Boxing in The 1950s - 1950

1950

• January 16- In the first world title fight of the decade, Willie Pep retains his world Featherweight title, with a fifth round knockout of Charley Riley, St. Louis.
• January 24- Joey Maxim wins the world Light Heavyweight title with a tenth round knockout over Freddie Mills, London.
• March 24- In the closest Rocky Marciano was probably ever to being defeated, he squeezes by a ten round split decision win over Roland La Starza in New York.
• April 25- Terry Allen of England wins the vacant world Flyweight title with a fifteen round decision over Honore Pratesi, in London.
• May 31- Vic Toweel becomes South Africa's first world boxing champion, outpointing world Bantamweight champion Manuel Ortiz over fifteen rounds, in Johannesburg, South Africa.
• August 25- Sugar Ray Robinson defends his Pennsylvania version of the world Middleweight title (Jake LaMotta was the universally recognized world champion) by knocking out Jose Basora in 48 seconds, a record for a championship fight that stood for 37 years, in Scranton.
• September 8- Willie Pep and Sandy Saddler fight their third of four fights against each other: Saddler regains the world Featherweight title with an eighth round knockout, Yankee Stadium, New York.
• September 13- Jake LaMotta, behind on all three judges' scorecards, scores a knockout in the fifteenth and last round, retaining his world Middleweight title against Laurent Dauthiulle, Detroit.
• September 27- Ezzard Charles retains his world Heavyweight title with a fifteen round unanimous decision over former world champion Joe Louis, New York. It shall be said that, although Charles was officially the world Heavyweight champion since June 21, 1949, many fans still viewed Louis, for sentimental reasons more than anything else, as the real world Heavyweight champion. Charles was recognized universally after defeating Louis.