SHOCK FOR CHAMPION

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 19959, 17 November 1934, Page 16

SHOCK FOR CHAMPION

MAGNIFICENT BATTLE Dave Crowley, a featherweight of Clerkenwell (London) gave world’s featherweight champion, Freddy Miller, of America, a shock at the Albert Hall recently. Dave is not the British i champion, but the margin of points between them at the end of the fight was slighter than when Miller outpointed the British champion. Nel j Tarleton, two weeks before says an exchange. It was a magnificent battle in which Crowley accomplished wonders. The J crowd roared their delight as the little dark-haired London boy rushed in time and again. All through he kept the champion on his toes. Crowley took a lot of punishment on the body, but he came up smiling all the time, and, in turn, crashed home glorious punches to the American’s jaw. For a world’s champion. Miller made little effort in the early rounds to force the fight. His left eye. which has fre- j quently been cut in the past, was J slightly damaged in the first round and a bag of ice was held against it during j every interval. There were moments, even in the later rounds, when Miller was puzzled by the speedy Londoner, but eventually he landed terrific body punches under which Crowley crumpled. As late as the eighth round Crowley hit Miller with three magnificent righthand punches to the jaw. None of ! these had any effect beyond shaking I the American momentarily.

There were some amazing scenes before the fight. Furious arguments took place between the managers over the dimensions of Crowley’s trunks, and spectators attempted to climb into the ring, and had to be forced back by the referee. That Miller won few of the crowd could have disputed, but they were so incensed by various happenings that the booing and shouting continued longafter the fight was over—and during the next contest. At the end of the fight there was a dispute between the rival parties, though no word was spoken. Crowley was given all the cheers, Miller all the cat-calls. Despite the attitude of the crowd, Miller’s manager insisted on the unwritten prerogative of the winner to leave the ring after the loser, taking the last bow—for what it might have been worth. The first sign of trouble occurred when Mr “Pete” Riley, Miller’s American manager, pointed out to the referee that Crowley’s trunks were rather high, arguing that Miller might be disqualified for a legitimate blow. An inspector of the British Boxing Board of Control was sent for, and endeavoured to turn in the elastic band of the offending trunks. Meantime Crowley’s manager examined Miller’s gloves and protested vigorously that they were improperly laced.