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The Cyber Boxing Zone Encyclopedia -- Lineal Champion |
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Jackie "Kid" Berg
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BORN | June 28 1909; London, England |
DIED | April 22 1991; London, England |
HEIGHT | 5-9 |
WEIGHT | 133-148 lbs |
MANAGERS | Harry Levine, Frank Jacobs, Sol Gold |
TRAINER | Ray Arcel |
Berg was a fighter who was full of energy; He was not a power hitter but was a non-stop puncher; He lost only 26 of 192 bouts and scored 61 knockouts; During his career, he won the NBA Light Welterweight Championship of the World, the BBBC Lightweight Championship of Great Britain and the Welterweight Championship of Bermuda
Jackie defeated such men as Tony Canzoneri, Mushy Callahan, Andre Routis, Kid Chocolate, Tippy Larkin, Billy Petrolle, Bruce Flowers, Andre Routis, James "Spug" Myers, Harry Mason, Jake Kilrain, Alby Day, Len Wickwar, George Rose, Jimmy McNamara, Tony Herrera, Joe Glick, Buster Brown, Eric Boon, Alf Mancini, Harry Mizler and Pedro Amador
Herb Goldman ranked Berg as the #19 All-Time Lightweight; The "Kid" was inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 1989, the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 1993 and the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1994
Jackie "Kid" Berg
For most of it's truncated existence, the Junior Welterweight division has been one of the most maligned in boxing. At the same time, in it's ranks of champions there are some of the most storied names in boxing's history: Canzoneri, Ross, Ortiz, Loi, Loche, Cervantes, Benitez, Pryor & Chavez. All of them are current hall of famer's; or will be.There is one more storied name to place on that list: The one, the only . . . "Whitechapel Whirlwind," boxing immortal, Jackie "Kid" Berg. Berg, born Judah Bergman, was a Cockney Jew from East London who exploded upon the American boxing scene against the very tough top ten contender, Pedro Amador (W-10), in Chicago, on May 31, 1928. This was considered a real upset as British fighters (as they are to this day), were considered little more than cannon fodder for their much tougher Yankee foes. The Chicago fight fans had expected your typical British fighter: stand up classic stance, no upper body movement & a chin made out of the tenderest of porcelains. . . Instead they saw a whirling dervish who threw punches from every conceivable angle at a work rate which legendary trainer, Ray Arcel said exceeded even Greb's & Armstrong's.
Jackie followed this bout with wins over Johnny Mellow & Freddie Meuller (W-10). Berg won his next four fights in rapid succession & was then matched with "The Fargo Express", fellow future hall of famer, Billy Petrolle. Petrolle is pretty much forgotten today, but along with Charley Burley he has to be ranked as one of the two greatest fighters to have never won a title. Jackie firmly established his bona fides by fighting to a furious draw with the great "Fargo Express", on July 26th, who at that time was at the peak of his outstanding career. In a rematch with Billy (August 24th), he didn't fare very well. Petrolle caught him on a bad night & brutalized him with eleven knockdowns before he finally starched him in the 5th round. This was the "Kid's" first KO loss in 70 fights. In October, Berg returned against Spug Myers & was the victim of a horrendous low blow & won on a foul (W-F3).
Depressed & very sore in his nether regions, Berg returned to London to lick his wounds. By December 6th he had recovered enough to win the British Lightweight title from Alf Mancini (W-15).
Berg started off 1929 with wins over Lucien Vinez (January 12-W-15) & a rematch with Mancini on February 12 (W-15). Jackie actually took a three month break from fighting before he returned to the States & beat top ten ranked lightweight contender Bruce Flowers twice, both by ten round decision on May 10th & 23rd.
Berg fought the rest of the year in New York City with one excursion to Chicago. Out of his 17 fights that year, all against top of the line fighters he won all of them with the exception of one draw against the rugged Stanislaus Loaysa.
1930 was the high water mark of the Whitechapel Whirlwind's career. He began the year with a bang, out pointing the immortal Tony Canzoneri on January 16 (W-10), in which he dealt Tony one of his most ferocious beatings. He followed that up with a rematch against Mushy Callahan who he had decisioned the year before in a non-title match (W-10), with a KO in the 10th, for the Jr. Welter title in London on February 18th.
Jackie's goal had always been the lightweight championship & he devoted the rest of 1930 to cleaning out the lightweight division in hopes of a shot at the (then) more legitimate lightweight crown. In the nine non-title bouts he engaged in the rest of the year, all against top 5 lightweight contenders he won them all. . . The highlight victory's were against nemesis Billy Petrolle (W-10) & the ending of another all-time great's winning streak, Kid Chocolate at 66 bouts (W-10). Chocolate was one of the greatest fighters to ever lace up the gloves-as amazing a phenom as the modern day Roy Jones Jr. & Berg's defeat of the "Kid" sent shock waves thru boxing's cogneseti .
