George Nichols (born Phillip John Nicolosi) (10 July 1907 – 27 September 1986) was an American boxer who took the National Boxing Association World Light Heavyweight title by defeating Dave Maier on March 18, 1932, in Chicago.
Early life and career highlights Phillip John Nicolosi, was born on July 10, 1907, in Sandusky, Ohio, to Italian immigrant parents Ida and Thomas. During their lives, the family used more than one Anglicized spelling of their Italian surname, though Nicolosi's public and ringname remained George Nichols. He would become a quite capable boxer with good ringcraft who fought the best competition of his era.
On January 30, 1928, he lost to the exceptional black middleweight contender Jack McVey in Rochester, New York, in a ten-round technical knockout. The bout was stopped by the referee in the final round with Nichols hanging helplessly on the ropes. McVey won every round, efficiently landing both head and body shots."Fights Last Night, Rochester, NY", Arizona Daily Star, Tucson, Arizona, pg. 4, 31 January 1928 Nichols lost again to McVey in a ten-round points decision in Buffalo, New York, in October of that year with both boxers fighting as welterweights."McVey Defeats Nichols", St. Louis Post-Dispatch, St. Louis, Missouri, pg. 13, 20 October 1928 On August 25, 1931, Nichols finally defeated McVey, at least by newspaper decision, in a ten-round battle in Sandusky, Ohio. Nichols used speed, timing and a strong right to control the bout. The Associated Press gave Nichols every round, with the possible exception of the first and sixth. Nichols began to take a deciding margin on points in the third and fourth with consistent attacks. Nichols seemed on the verge of a knockout in the eighth through tenth, but McVey stayed on his feet throughout the bout using great defensive skills."Nichols Earns Decision", The Sandusky Register, Sandusky, Ohio, pg. 6, 26 August 1931
Osk Till, a Light Heavy contender, fell to Nichols in a six-round points decision at the Broadway Ballroom in Buffalo on November 25, 1929."Slattery is victor over Rosenbloom", Democrat and Chronicle, Rochester, New York, pg. 23, 26 November 1929
Harry Fuller drew with Nichols on February 10, 1930, in six rounds in Buffalo. The middleweights fought a lively bout."Last Nights Fights", New Castle News, New Castle, Pennsylvania, pg. 21, 11 February 1930
Nichols defeated Henry Firpo on March 24, 1930, in Oil City, Pennsylvania. The pace of the bout was unpopular with the crowd of 15,000 as both boxers moved slowly using caution and careful ringcraft in their defense. Nichol's trusty left had little snap against the effective blocking of Firpo. Nichols, the aggressor, led for the first seven rounds. The pace increased in the final three heats with Nichols breaking the close margin in the tenth which he won handily."Nichols Outpoints Henry Firpo in Ten Rounds", The Oil City Derrick, Oil City, Pennsylvania, pg. 11, 25 March 1930
Tiger Thomas lost to Nichols on July 25, 1930, in a close but controversial six-round decision. The referee gave Thomas four of the six rounds for his aggressive two armed technique, though both judges scored for Nichols who clearly led in the early rounds. The crowd of 3000 booed the ruling, believing the bout belonged to Thomas, the local boxer. Though Thomas staged a gallant come back in the closing rounds, it was too late to take the decision."Tiger Thomas Wins Over Nichols But Loses Decision", The Evening News, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, pg. 8, 26 July 1930Led in the early rounds in "Banovic Captures Decision", Star-Gazette, Elmira, New York, pg. 11, 26 July 1930
Nichols outpointed accomplished black middleweight Sunny Jim Williams in a ten-round points decision on November 11, 1930, in Franklin, Pennsylvania. Williams may have lost the favor of the judges as a result of his defensive posture through much of the bout. Nichols used his powerful left in the fourth and sixth to bring his opponent close to a knockout but Nichols weathered the attack exhibiting endurance and a skilled elusive strategy. In the middle of the forth, Nichols staggered his opponent with a left to the face that nearly led to a knockout, but for the sounding of the bell. Williams finally went down for a no count at the start of the fifth. One reporter gave Williams only the fifth, with seven rounds to Nichols and two even."Georgy Nichols Decisively Outpoints Sunny Jim Williams", The Oil City Derrick, Oil City, Pennsylvania, pg. 11, 12 November 1930
Nichols gained an easy victory over Charley Belanger, the Light Heavy Champion of Canada, on December 3, 1930, at the Broadway Auditorium in Buffalo, New York. Nichols won handily taking seven of the ten rounds, that put him on course for the Light Heavyweight championship."Johnny Nichols Beat Bellanger", The Sandusky Register, Sandusky, Ohio, pg. 8, 4 December 1930
Rosy Rosales fell to Nichols in a fourth-round technical knockout on June 15, 1931, at Braves Field in Boston. Though a close fight, Nichols seemed dominant. In the fourth, Rosales, suffering from a cut to his eye dropped to the mat without being hit, and the referee stopped the bout."Primo Carnera Knocks Out Irish Giant", Eau Claire Leader, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, pg. 8, 16 June 1931
Nichols met Leo Laravee on July 13, 1931, winning a ten-round points decision at Brave's Field in Boston. Nichols floored Laravee for nine in the eighth, but he came off the deck gave his rival a great match through the final bell. In the enthralling clash of middleweights, Nichols stung his rival with his powerful left but Laravee fought back stronger than before. After being floored in the eighth, Laravee fought back with a two fisted barrage that thwarted Nichol's attempts at a knockout. Nichols appeared to have a slight edge in seven of the ten rounds."Nichols Triumphs Over Leo Larivee", The Scranton Republican, Scranton, Pennsylvania, pg. 17, 14 July 1931
Nichols won a decisive newspaper decision against powerful puncher Chuck Burns on October 1, 1931, at Esmund Athletic Field in Sandusky, Ohio. One reporter gave eight rounds to Nichols, one round for Burns and one round a draw. Nichols entered the ring with bruised and swollen hands that apparently affected his ability to deliver a knockout punch or even knock his opponent to the mat. Nichols displayed his characteristic strong left and right jab and remained the aggressor through much of the bout. Burns opened up in the tenth to take the round by a slight edge."Sanduskan Took Eight Rounds Against Opponent", The Sandusky Register, Sandusky, Ohio, pg. 10, 2 October 1931 Nichols had defeated Burns earlier in December 1930 in Buffalo, New York.
