Boxing in The 1940s - 1948

1948

• February 20- Tragedy strikes, as Ezzard Charles defeats Sam Baroudi in Chicago, by a knockout in round ten. Baroudi died as a consequence of the blows suffered, on February 21.
• March 5- In their rematch, world Light-Heavyweight champion Gus Lesvenich retains the title with a first round knockout over Billy Fox, at New York.
• March 23- Rinty Monaghan unifies the world's Flyweight title with a seventh round knockout win over Jackie Patterson in Belfast, Northern Ireland, then gets accidentally knocked out himself by a well wisher during the ensuing party.
• June 10- The final chapter of the Zale-Graziano trilogy, as Tony Zale defeats Rocky Graziano by knockout in round three to regain the world's Middleweight title, in Newark.
• June 25- Joe Louis retains his world Heavyweight title for the twenty-fifth and final time, this time knocking out Jersey Joe Walcott in round eleven of their New York rematch. Louis would retire, officially leaving the title, in 1949. His twenty five title defenses are a record for any division in boxing.
• July 11- Ike Williams retains the world Lightweight title with a sixth round knockout over former two time world champion Beau Jack, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
• July 26- Freddie Mills outpoints Gus Lesvenich over fifteen rounds in London, to win the world's Light-Heavyweight title.
• September 23- Marcel Cerdan conquers the world Middleweight title with a twelfth round knockout win over Tony Zale, in Jersey City.
• October 29- In the first fight of their notorious boxing rivalry, Sandy Saddler conquers the world Featherweight title, defeating Willie Pep by a fourth round knockout, in New York.