79 years ago
Marty Servo vs Freddie Cochrane
Date: 1st February 1946
Venue: Madison Square Garden, New York, USA
Title: World Welterweight Title
Referee: Eddie Joseph
Marty Servo
(
45
-
2
-
2
)
Weight: 143 lbs
Freddie Cochrane
(
72
-
36
-
8
)
Weight: 145 lbs
On February 1, 1946, Madison Square Garden in New York provided the backdrop for a notable championship bout in the welterweight division featuring Marty Servo and Freddie Cochrane.
Servo entered the ring with an impressive record of 45 wins, 2 losses, and 2 draws, weighing in at 143 pounds, while his opponent, Cochrane, a gritty veteran from Elizabeth, New Jersey, tipped the scales at 145 pounds, bringing a record of 72 wins, 36 losses, and 8 draws.
Servo, a native New Yorker, ran up a 42-0-2 unbeaten streak until he encountered Sugar Ray Robinson in September 1941, who handed him his first career defeat, losing on points over 10 rounds. Servo would rematch Sugar Ray 2 fights later, this time losing by split decision.
Cochrane had captured the welterweight world title from Fritzie Zivic at Ruppert Stadium in Newark, New Jersey, back in 1941. He would go on to meet middleweight contender Rocky Graziano, whom he fought in back-to-back matches in 1945. Despite the weight disadvantage, Cochrane's bouts with Graziano were fierce. However, he succumbed to 10th and final-round knockouts in both meetings. Ring Magazine named their first encounter the Fight of the Year for 1945.
Eddie Joseph refereed Servo vs. Cochrane at Madison Square Garden. Servo won by fourth-round knockout. Cochrane was counted out at 2:54 of the round.
Servo's career faced challenges after he won the world title. In his next outing, he fought Rocky Graziano, losing by technical knockout in the second round.
A second-round knockout of Benny Singleton and a disastrous first-round knockout loss to Joe DiMartino saw the end of Servo's career.
Cochrane never boxed again after the Servo defeat, opting to retire from professional boxing.