REFEREE STOPS FIGHT

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19373, 10 July 1937, Page 7

REFEREE STOPS FIGHT

DEFEAT OF BLATCH TWICE DOWN IN FIRST NEGRO'S EARLY ADVANTAGE (Klee. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) NEW YORK, July 9. AH'. Blatch, Australia's lightweight champion, was technically knocked out in the third round of his first U.S.A. match to-day, his opponent being the negro fighter, Armstrong. Blatch weighed 9.4 L and his opponent 9.2 A.

In the first round, Blatch went down for a count of three and again for a count of eight as a result of the negro's powerful rights. Blatch's left eye was badly cut. After being down for three counts of eight in the second round, Blatch rallied marvellously, and just before the end of the round laced his opponent viciously. The crowd cheered his game recovery. Armstrong’s nose was badly bleeding. Blatch was downed three times in the third round. He apparently was suffering from the earlier blows because he was not hitting very hard. The referee then stopped the bout. Blatch, when lifted up from the canvas by the referee, turned to fight again, but he realised that the end had come, and walked to Armstrong s corner and congratulated him. Blatch told the Associated Press: “I hurt my head against the canvas the first time I fell and the second time I received a blow on the back of the head. Thereafter, I fell from weakness. I was unable to get started and was over-anxious. This is not offered as an excuse, but an explanation of what happened."

His trainer, Mr. Lucas, said he had received other offers which he would probably accept, "Blatch must be given a chance to show his real quality," he said.