PETERSEN—HARVEY FIGHT

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 July 1934, Page 4

PETERSEN—HARVEY FIGHT

GREAT BOUT DESCRIBED. After a display of courage reminiscent of the “raw knuckle” days, Len Harvey lost his titles of British and British Empire heavyweight champion at the White City last night to Jack Petersen, of Cardiff, the man he beat just six months ago. (wrote the Boxing Correspondent of the London. “Daily Telegraph,” on June 5). The end came after the twelfth round, Harvey, returning to his corner exhausted, bruised, and blind in one eye, whispered to his seconds that, he could go on no longer. The towel was thrown in, in token of defeat. The vast crowd of 50,000 broke into a mighty burst of cheering, and, although Petersen was their favourite from the beginning, the man of their hearts, 1 fell that much of their demonstration was in acclamation of the magnificent display of British grit that Harvey had shown.

Harvey had actually fought—and fought, with skill amazing in the circumstances —no fewer than eight round with his left eye completely closed. The pain of it must have been excruciating. The incident that turned the light occurred early in the fifth round. Until then there was little to choose, though Petersen was leading slightly. He was boxing much better than in his previous meeting with Harvey, and was restraining himself nicely. Suddenly, he saw his chance and pounced upon Harvey as he tried to sway away. He caught him a terrific punch with a left hook and almost simultaneously banged over the right. There was a third punch within the second.

Petersen's right, having connected and gone past, came back with a backhander. Il may have been this unexpected blow that did the damage. Harvey staggered away, and as he did so those at the rigside were astounded to see that his left eye had instantaneously swelled and closed to a slit. The blow must have been of tremendous force.

CHAMPION'S GREAT DEFENCE Petersen, realising his chance, fought like a tiger for a few seconds, and a knock-out seemed certain. It was here, however, that Harvey once more displayed his brilliant defence. He avoided the wrost, and at the end of the round literally fell into the arms of his seconds.

The fight, however, was far from over. Harvey realised that his one chance, with the sight of one eye gone completely, lay in delivering some equally damaging blow. He took Peterson completely by surprise by attacking viciously, throwing all defence to the winds, as soon as the sixth round opened. Harvey looked really dangerous. and Petersen very wisely boxed with caution.

Harvey was partly successful, however, in what he set out to do. Despite the secret preparation with which both Petersen's eyebrows were plastered, that troublesome old wound in the left eyebrow was opened slightly. Harvey fought steadily for that wound, and despite his terrible handicap he was still moving too quickly for Petersen to land that damaging’ left hand of his.

The fight, in fact, developed for a while into something 1 of a tactical scramble. Mr C. H. Douglas, who had. warned Harvey many times earlier in the fight for holding, said, “Be careful. Harvey,” when the latter’s head grazed Petersen’s injured eyebrow. In the ninth round Mr Douglas stopped the fight for a second, again to say, “Don't do that, Harvey.” It was in the eleventh round that Petersen began to force the fight. His body punches were powerful, and Harvey weakened under them. Then came the twelfth, the round in which Harvey decided to make his big effort. He dashed from his corner, and swung ais punches as he has seldom done in his long career. But in flinging away defence he gave Petersen his chance. The Welshman stood his ground coolly.

PBTURSEN ON TOP.

Harvey was brought to a standstill by a series of well-timed punches to face and body, and was warned four times withi,n a few seconds for holding. He slipped to the floor, rose wearily, and dashed in again. As the two boxers broke from the clinch Mr Douglas called out deliberately: “This is your last warning, Harvey!” What the referee said hardly mattered. Petersen was definitely on. top. He leapt in and landed a fierce uppercut which caused Harvey's knees to quiver. And Harvey, trembling as he walked to his corner as the bell struck a few seconds later, was forced to order the towel to be thrown in.

Harvey could still raise a wry smile. He congratulated his victor with genuine heartiness. Though he was warned so many times by the referee, Harvey's boxing during those last eight rounds was something to remember. What would have happened if Harvey’s eye had not been injured? My belief is that Petersen would have won. Until the last two rounds he was always finding Harvey’s defence immensely difficult. But Petersen's defence was also good—better than ever before.

My impression was that Petersen was deliberately restraining himself for, just such an opportunity as came his way in the fifth round. r rhis was a new Petersen. He had learnt, a valuable lesson. He chose to box Harvey, and in winning as he did he showed plainly the improvement we have looked for. That strong fighting glare was not in his eyes last night. But the spirit is still there. He will be better than ever as the result of this effort at self-restraint.