Are There Any Examples of a Champion Losing a Title in a No Decision Fight?

[Bundana]

In this context Al McCoy, the former middleweight champ, is an interesting name... as he both won and lost his world title in scheduled ND fights!

As has already been mentioned, at that time a champion lost his title if he was knocked out by an opponent, who happened to weigh inside the division limit - even if it was originally supposed to be just an ordinary ND 10 (or less) rounder.

McCoy was one of the poorer middleweight champions, but he had a solid punch - with which he upset George Chip in the 1st round of a 10 round ND fight, to take over Chip's title claim in 1914. On BoxRec it says, that McCoy's claim wasn't widely recognized - but today most historians believe his championship reign began with the Chip fight.

Despite numerous defeats over the next 3 years, thanks to the ND rule he held on to the the title - until he was dethroned in 1917 via 6th round ko against Mike O'Dowd, in another ND fight scheduled for 10 rounds.

[travestyny]

In this context Al McCoy, the former middleweight champ, is an interesting name... as he both won and lost his world title in scheduled ND fights!

As has already been mentioned, at that time a champion lost his title if he was knocked out by an opponent, who happened to weigh inside the division limit - even if it was originally supposed to be just an ordinary ND 10 (or less) rounder.

McCoy was one of the poorer middleweight champions, but he had a solid punch - with which he upset George Chip in the 1st round of a 10 round ND fight, to take over Chip's title claim in 1914. On BoxRec it says, that McCoy's claim wasn't widely recognized - but today most historians believe his championship reign began with the Chip fight.

Despite numerous defeats over the next 3 years, thanks to the ND rule he held on to the the title - until he was dethroned in 1917 via 6th round ko against Mike O'Dowd, in another ND fight scheduled for 10 rounds.

Wow. I really didn't know if there would be any more examples and you found two. You guys' boxing knowledge is astounding to me! Cool stuff!

[Anthony342]

What are no decision fights? Guys just fight until there's a knockout or is that what they used to call exhibitions?

[travestyny]

What are no decision fights? Guys just fight until there's a knockout or is that what they used to call exhibitions?

Yea, it's termed as exhibitions because the laws prevented fights that had decisions. So what would happen is they'd give a certain number of rounds (usually 10) and there wouldn't be a winner declared unless there was a knockout, but to get around this, the newspapers began giving their own decisions. That's why we have newspaper decisions.

I think the idea was that done that way, it would prevent ******** on fights.

[Willie Pep 229]

Yea, it's termed as exhibitions because the laws prevented fights that had decisions. So what would happen is they'd give a certain number of rounds (usually 10) and there wouldn't be a winner declared unless there was a knockout, but to get around this, the newspapers began giving their own decisions. That's why we have newspaper decisions.

I think the idea was that done that way, it would prevent ******** on fights.

You can't stop the ********; bookmakers would declare to the gamblers which newspaper the bets would be settled on and there was always the possibility of a crooked sports writer. (Which might explain some of the inconsistent NWS decisions.)

I think they stumbled into the entire paradox one step/fight at a time. Almost every State made prize fighting illegal but the new Athletic Clubs of the late 19th century were filled with very powerful men - the MQ rules created "boxing" and they forced the modern rules onto the sport mixing prize fighting with boxing and using the MQ rules as a roost of "athleticism." But I think the key is that these men were the same men who made up the legislators, governors, police chiefs, ETC.

That's why the whole thing at times looks like an obvious scam and they still got away with it. As I posted before the Olympic Athletic Club of New Orleans (sometimes ID as the Pelican Athletic Club) got around the Sullivan-Corbett fight by calling it a "Boxing Exhibition to the finish." That don't make no sense.

[travestyny]

You can't stop the ********; bookmakers would declare to the gamblers which newspaper the bets would be settled on and there was always the possibility of a crooked sports writer. (Which might explain some of the inconsistent NWS decisions.)

I think they stumbled into the entire paradox one step/fight at a time. Almost every State made prize fighting illegal but the new Athletic Clubs of the late 19th century were filled with very powerful men - the MQ rules created "boxing" and they forced the modern rules onto the sport mixing prize fighting with boxing and using the MQ rules as a roost of "athleticism." But I think the key is that these men were the same men who made up the legislators, governors, police chiefs, ETC.

That's why the whole thing at times looks like an obvious scam and they still got away with it. As I posted before the Olympic Athletic Club of New Orleans (sometimes ID as the Pelican Athletic Club) got around the Sullivan-Corbett fight by calling it a "Boxing Exhibition to the finish." That don't make no sense.

Right. People would just wait until the newspapers chose the next day. A valiant effort I suppose lol

I didn't even think about how funny that sounds until you emphasized it again. Boxing exhibition...to the finish. It's almost like..."tickle fight....to the death!"