DOUBLE BOXING CROWN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23516, 2 June 1938, Page 11

DOUBLE BOXING CROWN

ARMSTRONG MAKES HISTORY DECISIVE DEFEAT OF ROSS NEW YORK. May 31. (Received June 1, at 7.30 p.m.) Henry Armstrong, feather-weight champion, added the welter-weight title to his name by taking the decision from the former champion, Barney Ross, in a bout of 15 rounds. Ross weighed lOst 21b and Armstrong 9st 7^lb. The fight opened at a furious pace. After losing the first two rounds, Armstrong opened his account, and boxing with complete abandon, he dominated the rest of the bout. Ross suffered terrific punishment from the sixth round onwards, and by the thirteenth round the spectators were calling “ Stop it.” Ross struggled on feebly on the defence until the end and lost like a champion after one of the most merciless beatings ever witnessed. The Los Angeles negro is the first boxer in history to wear two crowns simultaneously. He will now meet Lou Ambers, the light-weight champion, and thus may even hold three championships. In the dressing room Ross announced his retirement. “I was beaten by a better fighter,” he said. Most of the critics are amazed that the referee allowed the fight to continue after the eleventh round, and are even more amazed that Ross survived without being once floored.