In May 1931, one week after the Empire State Building had opened for business, Brooklyn bantamweight boxer Archie Bell arrived in Montreal, Canada, to face the man generally regarded as the Number One Contender for the bantam world title. He came to town to battle with Pete Sanstol. Archie Bell generally was known as a sportsman; one of the few true gentlemen of the ring.

That Archie Bell, of Brooklyn, and Pete Sanstol, now of Montreal, will fight here Wednesday, May 20, at the Forum, in the most important encounter that has developed in world bantamweight ranks, became definite today when Promoter Armand Vincent, after angling for the match for a fortnight, announced that both boxers were signed.

Offering the biggest guarantee since Leo (Kid) Roy and Louis (Kid) Kaplan, then world's champion, fought their memorable match here early in 1926, Promoter Vincent secured the Bell-Sanstol bout by offering the boxers 40 per cent of the the gross house, thus outbidding other promoters who sought the important tilt. After Sanstol knocked out the highly-touted Phil Tobias, and then Frisco Grande in New York bouts, Garden authorities realized that his high rating by the Montreal Commission, the National Boxing Association, and sports writers consensus had some real foundation, and, at once sought to pit him against Bell, New York's best bantam and best box-office attraction in that division. In the 1931 Everlast consensus, Bell had been rated before Sanstol.

Vincent stepped into the field and offered Bell 25 per cent for the bout, with 15 per cent going to Sanstol, who was glad of the chance to meet so highly-rated an opponent, and thus strengthen his own position in that division, providing he wins. Sanstol's popularity here and the importance of the match finally led Bell to accept, while no difficulty was secured in getting Sanstol.

Meanwhile, Promoter Vincent is already planning to match the winner with Al. Brown, the recognized bantam champion, now in Europe meeting and beating all comers. He this week wired an offer of $7,500 flat to Brown to meet either Sanstol or Bell here.

Bouts like Bell-Sanstol, and a championship match featuring Brown, would be big attractions here, particularly with the American tourist season getting underway. It is likely that popular prices will prevail for the Bell-Sanstol bout at the Forum. Bell is one of the outstanding fighters of the division. Willie Davies, Dominic Bernasconi, Johnny Pena, Jackie Rodgers, Eugene Huat of France, and Harry Fierro, of Chicago, were among his victims in 1930, in which year he did not lose a fight. Sanstol is training in Montreal, and will get down to more intensive work at the beginning of the week.

Pete Sanstol, great Norwegian bantamweight, got down to earnest training yesterday for his match on Wednesday night, May 20, at the Forum against Archie Bell, high-ranking Hebrew battler from Brooklyn.

Featuring Sanstol's training yesterday was the fact that Leo "Kid" Roy, still holder of the Canadian featherweight champion [sic] because there seem to be no fighters ready to meet the veteran warrior, was out and donned the gloves with Sanstol, renewing a training acquaintance that dates back to the days Roy was the peak of fistic fame. In those times Sanstol, then an up and coming youngster with high speed and endurance, was Roy's favorite training partner as the rugged French-Canadian groomed himself for important ring contests. He claimed then that Sanstol's bewildering speed helped him get his own speed up to concert pitch.

Now conditions are changed, and Roy is the work-horse. The veteran, still rugged to a degree and as aggressive as ever, gave Sanstol three hard rounds of grueling fighting yesterday in which no quarter was asked or given. Sanstol, as if planning to carry a rugged fight to Bell, pitched into the erstwhile star at a great clip. Sanstol boxed nine rounds in all, but the bout with Roy was the highlight.

Bell, one of the greatest fighters in that division, will not lack for qualified assistance in his corner a week from Wednesday night, for word reached here yesterday that Manny Seamon, former handler of Benny Leonard when the latter was world's champion, would be here to second the fighter in a bout that is of unquestioned importance. [Our Note: Seamon had done the same for Pete during the September 1928 Harry Goldstein fight.] Seamon is one of the shrewdest seconds and coaches of boxers in the business and Bell appears fortunate in getting a man of his quality to handle his ring campaign.

Armand Vincent is making his first appearance in several years at the Forum in a boxing promotion role. This young promoter who has been successful in the promotion of long-distance swimming, foot-racing and snowshoeing events, last staged bouts at the Forum in the form of a Canadian lightweight championship series, from which some smart fighters were evolved, notably George Chabot, the local star. Vincent is lining up a fine card of bouts to mark his return to boxing promoting.

