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The Cyber Boxing Zone Encyclopedia -- Title Claimant

Billy Soose
(William Stephen Soose)

BORN   August 2 1915; Farrell, Pennsylvania
DIED September 5 1998; Honesdale, Pennsylvania
HEIGHT 6-0 1/2 (Some sources report 6-1 1/2)
WEIGHT 155-174 lbs
MANAGER. Paul Moss, Dick Powell

Soose was a very capable boxer who adapted his style to meet a situation; At one time a slugger, he became a "boxer" type and went on to win the Middleweight Championship of the World

Boxing Historian Tom Donelson wrote (Boxing Insider, 11/01/2004) "
As an amateur and collegiate fighter, Soose's forte was power. As a college fighter, he was so good that NCAA outlawed golden glove champions from competing and this legislature was directed at Soose. Soose knocked out every collegiate fighter he competed against and many college teams refuse to compete against him."

Donelson continues to say (after Soose split a tendon in the middle knuckle of his right hand) "From this point, Soose lost the power to punish his opponent and switched from slugger to boxer. For me, what makes Soose a great fighter is his ability to adopt. Once he lost his right hand, he became a boxer."

Tom further states "
Soose’s left hand became his weapon and the right hand was thrown more for show. Soose essentially became a one-hand fighter but what a one handed fighter. Never had one boxer done so much with one hand."

During his career, he defeated such men as Eddie "Babe" Risko, Ken Overlin, Tony Zale, Tami Mauriello, Al Quaill, Paul Pirrone, Ernie Vigh, Eddie Pierce and Jimmy Reeves

Herb Goldman ranked Soose as the #21 All-Time Middleweight; Billy was inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 1994

1938
Mar 15 Johnny Dean                 Los Angeles, Ca                 KO  4
Mar 29 Jimmy Brent                 Los Angeles, Ca                  W  4
Apr  5 Hippo Hipps                 Los Angeles, Ca                 KO  3
Jun  6 Joe Lugan                   Long Beach, Ca                  KO  3
Jun 19 Johnny Foster               Hollywood, Ca                    W  6
Jul 25 Al Quaill                   Pittsburgh, Pa                   W 10
Aug  2 Eric Lawson                 Clearfield, Pa                  KO  6
Aug 29 Freddy Lenn                 Pittsburgh, Pa                   W 10
Sep 13 Charles Weise               Farrell, Pa                     KO  2
Oct  5 Eddie "Babe" Risko          Pittsburgh, Pa                  KO  3
Oct 13 Johnny Duca                 Lancaster, Pa                    L 10
Nov 22 Charles Burley              Pittsburgh, Pa                   L 10

1939
Feb 20 Johnny Duca                 Youngstown, Pa                   W 10
Sep 13 Joe Fedz                    Rochester, Pa                   KO  1
Sep 25 Georgie Abrams              Pittsburgh, Pa                   L  8
Oct 18 Jack Munley                 Scranton, Pa                    KO  5
Nov 15 Johnny Duca                 Scranton, Pa                     W 10
Nov 29 Joe "Butch" Lynch           Wilkes-Barre, Pa                KO  4
Dec 11 Paul Pirrone                Cleveland, Oh                    W  6
Dec 19 Jimmy Jones                 Philadelphia, Pa                KO  5

1940
Jan 15 Vince Pimpinella            Cleveland, Oh                    W  8
Jan 22 Jimmy Clark                 Scranton, Pa                    KO  3
Jan 29 Bud Mignault                Philadelphia, Pa                 W 10
Feb 12 Georgie Abrams              Pittsburgh, Pa                   L 10
Mar  5 Enzo Iannozzi               Scranton, Pa                    KO  4
Mar 25 Frankie Nelson              Youngstown, Oh                   W 10
May 15 Eddie Pierce                Scranton, Pa                     W 10
May 30 Jack Ennis                  Williamsport, Pa                 W 10
Jun 24 Ken Overlin                 Scranton, Pa                     W 10
Aug 21 Tony Zale                   Chicago, Il                      W 10
Nov 27 Vince Pimpinella            Wilkes-Barre, Pa                 W 10
Dec 13 Jimmy Casino                Hollywood, Ca                    W 10

1941
Jan  3 Tami Mauriello              New York, NY                     W 10
Feb  7 Ernie Vigh                  New York, NY                     W 10
Mar  7 Ernie Vigh                  New York, NY                     W 12
May  9 Ken Overlin                 New York, NY                     W 15
          -Middleweight Championship of the World
          (as recognized by New York state)
Jul 11 Tony Celli                  Cleveland, Oh                   KO  2
Jul 30 Georgie Abrams              New York, NY                     L 10
Sep 15 Ceferino Garcia             Los Angeles, Ca                 TD  8
           -This bout was declared a "Technical Draw";
           Soose received a cut eye and the referee
           stopped the bout

Nov   
-Soose relinquished the Middleweight Championship to fight
          as a Light Heavyweight

Dec 18 Jimmy Reeves                Cleveland, Oh                    W 10

1942
Jan 13 Jimmy Bivins                Cleveland, Oh                    L 10
 
1942-1945
             -Soose served in the United States Navy


*** Assistance Provided By
Seth Callis ***

 

Record courtesy of Tracy Callis, Historian, International Boxing Research Organization

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