Fighter of the Year of 1929

Who was, for you, the Fighter of the Year in 1929?

According to Ring Magazine, it was the all time great Tommy Loughran.

Tommy ended the year of 1929 with a year record of 5-1-0;
Although with "only" 6 fights during that year, Tommy Loughran managed to successfully defend the Light Heavyweight Championship of the World twice, against the likes of Mickey Walker and Jim Braddock.
His only loss of the year was to Jack Sharkey for the Heavyweight Championship of America. He also got wins over the tough Ernie Schaaf, Armand Emanuel and against the top contender Joe Lohman (30 days before the World Title Fight against Mickey Walker).

Surely, Tommy Loughran is more than a valid option to be considered the Fighter of the Year of 1929. Nonetheless, let's compare the record of the "Phantom of Philly" to some other fighters' records in that same old and great year of 1929.

"Little Fish" Benny Bass: 20-3-0;
Loss to Henry "K.O" Lenard in St. Louis, Johnny Datto and Davey Abad in a Newspaper decision also in St. Louis. Beat Tod Morgan for the Junior Lightweight Championship of the World. Amassed wins over the likes of Davey Abad twice (the second win in their 3rd and last fight of the year in another Newspaper decision), Red Chapman, Harry Forbes (twice), Armando Santiago (twice), Jimmy Mendo, Benny "Kid" Carter and Charley Goodman.

Freddie Miller: 15-0-0;
Ended the year undefeated. Among others, Freddie achieved wins over the likes of "Midget" Mike O'Dowd (twice), Babe Keller (twice), Steve Smith (twice), Harry Forbes, the tough Cecil Payne and Harry McCarthy.

Young Corbett III: 7-0-1;
Only fight Raffaele didn't won in 1929 was against Pete Meyers, that ended in a draw. He avenged the draw after Meyers achieved a fabulous win by K.O. over the top contender "Sergeant" Sammy Baker. The "southpaw" Young Corbett III, defeated the "Potrero Pole" by decision after 10 rounds in late April. He also amassed wins over the likes of Al Gracio (by stoppage), Bucky Lawless (K.O. in the 1st round), Tommy Elks, Fred "Dummy" Mahan, Al Van Ryan and the incredibly tough Clyde Chastain.
As usual in his career, all fights happened in San Francisco.

Maxie Rosenbloom: 23-2-0;
Only loss to Jimmy Slattery and Fred Lenhart. In a year where "Slapsie Maxie" achieved almost two dozen wins, I highlight his victories over the great Jimmy Slattery (a month and a half before his loss to the great "Slats" himself in their rematch), Jim Braddock, Leo Lomski, Jack McVey, Osk Till, the tough "Cuban" Bobby Brown (twice), the great Charley Belanger, "Tiger" Jack Payne (twice), Leo "One Punch" Williams (twice) and off course, Joe Sekyra, the man that would knockout Kid Alabama twice a few years later, in 1935.

Jackie Fields: 11-0-0-1;
Fields only fight of the year without a win, was the rematch in December 13th against the super tough and top contender William "Gorilla" Jones (crazy name). The bout ended in a controversial NC by the 7th round, declared by the referee Joe O'Connor because Jones was allegedly "not trying". Although Jackie burst into tears in disbelief, the State Boxing Commission withheld both fighters purses and suspended them from fighting in Massachusetts for a year. Fortunately, the ruling was later overturned.
Despite the occurrence in his last fight of the year, Jackie Fields had an extraordinary 1929, defeating "Young" Jack Thompson and Joe Dundee, both for the Welterweight Championship of the World. He also amassed wins over the likes of Jones himself (in their first fight that year in October), the great Vince Dundee, Fred "Dummy" Mahan (K.O. in 2), the tough Clyde Chastain, "Farmer"Joe Cooper (K.O. in 1) and against "Baby" Joe Gans.

Tony Canzoneri: 12-1-0;
The only loss of the year was against the great Sammy Mandell for the Lightweight Championship of the World. Amassed wins over the likes of the great "Cowboy" Eddie Anderson (Newspaper Decision), the great André Routis (against whom, Canzoneri had lost the World Featherweight Title the year before), Eddie "Kid" Wolfe, Cecil Payne, the tough Joey Sangor, Sammy Dorfman, a decision win over the also tough Eddie Mack (that fought with a sprained ankle from round 1) and against Stanislaus "El Tani" Loayza (who got a draw against Jack "Kid" Berg early that year).

Jimmy McLarnin: 6-0-0;
Like Tommy Loughran, Jimmy had "only" 6 fights in 1929. But also like Tommy Loughran, what great fights they were. Jimmy McLarnin amassed wins over the likes of the great Sammy Mandell, "Sergeant" Sammy Baker (K.O. in 1), Joe Glick (twice), Ray Miller and Ruby Goldstein. All top contenders, all great fighters, all fighters that ended their respective careers with extraordinary records.

