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During the 1950s, a couple of relatively new developments changed the world: World War II had only been over for five years when the 1950s began, and television was beginning to make a major impact internationally. In boxing, changes connected to these developments could be seen too, as boxers who fought at the 1940s conflict returned to their homes and many of them were back in the ring. Television producers were in love with sports, which provided the viewer with an opportunity to observe sporting events live, and boxing was not the exception to the rule; many television networks began to feature fights live during the weekends, and the ''Gillette Friday Night Fights'' proved to be one of the most popular boxing television series in American history. The dawn of the jet airplane era in 1958 also helped boxing expand worldwide: with airplanes flying faster and more frequently between cities far away from each other, more and more world title fights began to be fought outside the United States. Vic Toweel became South Africa's first world boxing champion, Jimmy Carruthers did the same for Australia, Pascual Pérez was the first from Argentina, Yoshio Shirai (who was beaten by Pérez), won Japan's first world title, and Hogan Bassey won the first belt for Nigeria. Popular American fighters in the 1950s proved legendary: Sugar Ray Robinson would still win (and lose) world titles, Rocky Marciano became the only heavyweight world champion in history to retire with perfect record. Jersey Joe Walcott the oldest heavyweight champion (until George Foreman regained the title in 1994), Archie Moore broke the all-time knockout record as well as the record for the oldest champion, at 48, for ''any'' division, Ezzard Charles proved to be a reliable substitute for Joe Louis as heavyweight champ, and Floyd Patterson emerged as the youngest heavyweight champion in history (coincidentally, he beat Moore for the title left vacant by Marciano). Patterson remained the youngest heavyweight champion in history until November 22, 1986, when a 20-year-old Mike Tyson defeated the 31-year-old WBC Heavyweight Champion Trevor Berbick by TKO in round 2. The dark side of boxing once again emerged: Jake LaMotta alleged at a hearing that he had thrown a fight with Billy Fox in exchange for a try at the world Middleweight title, and Jim Norris, an important promoter of the time, was associated with Blinky Palermo and Frankie Carbo, two Mafia members of the time. ==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 City. *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. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Boxing in the 1950s」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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