Joe Borrell

 

 

 

Joe Borrell fought for the middleweight championship against George Chip on January 26, 1914. It was the seventh time George Chip was defending his title. Joe gave it his all but lost the fight. Chip was to loss his title in his next defense 3 months later against Al McCoy.

 

 

 

One important match Joe Borrell fought in was the October 13, 1913 battle with Harry Lewis. Welterweight Harry Lewis was a 142 pound, 5' 7" boxer who had fought the likes of Joe Gans, Jack Blackburn, Frank Mantell, Frank Klaus, Howard "KO" Baker, Leo Houck, and George "KO" Brown. Lewis never lost by a knock out until he met Joe Borrell. Not only did Joe Borrell knock out Lewis in 5 rounds, but Lewis collapsed and announced his retirement from the boxing ring that day.

 

 

 

 

 

Joe Borrell had 4 hard fought battles against Harry Greb during his career. Although the first 3 were no decision bouts, which were common in those days, the local newspapers printed results as they saw it. According to the newspapers Joe Borrell beat Greb the first time they met in the ring. The second fight, in 1915, was judged a Draw by the newspapers. The third was given to Greb. Joe Borrell joined a small group of boxers who could ever say they actually beat Greb in the ring.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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April 23, 1915

Harry Greb Held to Draw In Bout With Joe Borrell

Harry Greb, Garfield's middleweight champion, met a tartar in Joe Borrell of Philadelphia in Duquesne Graden last night and was held to a draw in the tamest bout he has participated in this season. Greb was outweighed by about 15 pounds and was compelled to take the short end of the work in the clinches on this account.

The Garfield battler started out well and obtained a lead in the first three rounds, but recieved no better than an even break in the fourth and was decidedly worsted in the fifth and sixth sessions. In the final round he was kept on the defensive most of the time and held tightly to Borrell in the clinches.

Borrell was slow in getting started and showed very poorly in the first two rounds. He appeared inclined to fight himself free from the clinches and was warned several times for hitting on the breakaway. Unable to fight after his own fashion, he was more or less at sea until the fourth round. Thereafter he gained his bearings and proceeded to make up lost ground.

GREB TAKES LEAD

Borrell did little actual fighting in the first round and was driven around the ring by the force of Greb's rushes. However, he covered often and well and Greb was unable to send in any damaging blows. Greb contended himself with stabbing his left to the fact at long range and smashing to the stomach while in close. The second round was almost a repetition of the first and the crowd yelled for Borrell to fight.

Taunted by the derisive remarks of the spectators, Borrell began to open up in the third round and showed more fight in this inning than in the first two combined. Despite this, he was unable to slow up Greb, and the latter continued to force the fighting and do most of the leading. The honors, which were very slight, went to Greb at the end of the round.

Borrell worked himself to close quarters when the fourth round opened and drove several smashes to the stomach, pried away Greb's defense with his elbows and sent left and right to the head. Greb evened matters by dancing in and out and jabbing with his left and occasionally sending in a right to the face. Late in the round he shifted to a right lead with a left cross and was fairly successful with this method of attack.

EVEN IN FOURTH

Borrell succeeded in getting in close several times and on each occasion sent Greb's defense up and landed with left and right to the head. Greb depended on long-range jabs and swings for his scoring. Several of his rushes were met with hard punches to the body by Borrell. Both worked hard and fast in the round, although Greb's rapid footwork made him appear the quicker. Greb had the better of the early part of the round, with Borrell evening up in the last half.

Borrell assumed the aggressive in the fifth round and carried the fighting to Greb. The latter refused to back up, and while he met Borrell coming in several times, recieved the worst of many exchanges to the body. Borrell's most telling blows in the round were right and left smashes to the stomach while leaning upon Greb. Greb was unable to keep him at a distance and was somewhat disconcerted when Borrell continued to bore in. It was Borrell's round.

The sixth round opened with Borrell stillon the short end with considerable lost ground to make up. Several clinches followed in rapid succession and in each Borrell worked his arms free and sent both hands to the head. He kept after Greb all through the round. The latter was able to jab only a few times and rushed once or twice, but he could not withstand Borrell's terrific body punching at close quarters and held hard following each such encounter. Borrell's showing in this round easily earned a draw for him. Had he started earlier he might have copped the verdict.

BORRELL HEAVY

Considering disadvantage in weight and the wider range of experience of his opponent, Greb did very well last night. All through the bout he seemed to hold Borrell in great respect and was far from being as lively as has been his wont in previous bouts here. Greb fought Borrell in Philadelphia last winter and made a good showing after taking the bout on a moments notice.

For Borrell, It must be said that he did not make the showing expected of him, even in the latter rounds. He has a reputation as a tearing-in fighter but he failed to make good on this end last night. After the third round he showed a little real class in the way he ripped up Greb's defense every time he got in close and then shot both hands to the head. However, his real work was done at close quarters, his smashes to the body slowing up Greb considerably and allowing the Philadelphian to creep up until he was on even terms at the final bell.

