Philly Boxing History

JANUARY 25, 1944

BOBCAT KOs WILLIAMS

Ring greats Bob Montgomery and Ike Williams fought the first of their two classic battles on this day in 1944. To the delight of Philly fight fans, the rivalry between the two was a bitter one.

Montgomery won this first match by KO in round twelve at Philly's Convention Hall. After leading throughout the entire scheduled 12-rounder,  Montgomery cracked Williams with a hard right hand in the last round that knocked Ike face-first through the ring ropes. He was counted out - half in the ring and half out - by referee Ernie Sesto. The win was not only for the sport of it. No; Montgomery was seeking retribution for the beating that Williams had recently dished out to Johnny Hutchinson, one of Bob's best friends. "I wanted to do it for Johnny. Williams gave my old friend Hutchinson the same kind of beating and knocked him out two months ago."

Three years later, still seething from his loss in the first fight, Williams exacted a brutal revenge, whipping the Philadelphia Bobcat in six nasty rounds at Municipal Stadium, taking the lightweight crown in the process. 

  1945 - Johnny Forte W6 Red Schultz at Philadelphia, PA

HOME

CALENDAR