Is it Possible that Jimmy Bivins...

He dropped one back to Lee Q Murray in 1943, it was a horrendous decision. Highway Robbery. Lee Q Murray was a fantastic fighter during the 1940s, highly underrated.

 

I wouldn't say he was the best but what a run, at one point the #1 HW and LHW in the world.

As far Bivins slipping in 46...this is what we have to go on. .

"Lee Q. Murray, South Norwalk, Conn., ran his comeback victory string to 12 last night by winning an unanimous 10 round decision over Cleveland's Jimmy Bivins. Murray, 6'4", made good use of his height, weight and reach and had little trouble hitting Bivins, who was a slow moving target compared with his early days. Bivins tried to make it a close-in scrap, but for the most part, Murray held him off with a long left while piling rights to the Cleveland lad's face and mid-section. There was nothing resembling a knockdown, but both fighters were shaken several times. Bivins bled at the nose and mouth for the last six rounds." -Associated Press


He was still no doubt a fantastic fighter and even well past his prime was still regularly upsetting contenders and getting back into the mix.

And that first Bivins/Walcott was said to be pretty close. If it wasn't for a knockdown, Bivins came close to stealing it.

The official scoring was 6-4 for Bivins 9-1 for Walcott, and 5-4-1 for Bivins but the official with that scorecard gave the decision to Walcott because of the knockdown.

 

Doesn't seem like it was that close



"Jimmy Bivins, the Cleveland-California heavyweight with ambitions of meeting the winner of the Louis-Conn title bout, saw his dreams explode today after a disastrous loss to Jersey Joe Walcott in a 10 round attraction in the Cleveland arena last night. Bivins, without question, lost the first four rounds, but rallied to win the fifth with a series of telling lefts and rights which had the cagey Walcott reeling for a time. After the between rounds rest however, Walcott came back to score impressively in each of the concluding rounds. Early in the seventh, he cut loose with a series of right and left jabs which crashed Bivins to the canvas for a count of eight. Both judges voted in favor of the Camden, N.J. oldster, but Referee Jackie Davis of Cleveland, turned in his ballot for Bivins." -International News Service

 

1943-12-01

"Jimmy Bivins, Cleveland, ranked by the NBA as the country's top active heavyweight, was awarded a thunderously booed 10 round decision over Lee Q. Murray of South Norwalk, Conn., at the Arena Wednesday night. The decision of Referee Jackie Davis and Judges Jim Parker and Herb Williams was unanimous, but the record crowd of 14,500 greeted the decision with almost solid disapproval and continued booing for more than 10 minutes after the decision was announced. Bivins' face was a mass of blod at the finish and referee Jackie Davis' shirt was drenched in gore from a deep cut which Murray opened above Bivins' left eye in the 6th stanza." -Associated Press
Unofficial AP scorecard - 6-3-1 Murray


Looks like Lee Q Murray bested Bivins in 1943 as well

 

Hey 'Goose. Perhaps they are referring to the days when he was smaller and lighter rather than implying that he was somehow over the hill. He fought many fights in the middleweight and light-heavyweight range. So naturally he would be slower when he hit the 190 lb mark.

The only guys who were beating Bivins at this time were the absolute top men (and Murray was one of the best, believe me). That can't really be pointed at as a sign of slippage.

Cheers

 

Regardless, if it wasn't for the knockdown Bivins would have took a split decision or maybe forced a draw..depending on what round the judge had even.

 

Or when Bivins scored a convincing win over Murray in 44 before having to take a year off to serve in the military?

I would say its more likely they are referencing pre-military layoff Bivins as oppossed to his distant middleweight days.

Though he remained great, Bivins certainly seems to start dropping off when he returned from the War. Worth more research I think.

 

Not sure the relevance. Bivins came back in the next fight to beat Murray convincingly by most accounts before joining the war effort.