Montreal will have the first world's fistic championship event staged in Canada in more than a quarter of a century when, at the Forum next Wednesday night, Pete Sanstol of Norway and Archie Bell of Brooklyn will meet in a bout that was designated by the Athletic Commission of the city of Montreal as being for the world's bantamweight crown. Endorsation of the Commission ruling, based on practical facts, will be asked from leading boxing-control bodies on the continent.

The bout will be unique in that it is the first occasion in modern fistic history that a world's title match has been stage at prices ranging only as high as three dollars ring-side. Titular matches of the last decade in the United States have ranged as high as $75 for ring-side seats, and never less than $15.

The titular tag was attached to the match yesterday following the failure of the recognized title-holder, Al. Brown, to answer repeated challenges to meet the winner, and the fact also that Brown has out-grown the division in point of poundage.

The Montreal Commission made one stipulation in making this ruling. This was to the effect that at least forty-eight hours before the match, Bell and Sanstol should sign contracts and post forfeits, guaranteeing to meet within 60 days the challenger named by a consensus of boxing commissions in a match for the championship. Sanstol has already been named first ranking challenger by the N.B.A., and Bell fourth. Raoul Godbout, energetic young Montreal manager who has rated Sanstol along cleverly in the direction of the title, asserted last night that so far as he was concerned, there should be no difficulty in securing his signature for a match with Newsboy Brown, the famed western bantam, or any other boxer designated. Promoter Vincent was in long-distance telephonic communication with Bell last night, and was offered assurances to the same effect.

The Commission action developed from the fact that Armand Vincent, promoter of the Sanstol-Bell match, had cabled Brown offering him a guarantee of $7,500, with the option of 37 1/2 per cent, to meet the Bell-Sanstol winner. The cable, filed with the Montreal Commission, was ignored, and this together with press reports that Brown has weighed in the vicinity of 128 pounds in all his recent British and European matches convinced the Commission that the champion recognizes he can no longer make 118 pounds, the bantam limit.... [T]itular recognition was advanced by the Montreal Commission last winter to the National Association, and that body, in its most recent list of fistic classifications, placed Sanstol as first challenger. The blonde Norwegian has performed brilliantly in American rings, being unbeaten over a four-year stretch. [Actually Pete had been beaten once: by Joe Scalfaro. He had also lost on a foul in mid-1927.] He capped his long winning streak recently in New York when he knocked out Phil Tobias, highly-rated bantam, and rugged Frisco Grande, in short order....

Sanstol went into training yesterday with renewed gusto. Leo Kid Roy, Art Roger and Paul Mecteau are among those working with the flashy and durable Norwegian.

With the arrival in Montreal this morning of Archie Bell, interest in the Wednesday night battle at the Forum between this New York bantam star, and Pete Sanstol of Montreal, will be transferred to their appearance before the Athletic Commission of the city of Montreal to sign contracts for bouts to follow their Wednesday night meeting.

So far as the Athletic Commission of the city of Montreal is concerned, the Wednesday night winner will be recognized as world's bantam champion, the bout being labelled of titular calibre in just the same way as the New York Commission, the Pennsylvania Commission and the Illinois State Commission from time to time designate matches as being of title calibre. The Montreal Commission has stipulated that the Wednesday night winner must sign in advance to fight Newsboy Brown, Vidal Gregorio, or any other ranking contender named by the National Boxing Association within 60 days of the bout here. It is for that purpose that the boxers meet the Commission at eleven o'clock this morning at the City Hall.

With interest running high in the fight and a record attendance indicated by the week-end advance sales, interest centred in the training of Sanstol, Ste. Brigide gymnasium being packed to capacity to see the dynamic Norseman blaze through his paces. Once again the veteran Leo Kid Roy, still holder of the Canadian featherweight title, was the principal opponent for the blond battler, twice over the week-end going three furious six-rounders with the bantam title aspirant. Paulhus and Leibovitz provided respective variety of strength and speed for further training efforts. After the bout, Sanstol was neatly inside the 118-pound mark which he must make on Wednesday night to qualify for title consideration.

