WALKER’S SURPRISE WIN

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31836, 14 November 1968, Page 15

WALKER’S SURPRISE WIN

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) LONDON. The British heavyweight, Billy Walker, upset the odds when he stopped the American, Thad Spencer, in the sixth round of their scheduled 10round contest last night.

Before the fight none but Walker’s closest followers gave the 29-year-old Londoner more than a slim chance of beating the American, who is ranked ninth in the world. But Walker always looked the sharper of the two and gave the 25-year-old Spencer a severe battering before the referee, Mr R. Dakin, stopped

the fight after 2min 4sec of the sixth round.

Walker, who had not fought for a year, showed no signs of ring-rustiness as he chased after Spencer from the opening round. Walker, who like the American had been stopped in his last two fights, rocked Spencer with a heavy left hook to the head in the first round and twice had the American trapped in a corner although he was unable to inflict any serious punishment. Walker, generally a slow starter, always showed greater bite in his punches and Spencer seemed disinclined to open up until the end of the second round when he caught Walker with a few clips to the head. Spencer was sent staggering acros the ring by a left book from Walker in the

third round and this at last stunned the American into action. The advantage switched constantly between the two until the end of the round.

Spencer began to tire in the fifth as Walker hurt him with a sickening right to the stomach which was followed by a hetic battery of lefts and rights to the head. Spencer’s corner seemed to be signalling at the fifth that they wanted to withdraw their man from the fight but the American came out for the sixth, although he still looked dazed and shaken. He seemed to be rapidly losing control of his limbs as Walker continued to wade in with a ceaseless barrage before the referee ended the contest.