At that point Berg was considered among the five best pound-for-pound fighters in the world & on April 24th 1931 he was granted a shot at Tony Canzoneri's lightweight title. Unfortunately . . . this is were the worm turned for Jackie. Canzoneri beat the crap outta Berg & flattened him in 3. Canzoneri also claimed Berg's Junior Welterweight title as both were under 140 pounds. Berg was given a rematch five months later in Madison Square Garden. In a foul-infested bout in which Berg suffered at least three severe low blows, two knockdowns & a terrible gash below the eye, Canzoneri battered him enough too retain his titles by unanimous decision (W-15).
Even though Berg fought on for another decade that was the end of his career as a prime-time performer. Jackie, like fellow Jr. Welter champ Aaron Pryor; was one of those gifted athletes that was destined to blaze hotly like a comet streaking across the fistic sky's only to burn out suddenly, without warning. . . & leave nothing but the memories of their too-brief past glories.
The Cyber Boxing Zone Bio by GorDoom
© 1999 The Cyber Boxing Zone
1924 Jun 8 "Young" Johnnie Gordon London, England TK 8 Jul 7 Charlie Harwood London, England TK 7 Jul 20 Sid Lyons London, England TK 3 Aug 3 Billy Clarke London, England D 10 Aug 21 Billy Clarke London, England W 10 Sep 21 Teddy Pullen London, England KO 1 Oct 2 Jimmy Wooder London, England D 10 Oct 16 Albert Hicks London, England W 10 Nov 3 Sam "Young" Clancy London, England W 15 Nov 10 Jimmy Wooder London, England W 10 Nov 20 Harry Miller London, England TK 6 Nov 27 Fred Patten London, England W 15 Dec 7 Teddy Shepherd London, England TK 9 Dec 11 Bert Saunders London, England TK 14 -Some sources report "Fred Saunders" Dec 15 Arthur Lloyd London, England W 10 Dec 26 Billy Colebourne London, England TK 6 1925 Jan 8 Albert Colcombe London, England TK 13 Jan 26 Billy Streets London, England W 15 Feb 9 Arthur Lloyd London, England W 15 Feb 26 Billy Streets London, England TK 9 Mar 12 Johnny Cuthbert London, England L 15 Apr 6 Sid Carter London, England W 15 Apr 19 George Davis London, England WF 6 May 21 Kid Lewis London, England TK 10 Jun 7 Billy Sheppard London, England TK 13 Jun 18 Johnny Cuthbert London, England L 15 Jun 28 Jack Slattery London, England TK 9 Jul 16 Joe Samuels London, England TK 15 Jul 26 George Green London, England TK 11 Aug 6 Fred Green London, England W 15 Aug 20 Fred Green London, England W 15 Aug 30 Johnny Britton London, England W 15 Sep 10 Norm Radford London, England KO 14 Oct 15 Johnny Cuthbert London, England TK 11 Oct 29 Johnny Curley London, England W 15 Nov 12 Ernie Swash London, England WF 2 Nov 26 Battling van Dijk London, England W 15 1926 Feb 11 Harry Corbett London, England L 15 Mar 18 Andre Routis London, England W 15 Apr 26 Harry Corbett London, England D 15 May 16 Mick Hill London, England W 15 Jun 21 Andre Routis London, England WF 3 Jul 8 Henri Hebrans London, England TK 5 Jul 29 Paul Gay London, England TK 6 Aug 29 Harry Corbett London, England W 15 Oct 10 Phil Bond London, England W 15 Nov 21 Billy Gilmore London, England TK 8 Dec 19 Omar Saerens London, England WF 9 1927 Jan 13 Walter Wright London, England TK 2 Jan 23 Joe Clares London, England W 15 Feb 27 Paul Fritsch London, England TK 8 Apr 21 Alf Simmons London, England WF 8 May 29 Bob Miller London, England TK 6 Sep 18 Robert Sirvain London, England TK 6 Sep 29 Jackie Kirk London, England KO 13 Oct 11 Raymond Jansen London, England WF 7 Nov 7 Vittorio Venturi London, England W 10 Dec 4 Lucien Vinez London, England W 15 1928 