BOXING CHAMPION

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 42, 18 August 1930, Page 4

BOXING CHAMPION

HIS METEORIC RISE

NEW WORLD'S LIGHTWEIGHT

(By P. S. De C, for "The Post.")

NEW YORK, ISth July

For weeks boxing coaches havo been keenly discussing the chances of the two contenders for tho world's lightweight crown, Al. Singor (tho challenger) and" Sammy Mandell (the veteran holder). 'Prior to the fight betting was in .favpur of New York's challenger, whoso rise to fame has been extraordinary rapid; only twenty-two years old, his boxing career has not , been more than three years, in which time ho has fought fifty-six bouts. Wherovor ho fights thore the crowd goes, i'ov not sinco the days of Benny Leonard Jnis an idol captured tho public imagina-tion-more; - Only two or threo defeats have blemished his career; one was a three-round knock-out received at the hands of Ignacio Fernandez last year, and another was a much-doubted decision in favour of Kid Chocolate, who, by-tlie way, is vcxy popular with, the fans now. Youth, determination, skill, imd clean living induced critics to predict a wiu for this boxer, who for his first fight received 75 dollars, for his second 40 dollars, and then in two, years collected nearly £9000 in his match with Chocolate. Sammy Mandell, on tho other hand, is a vctoran of 136 fights, who has holt world's championship honours sinco hio victory over '♦ Booty" .Kansaß in the summer of 1926. It was this fact of being so long in the game combined with the difficulty of making the weight that led the. fans to plunge m favour- of his opponent. Certainly J audeli's recent record had been.poor, and as he stepped into the ring last night ho did not appear to havo the keenness and alertness of his opponent, nor to the degree ho usually shows prior to a big fight. As ho stepped on the canvas he immediately sat on his stool with head bowed and eyes rivetted on the floor of the ring. 30UT CONDUCTED UNDER NEW . .... BULES. This was tho first important match under tho now rule regarding foul blows, -framed by the Now York State Athletic Commission mainly as a result of tho Sharkey-Schmelling clash, it represents an attempt to overcome the evils of fouls, the greatest blot on tho so-called noble art. Judging from the results of inquiries I could not help thinking that without this law the crowd bocomds disappointed if a big contest is' finished as early as the first round by a knock-out on a foul, which is diffienlj; to" interpret. Now a supposedly 'foul-proof protective cup must be worn "so" that a win' on a foul, below the belt is impossible. However, should there be a punch delivered below tho belt tho. 'offender loses his round—this is his maximum punishment. Of course disqualifications hold for other infractions, such as hitting an opponent when ho is down' or using the rabbit punch. THE FIGHT DESCRIBED. The Yankee Stadium, by tho waters o£ tho idly-flowing Haarlem Kiver, was it, great sight .iusfc before the chief contestants stepped into tho ring. Gates, tho entrances to .which wcro guarded by hundreds of constables (some mounted, and all with rcvolvors mid batons), were- opened at -1 p.m. By 5 thore were many hundreds, and from then . onwarda thousands poured intr the huge stand, capable of accommodating some 60,000. The ring, placed on the baseball field, was picturesque with Is overhead glow lights and, its-score of-loud spcakor megaphones; each white corner post waa capped wfth, gildod balls, while the thirty ■'of if orty ".Stars, and Stripes" Ifiying full on the top of the sombre 'green stadium -niado an indelible im■pression. . Thoughts of'the 1926 Exhibition came back to' me when, above the bickering and chaffing of the huge icrowd 'Colonel-Bogey' blared forth from, the loud speakers. After preliminary fights proved interesting ..'enough—incidentally, I saw Midget*. ( WflJgart, '.world's fly-weight titleholderiTXive an amazing exhibition of footwork and* versatility—both mon in the big fight stepped into tha ring at 9.45, to the accompaniment of cheering from over "35,000 voices. But 'what

a blow to those who, paying as much as £-4 a seat, expected a full fifteon rounds of clover boxing. In less than two minutes the fight waa over. After a few preliminary blows Singer immediately ' stepped in with a left hook that' had its full effect. Mandoll was groggy. Another hook and ho was down. Then came a succession of lefts and rights to the jaw, and the title-' holder sank to the floor. Buck to tho neutral corner flow the eager Singer, who, surprised at first, now seemed to study what to do to-finish the contest. By now tho enormous crowd were wildly excited. . Up rose Mandell on the count of six, but ho was sorely dazed as he floundered helplessly nround-tho ring ~Xo avoid his opponent's lunges. Throe more times ho hit tho boards, and then camo the final| punch that ended tho fight and transferred tho championship crown. Mandoll completely out, took some time to recover, while tho thousands flung papers, hats, and sticks into tho air to acclaini their now hero-champion.