Archibald lost the NYSAC and Baltimore version of the world featherweight title to Harry Jeffra on May 20, 1940, in a fifteen-round Unanimous Decision at the Coliseum in Baltimore. Jeffra was knocked to the canvas three times in the second round, twice for a count of nine. Archibald landed his blows in earnest in the eighth and ninth rounds with lefts to the body, but was far too behind on points to pull ahead. The Associated Press gave Jeffra seven rounds, Archibald three, with five even. Retaking the NYSAC World Feather title, May, 1941 Archibald regained the NYSAC version of the world featherweight title from Jeffra on May 12, 1941, in a fifteen-round split decision at Griffith Stadium in Washington before a small crowd of 1,800. With his victory, he also won championship recognition from Maryland, Pennsylvania, and California. Starting as an underdog at odds of 8-5, Archibald came back in the ninth through fourteenth rounds after suffering from a slow start that saw Jeffra leading on points, and then weathered a furious attack from Jeffra in the final round. In a close bout, only referee scored for Jeffra, with both judges backing Archibald. Final loss of NYSAC World Feather title, September 1941 Jeffra's reign was short lived as Chalky Wright knocked him out on September 11, 1941, before a crowd of 5,500 to overtake the crown in an eleventh-round knockout at Griffith Stadium in Washington D.C. Wright knocked Archibald to the canvas 54 seconds into the eleventh with a left hook and a powerful straight right, though he was well ahead on points before the knockout. Archibald lost the first eight rounds by a substantial margin. Before a crowd of 5,500 on June 23, 1942, Archibald lost to the great and undefeated Willie Pep, at Bulkely Stadium, Hartford, Connecticut in an eight-round points decision. There was only one knockdown in the bout when Archibald hit the canvas for a fleeting second in the seventh round. Referee Louis "Kid" Kaplan scored all eight rounds for Pep. Archibald, who still had his speed, was unable to land more than three punches that landed cleanly against the crafty Pep, who retained an exceptional defense throughout the bout which lacked thrills but was clearly an exceptional display between two highly skilled opponents. Despite his fine effort against Jeffra to regain the title, Archibald appeared to be a fighter in decline after 1939, though