Feb 27 Jack Donn London, England WF 10 May 31 Pedro Amador Chicago, Il W 10 Jun 7 Johnny Mellow Detroit, Mi W 6 -Some sources report "W 10" Jun 14 Freddie Mueller Chicago, Il W 10 Jul 12 Mike Watters Chicago, Il TK 9 Jul 26 Billy Petrolle Chicago, Il D 10 Aug 24 Billy Petrolle Chicago, Il LT 5 Oct 8 James "Spug" Myers Chicago, Il WF 3 Dec 6 Alf Mancini London, England W 15 1929 Jan 12 Lucien Vinez London, England W 15 May 10 Bruce Flowers New York, NY W 10 May 23 Bruce Flowers New York, NY W 10 Jun 11 Stanislaus Loayza Long Island City, NY D 10 Jul 12 Herman Perlick Chicago, Il W 10 Jul 24 Mushy Callahan Brooklyn, NY W 10 Aug 5 Joe Trabon Woodhaven, NY TK 5 Aug 19 Harry Wallace Woodhaven, NY TK 9 Aug 29 James "Spug" Myers New York, NY W 10 Sep 16 Georgie Balduc Woodhaven, NY WF 2 Sep 30 Phil McGraw New York, NY W 10 Oct 21 Bruce Flowers New York, NY W 10 Nov 2 Tommy Gerval New York, NY KO 2 Nov 18 Eddie Elkins New York, NY W 10 Nov 30 Artie DeLuca Brooklyn, NY W 6 Dec 18 Tony Caragliano Bronx, NY WF 2 1930 Jan 17 Tony Canzoneri New York, NY W 10 -Some sources report 1/16/30 Feb 18 Mushy Callahan London, England TK 10 -NBA Light Welterweight Championship of the World Apr 4 Joe Glick New York, NY W 10 -NBA Light Welterweight Championship of the World Apr 7 Jackie Phillips Toronto, Ont, Canada W 10 May 29 Al Delmont Newark, NJ TK 4 -NBA Light Welterweight Championship of the World Jun 11 Herman Perlick Long Island City, NY W 10 Jul 10 Henry Perlick Newark, NJ W 10 Aug 7 Kid Chocolate New York, NY W 10 Sep 3 Buster Brown Newark, NJ W 10 -NBA Light Welterweight Championship of the World Sep 16 Joe Glick Long Island City, NY SCH -This bout was scheduled but postponed due to rain Sep 18 Joe Glick Long Island City, NY W 10 Oct 10 Billy Petrolle New York, NY W 10 1931 Jan 23 William "Goldie" Hess Chicago, Il W 10 -NBA Light Welterweight Championship of the World Jan 30 Herman Perlick New York, NY W 10 -NBA Light Welterweight Championship of the World Apr 10 Billy Wallace Detroit, Mi W 10 -NBA Light Welterweight Championship of the World Apr 24 Tony Canzoneri Chicago, Il LK 3 -Light Welterweight Championship of the World; Lightweight Championship of the World; Berg claimed that titles at different weights could not be contested in the same bout and still claimed the Light Welterweight Championship May 8 Tony Herrera New York, NY W 10 May 18 Ray Kiser North Braddock, Pa W 10 Jun 22 Tony Lambert Newark, NJ TK 4 -Some sources report "TK 8" Jul 24 Teddy Watson Jersey City, NJ KO 7 Jul 27 Philly Griffin Newark, NJ W 10 Aug 4 Jimmy McNamara Long Island City, NY W 10 Sep 10 Tony Canzoneri New York, NY L 15 -Light Welterweight Championship of the World; Lightweight Championship of the World Dec 14 Marius Baudry London, England TK 5 1932 Mar 21 Buster Brown New York, NY W 10 Apr 1 Sammy Fuller New York, NY D 10 May 20 Sammy Fuller New York, NY L 12 -Some sources report NBA Light Welterweight Championship of the World Jun 29 Mike Sarko Long Beach, NY W 6 -Some sources report "New York, NY" Jul 18 Kid Chocolate Long Island City, NY W 15 1933 Apr 27 Cleto Locatelli London, England L 10 May 28 Louis Saerens London, England KO 4 Jul 8 George Rose Swansea, Wales TK 5 -Some sources report "Cardiff, Wales" Jul 14 Eugene Drouhin London, England TK 8 Oct 7 Harry Wallace Brooklyn, NY TK 4 -Some sources report 9/30/33 Oct 19 Tony Falco Brooklyn, NY L 10 1934 Jan 12 Cleto Locatelli New York, NY L 10 Apr 14 Jackie Flynn London, England W 10 May 12 Len Wickwar Leicester, England WF 6 -Some sources report "TK 6" May 31 Jimmy Stewart