BOXING.

Wairarapa Age, 6 July 1923, Page 5

BOXING.

DEMPSEY RETAINS TITLE. New York, July 3.—Dempsey defeated Gibbons for the world’s heavyweight championship, on the referee’s decision. The fight lasted 15 rounds.

Dempsey’s weight was 188 pounds and Gibbons 175ilbs.

In round one Dempsey led viciously, landing heavy body blows, and drew blood from Gibbons’ mouth with a left hook. Gibbons retreated, and landed twice on Dempsey’s jaw, but the champion knocked the challenger about easily. In round two Gibbons landed a hard right to the body, and then opened Dempsey’s eye. Dempsey jarred his opponent by a left to the jaw. In round three Gibbons protested against Dempsey mauling him in the clinches. Dempsey pounded his body savagely. Both exchanged head blows.

In round four Gibbons landed a right upper-cut. Infighting followed, Gibbons boxing well, and the champion was having trouble in hitting him. In round five Gibbons drove Dempsey back, knocking him to the ropes with two lefts to the jaw. Dempsey kept clinching, but Gibbons again drove him back.

In round six Dempsey knocked Gibbons between the ropes as he came out of a clinch, Gibbons protesting. Dempsey gave him a severe punishment at close quarters. The crowd became angry in round seven as Dempsey held and hit, then twice hit Gibbons below the belt without the referee protesting. In round eight Gibbons rocked Dempsey with two lefts to the jaw. Dempsey hit low and the crowd re-

sented it. The round ended with an exchange of head blows.

Round nine was mostly a series of clinches. Gibbons was distinctly outboxing the champion, who was standing the body punishment well. He also landed several hard blows to the jaw. Gibbons improved in round 10 in the clinches, and also neatly dodged Dempsey’s upprecuts and straight hits. In round 11 Dempsey was outmanoeuvred again, and he struck below the belt. The crowd was furious. Gibbons retaliated with two head blows to the jaw and dodged Dempsey ’s counter. Round 12 was characterised by savage in-lighting, Dempsey roughing all over the ring and striking low. In round 13 Gibbons kept Dempsey guessing, dodging terrific uppercuts. The challenger, bovjpg beautifully, forced Dempsey to miss repeatedly. Round 14 found Dempsey tiring. He missed continually at long range, and sought to get (dose. Gibbons’s generalship was far superior. In round 15 Gibbons was now strictly on the defensive. Dempsey, desperately trying for a knock-out, landed on the right jaw, badly shaking Gibbons, but the bell sounded. Dempsey got the referee’s decision. 'l'he wildest excitement followed the tight. 'l'he referee rushed out of the Stadium immediately he announced the decision.—(A. and N.Z.) soy’s counter.— (A. and N.Z.)