocked out LaStarza in the 11th round. Shown on a closed circuit in 45 theatres in 34 cities, the first actual nation-wide theatre telecast of a bout, this fight also brought in $125,000 from that source. Earlier, on May 15, Marciano engaged in his first title defense, knocking out Jersey Joe Walcott in one round at Chicago, Ill., before a gathering which paid $331,795. It was the eighth one-round knockout in a world heavyweight championship bout. Archie Moore, who had won the world light heavyweight championship from Joey Maxim in Dec. 1952 at St. Louis. Mo., successfully defended his title against Maxim on June 24 at Ogden, Utah, the first title contest ever held in that state. Moore won a 15-round decision, with the receipts amounting to $80.000. After Ray Robinson retired as world middleweight champion on Dec. 18, 1952, the title became vacant and a series of eliminations was held to find a successor. On June 9, 1953, Randolph Turpin of England, former world champion, defeated Charles Humez of France at White City stadium, London, to qualify as the European entry in the finals. Ten days later, Carl (Bobo) Olson of Hawaii outpointed Paddy Young of New York at Madison Square Garden, New York, in a 15-round fight to enter the finals. Turpin and Olson met on Oct. 21 in Madison Square Garden to decide the issue. Olson won a unanimous decision, and thus became world middleweight champion. The bout was televised nationally but was blacked out in the New York area. Kid Gavilan of Cuba, the world welterweight champion and one of the most active titleholders, defended his crown three times. On Feb. 11 he stopped Chuck Davey in ten rounds at the Chicago stadium before -a crowd that paid $275,415. Davey, a college graduate whose reputation had grown through his many successful appearances on television, was thoroughly beaten. On Sept. 18, Gavilan won a close 15-round decision from Carmen Basilio of Canastota, N.Y., in Syracuse, N.Y., but had trouble making the weight. Finally, on Nov. 13 he virtually annihilated Johnny Bratton at Chicago, although Bratton managed to go the full 15 rounds. James Carter of New York, long known as a colourless per-former. emerged as one of the scintillating fighters of the year in his lightweight title bouts. On April 24 he scored a record number of knockdowns, ten in all, in stopping Tommy Collins in four rounds in the Boston Garden, Boston. On June 12 in Madison Square Garden, coming into the fight as an underdog against highly considered George Araujo, he proceeded to knock Araujo out in the 13th round. Carter engaged in his third successful title defense of the year on Nov. 11 when he stopped Armand - Savoie of Canada in the fifth round at Montreal. It was the first world championship bout held in Canada in more than 5o years. With featherweight champion Sandy Saddler still in the U.S. army, there was again no title bout in that division. Willie Pep, a former champion, fought his way back to regain the position as the number-one contender. On March 21 Jimmy Carruthers of Australia defended his bantamweight title by knocking out Vic Toweel, from whom he had won the crown, in ten rounds at Johannesburg. U. of S. Ai On Nov. 13, at Sydney, Austr., he outpointed Henry (Pappy) Gault of the United States in a 15-round title bout in which he held the advantage almost all the way. Yoshio Shirai of Japan outpointed Tanny Campo of the Philip pines in defense of his world flyweight title on May 18. at Tokyo. On Oct. 27 he again successfully defended his title in a 15-round bout with Terry Allen of England, a former champion, also in Tokyo. Previous to this bout. Shirai was stopped in seven rounds by Leo Espinoza of the Philippines in a nontitle bout. There were 19 deaths during boxing contests throughout t world during 1953 (to Oct. 6), five of these deaths, one of professional boxer and four of amateurs, occurring in the United States.
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