SCHMELING'S WIN

Stratford Evening Post, Volume IV, Issue 163, 22 June 1936, Page 7

SCHMELING'S WIN

GREAT BATTLE. TREMENDOUS. SURPRISE. 1 * "" _ - Desperate Rights Daze "Invincible" Negro, LOUIS BROKE THUMB. Press Association— Copyright.' New York, June 19. Max Schmeling (Germany) knocked out Joe Louis, the American negro, in the twelfth round of a heavyweight boxing contest to-day. The official weights were Schmeling 1921 b, Louis 1981 b. The bout was not only a tremendous surprise but, according to ringside experts, one of the greatest heavyweight battles of modern ring history. Entering a fight in which he was conceded hardly a chance to survive fifteen rounds against the supposedly invincible negro, the sturdy German unleashed a murderous fire of desperate rights to Louis' un- ; protected chin to gain e'gain the right to challenge for the heavyweight title he once held. Louis' defeat was a great disappointment to his well wishers, who after 28 successive victories believed he could not lose. Schmeling started working slowly and without a trace of fear or nervousness. He simply beat his opponent down by steady slugging. Louis went down for the full count helpless but not unconscious, with a puzzled gaze as if he was not able to comprehend What had happened. His seconds had to carry him from the ring and work over him for several minutes before he could walk from the stadium. Louis' managers attributed his poor showing and ineffectual hitting to the fact that he broke a thumb in the fourth round. >

Hot Favourite. The postponement of the fight from yesterday and the continued menacing weather cut down the attendance, which was estimated at 60,000, at the Yankee Stadium, with the receipts unlikely to exceed £IOO,OOO. Louis was a very hot favourite at the ringside, with strong odds that he would win by a knockout. Mr. Arthur Donovan was the referee and Messrs. George Leicron and Charles Lynch served as judges. Those expecting Loins to open with a whirlwind attack for a quick knock-out were disappointed, as the negro sparred rather cautiously in the first round, Schmelling likewise taking his time. Outside a few exchanges to the head and body there was little action. However Louis scored enough points to take the round. In the second and thrrd rounds Louis became more aggressive, several times recking Schmeling with hard rights to the jaw, mixed with his famous left hook to the face. Louis took both rounds. In the fourth round Louis scored with a hr.rd left to Schmeling's eye, causing it to puff rapidly, but the German countered with a hard right to the temple which dropped Louis to the Moor. He v/as up without a count, but Schmeling rushed the negro, landing both fists to the head and w:mr'-.g the round. The surprising showing Schmeling was making had the spectators in wild excitement.

Face Puffed. In the fifth and sixth rounds the German continued to score with hard blows to the head and it was apparent that, if Louis was not actually in difficulty, he was far from being sure of himself, and he was forced frequently to resort to holding. He lost both rounds and his face was puffed at the end of the sixth Louis rallied to take the seventh round, but was still far from impressive. He was unable to hurt Schmeling. The eighth round closed with Schmeling having a slight advantage, With rights and lefts to the jaw. In the ninth Schmeling scored repeatedly with punches to the body. He rocked the negro with both hands to the head. The German cleverly alternated his attack and rcored heavily to win the round In the tenth Louis was late in coming from his corner and Schmeling held off until he w::s ready. Louis hooked several blows to the body, but they were low, and the referee warned him. Throughout the eleventh Schmeling continued to administer a pounding to Lotus to win the round by an overwhelming margin. In the twelfth Schmeling opened with a stinging right to the ear T.nuis desperately tried to score with his left but* his blows were low and again the referee warned him.* A terrific right by Schmeling lifted the negro's head back and the German followed with a series of hard right and left jabs. Louis was groggy and the spectators were callling for the referee to halt the bout lie was completely helpless and Schmeling battered him at, wil 1 A hard right to the jaw sent him to the floor and he took the full count looking towards his corner. Before the fight Mr. Tom O'Rourke, aged 80, a veteran promoter and referee of American boxing, died iof heart attack while visiting Schmeling's dressing room, He had gone there to wish the German boxer good luck. Schmeling's managers admitted he was somewhat unnerved at the sight of Mr. O'Rourke collapsing, but his handlers passed it off as a fainting spell and it was not until after the fight that Schmeling knew the man was dead.