BAER SEVERELY BATTERED

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVI, Issue 21362, 3 June 1939, Page 7

BAER SEVERELY BATTERED

Nova Has Easy Win Grim Spectacle in New York Ring United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright (Received June 2. 6.30 pun.) NEW YORK, June 1. In an elimination bout which will probably decide the contender for the world heavyweight boxing title, Lou Nova (14st 61b) defeated Max Baer (15st 011 b) in the 11th round on a technical knock out. The fight was unimpressive up to the end of the seventh round, after which Baer commenced to absorb much more punishment than was good for him and critics were astonished that the referee did not stop the bout after the ninth round. Nova won the first round in which he administered heavy body punishment and Baer was warned about hitting when he was coming out of clinches. In spite of continued body punishment Baer won the second round with a hard right to Nova’s head toward the close. Nova had a margin in the third round. He caused Baer to bleed slightly from the mouth, but he lost the fourth because of a low punch. Baer in this round drew blood with a left to Nova’s eye. Nova Forges Ahead Nova had a shade advantage in the fifth round, also the sixth and the seventh, and by the eighth round Baer was missing with his blows. He was almost helpless against the ropes in the ninth but surprisingly came back strongly towards the end of the round and the referee had to stop him from hitting after the bell. Baer’s left eye was closed in the tenth and Nova continued to pound him until the referee stopped the fight in the eleventh round. Baer was shockingly battered and was bleeding profusely. This round was described as a spectacle for which the New York ring has had few replicas.