1904-09-05 Sam Langford D-PTS15 Joe Walcott (Manchester, NH, USA)

1904-09-06 Cleveland Plain Dealer (Cleveland, OH) (page 10)

Joe Walcott is Champion Still.
SPECIAL TO THE PLAIN DEALER.

MANCHESTER, N. H., Sept. 5.--Joe Walcott retains the welterweight championship because Referee Owen Kenney at the Coliseum, Lake Massabesic, declared today that his aggressiveness had offset the cleverness of Sam Langford in a fifteen-round bout, in which the 1,200 spectators saw Langford cleverly hold the "Black Demon" at bay. Walcott was continually carrying the fight to his opponent. The latter's defense was admirable. For seven rounds, at the start, Langford had the better of the argument. Then Walcott woke up and to the close of the battle fought like a whirlwind. Langford completely outboxed him, however, and it was not until Kenney gave his decision that the spectators really knew the outcome. Walcott tried hard to gain a knockout. He was so ugly over his failure that he refused Langford's hand at the opening of the fifteenth round.

The day's preliminary was a joke. "Kid" Parish of Boston was set upon "Scottie" Coyne of Manchester. They carried Coyne off after the fourth.


1904-09-06 The Boston Daily Globe (Boston, MA) (page 11)

MEETS EQUAL.
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Walcott Finds Match in Langford.
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Forced to Work His Hardest to Get a Draw.
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Takes Much Punishment in Manchester.
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MANCHESTER, N. H., Sept. 5--Joe Walcott met his match in a 15-round bout this afternoon at the Massabesic coliseum before a crowd of 1200. His opponent was Sam Langford, who clearly outpointed the champion, and the latter's aggressiveness in carrying the fight to Langford was all that saved him from taking a decision that would have given him the short end of the purse.

Langford took advantage of his longer reach and repeatedly played a tattoo on Walcott's face, and his cleverness on his feet carried him away from harm a score or more times when Walcott endeavored by sheer brute force to deliver a knockout blow.

While Walcott was the aggressor, Langford met his attacks by left and right to the jaw and mouth so effectively as to draw blood in the second round and he kept Walcott bleeding in every round thereafter.

In the third round Langford brought the champion to one knee by a straight away jolt to the jaw, and he went through the entire 15 rounds without a perceptible scratch on himself.

In the opening round honors were even, but thereafter until the seventh round Langford had all the better of the argument.

In the seventh Walcott rallied as if he had made up his mind it was time he made good his title of champion, and he tried by superior weight and strength to beat his opponent down. Langford was shifty on his feet, however, and although the round was Walcott's, the latter did very little harm.

The eighth round went to Langford by a decided margin, but the ninth was Walcott's, and the 10th even. In the 11th Langford completely outboxed Walcott and the same was true of the remainder of the fight, although Walcott was constantly carrying the fight to Langford and the latter fought on the defensive.

Walcott, who made many tantalizing remarks at the first of the fight, grew more sober as the match progressed, and when in every conceivable manner he tried to deliver a knockout blow and was foiled his anger was manifest.

At the beginning of the 15th round the two men were told to shake hands, and although Langford advanced to the center and proffered his hand Walcott showed his irritation by refusing it.

The spectators thought Langford had won, but when the referee, Owen Kenney, explained that Langford's outpointing of Walcott was offset by the latter's aggressiveness in carrying the fight to Langford in nearly every round the crowd saw the justice of the decision.

The preliminary between Kid Barish of Boston and Scotty Coyne of this city was a farce. the Boston lad putting it all over the Manchester man, and getting the decision in the fourth round.


1904-09-06 The Boston Journal (Boston, MA) (page 7)

Sam Langford Stayed To Draw With Joe Walcott
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Long Reach of Langford Bothered the Champion, Many Claiming That He Had the Better of the Bout.
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Manchester, N. H., Sept. 5.--Joe Walcott and Sam Langford went the limit of a fifteen-round battle before 1200 spectators at the Massabesic Coliseum this afternoon, and although Referee Kenney declared the bout a draw it was plainly evident that Langford had the better of the argument throughout.

Langford's long reach was a constant menace to the champion, whom he repeatedly jabbed in the face, and being clever on his feet, he succeeded in getting out of harm's way. Langford drew first blood in the second round, and in the third brought Walcott to his knees with a terrific blow to the jaw. From the beginning of the battle to the seventh round Langford had the better of the fight. Then Walcott seemed to rally and started in with grim determination to end the fight. The eighth round was Langford's, the ninth was Walcott's and in the tenth honors were even.

In the eleventh Langford clearly outpointed his opponent and did so during the remainder of the battle. At the opening of the bout Walcott began to make tantalizing remarks to Langford, but he changed these tactics and grew more serious when the latter hammered him with well directed blows. Walcott was evidently much chagrined at his failure to secure a knockout and refused to shake hands with Langford at the opening of the last round.

In Walcott's corner were Harry Mellody, Billy Pierce, Harry Russell and Peter Walker, while Langford was seconded by Eddie Keevin, Jimmy Walsh and Boyd Davis. Kid Barish of Boston defeated Scotty Coyne of this city in the fourth round of a preliminary.