BOXING TITLE

Southland Times, Issue 21109, 14 June 1930, Page 7

BOXING TITLE

SCHMELING WINS DECISION ON A FOUL I BLOW IN FOURTH ROUND SHARKEY’S SUPERIORITY (United Press Assn.—By Telegraph—Copyright) (Rec. 5.5 p.m.) , New York, June 12. Max Schmeling (Germany) defeated Jack Sharkey (America) in the fourth round on a foul in the bout for the world’s heavyweight championship. Sharkey was favourite before the men entered the ring. Round one: Schmeling was covering up. Both were leisurely and slow. It was Sharkey’s round by a slight margin. Round two: Sharkey’s lefts and uppercuts were proving effective. Hie pair were fighting more spiritedly. Sharkey’s round. Round three: The American staggered his opponent with three rights to the head, and drove him to the ropes with another right and left to the face and then uppercut the German with a right to the face. Schmeling was holding on and looked beaten. Sharkey was punishing him badly on the head and the body. Sharkey’s round. Round four: Sharkey was trying hard for a knock-out. He dropped Schmeling with a left to the body. Schmeling claimed a foul, but the bell ended the round and Schmeling w’as carried to his corner crying that he had been fouled. The round ended at the count of six with Schmeling on the floor. Schmeling Helpless. Sharkey ran across the ring when the bell rang for the fifth round, but Schmeling would not come out and the count went on. Both fighters’ managers crowded into the ring and besieged the referee, and there was a terrific din when finally the referee announced a foul. Thus the contest, which was avowedly for the world’s championship, ended with the German contender, the victor, lying helplessly on the canvas. Only one of the two judges saw the foul blow struck, the other judge and the referee being out of position to see where Sharkey’s hammering left landed. Sharkey’s face streamed with tears when he heard the decision, which makes the German world’s champion, at least in New York State unless the Boxing Commission reverses its previously announced intention to accord such recognition. It was a most unsatisfactory ending to a widely advertised contest for the successor to Tunney’s crown. “From where I sat it looked like a low blow. Ido not care to say any more,” said Gene Tunney, who was in a ringside seat. The Boxing Commission's physician examined Schmeling and announced that he found evidences of a foul blow. Schmeling stated that he was ready to accord Sharkey a return bout. New York Press Comment. The sports writer of the New York Times says: “One powerfully driven (at best an erratic drive) for the body, a conspicuously low left in a myriad of otherwise fair punches, cost Sharkey the world’s heavyweight title.” The Herald-Tribune says: “Schmeling won in the most unsatisfactory bout in the record of heavyweight championship affairs. Sharkey, up to the time of the low blow, had been outboxing, outpunching, and outshoving the German.” The New York American states that Schmeling was being badly beaten when the unfortunate low blow landed. The New York Daily News says that the heavyweight title properly goes to Schmeling on a foul. THE NEW CHAMPION SWIMMER AND FOOTBALLER. Max Schmeling, the new heavyweight boxing champion, was born near Prenzlau in September 1905, but soon moved to Hamburg where his father served in a Hamburg-America liner. At the age of 13 he began to box. He was also a good swimmer and a keen footballer. In 1923 he came forward as an amateur boxer, took lessons and in 1924 reached the final in the amateur championship at Chemnitz. He then decide/! to become a professional and was trained by Arthur Billow, his manager. In 1927 he beat the European light heavyweight champion, Defargo, on points after 14 rounds and next year defeated the Italian champion Bonagalia in 24 minutes. In February 1928, however, he was knocked out in the first round by Gipsy Daniels. Schmeling in April beat Diener, the German heavyweight champion, on points and then went secretly to the United States without the permission of the German Boxing Association, but his expected bout with Urban did not come off. Instead he had to undergo treatment for his hand which he had injured in Germany and it was six months before he fought again. He then defeated Joe Monte at New York in eight rounds and in January 1929 beat Joe Sakyra on points. In his third fight at Newark he knocked out Pietro Corri in 62 seconds. His victory at New York over Johnny Risko, who had defeated Tunney in 1925 and Jack Sharkey in 1928, made him very popular. Meanwhile he had quarreled with his manager, Bulow, and had replaced him by Joe Jakob. He returned to Germany in February 1929, with the object of finally getting rid of Bulow, but soon went back to America. In June he defeated Paolino Uzcudun on points in 15 rounds. This fight was looked on as a preliminary to a struggle for the world championship against Jack Sharkey. Schmeling’s efforts to get rid of Biilow were not successful, for the New York boxing authorities took the manager’s side and eventually suspended Schmeling. HEAVY-WEIGHT TITLE THE PREVIOUS HOLDERS. The championship of -the world under modern rules dates back to 1892, when John L. Sullivan and Jim Corbett fought for the title now held by Schmeling. Nine men have held the heavyweight sceptre since Sullivan lost his crown, and all but one have been American ringmen. Bob Fitzsimmons, the freckled Cornishman, was the only foreign pugilist to wear the crown. Dempsey shares with Jack Johnson, the noted negro, and Jim Jeffries, the distinction of holding the championship the longest, seven years. Jeffries retired undefeated, but was knocked out by Johnson when he attempted to come-back as a “white hope” after the negro had lifted the championship from Tommy Burns. “Gentleman Jim” Corbett held the title for five years; Jess Willard, four years; Burns, three years, after Jeffries’ retirement, and Fitzsimmons, two years. In the last championship fight with bare knuckles, Sullivan knocked out Jake Kilrain at Richburg, Miss., July 8, 1889, in 75 rounds. Sullivan held sway with the gloves until 1892, when he was knocked out by Corbett in 21 rounds. Sharkey and Schmeling each receive 25 per cent, of the takings, this being the first time in history that- the heavyweight championship match has been fought on such a percentage basis. The following is the list of principal fights for the title since 1892 :— 1892 —‘James J. Corbett knocked out John L. Sullivan in twenty-one rounds with big gloves at New Orleans, September 7.

