Featherweight

Hogan "Kid" Bailey of Nigeria, 124 pounds, defended his world featherweight title by knocking out Ricardo Moreno of Mexico in the third round in Los Angeles, California, on April 1.

Lightweight

A nontitle fight between lightweight champion Joe Brown and Orlando Echevarria in Havana, Cuba, on February 26 was the first overseas sports event to ever be televised in the United States.

Joe Brown, 134 pounds, retained his world lightweight title by scoring a technical knockout over Ralph Dupas in the eighth round in Houston, Texas, on May 7.

Brown successfully defended his title again with a victory over Kenny Lane on June 24.

Welterweight

Virgil Akins won the world welterweight title when he knocked out Vince Martinez in the fourth round of an elimination bout in St. Louis, Missouri, on June 6.

Don Johnson scored a 15-round decision over Virgil Akins to win the world welterweight title in Los Angeles, California, on December 5.

Middleweight

"Sugar Ray" Robinson, weighing 159-3/4 pounds, won the world middleweight championship for the fifth time by scoring a 2-to-1 decision over title holder Carmen Basilio, 153 pounds, in 15 rounds in Chicago, Illinois, on March 25. The fight drew the year's largest gate receipts, with $351,955.

Left: Sugar Ray Robinson is lifted by his manager after beating Carmen Basilio on a split decision to win the middleweight title.

Light Heavyweight

Light heavyweight champion Archie Moore successfully defended his title in Montreal, Canada, on December 10 by knocking out Yvon Durelle in the 11th round.

Heavyweight

Heavyweight champion Floyd Patterson knocked out challenger Roy Harris is the 12th round of their title bout in Chicao, Illinois, on August 18.

Left: Challenger Roy Harris is knocked down in the seventh round of his fight with heavyweight champion Floyd Patterson.

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