BOXING

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 5 July 1923, Page 5

BOXING

DEMPSEY DEFEATS GIBBONS

(By Electric Te-isgraph—Copyright). (Australian & N.Z. Cable Association)

NEW YORK, July 4,

Dempsey defeated Gibbons on the teferoe’s decision. The light lasted fifteen rounds. . „ .. . SIIELBY, July 4. Dempsey’s weight was 138 lbs. and Gibbons’s 175,v lbs. . . . In round one Dempsey led viciously, landing heavy body blows and drew blood from Gibbons’s mouth with a left hook. Gibbons retreated and landed twice on Dempsey’s jaw, hut the champion knocked the challenger about, easily. In round two Gibbons landed a hard right to the body and then opened Dempsey’s eye. Dempsey jarred his opponent, by a left to the jaw. In round three Gibbons protested against Dempsey mauling him in clinches. Dempsey pounded his body savagely and both exchanged head blows. Iu round four Gibbons landed a right upper cut.. Infighting followed. Gibbons was boxing well and the champion was having trouble in hitting him. In round five Gibbons drove Dempsey hack, knocking him to the ropes with two lefts to the jaw. Dempsey kept clinching, but Gibbons again drove him back. . In round six Dempsey knocked Gibbons between the ropes. As they came out of a clinch, Gibbons protesting, Dempsey gave him severe punishment at close quarters, which lie continually sought. In round seven the crowd were angry as Dempsey held and hit, and then twice hit Gibbons below the belt without the referee protesting. In round eight Gibbons rocked Dempsey with two lefts to the jaw. Dempsey hit low and the crowd resented it. Tim round ended with an exchange or head blows. . Round nine was mostly a series oi ! clinches. Gibbons was distinctly outboxing the champion, and standing body punishment well. He also landed several hard blows to the jaw. In round ten Gibbons improved In clinches, and also neatly (lodged Dempsev’s upper cuts and, straight hits. In round eleven Dempsey was outmanoeuvred again anil struck below the belt. The crowd was furious. Gibbons retaliated with two hard blows to the jaw and dodged Dempsey's counter. Round twelve was marked by savage in-fighting, Dempsey roughing it all over the ring and striking low. In -round thirteen Gibbons out-guessed Dempsey, dodging terrific upper cuts. The challenger was boxing beautifully and forced Dempsey to miss repeatedly.

In round fourteen Dempsey was tiring and missed continually at long range and sought to get close. Gibbons’s generalship was far superior. In round fifteen Gibbons was now strictly oil the defensive. Dempsey desperately trying for a knock-out, landed one on the right jaw, badly shaking Gibbons; hut, the hell sounded.

The referee’s decision was in Dempsey's favour. Wildest excitement followed the fight. .The referee rushed out of the stadium immediately lie announced his decision.