1909-02-20 Freddie Welsh W-PTS20 Young Erne [Westside Athletic Club, New Orleans, LA, USA]

1909-02-21 The Daily Picayune (New Orleans, LA) (page 15)

WELSH WINS.
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Erne Stays the Twenty Rounds With English Champion,
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But the Fistic Foreigner Was Cleverest, and Proved Master of the Punch.
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By superior cleverness and endurance, Freddie Welsh, the English lightweight champion, gained the decision over "Young" Erne, after one of the hardest fought ring battles ever pulled off here. More than 2,500 persons witnessed the mill. Welsh was Erne's master throughout the twenty rounds. When Referee Dave Barry declared Welsh the winner, there were few dissenting opinions, for the game little Englishman not only outpointed the American lad, but chopped him to pieces before the end.

Erne gained a slight advantage in the fifth, ninth, twelfth and nineteenth rounds. In the fourth Welsh opened a wide gash in Erne's nose, and in the eighth started the gore flowing freely from the mouth. At the end of the fifteenth round Erne was groggy, and holding on desperately to evade the fatal blow. In the nineteenth Erne came back with remarkable speed, using his right and left with terrific effect on the English boy. Both men appeared to be strong at the end of the twentieth round. Welsh's left eye was slightly discolored, while Erne's face was cut to pieces. His mouth was swollen out of proportion and his left eye entirely closed.

Before the men were introduced Referee Barry read a telegram from Jimmy Clabby, the crack Milwaukee lad, challenging the winner of the fight. Both men accepted the terms. Big Marvin Hart, who fights before the Parkview Club next week, was introduced. He was hailed as the future champion heavy weight.

Erne was the first to enter the ring. He was accompanied by Bert Keyes, his trainer. He wore soft bandages about his wrists, and was attired in green trunks, and an American flag about his belt. Welsh was accompanied to his corner by Gene Lutz, the turfman. Erne examined the bandages worn by Welsh, and then raised a kick. Referee Barry ordered the Englishman to remove part of the bandages. Welsh then raised a howl as to the style of fighting proposed by Erne's second. He declared that the articles barred in-fighting, and provided for a clean break in the clinches. After considerable delay the articles were produced, which provided that the fighters could hit with one arm free in a clinch.

THE PRELIMINARIES.

Jack Collier, a local boy, and Kid Carter, of Denver, hooked up in the preliminary. Both men weighed 116 pounds. Collier jabbed Carter to pieces with his left in the first round, and in the second slipped three wicked right hooks to the jaw, putting Carter down for the count of seven, the gong saving him. Carter was still sleeping when the gong sounded for the third, and his second quit.

In the semifinal, Kid Greaves and Kid Stanley, both of New Orleans, fought at 110 pounds. Stanley forced the fighting, landing with little effect on Greaves. In the second Stanley walked into two or three hard right swings, and took the count after 14 minutes of fighting.

A telegram was received from Jimmy Clabby, of Milwaukee, challenging the winner of the Welsh-Erne mill, at 142 pounds. Phil Brock, of Cleveland, was introduced as an aspirant to divide honors with the winner.

THE FIGHT BY ROUNDS.

First Round--Erne led with left jabs to nose. Welsh put straight right to body and left to kidneys. Welsh jabbed his left to chin. Erne shook Welsh with a right to jaw.

Second Round--Welsh put his left to jaw, and Erne came back with right hook on jaw. Welsh placed two wicked jabs to face. Erne clinched. Welsh used his right on kidneys. Welsh swung his left to body, and brought his right across the jaw.

Third Round--Welsh put his right to jaw and followed it with a left to body. Erne shot his right to face, and Welsh put right to ear. Erne jabbed right and left. Welsh mixed it, using his right in clinches. Welsh brought blood with a left swing to nose.

Fourth Round--Erne swung his right to jaw, and missed a left jab. Erne swung a right, was met with a hard left to jaw coming back. Erne got a hard left to the face. Welsh landed his right to body. Erne right to body.

