THE BIG FIGHT.

Waipawa Mail, Volume XLIV, Issue 121, 6 July 1923, Page 3

THE BIG FIGHT.

AWARDED TO DEMPSEY. A QUESTIONABLE DECISION. (Electric Telegraph.—Copyright). NEW YORK, July 4. In the fight for the world’s heavyweight boxing championship at Shelby, Montana, at 2.30 to-day, Dempsey (the champion) defeated Gibbons on the referee’s decision. The fight lasted fifteen rounds. Jack Dempsey’s weight was 1881bs. and Gibbons’ 175Jlbs.

In round 1 Dempsey led viciously, landing heavy body blows and drew blood from Gibbons’ mouth with a left hook. Gibbons retreated and then landed twice on Dempsey's jaw, but the champion knocked the challenger about easily. In round 2 Gibbons landed hard blows right to the body and then opened Dempsey’s eye. Dempsey jarred his opponent by a left to the jaw.

In round 3 Gibbons protested against Dempsey mauling him in clinches. Dempsey pounded his body savagely. Both exchanged head blows. In round 4 Gibbons landed a right uppercut. Infighting followed, Gibbons boxing well and the champion having trouble in hitting him. In round 5 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 6 Dempsey knocked Gibbons between the ropes as he came out of a clinch, Gibbons protesting. Dempsey gave him severe punishment at close quarters, which he continually sought. In round 7 the crowd became angry as Dempsey held and hit and then twice hit Gibbons below the belt without the referee protesting. In round 8 Gibbons rocked Dempsey with two lefts to the jaw. Dempsey hit low and the crowd resented it. The round ended with an exchange of head blow’s. Round 9 was mostly a series of clinches. Gibbons was distinctly outboxing the champion and standing body punishment well. He also landed several hard blows to the jaw. In round 10 Gibbons improved in the clinches and also neatly dodged Dempsey’s uppercuts and straight hits.

In round 11 Dempsey was outnanoeuvred again and struck below’ he belt. The crowd was furious. Gibbons retaliated with two hard ilows to the jaw and dodged Dempsey's counter.

Round 12 was marked by savage infighting, Dempsey roughing it all over the ring and striking low. In round 13 Gibbons out-guessed Dempsey, dodging terrific uppercuts. The challenger boxing beautifully, forced Dempsey to miss repeatedly.

In round 14 Dempsey, tiring, missed continually at long range and sought to get close. Gibbons’ generalship was far superior. In round 15 Gibbons was strictly on the defensive, Dempsey desperntelv trying for a knock-out. He landed a right to the jaw’, badly shaking Gibbons, but the bell sounded. The referee’s decision was in Dempsey’s favor. The wildest excitement followed the fight. The referee was rushed out of' the stadium immediately he announced his decision. — (A. & N.Z.)