Happy Littleton

 

Happy Littleton fought Hall Of Famers Mike Gibbons and Harry Greb. His most impressive wins came against tuff fighters such as former middleweight champion George Chip, Frank Carbone, Billy Shade, Fay Keiser and Captain Bob Roper. Happy fought Bryan Downey twice and was able to finish one of those bouts a draw. Happy was married to Leona Eames Littleton.

 

-taken from April, 1922 issue of Ring magazine-Happy Littleton, Southern middleweight champion, has clashed with the toughest fighters in the business and has held his own. The only setback he recieved was when he lost to Bryan Downey, and this is attributed to weight making conditions, which are to be eliminated in all future contests here.

Littleton ultimatly set out to win the middleweight title and fought all of his fights last year at weights ranging between 160 and 164 pounds. He gave away weight to harry Greb, made weight for Mike Gibbons and took the Downey fight immediately after the two arduous contests with greb and Gibbons.

This weight making so visibly affected him that it was apparent from the first round in the Downey fight that he could only win by a lucky knockout punch. He seemed to lose all his boxing ability and judgement of distance. He battled as though in a trance and upon completion of the fight, his manager, Willie Sehrt, announced that in the future Littleton would fight at his natural weight of 164 pounds unless he was asked to meet Johnny Wilson in a title match.

 

 

 

During 1921, Littleton fought all his battles in NewOrleans with the exception of one-meeting Johnny Howard in New York and winning the decision. In thirteen local fights, he scored eight knockouts over such men as Battling Ortega, Young Denny, Jack Bloomfield, Joe Chip and several others. He earned more than any fighter hereabouts during the year, drawing down some $45,000 for his thirteen fights. When he fought Mike Gibbons here the gate receipts were $22,000, and when he met Greb the "gate" went $18,000.

Later in his life he even became a referee for awhile. Happy was the chosen referee for the fight between Pancho Villa and Amos "Kid Carlin on August 18,1924 in New Orleans La. Villa won a No Decision in the 15th rd.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 selected bouts

unknown	1914	Steamboat Bill Scott	unknown		KO 5
unknown	1914	The Russian Bear		unknown		W 10
unknown	1914	Mexican jack Mitchel	unknown		W 10

1915
unknown	1915	Johnny Howard			unknown		ND 10

1917
unknown	1917	Howard Trembly			unknown		W 6		(took place aboard the Battleship Pennsylvania)

1918
unknown	1918	Bill Morrill			unknown		W 6		(took place aboard Battleship Louisianna)

1919
unknown	1919	Capt.Bob Roper			unknown		WF 9
unknown	1919	Martin Burke			unknown		L 20

1920
Apr 30	1920	Bob     Moha			NewOrl.		W 15
May ??	1920	Joe   Borrel			NewOrl.		KO 12
July 11	1920	George  Chip			NewOrl.		W 15
Sep 6	1920	Russell Maneiri			NewOrl.		KO 2
Nov 24	1920	Harry  Krone			NewOrl.		KO 12

1921
Jan 10	1921	Frank Carbone			NewOrl.		W 15
Feb 21	1921	Young  Denny			NewOrl.		KO 4
May 5	1921	Bill  Bailey			NewOrl.		KO 3
May 31	1921	Battling Ortega			NewOrl.		KO 4
May 31	1921	Harry   Greb			NewOrl.		L 15
unknown	1921	Joe     Chip			NewOrl.		KO win
Aug 26	1921	Chuck Wiggins			NewOrl.		W 15
Oct 7	1921	Johnny Howard			NewYork		W 8
Oct 31	1921	Mike Gibbons			NewOrl.		L 15
Dec 12	1921	Bryan Downey			NewOrl.		KO by 5

1922
Apr 21	1922	Frankie Flemming		NewOrl.		KO 4
May 12	1922	Frank Carbone			NewOrl.		W 15
June 16	1922	Billy  Shade			NewOrl.		W 15
June 16	1922	Frankie Murphy			NewOrl.		KO 13
Oct 16	1922	Fay   Keiser			NewOrl.		KO 15
Dec 15	1922	Bryan Downey			NewOrl.		D 15

	
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