Liverpool, England LT 3 -Some sources report 5/29/34 Jul 10 Joe Kerr Liverpool, England TK 6 Aug 19 Nicolas Wilke London, England TK 9 Oct 29 Harry Mizler London, England TK 10 -BBBC Lightweight Championship of Great Britain Dec 2 Alfred Bastin London, England TK 4 1935 Jan 21 Gustave Humery London, England TK 8 Feb 25 Gustave Humery Paris, France L 10 Apr 1 Gustave Humery London, England L 10 May 19 Harry Brown London, England KO 3 Oct 21 Peter McKinley London, England W 10 Nov 14 Pat Butler London, England TK 4 1936 Jan 11 Laurie Stevens Johannesburg, Transvaal, SAfrica L 12 -Lightweight Championship of the British Empire (Commonwealth) Apr 24 Jimmy Walsh Liverpool, England LT 9 -BBBC Lightweight Championship of Great Britain Jul 22 Aldo Spoldi Brooklyn, NY LT 2 1937 Jan 24 Ivor Pickens London, England W 10 Feb 7 Pat Haley London, England WF 10 Feb 11 George "Panther" Purchase London, England TK 12 -Some sources report "W 12" Feb 21 Harry Mason London, England TK 3 -Some sources report "W 10" Mar 22 Louis Saerens Bristol, England D 10 Apr 11 Pat Haley London, England TK 9 -Some sources report "W 10" May 6 Alby Day London, England W 10 Aug 14 Jack Lewis Poole, England D 10 Oct 4 Jake Kilrain London, England TK 5 -Some sources report "W 10" Nov 1 George Odwell London, England LT 7 -Some sources report "L 10" Dec 6 Charlie Chetwin Manchester, England TK 5 -Some sources report "W 10" Dec 13 Leo Phillips Birmingham, England W 10 1938 Feb 19 Silvio Zangrillo Brooklyn, NY TK 4 -Some sources report "KO 8" on 2/10/38 Mar 5 Larry Anzalone Brooklyn, NY W 8 Mar 15 Vince Pimpinella Brooklyn, NY W 10 Mar 29 Frankie Wallace Brooklyn, NY W 8 Apr 9 Johnny Horstmann Brooklyn, NY W 8 May 3 Ray Napolitano Brooklyn, NY W 8 Jun 7 Johnny McHale Brooklyn, NY W 8 Jun 15 Agustin "Augie" Arellano Long Island City, NY D 8 Jun 30 Johnny Horstmann Woodhaven, NY W 8 Jul 12 Johnny McHale Brooklyn, NY W 8 Jul 25 Freddie "Red" Cochrane Newark, NJ L 10 Aug 5 Pete Caracciola Brooklyn, NY W 8 Oct 11 Johnny McHale Brooklyn, NY W 8 Oct 25 Joey Greb Bronx, NY W 8 Nov 22 Frankie Cavanna Brooklyn, NY W 8 1939 Feb 3 Quentin "Baby" Breese Hollywood, Ca L 10 Mar 10 Pedro Montanez New York, NY LK 5 Apr 4 Pete Galiano Brooklyn, NY W 8 Apr 10 Marine Bunker Hamilton, Bermuda TK 9 -Welterweight Championship of Bermuda; Some sources report 4/11/39 Jun 6 Tippy Larkin Garfield, NJ W 10 Jun 26 Milt Aron Chicago, Il LT 6 Jun 30 Mike Piskin Long Branch, NJ L 10 Jul 11 Johnny Rohrig Garfield, NJ W 10 Aug 1 Joey Greb Garfield, NJ W 8 Oct 12 Paddy Roche Southampton, England W 10 Nov 30 Paddy Roche Nottingham, England KO 5 1940 Jan 25 Harry Davis London, England W 10 Feb 5 George Reynolds Bristol, England W 10 Feb 29 Eddie Ryan London, England WF 6 Mar 8 Paddy Roche Dublin, Ireland TK 4 Mar 10 Dick Bradshaw London, England TK 3 Apr 4 Harry Davis London, England TK 8 1941 Jan 20 Harry Craster London, England W 10 Feb 20 Harry Charman London, England W 6 Feb 27 Harry Mizler London, England W 10 Apr 21 Eric Boon London, England WF 2 Jun 12 Ernie Roderick London, England L 10 -Some sources report 5/30/41 Jul 24 Arthur Danahar London, England LT 5 Nov 2 George Odwell London, England L 10 Nov 24 Joe Connolly Leeds, England TK 8 1942 Feb 5 Paddy Roche Newcastle, England TK 4 Mar 12 Joe Connolly Glasgow, Scotland TK 41943 May 22 Gordon Woodhouse Handcross, England L 6 1945 Mar 1 Eric Dolby London, England KO 4 Mar 8 Jimmy Brunt London, England W 8 May 19 Johnny MacDonald Coventry, England KO 5
Record courtesy of Tracy Callis, Historian, International Boxing Research Organization