1902-04-10 Abe Attell W-PTS20 Kid Ned Broad [West End Athletic Club, St. Louis, MO, USA]

1902-04-11 The Kansas City Star (Kansas City, MO) (page 3)

ATTELL BESTED "KID" BROAD.
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The 'Frisco Featherweight Well Entitled to the Decision Last Night.

St. Louis, April 11.--"Kid" Broad, the Cleveland 126-pounder, was easily outpointed by Abe Attell, the San Francisco featherweight, in a twenty-round go before the West End club last night. Referee George Siler's decision in favor of the latter was a just and popular one.

Broad forced the fighting from the start, but was unable to land effectively on the clever youngster from the Western coast. Attell was continually jabbing Broad with his left and when the latter would rush he was always met with a straight right. Broad put up a game, determined fight and made many friends through his efforts. He was by far the stronger, but was unable to land effectively except on Attell's kidneys, and at the close of the bout his back showed the effects of the grueling.

Attell attempted to mix with his husky opponent but after getting much the worst of the exchange fell back to his defensive style.

Broad tried hard for a knockout in the last round and while he landed several hard ones on the Frisco boxer the latter finished strong, and was justly entitled to the decision.

Attell's next bout will be with Benny Yanger, the Tipton Slasher, before the West End club on a date to be arranged soon.


1902-04-11 The St. Louis Republic (St. Louis, MO) (page 4)

ABE ATTELL WON FROM KID BROAD.
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San Francisco Boxer Clearly Bested Cleveland Boy in Twenty Rounds.
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ATTELL'S WORK WAS PERFECT.
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The Kid Was at No Stage Able to Land Hard Enough to Cause Trouble--Siler Refereed.
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In what was undoubtedly the cleverest fight on the part of at least one of the contestants ever witnessed in this city, Abe Attell got the decision over Kid Broad at the West End Club last evening, Referee Siler giving the verdict to the San Francisco boxer after twenty rounds of scientific fighting. Through practically the entire fight Attell held his opponent safe.

For an exhibition of clever sparring, of feinting and of ring science, Attell undoubtedly broke all previous records of this city. In the last ten rounds he simply played with Broad, keeping just outside the latter's swings and stepping neatly inside his punches and hooks, never misjudging his distance and steadily jabbing Broad with both hands. Stinging lefts and rights to the face for several rounds so bewildered Broad that he actually was shaky in the eighteenth round.

But three rounds could be given to Broad on points in the entire fight, the second, the ninth and the eleventh favoring the Cleveland boxer, who made connections with some force at these periods. For the remainder of the bout, when he landed at all, which was seldom, the force of his blow was neutralized by Attell's rapid movements and slipping, while Attell's blocking practically cut Broad off from all work at close range.

Attell More Aggressive.

For the last ten rounds Broad hardly landed a blow and not one that told, although he had Attell ducking rapidly once or twice. Attell was more aggressive than in his last fight, and while Broad did most of the forcing about the ring, Attell did much more leading and landing, outpointing Broad by an overwhelming total.

The San Francisco boxer landed cleanly and neatly repeatedly, sending his blows in from every conceivable position, while Broad kept frantically trying to counter, hook, swing or punch Attell in any portion of the body--but almost invariably without success.

Attell opened the fight with a swift jab to the mouth, but Broad rushed in and sent a right punch to the stomach--one of the few telling blows on his part. Broad sent a good left to the face a moment later and worked his right on Attell's ribs in the clinch. Attell jabbed him when they broke and the honors of the round were about even.

The second round probably was Broad's, although Attell got in one or two jabs with right and left alternately to the Kid's face, and then sent a rapid uppercut to the stomach. Broad reached the jaw with a right hook and countered hard on the body two or three times. In the third round Attell adopted a crouch, and as Broad lowered his guard to protect his body, Attell sent a right to the jaw which shook up Broad. The Kid became extremely aggressive at this point and rushed in, but Attell fought back as he stepped out of the way, and honors were about even.

Clever Slipping and Blocking.

From the fourth to the eighth round, inclusive, Attell had a wide margin of advantage. Instead of keeping with Broad, he stepped back slightly when the Kid lead. He would come in with quick counters to face and body, slipping beautifully and blocking cleverly with his elbows when Broad tried to work on his ribs at close range. Abe landed cleanly and repeatedly with punches to the face and stomach in the four rounds.

In the seventh round came one of the hottest mix-ups of the fight. Attell met Broad's rush and exchanged blow for blow in a rally which brought wild applause from the crowd. Broad was aggressive throughout, and in the ninth he earned an advantage by sending straight punches to the face and stomach, only two or three shaking Attell, however.

The tenth was the Californian's round and he followed his programme of jabbing to the face and body steadily. He hit Broad when and where he pleased and his slipping of the Ohioan's leads was perfect. If the Kid tried a hook, Abe would get inside. Broad's swings were blocked and his punches brought stinging counter jabs to the face. In this round, with fierce leads, Broad had Attell ducking rapidly.

Attell Forced to Clinch.

In the eleventh, Broad's aggressiveness had Attell clinching at times, while the Kid's work at close range kept the San Francisco boy clinging close to keep from injury. Broad vainly tried to land on Attell's face, but always found the back of Abe's head to his glove. About the only point on which he could land was the region below the ribs and he worked his right here rapidly. Broad got in several punches in the course of the round and earned the honors of the period.

From the eleventh round to the end the fight was all Attell's. In some of the rounds, noticeably the seventeenth, the fight was his by so wide a margin that Broad looked ridiculous. The Cleveland boxer kept desperately after Attell throughout and rushed in, only to step into a straight jab, to catch a crack on the side of the jaw which would shake him up, or to meet an upper cut in the stomach as he came in.

Kid Frenzied by Cleverness.

When Broad let up for a moment Attell jabbed him steadily in the face and would not permit him to set himself, keeping him guessing as to what was coming next. Abe's clever feinting exasperated Broad almost to frenzy at several stages and the Cleveland man was throwing up his guard frantically in an effort to stop Attell's elusive gloves.

Several times in the last few rounds the Kid would get in a punch which showed his ability to punish if he could only land his blows. One or two of these punches shook Attell perceptibly for a moment, but he managed to dance out of the way and make Broad look silly by his evasion of leads.

Had Broad been able to land there would have been another story to tell of the fight, but at nearly all stages he was unable to put a glove on the Californian, whose cleverness is second only to that of Jim Corbett of the same State. Attell simply laughed at Broad in many of the fastest rounds, and by opening his mouth at the Cleveland fighter had the latter exasperated, red in the face and blowing throughout.

Siler was received with applause when he entered the ring, and his decision was loudly cheered.

In a six-round preliminary, refereed by Dave Nelson, Jack Keefe of East St. Louis got the decision over Elmer Mayfield.

Both Broad and Attell weighed in below 125 pounds, according to announcements from the ring.