Bell was working out in New York, and comes to Montreal today accompanied by trainer and handler. He likely will work out this afternoon at Ste. Brigide gymnasium. Bell has been training in fast company in New York, and advices reaching Promoter Vincent on the week-end were to the effect that he was at the peak. Bell has been battling in fine form, and is rated one of the most skillful boxers in the entire bantam brigade. It is quite likely he will be accompanied to Montreal by the redoubtable Italian bantam, Kid Francis, with whom he has been doing much of his training....

It was announced by Dr. Gaston R. Demers, chairman of the Athletic Commission, that the referee and three judges for the fight would not be announced until just before the boxers step into the ring.

Archie Bell and Pete Sanstol, who oppose each other Wednesday night at the Montreal Forum in a bout designated by the Athletic Commission of the City of Montreal as being for the world's bantamweight boxing championship, both signed contracts yesterday to fight any opponent named by the Montreal Commission, through the National Boxing Association, or any other controlling body, within sixty days of May 20, in defence of the title. This was the stipulation made by the commission in declaring this a title bout, because of the failure of Al Brown, holder of the championship, to reply to offers to fight the winner; because it is believed he can no longer make the bantam limit of 118 pounds; and because his time, under the N.B.A. ruling for defending his title has elapsed by more than a month. If Bell or Sanstol wins Wednesday night, it makes no difference so far as another match is concerned, as both are signed to go through with a title match as ordered and deposited cheques to guarantee appearance in such a match.

Bell arrived in Montreal yesterday, accompanied by Benny [sic] Seaman, who handled Benny Leonard in the latter's most important matches when he was lightweight champion of the world. He worked out in impressive fashion yesterday afternoon at the Ste. Brigide club, and will box lightly again this afternoon. Bell is in great physical condition, and after his work-out yesterday, tipped the beam at just over 118 pounds. He will make the weight on Wednesday with no difficulty.

Roger Bernard, heavy-hitting Detroit junior lightweight, who fights Al Rube Goldberg in the ten-round semi-final, arrives in Montreal this morning. This may be Bernard's last ring appearance before engaging in a featherweight title match with "Bat" Battalino in Detroit, manager Mike McNulty remaining behind for a day to confer with Detroit promoters who are seeking to stage this bout. Bernard previously gave Battalino a decisive beating in an overweight match.

The New York Commission, with which the Montreal board exchanges and recognizes rulings, wrote that, under their rating, Brown's time for defending his title had not yet expired, although it has done so with the National Association. The New York body invited the Montreal Commission to re-open the question of recognizing the Bell-Sanstol winner as champion immediately Brown's time for defending his title had expired with the New York body.

The Gazette, May 19.

On the same page, The Gazette carried a companion article:

Sanstol will win his fight tomorrow night against Archie Bell, if the opinions of a group of local sporting personalities are any criterion. The following are a few statements gathered on the question of the outcome of the match at the Forum:

Leo Dandurand: I like Sanstol, but haven't seen Bell.
Jos. Caftarinich: I endorse Dandurand's platform.
Jamees Strachan: Sanstol will win the decision.
Dunc Munro: Sanstol; he will not knock Bell out but he will grab the decision.
Cecil Hart [Famous coach of the Montreal Canadien Stanley Cup Championship teams of 1929-30 and 1930-31]: Both good battlers, may the best man win.
Walter Hapgood: I have been so busy with the Royals, I can't foresee anything but a draw, but I'd like to see it.
Kenneth T. Dawes: To me it appears like a toss-up, both have an equal chance to victory.
Gordon Cushing: Both good battlers.
Sen. Donat Raymond: Speed, power and aggressiveness will win the decision for Sanstol.
Percy P. Cowans: It is hard to pick out any one of them, they have both defeated the same top-notchers.
Wm. Northey: I refuse to commit myself in selecting the winner. The fight to me appears like a toss-up, may the best man win.
A. C. Iler: I know of many easier occupations than picking fight winners. Who ever gets the jump will decide the outcome. But I think Sanstol win do it.
Art Cayford: The ushers and the rest of the staff pick Sanstol, so the winner, Sanstol.
Armand Vincent [the promoter]: To [sic] tough for me to decide. I am absolutely certain of one thing, it will be a great fight, quote me on that one.
Sam Gibbs [Bobby Leitham's manager]: Greatly surprised at your question. Sanstol all the way.
Henri Deglane: Sanstol has a royal chance to win; I don't think Peter is a great puncher, but he has been fighting steadily and should win on speed.
Fred Richard: Why ask? Inform the populace that they will witness a comprehensive and thoroughly decisive victory for Sanstol, the next bantamweight champion of the world.
Frankie Fleming: Sanstol and Bell both beat Scalfaro and Bernasconi. To me it is a great fight, both have equal chances of victory.

