Lee Savold

Infobox Boxer
name=Lee Savold


realname=Lee Hulver
nickname=
weight=Heavyweight
nationality=Flagicon|USA American
birth_date=March 22, 1916
birth_place=Canby, Minnesota
death_date=may 14, 1972)
death_place=Neptune, New Jersey
style=Orthodox
total=137
wins=90
losses=38
draws=2
no contests=0
KO=65|

Lee Savold (born Lee Hulver March 22, 1916 – may 14, 1972) was a heavyweight boxer who held the British and European (EBU) version of the World Heavyweight championship between 1950 and 1951 and was a leading contender in the forties and early fifties.

Background

Savold was born in Canby, Minnesota (his birth was recorded in the nearby town of Marshall). His parents were farmers and ranchers of Norwegian ancestry. As a youngster, he broke horses and herded cattle on his family ranch.

He fought his first fight at the age of 15 against Wallace Burns, in which he won $25. He later joined a carnival and fought "all comers" at or near his 150lb weight. His first professional fight was on August 2, 1934. He fought in St Paul against Johnny Marcus, where he won a six-round decision.

He went by the name "Savoldi" early in his career , and generally fought at 190lbs, though in between fights he reached up to 250 lbs.

At one time or another he was a bouncer, bartender, road laborer, and stockyard worker. In 1943 he joined the Maritime Service and took part in several convoys to Murmansk. After retiring from boxing, he worked for Local 825 of the Operating Engineers Union.

Boxing career

On May 25, 1942 he KO'd Lou Nova in the eighth round in a bout which was named the Ring Magazine upset of the year.

On March 19, 1948 Lee Savold set the record for the quickest knockout in a main event bout in Madison Square Garden by knocking out Italy’s Gino Buonvino. He was the underdog, and had been substituted for Joe Baksi, who had injured his ankle, on only 48 hours notice. The record stood until Gerry Cooney tied the record by KO'ing Ken Norton in 1981. It was finally broken on March 10 2007, when Sultan Ibragimov KO'd Javier Mora in 46 seconds.

On June 6, 1950, he defeated Bruce Woodcock on a fourth round cut eye stoppage to win the EBU version of the World Heavyweight title, Savold had lost on a foul in their first meeting in 1948.

On June 17, 1951 he fought Joe Louis in what was the first professional prizefight carried to theaters on closed circuit TV. He was knocked out in 2 minutes 29 seconds of the sixth round. Although it was a non-title match, after this bout the EBU withdrew recognition of Savold as "world" champion.

In his last fight, he lasted 7 rounds before being TKO'd by legendary boxer Rocky Marciano on February 13, 1952.

References

* [http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F50A15F93858167B93C4AB178ED85F468485F9 Savold Scores Eight-Round Knockout Victory Over Favored Nova]
* [http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F20A14FF3559147B93C2AB1788D85F4C8485F9 SAVOLD KNOCKS OUT BUONVINO IN FIRST; Sets Garden's Quickest Finish Record by Halting Rival in 54-Second Upset]
* [http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F70E10F7345C167B93CAA81788D85F4C8485F9 BAKSI WITHDRAWS FROM GARDEN BOUT; Boxer Suffers Ankle Injury -- Savold to Fight Buonvino in Feature Tomorrow]
* [http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F30614FF3F59157A93CBA81788D85F4C8485F9 BUONVINO FAVORED TO DEFEAT SAVOLD; Italian Heavy Is 5-9 Choice in Main 10-Round Fight at Garden Tonight]
* [http://www.eastsideboxing.com/news/bearden0407.php The Origins of Boxing Terms and Traditions By B.R. Bearden]
* [http://www.trufanboxing.com/boxing_rounds.htm SULTAN IBRAGIMOV’S KO WIN QUICKEST IN GARDEN HISTORY by Ron Ross]
* [http://select.nytimes.com/mem/archive/pdf?res=F30715FC3D5E177B93C6A81789D85F468585F9 Marciano Knocks Out Savold at Philadelphia for 39th Consecutive Win]
* [http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F10611F9395B16738FDDAE0994DE405B8189F1D3 VIDEO IN THEATRES SEEN SPORTS BOON; 'Fantastic' Success of Plan With Louis-Savold Fight to Lead to Expansion]
* [http://select.nytimes.com/mem/archive/pdf?res=F60D11F83959107B93C7A8178ED85F468785F9 Lee Savold, Onetime Heavyweight Fighter, Dies]
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