SHOWS NO MERCY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 27 January 1939, Page 8

SHOWS NO MERCY

LOUIS WINS HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE FIGHT TECHNICAL KNOCK-OUT IN FIRST . ROUND F ffA.-Ui Electric Telegraph -Copy right NEW YORK, 25th January It took Joe Louis (holder) only 25 seconds longer to dispose of John Henry Lewis (challenger) than when jhe beat Max Schmelling recenetly iu a | bout for the world heavyweight boxing i title. ! The champion, who is a close friend j iof Lewis, showed him no mercy. It j was evident from the moment when he I shuffled into the centre of the ring that he was determined to finish off his opponent with the grestest dispatch. When Lewis twice sprang up from the canvas without taking advantage of the counts of nine in order to clear

an of 99 battles was punished beyond i his capacity to think, and that the bout would be momentarily finished. Louis weighed 14st 4ilb and Lewis 12st 12:}lb. There were 18.U00 spectators and the gate receipts amounted to 100.000 dollars. Two hard rights to the jaw almost immediately after the opening of the] fight prepared the way for its speedy end. Louis was softening up Lewis with these murderous blows, and the third hard right to the nose knocked Lewis to the canvas. He sprang up without the count, but once again Louis landed a right that spun his opponent about and. following the blow, he drove Lewis to the ropes, where the champion proceeded to finish off the aspirant to the crown with lett and right smashes to the j head. Lewis was sent sprawling to, the floor, profusely bleeding from the mouth. He was up at the count of two. but a bfrrage of hooks that culminated with an explosive right to the temple downed him for the third time, and the referee stopped the bout after a count of five in order to save Lewis excessive punishment. i