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 selected bouts

Jan 9	1911	Jerry   Dunn		fort lee	KO 1
unknown	1911	Billy Sherman		unknown		KO 4
unknown	1911	John    Dwyer		unknown		KO 2
unknown	1911	Jack   Quinn		unknown		KO 2
unknown	1911	Dick  Marshall		unknown		KO 3
unknown	1911	Dick  Marshall		unknown		KO 2
unknown	1911	Frank  Walsh		unknown		KO 2
unknown	1911	Fred Gunther		unknown		KO 1
unknown	1911	Jack   Lewes		unknown		ND 4
unknown	1911	Eddy    Smith		unknown		ND 6
unknown	1911	Micky Farrell		unknown		ND 6
Nov 8	1911	Red     Ames		newyork		KO 2

1912
unknown	1912	Young   Mann		unknown		KO 1
Feb 22	1912	Jimmy Martin		philad.		KO 3
unknown	1912	Henry  Hauber		unknown		KO 4
unknown	1912	Ford  Munger		unknown		KO 15
unknown	1912	Jimmy Martin		unknown		KO 5
unknown	1912	Joe     Page		unknown		KO 6
unknown	1912	Joe   Sieger		unknown		KO 10
unknown	1912	Jack   Clark		unknown		KO 6
unknown	1912	Jack Robinson		unknown		KO 7
June 6	1912	George Kid Ash		allent.		ND 10
unknown	1912	Willy   Adams		unknown		ND 6
unknown	1912	Peck  Miller		unknown		ND 10
Sep 18	1912	Eddie palmer		philad.		ND 6
unknown	1912	Peck  Miller		unknown		ND 6
unknown	1912	Peck  Miller		unknown		ND 6
unknown	1912	Tommy Coleman		unknown		ND 6
Nov 20	1912	Dick  Gilbert		florida		W 15
unknown	1912	Dick  Gilbert		unknown		W 20
Nov 28	1912	K.O. Brennan		Philad.		ND 6
unknown	1912	Jack McCarron		unknown		ND 6

1913
unknown	1913	Mike  Dempsey		unknown		KO 1
unknown	1913	Howard truesdale	unknown		KO 5
unknown	1913	Joe     Grim		unknown		KO 6
unknown	1913	Ben     Koch		unknown		KO 4
unknown	1913	Tommy Ferguson		unknown		ND 6
unknown	1913	Young McCartney		unknown		ND 6
unknown	1913	Young McCartney		unknown		ND 6
unknown	1913	Howard Truesdale	unknown		ND 6
unknown	1913	Harry KO Baker		unknown		ND 6
Feb 28	1913	Harry KO Baker		philad		ND 6
Apr 29	1913	Tommy Gibbons		newyork		ND 10
unknown	1913	Larry   Ryan		unknown		ND 6
unknown	1913	Freddy  Hicks		unknown		ND 6
Oct 13	1913	Harry  Lewis		Philad.		KO 5
Dec 20	1913	Leo    Houck		philad.		ND 6
unknown	1913	Young Hickey		unknown		ND 6

1914
unknown	1914	Leo    Houck		unknown		ND 6
Jan 26	1914	George  Chip		Philad.		ND 6 (middleweight championship bout)
unknown	1914	Marcel  Moreau		unknown		KO 7
unknown	1914	???   Barnard		unknown		W 15
unknown	1914	Harry 	Reeve		unknown		W 6
unknown	1914	Frank   Logan		unknown		W 15
unknown	1914	Tommy  Howell		unknown		ND 6
unknown	1914	Frank  Logan		unknown		ND 6
Dec 7	1914	Harry   Greb		Philad.		ND 6 (W news)
Dec 25	1914	Frank Mantell		Philad.		ND 6

1915
Jan 25	1915	Al     McCoy		Philad.		ND 6
unknown	1915	Tommy Howell		unknown		ND 6
Apr 22	1915	Harry   Greb		Pitts.		ND 6 (draw news)
unknown	1915	Frank Loughrey		unknown		ND 6
unknown	1915	Howard truesdale	unknown		ND 6
unknown	1915	KO    Sweeney		unknown		ND 10

1916
Feb 11	1916	Jackie clarke		Penns.		ND 15
Mar 15	1916	Jack McCarron		Penns.		ND 10
Mar 31	1916	Howard Truesdale	Philad.		ND 6
Apr 17	1916	Eddy Revoire		Philad.		ND 6
May 1	1916	Jackie Clarke		Penns.		ND 6
May 9	1916	Silent Martin		Provid.		L 12
Jun 29	1916	Jack    Reck		Philad.		ND 6
Aug 18	1916	Noah  Brusso		Philad.		ND 6
Aug 19	1916	Frank Carbone		Brookl.		ND 10
Sep 15	1916	Daddy Wagner		Philad.		KO 1
Oct 20	1916	Jack Blackburn		Philad.		ND 6
Nov 3	1916	Jack Blackburn		PHilad.		ND 6

1917
Jan 1	1917	Harry   Greb		Pitts.		ND 6 (W news)
Feb 2	1917	Gunboat Smith		Philad.		ND 6
Feb 2	1917	Jeff   Smith		Albany		ND 6 (KO'd by 4)

1919
Jun 16	1919	Harry   Greb		Philad.		KO'd by 5

1920
May ??	1920	Happy Littleton		NewOrl.		KO'd by 12

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