1894—James J. Corbett stopper! Charley Mitchell in three rounds at Jacksonville, Fla, January 25. 1897 —*Bob Fitzsimmons stopped James J. Corbett in fourteen- rounds, at Carson City, Nev, March 17. 1899—-‘James J. Jeffries stopped Bob Fitzsimmons in eleven rounds at Coney Island, June 9. 1899— James J. Jeffries defeated Tom Sharkey in twenty-five rounds at Coney Island, November 3. 1900 — James J. Jeffries stopped James J. Corbett in twenty-three rounds at Coney Island, May 11, on Corbett’s attempted come-back. 1902 — Janies J. Jeffries stopped Bob Fitzsimmons in eight rounds at San Francisco, July 25. 1903 — James J. Jeffries knocked out James J. Corbett in ten rounds at San Francisco, August 14. 1904— James J. Jeffries knocked out Jack Monroe in two rounds at San Francisco, August 26. Jeffries then retired. 1906— Tommy Burns beat Marvin Hart in twenty rounds at Los Angeles, February 23. 1907 — Tommy Burns beat Philadelphia Jack O’Brien in twenty rounds at Los Angeles, May 7. 1907 —-Tommy Burns slopped Bill Squires, of Australia, in one round, at Colma, California, July 4. 1907—‘Jack Johnson defeated Tommy Burns in fourteen rounds at Sydney, N.S.W, the police interfering, December 25. 1909 — Jack Johnson knocked out Stanley Ketchel in twelve rounds at Colma, California, October 16. 1910— Jack Johnson knocked out James J. Jeffries in fifteen rounds at Reno, Nev, July 4, on Jeffries’ attempted come-back. 1912—Jack Johnson beat Jim Flynn in nine rounds at Las Vegas, N.M, the police interfering, July 4. 1914 — Jack Johnson beat Frank Moran on points in twenty rounds at Paris, France, June 27. 1915 — ‘Jess Willard knocked out Jack Johnson in twenty-six rounds at Havana, Cuba, April 5. 1916.—Jess Willard defeated Frank Moran by popular verdict in New York (no decision), March 25. 1919 — ‘Jack Dempsey knocked out Jess Willard in three rounds at Toledo, Ohio, July 4. 1920 — Jack Dempsey knocked out Billy Miske in three rounds at Benton Harbour, Mich, September 6. 1920— Jack Dempsey knocked out Bill Brennan in twelve rounds at New York, December 14. 1921 — Jack Dempsey knocked out Georges Carpentier, of France, in four rounds, at Jersey City, N.J, July 2. 1923 —Jack Dempsey won on points from Tom Gibbons, of St. Paul, in fifteen rounds at Shelby, Mont, July 4. 1923 —Jack Dempsey knocked out Luis Firpo in two rounds at New York, September 14. 1926— * Gene Tunney won the title from Jack Dempsey on points. 1927 — Gene Tunney defeated Jack Dempsey on points. 1928 — Gene Tunney defeated Tom Heeney. New Zealand, on technical knock-out, at New York. July 26. 1930—Max Schmeling defeated Jack Sharkey on a foul at New York, June • 12. * Title changed hands.