The Irish Blockbuster | Boxing History & World War II

A black and white photo of a man in shorts.

Fitzie was always a consistent World Ranked Contender in the Light Heavyweight Division.

The picture frame photo shows Fitzie in his prime, as he would stand staring at his opponent before his vicious attack.

When boxing entered World War II, many of our great champions and ex-champions would match up against a very different type of opponent. The war almost stopped boxing in its tracks, as titles were frozen until after the war. Nat Fleischer, owner, and editor of Ring Magazine, stated he would not rank any interim champions. This was a controversial decision, but Nat Fleischer, the ambassador of boxing and Ring Magazine, won the fight.

The 1941 heavyweight title fight against Joe Louis and Billy Conn may have been the main reason Fleischer blocked out top contenders from competing as interim champs. All the big money talk during the war was the rematch fight between Louis and Conn. If an interim champ had been in place, they would have the right to challenge the returning champion. The boxing world wanted the Louis - Conn rematch and the large gate it would generate. Unfortunately, the return of our great champions found them past their prime. With all the build-up and anticipation, the Louis - Conn rematch could not equal the efforts of their first historic fight.

Boxing continued to remain very popular during the war. It was unfortunate top contenders never had an opportunity for a title fight. Time would erode their prime, removing them from contention. After the post-war boxing boom, a new group of young fighters emerged, replacing our wartime heroes. Who knows what direction the boxing world would have gone if not for World War II?

-Larry C. Burton

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT RANKINGS 1944

1st * Gus Lesnevich * Gus Lesnevich * Gus Lesnevich * Gus Lesnevich * Gus Lesnevich * Gus Lesnevich * Gus Lesnevich * Gus Lesnevich * Gus Lesnevich * Gus Lesnevich * Gus Lesnevich * Gus Lesnevich
2nd Lloyd Marshall Lloyd Marshall Lloyd Marshall Lloyd Marshall Lloyd Marshall Lloyd Marshall Lloyd Marshall Lloyd Marshall Lloyd Marshall Lloyd Marshall Lloyd Marshall Lloyd Marshall
3rd Nate Bolden Alabama Kid Eddie Booker Eddie Booker Alabama Kid Freddie Mills Freddie Mills Alabama Kid Alabama Kid Freddie Mills Bruce Woodcock Eddie Booker
4th Freddie Mills Eddie Booker Freddie Mills Freddie Mills Eddie Booker Eddie Booker Jack McNamara Fitzie Fitzpatrick Fitzie Fitzpatrick Fitzie Fitzpatrick Alabama Kid Bruce Woodcock
5th Alabama Kid Nate Bolden Alabama Kid Alabama Kid Freddie Mills Alabama Kid Jack Johnson Freddie Mills Jack Johnson Bob Garner Jack Johnson Freddie Mills
6th Anton Christofordis Freddie Mills Bob Jacobs Nate Bolden Nate Bolden Tommy Yarosz Fitzie Fitzpatrick Jack Johnson Freddie Mills Jack Johnson Freddie Mills Jack Johnson
7th Johhny Golan Bob Jacobs Nate Bolden Jack McNamee Fitzie Fitzpatrick Fitzie Fitzpatrick Tiger Jack Fox Georgie Kochan Bruce Woodcock Jack McNamee Bob Garner Alabama Kid
8th Jack McNamee Bob Garner Jack Coggins Jack Coggins Bob Garner Bob Garner Bob Garner Bruce Woodcock Ken Overlin Tiger Jack Fox Billy Grant Walter Woods
9th Jack Coggins Jack McNamee Jack Johnson Jack Johnson Bruce Woodcock Bruce Woodcock Billy Brant Ken Overlin Bob Garner George Kochan Watson Jones Fitzie Fitzpatrick
10th Bob Jacobs Jack Coggins Billy Grant Fitzie Fitzpatrick Jack McNamee Jack McNamee Bruce Woodcock Bob Garner Georgie Kochan Jimmy O'Brien Fitzie Fitzpatrick Watson Jones
11th Herb Marshall Billy Grant Jack McNamee Bruce Woodcock Tommy Yarosz Nate Bolden Tommy Yarosz Tiger Jack Fox Billy Grant Bruce Woodcock Walter Woods Ken Overlin

