BOXING AT PISTOL’S POINT

New Zealand Times, Volume L, Issue 11686, 26 November 1923, Page 9

BOXING AT PISTOL’S POINT

EXPERIENCE OF MIKE McTIGUE. CHAMPIONSHIP FIASCO. THREATS TO LYNCH THE REFEREE. An extraordinary story of Mike Mctigue’s fight to retain the world’s light-heavy weight, title -at Columbus, Georgia, was wired by Reuter’s special correspondent on October 4th. McTigue, who wished to postpone the contest, owing to an injury to his hand, declares that he was forced to fight at the pistol’s point, and the referee alleges that the crowd threateed to lynch him unless he declared MeTigue’s opponent—young Stribligg, a local high school boy—ta be the winner. He announced a draw, hut the crowd rushed the ring and compelled 'him to change the decision in favour of Stribling. Later a draw was announced officially. . , It was Mike McTigue, it will be remembered, who recently deprived Siki of the world’s light-heavyweight title in Dublin. The referee in the Columbus fight was Mr ‘Harry Ertle, who was in charge of the Dempsey-Carpentier match. Complaints of lynching threats were made both by him and MeTigue’s manager. HUSTLED INTO RING. McTigne states that while training he broke a bone in his hand, and wanted time to recover. Stribling’s partisans, however, refused to listen to Rim, and he was hustled into the ring at the pistol’s point. The first two rounds were even. In the third Stribling brought blood to MeTigue’s nose. The fighting was fast and furious in the fourth andi fifth rounds, the Georgian carrying the battle to the champion. Stribling forced the pace in the eighth round, in which MeTigue’s bloili lacked steam. The ninth and tenth rounds were fiercely fought without either being able to floor the other, but the advantage went to Stribling. The referee first appeared to declare the bout a draw, but the spectators rushed the ring and surrounded the referee, who changed the decision, and pronounced Stribling tlie winner. POLICE ESCORT. Stribling, who is an 18-year-old high school boy, was trained bv his father and mother. He hit McTigue at will throughout the ten rounds. When tho Irishman retaliated he landed only light punches. Tlie referee. Mr Harry Ertle, had to be escorted to his hotel by the police after the fight. REFEREE EXPLAINS. Mr Ertle then explained to the Press representatives that, his gesture at the end of the tenth round, which was taken as indicating that the fight waa a draw, was not intended. He asserted that the fight promoters

forced him to grab the right arm pt the Challenger and raise it aloft as a sign of giving the decision to Stribling. Later the fight was officially declared a draw. In the privacy of his residence, away from the angry crowd, Mr Ertle said he had been threatened that unless he awarded the fight to the Georgian, he (Mr Ertlei would' never leave the arena alive. McTTGUE’S STORY. Interviewed after the fight, Mike McTigue declared that he had been forced to enter the ring at the point of pistols, after he bad informed the promoters that he would be unable to fight, owing to the injury to bis thumb. Jacobs, MeTigue’s manager, stated that the spectators had threatened to hang him if the fight was declared off.