77 years ago
Ike Williams vs Bob Montgomery
Date: 4th August 1947
Venue: Municipal Stadium, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Title: World Lightweight Title
Promoter: Herman Taylor
Ike Williams
(
83
-
10
-
4
)
Weight: 133¾ lbs
Bob Montgomery
(
75
-
12
-
3
)
Weight: 133¾ lbs
Philadelphia's Municipal Stadium hosted a highly anticipated lightweight unification bout between Ike Williams and Bob Montgomery on August 4, 1947. This match was not just a championship fight but a grudge match stemming from their previous encounter in 1944 when Montgomery had handed Williams his first stoppage loss.
The fight carried significant weight in the boxing world. It aimed to unify the lightweight title, which had been fragmented since Sammy Angott's brief retirement in 1942. Montgomery held the New York State Athletic Commission version of the title, while Williams was recognized as champion by the National Boxing Association.
From the opening bell, the fight was a fierce, toe-to-toe battle. Montgomery started aggressively, targeting Williams' body, while Williams established a powerful jab. The early rounds saw intense exchanges, with neither fighter gaining a clear advantage. Williams suffered a serious cut over his right eye in the third round, which Montgomery targeted in the fourth.
The tide turned dramatically in the sixth round. Mixing his jab with power shots, Williams suddenly unleashed a devastating two-fisted assault. Montgomery, caught off guard, was overwhelmed by the barrage. He was knocked down and nearly out of the ring, barely managing to drape himself over the middle rope before collapsing.
Though Montgomery beat the count, he was visibly hurt. Williams continued his relentless attack, scoring a second knockdown. Despite Montgomery's determination to continue, referee Charley Daggert stopped the fight, declaring Williams the winner by TKO.
This victory not only avenged Williams' earlier loss but also established him as the undisputed lightweight champion of the world. The fight, which lived up to its billing as a brutal clash between two rivals, solidified Williams' status as one of the premier lightweights of his era.
The official time of the stoppage was 2:35 of the sixth round. Both fighters weighed in at the lightweight limit of 134 pounds. The bout drew a sellout crowd and highlighted Philadelphia's significance as a major boxing hub in the 1940s.