Kid Chocolate: 23-0-0;
Ended the year undefeated and with almost two dozen wins in the same amount of fights. Achieved victories against the legends Al Singer, Fidel La Barba and Chick Suggs, the last one for the Colored Featherweight Championship of the World. Also amassed wins over the likes of top contenders such as Johnny Vacca, Bushy Graham, Gregorio Vidal, Jackie Johnston (K.O. in 1 ) and Eddie O'Dowd. Another great year for the "Cuban Bon Bon".

Jack "Kid" Berg: 15-0-1;
The only non victory of the year was against "El Tani" Loayza that ended in a draw. Collected 3 wins against the top contender Bruce Flowers. Also got wins over the likes of Lucien Vinez, the top contender Mushy Callahan, the tough "Spug" Myers and Artie DeLuca.
On a side note, Ray Arcel was "Jackie" trainer and Harry Levine worked as his manager.

"Young" Stribling: 18-3-0;
Loss 3 times during the year against the likes of Jack Sharkey, Primo Carnera (by DQ) and Alvin "Babe" Hunt (in the rematch). Achieved wins against the likes of "Babe" Hunt, Joe Sekyra, Tony "Kid Shine" Fuentes, Maurice Griselle and Primo Carnera (also by DQ).
Apart from the fights against Primo Carnera and Griselle that happened in Paris, France, and London, England, all "Young" Stribling fights that year were in the U.S.A.

Sammy Mandell: 11-1-0;
Only loss of the year was against Jimmy McLarnin. Beat Tony Canzoneri in a successful title defense of the Lightweight Championship of the World. Defeated Joe Azzarella by K.O. in the 2nd round.

Louis "Kid" Kaplan: 11-2-0;
Loss by DQ to Freddie Mueller and by decision to Emory Cabana. Got a win over Johnny Jadick and also over tough contenders such as Joe Glick, Eddie "Kid" Wolfe, Joey Medill, Billy Wallace, Henri DeWancker and Andy Callahan. Didn't finished the year before beating Emory Cabana in a rematch.
Another great year by the "Kid", that was already in the late Autumn of his amazing career.

Al Singer: 16-2-0;
Loss to Ignacio Fernandez and to the great Kid Chocolate. Amassed wins against the likes of Charles "Bud" Taylor (twice), André Routis, Carl Duane, Leo "Kid" Roy, Davey Abad and Leonard "Young" Zazzarino.

"Panama" Al Brown: 8-1-0 ( 7-1-0 according to BoxRec because the fight against Francois Biron on March 6th, Paris, France, is not mentioned);
Only loss to Battling Battalino. Defeated Gregorio Vidal for the Bantamweight Championship of the World. Amassed wins against the likes of Knud Larssen (some sources report this win as a successful title defense of the Bantamweight Championship of the World), Domenico Bernasconi, Gustave Humery (in one of the fastest ever KO's in World Boxing History) and Vernon Cormier.
Al Brown fought 9 times in 1929 in 4 different countries (France, Spain, Denmark and in the U.S.A.).

Battling Battalino: 6-0-0;
Ended the year undefeated. Won the Featherweight Championship of the World against André Routis. Defeated "Panama" Al Brown. Got wins over tough contender Tony Leto and also Eddie Lord.

Jimmy Slattery: 7-2-0;
Loss to Jim Braddock (stopped in the 9th) and Maxie Rosenbloom. Avenged the loss to "Slapsie Maxie" in a MD in late November.

Mickey Walker: 3-1-0;
Loss to Tommy Loughran for the Light Heavyweight Championship of the World. Retained the Middleweight Championship of the World in a successful title defense against Ace Hudkins. Defeated the tough Leo Lomski.

Primo Carnera: 11-2-0;
Loss to "Young" Stribling by DQ and to Franz Diener also by DQ. Got a win by DQ against "Young" Stribling and a stoppage victory over Diener in the rematch. Also amassed wins over the likes of Jack Stanley, Moose Bouquillon and Ernst Roesemann.

Jack Sharkey: 3-0-0;
Defeated Tommy Loughran for the Heavyweight Championship of America with a TKO in the 3rd round. Got wins against "Young" Stribling and Meyer "KO" Christner.

Earl Mastro: 11-1-1;
Loss against Billy Shaw in a extremely controversial DQ and draw against Charles "Bud" Taylor in another controversial decision that catched the audience by surprise.
In this great year for this virtually unknown fighter, Mastro amassed wins over the likes of legendary Fidel La Barba, the super tough "Kid" Francis, Eddie Shea, Santiago Zorrilla, the filipino Young Nationalista and Charles "Bud" Taylor in a bloody rematch that had both fighters falling off the ring, with Mastro being the only one that was able to comeback and - by doing so - winning the fight.
Surpisingly, Earl Mastro ended his career in 1932. During his last fight (against Varias Milling), Earl "...walked over to Referee Toby Irwin in the middle of the ninth and said: "I've got enough. Give him the fight" and walked out of the ring". Later in the dressing room, Earl said that he was having problems with his eyes and that he was afraid to go blind and said: "...This is the end of Earl Mastro."

I'm sure that I forgot to mention some names in this thread. May God forgive me if you cannot.


Peace