1908-12-08 Jim Driscoll W-TKO11 Charlie Griffin (Boston, MA, USA)

1908-12-09 The Boston Journal (Boston, MA) (page 9)

DRISCOLL KNOCKS OUT GRIFFIN IN THE 11TH AT ARMORY A.A.
--------
Bout Between the English and Australian Champions Was Fast and Scientific--Young Jack Johnson Wins Colored Lightweight Championship.
--------

Jem Driscoll of England knocked out Charley Griffin of Australia in the eleventh round of their bout at the Armory A. A. last night.

Had the bout gone the limit Driscoll would have received the referee's award, as he had the Australian outpointed in at least eight of the twelve rounds. As a scientific boxer Driscoll's equal has never been seen in Boston. The Englishman was never in danger, and during the entire contest never wasted a blow.

Griffin, while defeated, put up a game exhibition, and was far from outclassed. In the eleventh round, when the knockout occurred, Griffin started in well, but after missing several swings, Driscoll sailed into the Australian, and with a righthand swing to the jaw had him on his knees for a count of four. Griffin struggled to his feet and fought back wildly, but the Englishman soon had him against the ropes in a helpless condition.

Griffin Goes Fuzzy-Wuzzy.

A left blow to the stomach, followed by a right smash to the jaw, sent Griffin down and out. The Australian was not absolutely helpless, but could not get to his feet before the fatal ten was counted.

In the opening round Griffin started like a whirlwind, with Driscoll entirely on the defensive sizing up his man. Most of Griffin's blows went wild and Griffim seemed content to see what the Australian would offer. In the second round Griffin continued his offensive tactics, the Englishman evading his blows and waiting an opportunity to get in a punch that would count.

These same tactics were pursued in the third round, and at the end of that session it looked as if the Australian had more than an even chance.

Driscoll Gets in the Game.

In the fourth round Driscoll showed some of the marvelous work that brought home the victories over Matty Baldwin and Grover Hayes. With right and left smashes to the jaw he had Griffin wabbly at the end of the round, and Charley was in bad shape when he took his corner.

In the fifth round both men slipped to the floor, and on resuming their feet Griffin made a fair showing, but Driscoll came back strong at the finish and the round was his. The sixth round was a repetition of the fifth, the only signs of punishment being a slight nose-bleed that Griffin had suffered during the three preceding rounds.

Griffin made his best showing in the eighth round: two body punches seemed to weaken Driscoll in this period and a right swing to the eye caused a lump to raise on the cheek of the Englishman.

Australian Rallies.

In the ninth round Driscoll landed three right swings in succession and a hard left to the face. Griffin was apparently weakening. In the tenth, and next to the last round of the fight, Griffin made a wonderful rally. He fought the Englishman to the ropes and made the Briton show all his heralded cleverness in getting out of tight places. The members of the club gave the Australian a grand reception as he returned to his corner.

In the eleventh and last round of the bout Driscoll went at his man as already described, and while the Australian was game to the core he could not withstand the onslaught and went down to defeat but far from disgraced.

Baldwin's Challenge.

Matty Baldwin of Charlestown, who was defeated by Driscoll in New York, was introduced and challenged the winner of the bout.

In the semi-final Young Limerick of Haverhill defeated Jim McCullough of Belfast, Ireland, in two rounds. The Irishman never had a look-in. In the tournament for the colored lightweight championship, Young Jack Johnson knocked out Young Slater in three rounds. Jack Henderson and Young Gibbs were disposed of in the preliminaries.