Joe Baksi destroys Woodcock

I disagree actually.

He won some and lost some against the top American heavyweights.

 

Woodcock wasn't really world class imo.

 

Oma went into the tank, Savold was DSQ''d, which other heavies of world class did Woodcock beat?
Woodcock was Euro level at best.

 

Good God that second knockdown was BRUTAL. Dude had to be literally carried back yyo his corner.

 

What evidence is there that Oma went into the tank?

 

"Baksi broke into professional boxing in 1940 at the age of 18. He beat nine boxers that year, including the future movie actor Jack Palance (who fought under the name of Jack Brazzo) at the Westchester County Center in White Plains, NY.
After defeating Woodcock, Baksi was scheduled to fight Joe Louis for the world heavyweight title. Baksi, still in Europe after the Woodcock fight, signed a contract to fight the Swedish champion, Olle Tandberg in Stockholm. Baksi was the 1-5 favorite to beat Tandberg, and 1-3 favorite to knock him out by the seventh round. Baksi was going into the ring with 6 straight victories (five by knockout), while Tandberg had been fighting only since 1943, and only against local fighters. Then, in what the New York Times reported as the greatest upset in years, Baksi lost a split decision. Even Tandberg was surprised, saying after the fight "I didn't believe I had won the fight. I thought I was too much on the defensive in the closing rounds." "

 

Background for the Oma and Savold wins

Woodcock had previously been involved in an even more controversial affair,described by Reg Gutteridge as an out and out scandal.Oma was said to have strong underworld connections through hismanager Willie ketchum and wasa confidant of Frankie Carbma who hada prisonrecord ,didlittle trasnig for the fight staying up well inotthe early hours and doing thre round os the London night club scene with ketchumand two lady friends.
There were rumours and finally allegations that Oma had been offered big money to take a dive.
In the fight Oma was strangely lethargic and hardly threw a worthwhile punch for 3 rounds,as the cautious woodcock ,whose jaw had been broken by baksi probed ofr an opening with his left hand.
Inhte 4th with the impatient crowd chanting," lie down,lie down",Oma tokk aright to the chin,hardly more thana tp,clasped his stomach and flopped down to be counted out.
When cornerman Jack Gutterige reg's Uncle rushed over to remove his gumshield the American opened his eyes,winked at him and closed them again.
Oma was such a ham actor,there were many laughs and jeers from the audience as he was led from the ring.

Peter Wilson,writing in the Sunday Pictorial,now the Sunday Mirror wrote just three words"Oma? Coma? Aroma?.

Sure enough in later years Oma admitted in an interview with Budd Shulberg that he was to throw the fight in the 6th rd.Oma told Shulberg that try as he might,by sticking out his chin and offering it as a steady target for Woodcock he could not get in harms way.
after being told by his corner to," make a fight of it and make it all look good,"he shook Woodcock in the 3rd with a right to the head and had to hold up the Brit in a clinch,finaly getting fed up with the whole business he went down for the full count in the 4th rd.
The BBBOC withheld Oma's purse.
Peter Wilson wrote an article in1955 stating he believed the fight was fixed and said he ran into Oma in NY where he was working as a bartender in a saloon.Wilson said Oma told him losing to Woodcock was more difficult than winning some of his fights

Savold was managed by Bill Daly close pals with Carbo and Palermo,he was suspended from operating in British boxing in1937 he returned in1948 with Savold to fight Woodcock.Savold had never been dsq'd.In the 4th rd Savold was dsq'd for hitting Woodcock low.In1998 Reg Gutteridge revealed he had been tippd off after the fight that Daly had arranged the foul with Jack Solomons to bring about a return match.The return brought in 50,000 fans to the White City arena. This can all be found inThomas Myler's" Boxing's Hall Of Shame".
Make of it what you will , but it will do for me!

 

Thanks for the info.

I would point out that beating Oma wouldn't be all that impressive regardless. Oma not training and hitting the nightclubs seems to have been his norm and led to a very spotty record. The evidence for a fix in this case seems strong.

The Savold fix story seems rather weak hearsay. Who was it who "tipped off" Gutteridge and how reliable a source was he? I wouldn't dump on Savold for taking part in a fix w/o a bit better evidence. But this "win" on a DQ proves very little anyway. As for Savold never being DQ'd, he fought his other fights in the US where most states have a no-DQ rule. England is far tighter on the rules and handing out DQ's.

Bottom line though is that both Savold and Oma were erratic fighters. Both were beaten twice, for example, by Phil Muscato. And even if on the level, the Savold fight was only a DQ which he reversed with a stoppage.

Just on Oma. A lousy performance was not unusual for him at all. He was 4-7-2 in his last 13 fights coming into the Woodcock fight. While there is evidence of a fix coming from Oma himself, there is nothing at all surprising about Woodcock winning.

There is also a long film of Woodcock against Lesnevich on you tube. Woodcock doesn't look that bad against Lesnevich and puts him down for the count, the only time I think Lesnevich was ever counted out. That fight certainly looks on the level.

 

Great footage. Baksi seemed like a real tough guy with an educated attack. Woodcock needed to learn to avoid that left. At least keep his right high.

 

I recommend watching the Woodcock-Lesnevich fight on you tube. I would be interested in your reaction.

Mine is it is certainly on the level, and Woodcock looks pretty good, but a level down from the top men of the era.

 

I've never thought the Lesnevich fight was a fix Lesnevich had been inactive for over 2 years ,coming back in46 he wasn't the same fighter He avoided the better challengers for a "cash out," with Mills ,imo. Oma stopped him in 4.The fact that a "gone back" Gus still beat Mauriello makes a strong case for Suzie's argument about Ray over Tami!

 

OK, I can park a question mark next to that one, based on what you have presented.