Ex-Palmerstonian Bert Brown Beats Tough Mexican, Bobby Garcia

Manawatu Times, Volume LIII, Issue 6665, 19 July 1928, Page 10

Ex-Palmerstonian Bert Brown Beats Tough Mexican, Bobby Garcia

Punches Way To Clean-Cut Victory In Thrilling Bout At Montreal

Special to Times.

The New Zealand-liglitweight boxer and ex-Palmerstonian, Bert Brown, protege of Eugene Brosseau, *the well known promoter, who' has been in Canada for the past three years,, beat a min of whipcord and india rubber when he punched his way to a cleamcut victory oyer the unbelievably, tough Mexican Indian, Bobby Garcia in a thrilling ten-rounder at the Montreal Baseball Park'on June 13 last. I

Brown A Maelstrom. Epqnd after round, his black, bushyhaired bead lowered, shoulders crouched, Garcia walked in like a miniature Dempsey, assimilating the thudding smashes which Brown- rained bn his face and head without giving ah Slitward sign, scarcely, that he was the centre for a maelstrom. The only effects Garcia showed were a cut in, the lower lip which came in the second round, when Brown shot thrbugh a tattoo .of stinging uppercuts, and a slight abrasion inside the nose.

In The “Big Time.” ’ ;■ t A few days before the bout the following article appeared in a Montreal paper: . ■ _ , * Brown, through his manager, Gene Brosseau, has been clamoring . for a chance to step into “fast-company,’’ and this match with Garcia , gives him that chance.' Now it is up. to Bert to prove whether or not he really belongs in the “big time,”: - , It is indeed a heavy, assignment that confronts the transplanted New Zealander. In Qarcia Brown will stack up against one of the roughest, toughest propositions in the featherweight division, ’a fighter wHo, for sheer, strength, ruggedness, : yiohmsness and - hitting power, ranks - second to none of them. • -Garcia needs no introduction to Montreal fans, who recall; his 1 two battles with Leo Eid Eby here. 'ln the first scrap held at the Monument ; National,'Garcia hammered his way to a sensational victory, having Eoy on the canvas and dangerously close to a knockout in tho final round. In the second scrap, staged at tho Forum, Garcia lost the decision, but it developed,later that “Bullet Bob” was an exceedingly sick young man that- night, pnd far ffom his best form; ; . Mdn of 4S K.Osv When Garcia is “right,” ho is as' colourful a; performer as the featherweight division-. ever' has known. Fighting (.professionally • aboutsix years, the Mcxic-an-Indian has been in thefo with just aboiit every feather of any prominence—and quite a few of tho heading lightweights as wclfi His record: shows knockout victories over such good .’tins' as. Joe'.Glide, Euby' Stein, Low Mayrs,' Tommy Herman, Newport johnny Brown, George McKenzie,' Billy AVhitc, Johnny Hill, Jesc Lombardo and Marty Silvers, as well as decisions over Billy Petrolic, Danny Kramer, . Bonny Bass, Billy Grime, Al Winkler and;' Mike Dundee. Garcia also has fought Louis Kid Kaplaf four times.' . ; .4- . During his eventful career, Garcia has won more than oncfhird of his battles by knockout.' In 124'starts, he has chalked, iip no dcss tha'n 43 k.o’s, which is indeed a punching record of. which any featherweight may well be proud.' Of the remaining 81 scraps in which he .has participated, ‘Bullet Bob” has won 32 by decisions, fought seven no-decision affairs' And ten draws, and has been on tho losing end 32 times, v ■ ’

It was a fine victory to mark Brown’s return to a-Montreal ring since settling ■ the managerial difficulties which kept him idle. < The New Zealand boy started carefully, and, it was only in ; the first round that' Garcia showed. The swarthy, slim Mexican rushed in like a tiger,' shboting his vicious hooks, end Brown-fought carefully); Garcia taking the edge on the round.' ‘ 4- V But after'that, though. Ghrcia stead-, ily plunged right into the range, Brown look round after rouricl. Ho stabbed ia long straight left into Garcia's face, a blow ..thaf had-little power,,, but which stood' the Mexican off, then smashed in ‘right hooks and, uppercuts. Garcia; did not deign, to block- tho; blows. -Ho, just let tyem land', and like Battling': Nolsbn, walked in for more. Nor.-,was Garcia’s part solely that of a', catcher. Ho. was dangerous every Setiond/' and demonstrated this impressively at the start of the third round, when he shot from, his corner like a brown panther, and whipped across one of- his vicious left hooks -that bounced Brown- oil the floor for the only knock-down of the-fight. Brown flashed iip without a count, - like a bouncing rubber ball, -and that was thus thefo went glimmering about tho only chance: Garcia had of turning the tide. ‘ ,i !

, -A.:;jslmrp downward right drive brdUght blood,;' f the-; start-jiff the the Antipodean ■ retaliated- by driving a barrage of heavy/ hooks to the dusky head of the- Mexican, though- with np outward effect.-: From that on, cvery'round was a repetition . of Brown’s backing care-fully-befprb 5 the: plunging rushes of hisvbrunctl’e opponent, . and shooting his thudding punches to face and body, ■ Garcia • wAs always; dangerous. His lists flashed but with the speed and deadliness of ; a rattler, but Brown was either inside, or blocked cleverly. Brown’s body showed most effect of Garcia’s punching, being reddened up over the kidneys. It was. a, rattling good fight and the decision Was well • received. Garcia weighed 127 J, Brown 129>.

, He’s no bargain fqr any of ’em, is Bobby Garcia, and Bert Brown is very, apt to discover this—if -ho doesn’t know it now—when he .tangles with' the Mexican-Indian.