THE BOBCAT
fight and give the proceeds to the government. Instead of tickets, Jacobs sold War Bonds, resulting in the largest gate in boxing history at that time, a colossal $36 million. Like their first three bouts, Jack and Montgomery gave the 15,822 patrons at Madison Square Garden a highly entertaining fight. According to The New York Times. “Jack, revealing the ceaseless aggressiveness that always characterizes his ringwork, won the decision in an encounter that was hard-fought through every one of the 10 rounds.” As it was a non-title fight, Montgomery retained his piece of the lightweight title. The only money either boxer received was $1,500 for training expenses. Years later, when Bob was having financial difficulties, the Army repeatedly refused to help. Montgomery had four more fights before being discharged from the Army in November 1945. He won three of them and reversed the loss to Nick Moran. “Bob was never the same fighter after he came out of the Army,” said Gramby. It is hard to argue with Gramby’s critique, but it was a matter of degrees. The greatness was gone, but Bob was still a very good fighter, still a man who believed in himself. Moreover, there was money to be made, and the first move was to defend his title at Madison Square Garden, June 28, 1946. Longtime lightweight contender Allie Stolz was a perfect challenger – good but not good enough. The Bobcat knocked him out in the 13th round. Philadelphian Wesley Mouzon was a teenage sensation, so promoter Taylor knew there would be a handsome gate if he matched him with Montgomery on August 19, 1946, at Shibe Park in a non- title bout. “Tall, angular Wesley Mouzon was popularly regarded as a foolhardy boy attempting a man’s errand, last night qualified for a championship engagement when he blasted out Bob Montgomery,
rangy boss of the lightweights, to a knockout defeat in an amazing second round of their mill, listed for 12 periods,” wrote John Webster. Mouzon’s astonishing upset victory made a rematch with the title on the line a no-brainer and was arranged for November 26 at Convention Hall. Many pundits believed Mouzon would beat Montgomery again, and the challenger was a slight favorite. What most people didn’t know was that Mouzon had suffered a detached retina while sparring for the rematch. He and his team decided to go ahead with the fight anyway. They knew he would probably never fight again, and Mouzon needed the money. Montgomery and his handlers claimed they were unaware of the injury until the fight was over. Who knows whether they were telling the truth, but from a boxing point of view, it doesn’t matter. The 12,416 fans were in the dark, and many expected the fight to produce a new champion. Mouzon boxed well the first few rounds, but Montgomery was usually a slow starter. As was often the case, Bob unleashed a determined body assault, ending the match with a ruinous left hook to the head in the eighth round. “Mouzon, bleeding from his left eyebrow, nose and mouth, fell face downward against the lower rope, and turning, sought vainly to push himself upright but was counted out at 2:18 of the eighth round by referee Charley Daggert,” wrote Webster. Montgomery’s knockout of Mouzon was his final great performance, his swan song.
Mouzon never fought again but became one of Philly’s best trainers until his death in July 2003 at the age of 75. Among the boxers he trained were Dwight Muhammad Qawi, Buster Drayton and Tony “The Punching Postman” Thornton. Whether it was at the gym or at the fights, I always enjoyed speaking with Wesley. He was an intelligent, upbeat person and a true gentleman. Montgomery’s knockout of Mouzon was his final great performance, his swan song. He won six of his next seven fights and then put the title on the line against Ike Williams. They fought on August 4, 1947, in front of 39,501 fans at Philadelphia’s Municipal Stadium. Williams knocked Montgomery down in the sixth round. Bob beat the count but was helpless under Williams’ follow-up barrage, and referee Charley Daggert stopped the fight at the 2:37 mark of the round. “I thought I was going to win the second Williams fight,” said Montgomery. “I was winning until I got knocked out, but I just didn’t have it no more. I thought I did, but I didn’t.” Bob’s $47,000 purse was the highest of his career, the equivalent of $689,927 today. Who got what and how much is unclear. An interesting sidenote: Future light heavyweight champion Harold Johnson outpointed Al Pinel in a six-round preliminary on the undercard of the Montgomery-Williams rematch. Montgomery was correct when he said he didn’t have it anymore. He fought six more times after losing the title to Williams and lost all six. His last fight was a unanimous 10-round decision loss to Eddie Giosa on March 27, 1950. “When Giosa licked me, I knew it was time to quit,” said Montgomery. “I figured if this guy can beat me, it didn’t make sense to fight no more.” The Bobcat’s overall pro record was 75-19-3 with 37 knockouts. Seven of his losses came in his last seven fights. Montgomery was
Down but not out, Montgomery rallied to outpoint Tony Pellone at Madison Square Garden in 1946.
inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1995. “Oh yeah, I had money when I quit,” said Bob. “I had apartment houses at 21st and Berks, 1850 Camac Street, 1640 York Street, and then I had my home at 2447 North 17th Street. I also had a poolroom. I owned them all outright. But I lost everything. I started gambling, backing numbers and everything. I just spent money, that’s all, just spent money. But I still survive. Still survive.” Starting in 1958, Montgomery was a salesman for various beer companies, representing Pabst Blue Ribbon, Ballantine and Carling Black Label. As someone who loved to drink beer, Bob was the right man for the job. In 1973, he worked for the city as part of “gang
“I’m the luckiest guy in the world. The Lord is on my side. I have a pretty decent life. I don’t need nothing. I’ve got my health. I have money in my pocket. I’ve got clothes I’ll never wear out. I drink beer every day. Look at other fighters and see how they got messed up. How about Muhammad Ali? He can’t even talk.” When asked what he missed the most about his championship days, Bob grinned, leaned close and whispered: “The broads.” EPILOGUE: Bob Montgomery died August 8, 1998, at the age of 79, from complications of a stroke. He is buried in Indiantown Gap National Cemetery in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania.
control” and for 10 years tried to stop teenage violence. He was married and divorced three times and told me during our conversation in 1989 that he was particularly proud of his son, Bob Montgomery Jr.: “I sent him to Bluefield State College in West Virginia. I told him, ‘You can’t fight. You go to school.’ He graduated in 1966 and now works at a youth study center in Philadelphia. He’s a very smart guy. I’m the only dummy in the family.
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