NEW CHAMPION

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXI, 24 June 1937, Page 8

NEW CHAMPION

LOUIS’S ONLY REGRET

THE KNOCK-OUT BLOW

HEAVYWEIGHT BOXING TITLE -y/'-. LOUIS KNOCKS OUT BRADDOCK bout ends in eighth round NEGRO DOWN IN FIRST [United Press- Association— By Electric Telegraph-Copyright I , , CHICAGO, 22nd June. Joe Louis (challenger), defeated James J. Braddock, holder of the world heavyweight boxing title, by a knock-out in the eighth round of a 15jound bout. Braddock was carried unconscious to his corner bleeding, profusely from cuts on the face and nose. The weights were: Braddock, 14st ljlb; Louis, 14st lib. The betting at the ringside favoured Louis. In the opening round Braddock came out fighting, but Louis quickly staggered the champion with a right to the jaw and two rights over the eye, opening a cut. Braddock suddenly whipped a right uppercut to Louis’s chin and the negro went down. However, he was up before the count. The champion chased him. to the ropes and pounded him on the body with both hands. It was Braddock’s round. BRADDOCK’S WILD BLOWS ' The second round opened with Braddock again rushing Louis to the ropes, but his advantage was only temporary. His blows were wild and Louis drove a right to the jaw, staggering him, and in the last few seconds of the round had Braddock wobbly from a two-fisted battering to the head. Louis won the round.

The third round opened with Louis effectively jabbing a left to Braddock’s face, Louis suddenly leapt with a right to the body and a left to the face. The contender shook the champion with a sharp right to the jaw just before the bell. It was Louis s round.

In the fourth round, Braddock ended Louis’s cautious boxing with a left to the face and a right to the body, angering the contender, who proceeded to tilt the champion’s head back with stiff rights and lefts. This made Braddock miss many blows. Louis won the round.

CHAMPION SEVERELY PUNISHED

- Braddock’s eyes were slightly puffed as he came up for the fifth round. He jabbed Louis’s nose, causing it to bleed, Louis hooked a; left to the jaw and

stepped out of range of Braddock’s right swings. The contender then proceeded ‘to jab Braddock’s face and punish him severely with rights to the body. The round was Louis’s.

In the sixth round Braddock was badly shaken by a left to the jaw and two rights to the chin. Then he heedlessly walked into Louis, who, drove lefts and rights to the body and head, reopening a cut over Bradock’s left eye. Similar blows staggered the champion and bruised his lips, but he stood flatfooted, vainly trying to counter his opponent’s vicious blows. Louis won the round. Braddock threw his fists about wildly in the seventh round, while Louis cut him to ribbons with straight left jabs and rocked him with a right uppercut to the chin. Braddock was now fighting back blindly. Louis’s left always struck Braddock’s face, while the tottering champion was incapable of retaliating. Braddock drove a right feebly to Louis’s head before the bell, but he plainly was defeated. FLOORED BY RIGHT TO JAW The end came after seven seconds in 'the eighth round. Louis opened cautiously, stabbing a left to his opponet’s face and keeping out of range of Braddock. He rocked the champion with a short right to the jaw and followed with another right to the jaw, flooring Braddock, whom his seconds carried unconscious after the count to his corner.

The attendance was 50,000 and the receipts'7oo,ooo dollars.

; A TERRIFIC PUNCH CHAMPION REDUCED TO BLEEDING MASS NEW YORK, 22nd June. Braddock was a badly-hurt man at the end of the fight. A crimson stain a foot in diameter was left on the canvas where his head rested while the count was made. The boxing editor of the “New York Times” writes: “For those who had visions of Braddock’s ascendancy when he knocked Louis down in the first round it was only a temporary vision. It disappeared under the cool, calculating, and crafty boxing and the savage and vicious punching of Louis. The - finishing blow was one of hundreds with which Louis pelted and hammered Braddock, who was fighting grimly, fearlessly, and willingly, and who was reduced to a bleeding mass at the end. He suffered a haemorrhage from the final blow, and even his seconds turned pale when they saw him lying on the canvas in a pool of blood.” The boxing writer of the North American Newspaper Alliance says: “The finishing blow was one of the most terrific single punches I have ever seen in the ring. Braddock never had a chance. He was outclassed by youth, speed, and power. Braddock had only his gameness and stamina against a fighter whose both hands were lethal.” NEGROES CELEBRATE To deal with eventualities arising from the fight, 1500 people were assign-

ed to the Harlem district of New York, but order was maintained. Chicago’s south side, however, report near riot conditions, although the demonstrations for the most part were good natured. Negrpes held parades, commandeered trams, and otherwise noisily celebrated the first negro victory in a title bout since Jack Johnson won the championship.

THAT HE WAS NOT FIGHTING SCHMELING BRADDOCK’S GAMENESS [United Press Association —By Electrio Telegraph—Copyright) NEW YORK, 22pd June. After the fight Louis said: “My only regret is that I did not have Schmeling in the ring to-night instead of the man I knocked out. Braddock was by far the gamest man I have ever faced and the wonder to me was that he lasted as long as he did. Braddock punches hard and I am not denying that ne hurt me several times. I always wanted the experience of getting floored early in the fight then coming back to win.” BRADDOCK STILL OPTIMISTK? Braddock said: “Louis is a good fighter, but I think with two bouts under my belt I can beat him. The ring lights hurt my eyes and I admit I was tired after the fifth round. But that’s nothing. I’ll fight Louis again and when l do IT: beat him.” Louis’s face did not show marks of being in the battle. He immediately changed into his street clothes and motored to a nearby suburb for the night. He is proceeding home to Detroit to-morrow, after collecting 122,000 dollars, his share of the receipts. FARR’S FIGHT WITH WINNER LONDON, 22nd June. The projected match in England between Tommy Farr and the winner of the Chicago fight has been abandoned because Louis and Braddock each demanded excessive guarantees.