1913-11-17 Gunboat Smith W-PTS12 Sam Langford [Atlas Athletic Association, Boston, MA, USA]

1913-11-18 Cleveland Plain Dealer (Cleveland, OH) (pages 9-10)

SMITH GIVEN THE VERDICT

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Gunboat Gets Decision Over Sam Langford in Twelve Rounds.

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Large Crowd Sees White Hope Give Opponent Beating at Boston.

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Three Preliminary Events All End Before Time Limit With K. O.

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BY PLAIN DEALER'S LEASED WIRE.

BOSTON, Nov. 17.--Gunboat Smith outpointed Sam Langford in their twelve-round affair at the Atlas club tonight, and Referee Dick Fleming gave him the decision. Smith fought hard after the first few rounds, and in the fifth opened his opponent's left eye. There was no knock-down during the bout.

Smith's tactics were to hold off his man with left hand jabs then swing with his right. Langford had a slight advantage in the sixth round and had altogether the better of the eighth and eleventh.

In the second, fourth, fifth, tenth, and twelfth, honors appeared to be even. Unsuccessful attempts were made during the afternoon by an attorney, said to represent B. H. Benton, to induce the authorities to forbid the meeting on the ground that the fight was not to be on the square.

Every seat in the big club house was taken by sports from all over the country. A large delegation of New York fans were present and occupied boxes and ringside seats. Both men were in excellent shape. Dick Fleming was the referee.

Round 1.--Langford started in by taking the aggressive and tried for the body with right. Smith swung three lefts to the face without a return. Smith then scored with a right and left to head. Langford tried a right hook to head, but missed. Smith put left on Langford's mouth. Langford shot left to mouth and then put light left to body. Smith jabbed face with left and then got to body with a stiff right. They mixed it up for a second with Smith getting a series of good rights to the body.

Round 2.--Langford came up very cautious. Smith shot in several short jabs to the face with left. Smith then hit head hard with right. Langford swung viciously with right for head but was blocked cleverly by Smith. Langford's judgment of distance was bad and Smith played a tattoo on body and face with rights and left. Langford swung lightly to head. Smith uppercut face with right and then sent left jab to face and a hard right to face.

Round 3.--Langford started right and scored with a terrific left to the jaw which shook Smith up. Smith continually jabbed face with left. Smith missed a hard right swing for Sam's head. Langford seemed to be unable to penetrate Smith's guard and the New Yorker kept jabbing the face and forced Langford to break ground. Langford put light left and right to body. Smith crossed hard on Langford's jaw which rocked the tar baby.

Round 4--Langford came up full of fight and scored left and right to body. Smith sent in left jabs and kept Langford off by continually scoring with a left hand jab. Langford crossed with right which shook up the Gunboat and in a hard mix-up Langford had the best of the argument. Close infighting followed with Langford having the best of it. Langford showed up best in the close infighting and showed up better in this round than any of the others and had a big margin over Smith.

Round 5--The round opened with Langford sending a hard right to the jaw and then putting a right to Smith's left eye, closing it. Langford missed a vicious left hook for the head, but managed to score on Smith's injured eye, making an ugly gash. Smith fought back gamely, and scored six times before Langford could get out of the way of his left jabs. These jabs put Langford on the defensive. Sam with a hard right hit the body.

Round 6--They both rushed to the center of the ring and mixed it up fiercely. Langford showed up well in the mix-up. Sam sent hard right to the head and body, but failed to harm Smith, who came back at him with his old jabbing game. Smith sent in a stinging right to head. Smith then sent in a few more good left jabs and got to the body with right and left swings. He had Langford tired at the bell.

Round 7--Smith missed a wicked right hook for head and Langford countered him in midsection. Smith sent in two good lefts to the face and forced Langford to the ropes, where he had to steady himself, but Smith did not follow up this advantage. Langford made several futile attempts to land, but Smith walked away. Smith played on Langford's face with left jabs at will. The round closed with Smith sending a vicious right to the ribs. Langford went to his corner very tired.

Round 8--Smith started in before Langford had a chance to get his hands up and scored with a volley of lefts to the face. Langford became desperate and crowded Smith over to his own corner and missed left and right swings. Coming back from the ropes, Smith caught Sam on the face with left and then sent a right cross to Sam's head.

Round 9--At the opening Smith went to the front with a little spurt. He tried a double left to the body and face and missed right for the head. The force of this swing almost sent him headlong in the ring. Langford did much fighting in this round and tried to coax Smith into a lead, but the Gunboat kept jabbing him and Smith retired with the round in his favor.

Round 10--Langford came back with a burst of speed, but it was short-lived, as a few lefthand jabs sent him back again on the defensive. Langford blocked all of Smith's punches, and swung with his arms and shoulders, which, had any of them landed, would have sent Sam to the floor. Smith jabbed face with left and sent right lightly to head. Langford sent right to the body.

Round 11--Langford made a desperate rally in this round, but Gunboat was ready to meet him at his own game. Langford swung hard right and left for the head and body, but Smith walked away and then ducked most of Langford's leads. Gunboat sent in a volley of backhand punches to Langford's jaw. Langford then braced and scored heavily on body and jaw, and then put hard right to the nose, which drew claret.

Round 12.--As they came to the center they barely shook hands. Smith shook up Langford with a hard left on the face that carried the tremendous weight behind it and staggered Langford. Smith followed up his advantage with a fusillade of hard rights and lefts but they did not land, as Langford cleverly blocked with his elbows and shoulders. Near the close of the round a general mix-up followed with the fastest fighting seen during the contest, Smith scoring often. Langford went to his corner a very tired boxer with Smith in fresh condition. Referee Fleming gave Smith the decision.

In the first bout Dave Powers defeated Tommy Dowd in the fifth round by the knock-out route in a whirlwind fight.