On May 18 Pete's friend and former sparring partner, Arthur Giroux, had realized his own dream: he had knocked out Joe Villeneuve in the seventh round to win the Canadian Bantamweight Championship in Quebec City.
 
 

Buoyed by the possibility that the winner will be recognized by the powerful National Boxing Association, and by the New York State Commission, and certainly by the Athletic Commission of Montreal and the Canadian Boxing Federation as the world's bantamweight boxing champion, Pete Sanstol of Norway and Archie Bell of Brooklyn, battle tonight at the Forum in what rates as the most interesting and important match in the history of Montreal fisticuffs. It is expected that a capacity house will see the first match ever staged in Montreal that was given a world's title rating.

Sanstol's unending speed, his amazing stamina and ability like that of the late Harry Greb to hammer away ceaselessly with flying fists has made the blonde Norseman favorite to win the decision if the match goes the scheduled ten rounds, while the cleverness, close-range ability and heavy body-punching of Bell have made him the likely winner in case of a knockout. Over all Sanstol is rated a slight favorite.

The championship aspects of the match were enhanced yesterday by two developments. One was that General John V. Clinnin, president of the National Boxing Association, advised the Montreal Commission that the suggestion of the Montreal Commission to recognize the winner as the world's champion, in the failure of Al. Brown to fight the winner, that a mail vote will be taken at once on the question. [Our Note: Brown would refuse to meet the winner.] As Sanstol is rated the No. 1 challenger by the N.B.A. and as it always has been the policy of this progressive organization to disregard those champions who will not fight, there is every prospect that the vote will be in the affirmative. It will take three or four days to complete this undertaking as over thirty states, as well as certain Canadian commissions, Cuba and Mexico are all affiliated with the N.B.A.

The New York Commission left an open door to the Montreal body in the matter. Under New York rules, it appears Brown's time for defence of his title has not yet expired, but the New York Commission is interested in the Montreal plan and asked that the Montreal body communicate with them, immediately after the time has expired. [Another three months would pass, but the New York and NBA commissioners would apparently still allow Brown to wear the crown. Something just isn't smelling right. Politics?]

Meanwhile, local fistic interest has flared to a point not achieved since Leo Kid Roy and Louis Kaplan, then featherweight champion of the world, fought their famous battle of 1926 at the Forum. Although the seat sale price is low for a title match, with a three-dollar top, the gate takings will run close to the $20,000-mark.

Bell and Sanstol both went through tapering-off paces yesterday, working lightly with no boxing, to take no chances of injury. Both are hovering around the 118-pound mark and expect to make that figure without trouble this afternoon at two o'clock when they weigh in at the offices of the Athletic Commission physicians. Sanstol is in robust form. He has done much training in the open air and is burned as brown as the proverbial berry. His training has indicated that his stamina and duration are at their best, and that he can carry on at a blinding pace for the entire ten rounds. That, he admitted yesterday, is his plan. He believes his ability to carry his speed farther than Bell, a quiet, modest and unassuming youngster, offered no suggestion as to the form his actual ring campaign will assume, but his work has indicated he will rely on straight hitting.

A fitting bill supports the important main bout. Roger Bernard, ranked with Al Foreman as the leading challenger for Benny Bass' junior lightweight crown, returns to Montreal rings after having accomplished some notable fistic feats since he last fought here. A terrific hitter, Bernard meets a fighter of the rugged type in Al Rube Goldberg, well-seasoned New Yorker, who has met most of the stars. This is a ten-rounder.

Harry Hill, veteran and elusive Englishman, will give the acid test to clever Harry Leibovitch [sic], outstanding local star, in a six-round match. Leibovitz has a big following and is improving steadily.

George Sidders, former Canadian welterweight champion, meets Johnny Hellstrom in a return six-rounder emanating from a furious bout in the St. Denis. Robert Paulhus, a heavy slugger from Sorel, opens the card with a six-rounder with Freddie Smith, smart local lad.