Boxing in The 1950s - 1959

1959

• March 12- In the first world Jr. Welterweight title bout contested since 1946, Carlos Ortiz becomes Puerto Rico's second world champion boxer, knocking out Kenny Lane in two rounds to win the vacant world title, at New York.
• March 18- Davey Moore wins the world Featherweight title, knocking out Hogan Bassey, at Los Angeles in round fourteen.
• April 15- Sonny Liston keeps his climb among challengers in the Heavyweight division by knocking out Cleveland Williams in the third round, at Miami Beach.
• April 24- Don Jordan retains his world Welterweight championship, after spraining his right hand, with a fifteen round unanimous decision over former world champion Virgil Akins at their St. Louis rematch.
• June 26- In the first of their three fights, Ingemar Johansson becomes the world Heavyweight champion, by knocking out Floyd Patterson in round three, at New York.
• July 20- In the first bout for the world Jr. Lightweight title since 1949, Harold Gomes of Rhode Island wins the vacant title by decisioning Paul Jorgensen over fifteen rounds at Providence.
• August 12- In a rematch of their 1958 bout, Archie Moore retains his world Light Heavyweight championship, with a three round knockout win of Yvon Durelle, in Montreal, Canada.
• August 28- Gene Fullmer wins the National Boxing Association's world Middleweight title, after the division had been vacated by Sugar Ray Robinson's retirement, with a fourteenth round knockout over Carmen Basilio, at San Francisco.