LOUIS'S VICTORY OVER WALCOTT SAID TO BE A "DREARY AFFAIR"

Wanganui Chronicle, 28 June 1948, Page 5

LOUIS'S VICTORY OVER WALCOTT SAID TO BE A "DREARY AFFAIR"

Both Boxers Were Told To Gef In And Fight; Louis Retiring

(N.Z.P.A.—Copyright.) Received 5.30 p.m. NEW YORK. June 26 Joe Louis successfully defended the world heavyweight championship at Yankee Stadium last night, by knocking out Jersey Joe Walcott in the 11th. round. Louis announced that it was his last fight and that he planned to enter politics.

He added that he 'would be active in this year’s Presidential campaign, but declined to say what party he would support.

The bout was slow and cautious until the 11th. round, when the champion caught a dancing, weaving and often derisive Wa’cott on the ropes and pounded him unmercifully. Boos came from the :rowd of 43,000 as Walcott evaded the champion continuously, and twice the referee warned the boxers to “get in and fight.” After the opening of the 11th. round it appeared that Walcott had Louis in trouble with a hard right to the head. In a puncning exchange that followed, however. Louis landed a left hook that drove Walcott on to the ropes. They swapped punches and then Louis dropped the . challenger with a left hook to the chin, followed up with a smashing right as Walcott was falling. Walcott tried to rise at the count of three, but could not make it. At the count ot ten he had one knee off the canvas, but fell back. Louis left the ring with a badly swollen left eye. caused by Walcott's flicking lefts. In the dressing room, Louis said:

“Five years ago I would have come out in the first round and got it over in a hurry, but I am not the fighter I was then.” Walcott commented: “I thought I had him licked until I made a mistake. Louis caught me with a powerful punch. I don't know what happened after that.” Boxing critics are unanimous in describing the fight as a dreary affair. Grantland Rice described the first ten rounds as the worst ever known in a heavyweight championship. "Louis looked like a man in a dream and Walcott gave the idea that he didn’t want the title and wouldn't take it,” he wrath. The gross gate amounted to 841,739 dollars. Louis’ share will be about 252,000 dollars and Walcott’s about 126,000. In addition the fighters share the receipts from radio, television and film rights. Mr. Sol Strauss, acting-pro-moter of the 20th. Century Sporting Club, said he planned to match all the' world's leading heavyweights in an elimination tournament in an effort to find a new champion. LOUIS MOBBED Louis was mobbed by a crowd estimated at about 10,000 when he arrived at his hotel in the negro section of New York after midnight. It took 30 policemen 35 minutes to open a path from the champion's car to the hotel door. The ciowd climbed all over the car, tore off the hood,

all the tyres and the licence plates. Ray “Sugar” Robinson announced in Chicago that he would relinquish the world welterweight title after a bout with Bernard Docusen of New Orleans on Monday night. He said he would fight as a middleweight in the hope of meeting the champion of that division, Tony Zale Robinson said the welterweight limit was "too tough for him to make.”