FRENCHMAN WINS BOXING TITLE

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25607, 23 September 1948, Page 5

FRENCHMAN WINS BOXING TITLE

MIDDLE WEIGHT FIGHT IN U.S.

(Rec. 8 p.m.) NEW YORK, Sept 21. The Frenchman, Marcel Cerdan (list 41b), became the world middle-weight champion to-night when he beat Tony Zale (list 51b) on a knock-out in the twelfth round. The bout took place in Jersey City before a crowd of 20,000.

After being staggered in the third and fourth rounds, Cerdan began an unrelenting offensive in the fifth. As he kept smashing away with both hands it seemed only a matter of time before Zale would collapse. Zale showed magnificent spirit, though at times he had to lean against Cerdan to smother the merciless blows and stay on his feet.

When Zale dropped, with eyes glazed, his seconds dragged him to his corner and tried feverishly to revive him. They then signalled to the referee to stop the fight. Under New Jersey rules the victory was called a twelfth round knock-out.

Dozens of Frenchmen rushed the ring, led by the former heavy-weight, Georges Carpentier. They all kissed Cerdan’s bruised cheeks.

Zale was guaranteed 120,000 dollars for the fight and Cerdan 40,000 dollars. The boxing writer of the New York “Herald Tribune” says: “Cerdan cruelly exposed the deficiencies of Zale, who is only a competent onestyle workmah. In the Frenchman, Zale met a fighter who had everything. Cerdan is the best fighter to come to the United States from Europe.”