BOXING

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27150, 21 September 1953, Page 7

BOXING

FLYWEIGHT CHAMPION BEATEN IN TOKYO (NJZ. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 8 p.m.) TOKYO, Sept. 19. Yoshio Shirai, the Japanese world flyweight champion, was beaten on a technical knock-out by Leo Espinosa, of the Philippines, in a non-title bout of 10 rounds in Osaka tonight. The medical officer ordered the fight to be stopped in the seventh round, because of a severe cut abovq Shirai’s left eye. The champion took two counts in the fourth round. Shirai will defend his title .on October 9 against the British champion, Terry Allen, who left London by air for Tyko today. There is now concern as to whether the injury might seriously affect Shirai’s preparation for his title bout. WELTER WEIGHT BOUT IN U.S. GAVILAN BEATS BASILIO TO KEEP TITLE (N.Z. Press Association —Copyright) (Rec. 8.30 p.m.) NEW YORK, Sept. 18. Kid • Gavilan, of Cuba (lOst 6Jlb) retained the world welter-weight boxing title tonight, winning a points decision in 15 rounds over Carmen Basilio, of New York (lOst 71b). Basilio knocked Gavilan down in the second round, for a count of eight, with a left hook after a looping right. Basilio continued hooking the tired-looking Gavilan, trying for a knock-out, for the rest of the second round and in the third round. t . Sils was the first thna Gaylluhaa been

knocked down since he fought Ike Williams in 1948. In the fourth round, Basilio continued to bustle .the champion, bloodying his mouth and trading punches in cliches. In the next few rounds, Gavilan sometimes appeared to lose his temper, but Basilio, with a rapidly closing left eye, fought back fiercely. From the eighth round, Gavilan appeared willing to out-box Basilio, waiting for an opening. Gavilan beat Basilio with long lefts and sharp combinations, but each time he threw over a heavier punch, Basilio met the challenge by freely exchanging punches. Often it was Gavilan who backed away. In the second half of the fight, Gavilan gradually stepped up the pace, and he was clearly getting on top of the tiring Basilio. By the tenth round, Basilio’s left eye was almost closed. Gavilan then proceeded in workmanlike fashion to outpoint his opponent without running any further risk of being knocked down. In the fifteenth and final round, it was Basilio who did most of the leading.