Bobby Eber

Bobby Eber (born Robert Silas Tabb; April 4, 1902 – October 31, 1951), nicknamed Bad News, was a Canadian professional bantamweight boxer. He was a two-time Canadian bantamweight boxing champion.

Early life Robert Silas Tabb was born on April 4, 1902, in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

Professional boxing career Tabb turned pro in 1917 at 16 years old. He launched his pro boxing career in Hamilton. His first fight was at Hamilton's Barton Street Arena during World War I.

He fought as Young Eber early on, and when he made his American debut, Buffalo sportswriters dubbed him Elbows McFadden for a defensive style similar to old-time boxer George "Elbows" McFadden.

Taking the Canadian bantamweight championship, May 1919 Eber was hailed as the bantamweight champion of Canada by Hamilton newspapers and manager Hank Woods after his championship fight with Billy Hughes of Sault Ste. Marie in Toronto on May 28, 1919.

Eber and future world lightweight champion Jimmy Goodrich met four times in 1919. Following back-to-back draws in May and June, Eber won their August encounter, but Goodrich took the final bout by 10-round decision in London, Ontario, in September 1919.

That year, Eber was in line for a world championship bout with Pete Herman, though local promoters scrapped it due to Herman's excessive purse demands. He later had a fight scheduled with Abe Goldstein, a contender who became bantamweight champion in 1924, but an infected ear forced him to withdraw shortly before the scheduled date. The fight was never rescheduled.

Eber met Billy Hughes in another bantamweight title bout in Cobalt, Ontario, in July 1920. The second round featured a double knockdown that referee Lou Marsh described as "one of the most unique things I ever saw in a boxing ring," while the fourth round saw Eber drop Hughes three times, with Hughes unable to make the count.

The bantamweight champion took a rematch bout with Benny Gould on 24 hours' notice in December 1920, losing on points after ten rounds. which never materialized.

In June 1922, he fought Eddie Pinchot of Charleroi to a ten-round draw in a non-title match, with referee Lou Marsh declaring it a draw following a split decision by the judges. Another bout was organized between the pair, this time with the bantamweight championship on the line.

He retained his title in a ten-round draw with Sonny Smith on November 6, 1922, and again on November 20, 1922.

Reclaiming the Canadian bantamweight championship, December 1925 The former champion returned to the ring in mid-1925 and defeated Howard Mayberry, Rocky Flori, and Jackie Johnston. He scored a clean knockdown in the second round but fell slightly behind on points during the early stages of the bantamweight bout. He rallied with a strong performance over the final five rounds to regain the Canadian bantamweight title.

In May 1926, he suffered a fifth-round knockout loss to world champion Charley Phil Rosenberg. Entering the bout with a rib injury from his previous fight, Eber became the target of body shots. After his corner threw in the towel, he kicked it out of the ring and the referee continued the fight. Rosenberg floored him two punches later, and the referee stopped the bout.

In July 1926, he announced his retirement as the bantamweight boxing champion and abandoned his title. After Eber declined to meet either top-ranked challenger, Vic Foley or Jack Johnston, in a mandatory title defense, the Ontario Athletic Commission and Canadian Boxing Federation declared the championship vacant.

Eber remained in Hamilton for the rest of his life, where he operated a gym at King and McNab for a few years.

Death Bobby Eber died in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, on October 31, 1951. He was interred at the Hamilton Cemetery.