Boxing in The 1930s - 1939

1939

• January 10- Henry Armstrong begins what would be a run of 90 successful title defenses of his world Welterweight title in the same year, defeating Baby Arizmendi by a ten round decision, in Los Angeles.
• January 25- Joe Louis retains the world Heavyweight title with a first round knockout of world Light-Heavyweight champion John Henry Lewis in the first round, in New York. It would be Lewis; last career fight, as it was later discovered that he had been fighting while suffering cataracts since 1936.
• April 1- Sixto Escobar defeats KO Morgan by a fifteen round decision to retain the world Bantamweight title, in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
• June 28- Joe Louis recovers from a third round knockdown and retains his world Heavyweight title, knocking out Tony Galento in round four, at New York.
• July 13- Billy Conn defeats Melio Bettina by decision in fifteen rounds to win the vacant world Light-Heavyweight title, in Pittsburgh.
• August 21- Lou Ambers defeats Henry Armstrong to regain the world Lightweight title, with a fifteen round unanimous decision, at New York.
• October 2- Ceferino Garcia wins the world Middleweight title, knocking out Fred Apostoli in seven rounds, at New York.
• November 17- Billy Conn retains the world Light-Heavyweight championship with a fifteen round decision over Gus Lesvenich, in New York.
• December 11- Henry Armstrong defends his world Welterweight title for the eleventh time in 1939, defeating Jimmy Garrison by a knockout in round seven, at Cleveland. decides to retire