BOXING.

Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 12889, 16 July 1913, Page 2

BOXING.

STILL CHAMPION

RITCHIE BEATS RIVERS

A CLEAN KNOCK-OUT

(Sydney " Sun's " Cable.) " SAN FRANCISCO, July 4. "Willie Ritchie made a great dash in the- eleventh round of his fight with .Too Rivers' to-day, and retained the lightweight cbamoionship of the world with a clean knock-out. Both fighters mad-e the weight at 1311b. Ritchie appeared to be nervous when in his dressing-room. Thoro was very Jittle betting .at tho nngsHo. 10 to 7 being tho figure at first on Ritchie, with 10 to G offered in some cases. The weather was perfect, and the ciowd numbered about 7000. Welsh was introduced, and ho threw rut a obnllerge to the winner. Ritchie entered the ring at 2.22 and RiT cis at 2 23. and the odds went to 10 to Gi] on in favour of Ritchie. The fight started at 2.30. ll'vors diT»v first blood. With a left in tho nose Ik nuado Ritchie wince, and then many light blows were exchanged it the cn-i'ise of :i good deal of sparring. Ritchie forced the fighting, and both v-ien were trointr for the stomach. RITCHIE GROGGY. Round two opened with :i clinch, and Rivers got homo with a right tn his opponent's inr. Ritchie returned the comT'.iment and added a left to the stom,n:4i a fierce rally following. Just before tin> gong RiU-hio delivei-ed a hard left rid ri-'hr- to the head, and honours w.->re < yon when the men went back to iheiy corners. ~,•,* t ■ T?nnnd thrm opened in lively fashion. Ritchie placed a hard left on Rivera's face, ami one of the latter's eyes began to nilff up. Next he slabbed n koYk\ left into his* opponent's face, and Rivers countered with the left, finding Ritchie's face and making liim rnck. For n_ moment Ritchie was groggy, and Rivers crowded in for all he was worth. Then rhe other man took a hand, and forced* the fighting, retaliating in fierce fashion, and paying back most of th<^ punisVmnnt that ho had romi'vcd. Rivers sli'pprd to tbo lio^r. hnt Rif-^n'" wn« in rlist'rosa. asd could do nothing. Tho round was just Rivp'Vfl. Round four saw Rivers forcing Ritchie Imck afc the start. Ritchie clinchod, and rouched, but his antagonist ?Tiado h'm figl't, and a hard right to the head sent Ritchie back. The round wrt/; nrettv oven. ' FIDDLING FTGTTTTXO. Tn ronnd five,Ritchiebr'rnn v.-itb threi» hefty rights io tho bend, forcing the other fallow nround tlie rinor. The latter ducked. rrr>d e^ in a- hnckbo-nrf blr>.'v to tho mouth. Ritchie bit, hard and nf'on. nnd tlvi round was his. Tn Ihc sixth the nair wrrsf-l^rl' across ih" ring, and Rivers vas <irrhti"<r vptv wiM.ly. I?itr'i)ie forcof! the "Vfpx'Van to come nn by Tnoans of Iffts in tho facn and body, and more wrestling hmucht 1 h,-» s<-s'-ion to an end. a shado in Hi^-lr'e's favour. Tho soT-pnth round opened with fidr]\v;<r flrrhiin??. Ritchie outKoxi"g t'ho .~otif.]|prner. Both men missM with wild nnd a moment later Rivers

emerged from a willing tussle with his left eye cut. Then ho thump-ed- a hard right'to the back of his antagonist's head, and Ritchie stumbled and almost fell It was Rivers's round. Round eight commenced with a hard left hook to the mouth by Ritchie, and Rivers spat blood. RITCHIE FORCES THE FIGHT. Ritchio went on to make headway as fast as he could. He forced the Mexican into a corner, stabbing straight lefts into his face and body, while Rivers-re-taliated by shaking Ritchio-up with a fearful right to the head; and «• left jabbed ir.to tho mouth. Then Ritchio seemed to t,et confidence again, and pounded Rivers' faes with right and left, forcing him all over the .ring, and finishing up with a battery of body blows and a hard right to the mouth. This round was Ritchie's. Rivera's left eve being in bad shape, and his lip split.

In the ninth Ritchie chased tho Mexican all over tho ring ,and Rivers backed, blocking left to the face and sending a hard right to Ritchie's stomach. Ritchie counter**! to the head, and with a volley of rights made tho Mexican shiver. j Then there was a clinch, and when they j broke Rivers punched hard at Ritchie's head, but towards the close Ritchie was again forcing things.

RIGHT TO THE JAW OFTS RIVERS. At the opening of round ten Ritchie plugged, a "right and left to Rivers's stomach, then a, right and Jeft to tho \ head. Jumping back, ho came again with a loft to the face, and Rivers got a similar blow in and a long, left-handed swing that orJy found the top of Riti chic's head. They wrestled for a while, and Rivers tried a left uppercut to tho .stomach, following with a light right to j the face and another left to the body. Ritchie jarred his opponent with lefts and rights to the face, asd tho round was Ritchie's by a narrow margin. In round eleven the two -boxers started by trading light lofts to the face. Next. Ritchio landed a heavy right to the stomach, and they clinched and wrflstled.^ Rivers broke away, and banged in a leit to Ritchie's fae<\ but a moment later ho was in trouble.

Ritchio came in like a tiger-cat, and with a ripping left tottoh o stomach and a naro right to Rivera's jaw knocked him clown and out.