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Boxing in the United States continued its slight up-• ward rise during 1955, following the trend set the previous year, with the reopening of a number of clubs on a weekly basis, notably in California and Texas, the return of the sport to a number of sectors that had been inactive for many years, the lesser number of bouts televised, locally and nation-ally, and the interest created in the Rocky Marciano-Archie Moore fight for the world heavyweight title.
World Championship Matches.
Rocky Marciano, undefeated world heavyweight champion, ran his unbeaten string to 49 professional bouts, by twice successfully defending his title during 1955. On May 16, at Kezar stadium, San Francisco, Calif., he knocked out Don Cockell, of Great Britain, in the ninth round, before a crowd of 15,235. On Sept. 21, Marciano turned back the bid of Archie Moore, world light heavyweight champion, by scoring a knockout in the ninth round, after being dropped for the second time in his career in the second round. The fight, held at Yankee stadium, New York, drew a paid attendance of 61,574. Both heavyweight title bouts were screened exclusively for theatre-television. The Marciano-Moore fight was viewed in 133 theatres and drive-ins in 92 cities by 350,000 persons
Archie Moore, world light heavyweight champion, defended his title once during 1955, scoring a three-round knockout over Carl (Bobo) Olson, world middleweight champion, at the Polo Grounds, New York, on June 22.
Ray Robinson regained the middleweight title on Dec. 9 by knocking out Carl (Bobo) Olson in the second round at Chicago stadium.
World welterweight champion Johnny Saxton lost his title by a technical knockout in 14 rounds by Tony DeMarco, on April 1 at the Garden, Boston, Mass. DeMarco, 70 days later, on June 10, after one of the shortest reigns on record, was knocked out by Carmen Basilio in the 12th round, to lose the title. The fight took place at Syracuse's War Memorial stadium, N.Y. Basilio again stopped DeMarco in a return bout on Nov. 30 at Boston
Jimmy Carter, world lightweight champion, who had won the title three times, lost it for the third time on June 29, when Wallace (Bud) Smith won a 15-round decision over him at the Garden, Boston. On Oct. 19 in a return bout Smith pounded out a I5-round decision over Carter at Cincinnati, O. to clinch his hold on the title.
For the first time in almost three and a half years the world featherweight title was defended when Champion Sandy Saddler (in the U.S. army 1952–1953) met the challenge of Teddy (Red Top) Davis on Feb. 25, at Madison Square Garden, New York. Saddler retained the title with a 15-round decision.
Robert Cohen, world bantamweight champion, severely injured in an automobile accident early in the year, recovered and defended his title against Willie Toweel at Johannesburg, U. of S.Af., on Sept. 3. Cohen retained the title when the bout was declared a draw after 15 rounds.
Earlier in the year, on March 9, Raul (Raton) Macias, North American bantamweight champion, engaged Chamrern Songkitrat, of Thailand, in a bout in San Francisco billed by the National Boxing association as a world title bout. The National Boxing association, having withdrawn support from Cohen, sanctioned this contest. Macias scored a technical knockout over Songkitrat in 1 1 rounds.
Pascual Perez, world flyweight champion, defended his title against Yoshio Shirai in Tokyo, Jap., on May 31, scoring: five-round knockout. He had won the title from Shirai the previous November.
Boxing Hall of Fame.
Nine new members were elected to the Boxing Hall of Fame in 1955, which was inaugurated the previous year by The Ring magazine and is housed in The Ring museum in Madison Square Garden. The board of directors voted in two ancients, pioneers of the game, William Richmond and William Thompson (Bendigo). The Old Timers' committee voted in four fighters—Terry McGovern, Abe Attell, Sam Lang• ford and Joe Walcott, while the modern group also elected four —Mickey Walker, Harry Greb, Benny Leonard and Gene Tunney.
The following is a complete list of those who had been elected to the Hall of Fame:
Pioneer Group:
John L. Sullivan, heavyweight; James Figg, heavy weight: Jack Broughton, heavyweight; Daniel Mendoza, heavyweight; Tom Cribb, heavyweight; John Jackson, heavyweight; Tom Hyer, heavy. weight; Jack Dempsey, heavyweight; John Morrissey, heavyweight; To Sayers, heavyweight; John C. Hennan, heavyweight; Jem Mace. heavy weight; Arthur Chambers, lightweight; Jack McAuliffe, lightweight; Young Griffo, featherweight; William Richmond, heavyweight; Will' Thompson (Bendigo), heavyweight.
Old Timers' Group:
Stanley Ketchel, middleweight; Bob Fitzsimmons heavyweight; Jack Johnson, heavyweight; Joe Gans, lightweight: James J. Jeffries, heavyweight; James J. Corbett, heavyweight; Terry McGov- ern, featherweight; Abe Attell, featherweight; Sam Langford, mid weight; Joe Walcott, welterweight.
Modern Group:
Jack Dempsey, heavyweight; Joe Louis. heavyweight Henry Armstrong, welter, light and featherweight champion; Mickey Walker, welter and middleweight champion: Harry Greb, middleweight Benny Leonard, lightweight; Gene Tunney, heavyweight.
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