Elected to the Boxing Hall of Fame for 1960 were Dan Donnelly, heavyweight, in the pioneer group; Johnny Kilbane, featherweight, Freddie Welsh, lightweight, Joe Choynski, heavyweight, and Tommy Burns, heavyweight, in the old timers' group; and Jack Beitton, welterweight, in the modern group.

World Championship Matches

A record 21 title fights were staged during 1960. Of those, 8 ended with a new champion.

The biggest story of the year was the knockout of Ingemar Johansson by Floyd Patterson in the fifth round at New York City, New York, on June 20. Patterson became the first fighter ever to regain the World Heavyweight title.

Right: Ingemar Johansson lies on the canvas as referee Arthur Mercante sends Floyd Patterson to a neutral corner.

The six-year reign of Pascual Perez as World Flyweight champion ended on April 16 in Bangkok, Thailand, when Pone Kingpetch won a 15-round split decision on the vote of U.S. judge Nat Fleischer. Kingpetch retained the title in Los Angeles, California, on September 22 by knocking Perez out in the eighth round.

Joe Becerra made two defenses of his Bantamweight title. He knocked out Alphonse Halimi in 9 rounds at Los Angeles on February, and on May 23 he outpointed Kenji Yonekura in 15 rounds, in Tokyo, Japan. Following a knockout loss in a nontitle fight to Eloy Sanchez, Becerra retired and the National Boxing Association named Sanchez and Eder Jofre to fight for the vacant title. The two met in Los Angeles on November 18, and Jofre won by knockout. The European Boxing Federation, the New York Boxing Commission, and the British Boxing Board of Control ruled against what they deemed an arbitary choice of title contenders, however. Alphone Halimi and Freddie Gilroy, both former champions, were matched in London, England, on October 25, and Halimi came out the winner. Negotiations were under way to match Jofre and Malimi and determine a true world champion.

Featherweight champion Davey Moore retained his title by winning a 15-round decision over Kazuo Takayama in Tokyo, Japan, on August 29.

Joe Brown retained his Lightweight title by knocking out Cisco Andrade in six rounds at Los Angeles on December 1.

Benny "Kid" Paret became the new Welterweight champion when he outpointed Don Jordan in 15 rounds at Las Vegas, Nevada, on May 27. He lost the title on December 10 in New York, when he was outpointed in 15 rounds by Federico Thompson.

Paul Pender won the World Middleweight title by outpointing Ray Robinson in Boston, Massachusetts, on January 22, in 15 rounds. On Jun 10, in the same city, Pender again outpointed Robinson over 15 rounds to retain his title.

Gene Fullmer made three defenses of his National Boxing Association Middleweight title. On April 20 at Bozeman, Montana, he fought to a 15-round draw with Joey Giardello. On June 29, at Salt Lake City, Utah, he stopped Carmen Basilio in 12 rounds. On December 3 he defeated Ray Robinson in 15 rounds at Los Angeles.

1960

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