Fifth Round--Welsh ducked a right swing. Erne landed a right hook. Erne left to jaw twice, and left to body. Welsh feinted with left and brought his right across the jaw. Both clinched. Erne used his left on kidney.

Sixth Round--Erne hard left to jaw. Welsh right jab and right hook on jaw. Erne put his left to kidney. Welsh jabbed to mouth, bringing the blood. Welsh ducked into a slow hook. Men mixing when gong sounded.

Seventh Round--Erne led left to the jaw. Welsh brought his left under guard to jaw. Erne put a hard right to jaw. Welsh hooked right to jaw. Erne put left to jaw. Welsh jabbed left to jaw, and put right to body and left to jaw. Erne bleeding at the nose and mouth and seemed weak.

Eighth Round--Welsh put a straight right to jaw, and brought his left across the body. Welsh jabbed left to mouth, and swung hard rights and lefts to jaw. Erne ducked into a right hook to the nose. Erne put a straight jab to jaw, opening a gash in Welsh's nose. The men clinched as the gong rang.

Ninth Round--Erne came up fresh, with a left to the ear. Welsh smilingly put a left hook to neck. Erne countered with his right to jaw. Erne put a terrible left to neck. Both men used rights and lefts to jaw in the clinch. Erne jabbed his right to Welsh's nose, causing the blood to flow again.

Tenth Round--Erne swung right to jaw. Welsh jabbed left to nose. Erne put a hard right to jaw, and Welsh countered with a right hook to nose. Erne used long-range jab to good effect.

Eleventh Round--Welsh crossed Erne with right and left swings to jaw. Erne jabbed his right to mouth. Erne swung right and left, but Welsh was not there. Welsh blocked Erne's left jabs, using his right effectively on Erne's ear. Erne's right eye greatly swollen.

Twelfth Round--Erne put three straight lefts to face. Welsh put an upper-cut to jaw. Welsh staggered Erne with straight lefts to jaw. Welsh hooked his right on jaw. Erne fighting for cover. Gong found Erne bleeding and very weak.

Thirteenth Round--Welsh swung left to jaw; Welsh jabbed left and right to jaw. Erne dropped his guard and got a stiff jab on ear. Erne shot a hard right on jaw. Welsh staggered Erne with a stiff jab on jaw. Erne went to his corner very groggy.

Fourteenth Round--Erne came back in great shape, swinging his left to body. Welsh put a stiff right on jaw. Erne put his left to jaw, and jabbed his right to body. Welsh swung hard to face with his right. Welsh showing first signs of distress.

Fifteenth Round--Erne put a stiff right on nose. Welsh lunged with his right for the body, and met a stiff left swing. Welsh forced Erne to ropes, planting a hard right on jaw. Referee Barry cautioned Welsh not to use his head in clinches.

Sixteenth Round--Welsh swung left to jaw, forcing Erne to ropes. Erne tried for a right swing, and met a hard left on nose. Erne landed hard on body. The men fought at close range, Erne using his right with effect on Welsh's body.

Seventeenth Round--Erne jabbed his right to body. Welsh put a hard one on neck. Erne jabbed left to nose. Welsh put a hard left swing to kidneys. Erne jabbed left to nose, and brought a hard right across body. Both men fighting at long range.

Eighteenth Round--Welsh missed a wicked right hook. Erne countered with lefts and rights, forcing Welsh to ropes. Erne put a hard right to body. Welsh forced Erne to ropes.

Nineteenth Round--The gong found the men fighting furiously, Welsh using his right to jaw. Erne put a hard one to the neck. Welsh put a hard right to body, and followed it up with short right and left jabs.

Twentieth Round--Erne put a hard left to jaw. Welsh put a stiff left to jaw. Erne jabbed with his left, and swung a hard one on jaw. Welsh put a series of hard rights and lefts to jaw. Erne was hanging on, bleeding from nose and mouth.