McARNIN BEATS CORBETT III.

Northern Advocate, 22 July 1933, Page 2

McARNIN BEATS CORBETT 111.

WORLD’S WELTER-WEIGHT TITLE. DESCRIBED BY JIM JEFFRIES. “Big” Jim Jeffries, probably the “best ever” of heavyweight champions, reporting for the <( Californian Knock Out” on the world’s welterweight championship bout in which Irish Jimmy McLarnin knocked out the champion, “Young” Corbett 111 in two minutes 37 seconds of the first round at Los Angeles (U.S.A.), last month, wrote: — In all my ring experience—both fighting and watching —there was never a picture like that. One moment McLarnin Avas standing there, to all appearances as wide open as a speakeasy. The next, he Avas a human triphammer under a full head of steam. One moment Corbett Avas a bombing squadron leading the attack. The next, the pursuit plane had caught up with him and he AA r as only a has been. One moment McLarnin Avas only a challenger. The next he Avas champion of the Avorld.

The crowd hardly got its eyes focussed when the whole thing was at an end. When McLarnin threw his joyful handspring after Referee George Blake declared him a winner, a man who sat near shouted: u Good Lord! Corbett’s knocked him end over end!” It was just tliat quick and almost that hard to follow. McLarnin was as wily as a. blonde vampire out to get her man. He coaxed Corbett into the belief that he was easy. He even looked stupid and appeared afraid. But all of the time he was waiting with both fists ready and his guns trained. The very first broadside he fired sunk the enemy with all on board. It was the coolest, neatest, most decisive climax I ever saw in the ring. Not even the famous ringmaster general from whom “Young” Corbett took his name c6uld have engineered things better, McLarnin captured the crown by brains as well as brawn, and I prophesy that he is going to hang on to it ad lib. infinitum. . Nobody could do what he did last night without knowing his way round the ring. People say he can’t box—he can only hit. But all you need to do is hit, when you hit where you aim. And that’s just what McLarnin did last night. There was absolutely no fluke about his victory.

The Irish lad has one of the best left hooks I’ve ever seen. And not only that, he’s a fellow who knows how to take advantage of opportunity when the “Old Gal” knocks at his door. Analysing the bout today I’d say that the new champion simply outsmarted the Fresno Boy all the way—or rather as far as the light went, for his one-round knock-out was rather unexpected in many quarters. McLarnin, apparently, allowed Corbett to have things all his own way, for he was getting the worst of it up until the time that lie slipped over the wallop — a short left hook followed by a right to the chin—that put Corbett down for the count of nine. v For the first two minutes of the fight—and it only lasted two minutes and 37 seconds—Corbett hit McLarnin almost at will. The southpaw worked that left hand to excellent advantage and I admit

that I myself was beginning to anticipate an easy Corbett victory. But suddenly, I might say unexpectedly, Corbett came in like he started —confident and certain that McLarnin’s wallop was nothing more than a lot of hooey. And, wham! A short left that travelled no more than 12 inches caught him flush on the chin. A right followed. Few saw it. Down went the .champion. It was so unexpected, after the way the first two minutes progressed that most of the folks hardly realised that the champion was down. But after the referee got to the count of five the crowd started to sense the situation. Corbett was having a hard time watching the referee. His eyes looked glassy as he kept tab on Eefpree George Blake’s count. Finally, as Blake hit the count of nine Coa#tt arose —and just in time —and McLarnin, the underdog, and fighter, rushed to make the “kill.”

Wham! Two lefts in rapid succession caught him fequarely on the button and down went the champion again. Those punches hurt. Referee Blake knew it. And as Corbett arose at the count of five and stumbled around like a man in a daze, Referee Blake wisely, stepped in and raised McLaruin’s hand in token of victory. It was a wise move. Many boxers have bhen seriously injured in that condition, and Blake's action was just another reason why he rates as one of the world's greatest referees.

In submitting his selection of the best Otago team a correspondent in the Dunedin Star sports edition writes: “As a very keen Eugby enthusiast, who has followed, the old game fpr many years, may I submit my choice of an Otago representative team for the coming fixture with Southland. Before doing so, I wish to state that I have seen every, team in the competition engaged in one or more gamps this season. Of course, I do not fpr one moment imagine that the selectors will choose a team anything like the following, because years of experience have'taught me that our selectors suffer most seriously with a defence coikplex. They just can’t learn from triumphant tduring teams, including the British team in 1930, that attack is invariably the best defence. Again, reputation weighs heavily with these men of wisdom, and they prove Repeatedly that it is much harder to get into an Otago fifteen than to get opt of it. Proof of this is strikingly evidenced* by the shovelling of the vefy .unfit and untrained All Black Dave Lindsay into the three-quarter position against the British deam.”