LATE LES DARCY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3743, 8 December 1925, Page 8

LATE LES DARCY.

DID HE BEAT LUIS FIR POP

AN INCIDENT IN CHILE. That there is a possibility that the late Les Darcy fought Luis Angel Firpo, the “Wild Bull of the Pampas,’ will come aa a great surprise to most people interested in boxing, says the Sydney Sun. Nearly all South America and almost everybody in the Argentine thought in 1923 that Firpo wae destined to be the heavy-weight ch&m> pion of the world. Ninety thousand people saw/him really have Jack Dempsey out of the Polo Grounds, New York City, on September 14 of that year, in two of the most sensational rounds ever fought for the heavyweight championship of the world. Dempsey wa9 helped back into tb£ ring, but was allowed to continue, and then knocked Firpo out. According to the records Firpo, who was born in 1896, had his first ring battle in 1919, E. O’Sullivan, better known as “Tim,” is confident that Firpo received a lesson in boxing in 1916 from Darcy. O’Sullivan and Darcy left together for America that year. Their first port of call after leaving Australia was Tal Tal, near Anlofogasta. in Chile. Going ashore to stretch their legs. O’Sullivan and Darcy came across a tent in which was appearing a travelling boxing show of the type familiar in Australian provincial centres. In tb.e boxing team on* big young fellow stood out. He was the idol of the local fans. Darcy took film on, and beat him up so badly that the crowd became ugly. “We were in a tight fix,” said O’Sullivan, in relating the incident, “and a night iu prison seemed just one of the things that was going to happen to us.” Fortunately the lourtb. officer of l lie steamer on which they were travpj’iiig was present, and he could epeak Spanish. He managed to soothe the angry Latins sufficiently to allow Darcy and O’Sullivan to get “When Firpo was being bkemed as the coming champion, added O’Sullivan, “I saw many of his photographs, and I at once recognised the idol of that Tal Tal booth. I feel sure that it was Firpo who got such a beating from Darcy.