WORLD'S WRESTLING PREMIERSHIP

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 70, 19 September 1936, Page 22

WORLD'S WRESTLING PREMIERSHIP

LEVIN'S DEFEAT OF LOPEZ

(By "Aeneas.")

Recently it was announced that Dave Levin, the New York butchers boy, and Vincent. Lopez, the Mexican, were to meet in a bout which, was being staged to find a world champion who would be in the position of holding an indisputable title. The match duly eventuated at Los Angeles about the middle of last month and resulted in a.win for Levin, who will now be Earl McCready's opponent' if the negotiations at present in progress lo give the Canadian a tilt at the title bean fruit.

The match between Levin and Lopez attracted great interest in Los Angeles, being witnessed by a crbwd of 25,000. Though Levin was 271b lighter than his .opponent he showed a good knowledge of leverages. and also out-generalled his opponent • inregard to the making and breaking of holds and the general fundamentals

of the sport. In accordance-, with modern tradition the bout was decided on elbow jolts, a form of ■ attack ,■ *in which Lopez has distinguished himself. " • ' , '

There was some dispute regarding the manner in which the winning fall was achieved. Levin put,'his position this way:, * Lopez 1 said he was fouled, but I'm positive" I did not hit him low. It was a left in the pit of the'stomach that paved the way for my winning elbow smash'to the jaw. ' Lopez responded: I'm positive that Levin won from hie on a foul and that it was deliberate. That'left hook he threw hit me low- That was what beat me. EXCELLENT WRESTLING. However, the spectators saw a good show in which there was quite a lot of excellent wrestling. Also, to the, satisfaction of everybody, there is now a champion who is recognised in every American State except '.Colorado, where Everett Marshall, trainer/ of

Joe Savoldi, "bleats in solitary confinement," as one writer puts it. How Levin's position, which is that of the rightful successor to the championshjp honour dating back to Frank Gotch, was achieved was as follows: O'Mahoney beat Londos; Shikat beat O'Mahoney; Ali Baba beat Shikat; Levin beat Ali Baba. This left Levin at the head of his group on the East Coast, and Lopez at the head o,f : his on the Pacific Coast. The bringing together of the Jieads of the two camps resulted in Levin taking the honours. YOUTHFUL CHAMPION.

Levin is one of the youngest, if: not the youngest, of those who have ever held the world' title.' as he will not be 23 until next month. He hails from Glcndale, Long Island, in the vicinity of Brooklyn. He is described as a personable young fellow who is good-looking, speaks well, and is as wide-awake and intelligent as any boy fresh out of high school. He earned his first pence as a delivery boy for a'Brooklyn butcher, and has announced that it 1 is his intention to open a■ de luxe butcher's' shop in Brooklyn when he retires from the ring. , From his early days, when he realised that an'injury on the athletic field would cause him to 'lose money from his employment, he has been a devotee of professional sport. On his hand he carries a ring made from a Lincoln penny which was sewn in his trunks by his mother when he wrestled in an amateur tournament at the New York Central Y.M.C.A. He can play the saxophone by ear and is able to extract tunes from a, piano. Levin is being trained by Bob Mannagoff, an Armenian, who was billed at the "Terrible Turk No. 3' about 25 years ago. It was Mannagoff who broke Frank Gotch's leg with.'a toe hold and stole the great mans tights as a souvenir. Though the tights have since become rather moth-eaten, Mannagoff has promised them to Levin once he considers the young Jew has proved himself as a wrestler.

in the ring in a flash, broke the men apart without ado, and led the reluct-ant-Davis to his corner. At the same | time, the police entered the ring and ■ Blomfield was induced to go to his i corner. > ' These "ninth-round" rallies may j appeal to a section of the onlookers, but . such disturbances might lead to something more serious,- and steps should be taken to see that wrestlers confine their activities to the eight rounds al- ' lotted them, under penalty of suspension. Whether wrestling is to be' looked upon as a sport or purely.as an entertaining show, it .Is not edifying to see two. men engaging in a scuffle after the, official decision has been given. It i is not tolerated in any other sporV nor should it be allowed in wrest- . i, ling. The audience was the largest of .the season, and the onlookers were treated to the most spectacular encounter;of the season. The burly Blomfield appeared comparatively small beside DaVis, but in strength proved quite the equal of the big fellow. It is doubtful if ever before there has been such a torrid and gruelling display of real forearm jolting as .'both men gave. From mid-ring they frequently engaged in toe-to-toe rallies to the ropes—and sometimes over them—but they showed their, calibre as wrestlers also, with surprising speed on their feet as well as in the application of the attractive variety of holds used.