1919-09-01 Ted (Kid) Lewis ND10 Mike O'Dowd [Syracuse Athletic Club, Arena, Syracuse, NY, USA]

1919-09-02 Syracuse Journal (Syracuse, NY) (page 12)

MIKE O'DOWD REGISTERS DECISIVE VICTORY OVER FORMER WELTER CHAMP
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Middleweight King Outfights Lewis in Ten Round Bout at Arena -- Ross Defeats Corona Kid -- George Schad Stops Leach Cross.
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Mike O'Dowd, middleweight champion of the world, scored a decisive victory over Ted "Kid" Lewis, former welterweight title holder, in the main bout of 10 rounds before the members of the Syracuse A. C. Monday night at the Arena. It was estimated that 3,000 persons witnessed the bout.

After the first round Lewis hung during most of the bout and Referee Jack Lewis did nearly as much work as the two fighters in trying to separate them. It was by clinching in closing rounds, that enabled the former welter king to stay the limit.

In the first round the champion became angered when Lewis struck him coming out of a clinch and O'Dowd tore after his opponent and never let up until the final gong sounded. The title holder did all of the leading and was forced to chase his opponent around the ring.

Lewis managed to earn the advantage in the seventh round which was the only one he had to his credit, while the champion had a wide margin in the remainder of the bout. O'Dowd tried hard to land a knockout, but was unable because of the fact that Lewis would always run into a clinch.

There was plenty of action in the final round and both boxers stood toe to toe and exchanged blows, with O'Dowd having the advantage. Lewis was rushed to the ropes and the title holder rained blow after blow on Lewis's face in this round.

One of the big surprises of the evening was the victory of "Young" Ross, the local bantamweight who scored a decisive victory over Corona Kid of New York in the semi-final bout of eight rounds. Corona Kid had the advantage in one round, while two were even and Ross carried the fight in the other five.

Sam Wilbert of Rome who has been winning all of his fights of late with ease, was given a artistic lacing by Pete Scott, of Hamilton, Ont., who was substituted for Jimmy McFarland, of Oswego who was not allowed to box upon the advice of the club physician.

George Schad, of California, substituted for Leo Kane of Canandaigua, administered a severe trouncing to "Young" Leach Cross of this city in a six round encounter. Referee Lewis stopped the battle in the fourth round to save the local battler from further punishment.

"Kid" Suspicious, colored, of this city, was given an artistic lacing by Barney Summers in a six-round go. Summers battered the colored battler at will and was ready to take the count when the bell sounded in the final round.

In the curtain raiser "Young" Ritchie easily outpointed "Young" Barry in a four round battle, which was full of action.


1919-09-02 The Post-Standard (Syracuse, NY) (page 19)

MIKE O'DOWD WINS HARD FOUGHT DUEL AGAINST TED LEWIS
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Middleweight Champion Outfights Former Welter Title Holder in Furious Battle.
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ROSS CONQUERS "CORONO KID"
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Syracuse Athlete Springs Big Surprise in Eight Round Contest--Schade Scored Technical Knockout Over Cross--Barney Summers Outpoints "Kid" Suspicious.
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Mike O'Dowd of St. Paul, middleweight champion of the world, outfought Ted "Kid" Lewis, former welterweight title holder, in ten sensational rounds at the Arena last night. O'Dowd was the aggressor throughout and several times had his lighter opponent visibly distressed from the volleys of leaden punches he directed at his jaw and body.

O'Dowd waxed angry in the opening period when Lewis struck him as he emerged from a clinch and from that point to the finish he pursued Lewis like a panther landing deadly blows to the Lewis head and midsection. In the final round, just before the gong rang for the finish, O'Dowd rushed Lewis to the ropes and belabored him with both hands until the latter appeared on the verge of a knockout.

Lewis Elects to Clinch.

Lewis made the battle a slow affair by his continual holding. He elected to hold in the clinches and to run away when O'Dowd pursued. Referee Lewis worked almost as hard as the principals in his desperate efforts to pry the battlers apart when they fell into a clinch. The champion became incensed at Lewis for his apparent unwillingness to exchange blows and frequently braced his head against the Lewis chin in his efforts to get away from those long clinging arms.

Analysis of the bout shows O'Dowd had a comfortable margin in every round except the seventh, when Lewis uncorked a left jab which he varied with a right cross to rock the title holder's head. O'Dowd was plainly nettled in this session and wore a determined look as he went to his corner at the close of the round.

Whirlwind Denoument.

Right and left hook to the jaw in the fourth had Lewis daunting distress signals. Again in the sixth he was borne back by the impact of O'Dowd's fierce attack and seemed near a knockout. The ninth was bitterly contested, with O'Dowd again rocking Lewis with hard right and left hooks.

The final round was one of the most sensational ever wagered in a Syracuse ring. Both men fought desperately, landing telling blows to the head and face with a reckless abandon that made a knockout seem inevitable. O'Dowd finally rushed Lewis to the ropes and when the gong rang was raining left and right hooks and uppercuts to Lewis's face.

O'Dowd possessed an advantage of nine pounds in weight. He scaled 154 pounds while Lewis tilted the beam at 145 pounds.

Ross Whips "Corona Kid."

"Young" Ross, the hard hitting Syracuse bantamweight, spring a great surprise in the eight round semi-final by trouncing the famous "Corona Kid" of New York. Ross carried the battle to the Gotham lad in five of the eight rounds and piled up a big lead on points. Ross weighed 120, while the "Corona Kid" weighed 117 pounds.

Pete Scott of Hamilton, Ontario, gave Sam Wilbert of Rome a lacing in a six period duel. The Canadian got away to a poor start but in the fourth session landed a heavy right to the Wilbert body and from that point to the finish the Rome battler gave signs of distress.

George Schade, a California middleweight, handed "Young" Leach Cross an artistic lacing in another six rounder. The battle was stopped in the fourth by Referee Lewis after Schade had battered Cross until the latter was incapable of retaliation. Schade knocked Cross down in the fourth round.

Summers Gets Verdict.

Barney Summers made a target of "Kid" Suspicious in a six session fracas. Summers danced about the Negro middleweight and landed left and right hook swings, uppercuts and jabs until the latter almost dropped from exhaustion.

"Young" Ritchie of Auburn outpointed "Young" Barry of Syracuse in a four round curtain raiser.

A crowd conservatively estimated at 3,000 persons witnessed the program of boxing contests which were the best staged in this city in months.