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT RANKINGS 1945

1st * Gus Lesnevich * Gus Lesnevich * Gus Lesnevich * Gus Lesnevich * Gus Lesnevich * Gus Lesnevich * Gus Lesnevich * Gus Lesnevich * Gus Lesnevich * Gus Lesnevich * Gus Lesnevich * Gus Lesnevich
2nd Lloyd Marshall Lloyd Marshall Lloyd Marshall Lloyd Marshall Lloyd Marshall Archie Moore Archie Moore Archie Moore Fitzie Fitzpatrick Archie Moore Archie Moore Archie Moore
3rd Jack Johnson Jack Johnson Fitzie Fitzpatrick Archie Moore Archie Moore Lloyd Marshall Fitzie Fitzpatrick Fitzie Fitzpatrick Archie Moore Lloyd Marshall Phil Muscato Lloyd Marshall
4th Bruce Woodcock Fitzie Fitzpatrick Archie Moore Freddie Mills Freddie Mills George Kochan Lloyd Marshall Lloyd Marshall George Kochan Phil Muscato Billy Grant Phil Muscato
5th Fitzie Fitzpatrick Archie Moore Freddie Mills Fitzie Fitzpatrick Nate Bolden Freddie Mills Freddie Mills Freddie Mills Freddie Mills Billy Grant Lloyd Marshall Freddie Mills
6th Walter Woods Bruce Woodcock Nate Bolden Nate Bolden George Kochan Nate Bolden Billy Grant George Kochan Phil Muscato Walter Woods Joe Kahut Joe Kahut
7th Billy Grant Nate Bolden Georgie Kochan Billy Grant Billy Grant Fitzie Fitzpatrick George Kochan Billy Grant Lloyd Marshall Jack Johnson Nate Bolden Herb Narvo
8th Freddie Mills Billy Grant Bruce Woodcock Jack Johnson Fitzie Fitzpatrick Bruce Woodcock Walter Woods Walter Woods Billy Grant Freddie Mills Jack Johnson Billy Fox
9th Archie Moore Freddie Mills Jack Johnson George Kochan Jack Johnson Walter Woods Jack Johnson Phil Muscato Walter Woods Joe Kahut Freddie Mills Nate Bolden
10th Jimmy O'Brien Walter Woods Bob Jacobs Bruce Woodcock Bruce Woodcock Billy Grant Billy Smith Jack Johnson Billy Smith Fitzie Fitzpatrick Billy Smith Jack Johnson
11th Alabama Kid Jimmy O'Brien Billy Grant Buddy Millard Walter Woods Billy Smith Phil Muscato Billy Smith Jack Johnson Billy Smith Fitzie Fitzpatrick Walter Woods
12th Fitzie Fitzpatrick

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT RANKINGS 1946

1st * Gus Lesnevich * Gus Lesnevich * Gus Lesnevich * Gus Lesnevich * Gus Lesnevich * Gus Lesnevich * Gus Lesnevich * Gus Lesnevich * Gus Lesnevich * Gus Lesnevich * Gus Lesnevich * Gus Lesnevich
2nd Archie Moore Archie Moore Archie Moore Archie Moore Archie Moore Ezzard Charles Ezzard Charles Ezzard Charles Ezzard Charles Ezzard Charles Ezzard Charles Ezzard Charles
3rd Lloyd Marshall Lloyd Marshall Lloyd Marshall Freddie Mills Freddie Mills Freddie Mills Freddie Mills Freddie Mills Billy Fox Billy Fox Billy Fox Billy Fox
4th Phil Muscato Billy Fox Billy Fox Billy Smith Billy Smith Billy Smith Tommy Yarosz Tommy Yarosz Archie Moore Archie Moore Jack Chase Archie Moore
5th Nate Bolden Phil Muscato Phil Muscato Billy Fox Billy Fox Billy Fox Joe Kahut Joe Kahut Freddie Mills Freddie Mills Archie Moore Jack Chase
6th Billy Fox Jack Johnson Freddie Mills Billy Grant Ezzard Charle Archie Moore Billy Smith Billy Fox Tommy Yarosz Tommy Yarosz Billy Smith Billy Smith
7th Herb Narvo Walter Woods Billy Grant Lloyd Marshall Joe Kahut Joe Kahut Billy Fox Archie Moore Booker Beckwith Booker Beckwith Tommy Yarosz Booker Beckwith
8th Georgie Kochan Billy Smith Billy Smith Fitzie Fitzpatrick Billy Grant Tommy Yarosz Archie Moore Billy Grant Billy Grant Billy Grant Booker Beckwith Freddie Mills
9th Walter Woods George Kochan Fitzie Fitzpatrick Ezzard Charles Lloyd Marshall Billy Grant Johhny Colan Fitzie Fitzpatrick Costello Cruz Costello Cruz Jonny Colan Lloyd Marshall
10th Fitzie Fitzpatrick Joe Kahut Joe Kahut Joe Kahut Tommy Yarosz Jack Johnson Billy Grant Booker Beckwith Billy Smith Billy Smith Freddie Mills Tommy Yarosz
11th Joe Kahut Nate Bolden Johnny D Brown Walter Woods Walter Woods Fitzie Fitzpatrick Fitzie Fitzpatrick Billy Smith Joe Kahut Jack Chase Billy Grant Johnny Colan
12th Fitzie Fitzpatrick
A man in boxing gloves is standing up

George Kochan

A man in boxing gear is posing for the camera.

Freddie Beshore

A man in boxing gear is standing up

Freddie Mills

A black and white photo of an african american boxer.

Lloyd Marshall

Two boxers in a boxing match, one of them wearing red shorts.

Lesnevich Mauriellio

Two boxers in a boxing ring one of them is falling

Marshall vs. Charles