Participating in the NBA Middle and Light Heavy championships
Nichols had an easy time defeating black boxer Snowflake Wright on September 25, 1931, taking all ten of the bout's rounds. Wright, however, showed determination in avoiding a knockdown, even in the heated tenth round where he fended off Nichol's lefts to the face and body. At the end, Nichols lacked the punch to end the bout, though Nichols was at his mercy. The bout was the first round of the NBA Middleweight elimination tournament."Nichols and Leach Win Tourney Bouts", Green Bay Press-Gazette, Green Bay, Wisconsin, pg. 14, 26 September 1931"Livens Otherwise Dull Boxing Card", The Oshkosh Northwestern, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, pg. 14, 26 September 1931
On November 3, 1931, Nichols withdrew from the tournament after losing to future American and NBA World Middleweight champion Gorilla Jones in the Quarterfinals."Gorilla Jones Whips Nichols in Milwaukee", Dunkirk Evening Observer, Dunkirk, New York, pg. 29, 4 November 1931"Johnny Nichols Defeats Scozza in Chicago Bout", The Sandusky Register, Sandusky, Ohio, pg. 6, 29 January 1932 Jones, the exceptional Black boxer from Akron, Ohio, would advance to the final round and take the Middleweight title on January 25, defeating Oddone Piazza."Middleweight Mitt Meet to Semi-Finals", The Star Press, Muncie, Indiana, pg. 8, 4 November 1931
After the tournament, Nichols lost to Dave Maier in a seventh-round technical knockout on November 27, 1931, in Buffalo. In the sixth, Nichols received a bad cut near his eye. Facing a furious barrage of punches, Nichols was down twice in the seventh for counts of nine before Maier put him to the mat for the final time."Dave Maier Knocks Out Nichols in Buffalo Ring", Wausau Daily Herald, Wausau, Wisconsin, pg. 10, 28 November 1931"Dave Maier Scores Knockout Victory", The Rhinelander Daily News, Rhinelander, Wisconsin,, pg. 5, 28 November 1931
Opening rounds, Light Heavy Tournament Don Petrin lost to Nichols on December 30, 1931, in the second round of the NBA World Light Heavyweight Tournament. Nichols scored a technical knockout over Petrin one minute into the fifth round of eight in Chicago, though he had taken considerable punishment in the early rounds. A terrific left hook to the chin of Petrin landed him on the mat for a count of nine. Nichols then closed the bout with rights and lefts nearly knocking his opponent out of the ring. The referee called the bout with Petrin hanging over the ropes, and unable to mount a defense.Lane, French, "Jones Beats Johnson; Olin, Calmes Win Tourney", Chicago Tribune, pg. 15, 31 December 1931Terrific left hook in "Johnson Loses to Billy Jones", Detroit Free Press, Detroit, Michigan, pg. 12, 31 December 1931
In the third round of the NBA tournament, on January 15, 1932, Nichols defeated Charley Bellanger in a ten-round points decision. Nichols knocked down Belanger for a count of nine in the fifth, and broadened his margin in the remaining rounds. Bellanger, who had a nine-pound weight advantage, used his experience in ringcraft to weather the remainder of the bout."Charley Bellanger Put Out of Light Heavy Tournament", The Winnipeg Tribune, Winnipeg, Canada, pg. 21 16 January 1932
NBA Light Heavyweight tournament, 1932 Nichols scored a decisive victory over Lou Scozza on January 28, 1932, in the fourth round of the NBA light heavyweight elimination tournament in Chicago. Nichols began to pile up a points margin in the second round when he scored with a left to Scozza's jaw.
In the semi-final round of the NBA tournament on February 18, 1932, before a crowd of 23,000, Billy Jones fell to Nichols in a ten-round points decision. Many in the large crowd were there to see Jack Dempsey fight Kingfish Levinsky in a preliminary exhibition. Nichols's win stunned many ringside as Jones was favored to reach the final bout and take the championship. An enthralled audience watched him down his opponent twice in the second round, once for a count of nine, and once for a count of two. He downed Jones again in the fourth for a long count of nine. Nichols was only down briefly in the fifth. Though his opponent finished strong in the final rounds, Nichols had amassed too large a points margin and won the decision."Nichols Defeats Jones", The Cincinnati Enquirer, Cincinnati, Ohio, pg. 13, 19 February 1932Decision was upset in "Former Champion Unable to Master Fish Peddler", The Richmond Item, Richmond, Indiana, pg. 12, 19 Feb 1932
Taking the NBA World Light Heavyweight title