The second bout was scheduled to go six rounds between Walter Butler of Revere, Mass., and Young Cunningham of Scotland. Butler knocked Cunningham out in the second round.

The semi-final between Freddie Duffy of Jamaica Plain, Mass., and Eddie Flynn of Lynn, Mass., which was scheduled to go eight rounds, ended in the fifth round, Duffy knocking Flynn out with a hard right to the jaw.


1913-11-18 New-York Tribune (New York, NY) (page 11)

SMITH BEATS LANGFORD
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Has Better of It in Slashing Twelve-Round Bout.

[By Telegraph to The Tribune.]

Boston. Nov. 17. -"Gunboat" Smith won his right to first consideration in the ranks of the heavyweight boxers by decisively outpointing Sam Langford in a hard twelve-round contest here to-night. When Dick Fleming, the referee, raised Smith's glove after the final round there was not a dissenting voice in the house. The white man had the better of eleven out of the twelve rounds, and went to his corner comparatively fresh, while Langford, once rated mightiest of the mighty, was badly used up.

Smith's boxing was a revelation to all. He shelved that wild, right hand swing, which would certainly have made him an open target for the sledge hammer counters of Langford, and, standing off at long range, worked a left hand jab and hook to the head which popped through the black warrior's guard, forcing him to break ground.

Langford was not on the receiving end at all times, however. At intervals he fought fiercely, and well. His right hand thudded home to the body and head, but Smith, perfectly conditioned for the fray, took the blows without wincing. In the fifth round Langford closed Smith's eye with a hard right swing, but he paid dearly for the privilege, as Smith cut loose.

In the closing rounds Langford rallied, but be was never able to cut down the lead Smith had piled up in the early rounds.


1913-11-18 The Boston Journal (Boston, MA) (page 8)

LANGFORD LOSES TO "GUNBOAT"
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Bout Cause of Much Talk. Langford Fat
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SMITH WON BY STICKING OUT HIS LEFT MIT
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Langford Failed to use His Own Left Hand as He Usually Does.
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DOUBTS THAT BOUT WAS ON THE LEVEL
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But Langford Was Hog-fat and Took Considerable Punishment.
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By Peter F. Kelley

Gunboat Smith was awarded the decision over Sam Langford at the end of their 12-round bout at the Atlas A. A. last night, and it was Smith's trusty left that held the formidable Tar Baby at bay. Can you imagine a man who outjabbed Joe Gans and Sandy Ferguson being outjabbed so completely that he was all at sea?

Sam could not get near enough to the white man to show the form that has won him renown and prestige in the ring. In only one round, the eleventh, did he show the speed and the hitting powers that ring followers usually have associated with his name.

The contest went the full distance of twelve rounds, and at the end the referee without any hesitation declared Gunboat the winner. Smith was tickled to pieces, and so were his seconds, among them his manager, Jim Buckley. Smith looked tired as the closing round was in progress.

Langford exhibited in his old-time form in the eleventh round only, when he drove Gunboat all around the ring. But he had started his aggressive tactics too late, for Smith was foxy enough not to mix it up with Sam, who looked enraged. In the twelfth Smith felt that he had won, and took more liberty, although not too many chances, for he clinched and held at every opportunity.

All With His Left

Smith fought very carefully and just jabbed with his left so much and so often that he held Langford completely off. It is true that Sam did not take a punch and rush in as he did in days gone by. He seemed outlefted, as if Smith had his number from the very beginning when he started by popping that left on his face.

The Gunner looked in superb shape and was faster than when he fought against Tony Ross. He looked immeasurably better, while Langford was plainly discomfited, if not alarmed, by his inability to get near his quarry, for Sam so considered the Gunboat.

Langford was outpointed for the first four rounds without any if or ends. There wasn't much shade for Smith but there was some. In the fifth Sam did better and the men around the ring said to themselves that Langford had found his footing and his bearing and would hammer the Gunboat down.

But a clog slipped for a few more rounds, and then in the ninth again he had quite an advantage. The two sessions and the eleventh were all that the men who watched the bout closely could give to the colored man.

Always Had a Shade

Smith had a good shade in at least a half dozen rounds. It wasn't big enough in any of these rounds to make Langford look beaten utterly, but it was enough to make Sam look distressed and worried, while correspondingly Smith became confident more and more, but not unduly excited. The progress of the battle did not make the white man too nervous. He held himself in check all the time and was very cool.

Evidently he fought on a carefully arranged plan to jab continually and continuously with the left, and when a good opportunity presented itself to send the right across for the jaw. For seven rounds Smith stood up straight, with his head back out of the way of Langford's left, and he backed, backed, backed away, making Langford come in, but only to find himself against a left hand stuck in his face.

Adopted a Crouch

In the last few rounds Smith assumed a more crouching attitude because Langford was trying to beat down his guard by attack with the left for the body, the abdomen being his objective point. But even at that, the Gunboat never rushed his man, never got too conceited; and, while he was a bit crouched, it was far from the stoop used so effectively by Jim Jeffries some years ago.

The decision was received with favor. That may be natural, considering that Smith is a white man and Sam colored. Toward the end, Langford almost earned a draw, but unquestionably Dick Fleming's decision was right.

Langford did come in the last of the bout, but he did not have any too much advantage in the closing session, when he threw caution to the winds, and Smith took advantage of several openings to whip the right across onto his jaw.

There was a tremendous crowd present. It looked at least as if 7500 persons were looking on, and men in all walks of life, judges and jurists, business men and bankers, actors and "sports," politicians and city and State officials were cheek-by-jowl.

A description of the contest would be really repetition in most instances, for it was the futile attempt of Sam to swing his powerful left so that he could make the Gunboat squirm. But he was frustrated at almost every attempt.

Smith was first in the ring and was attended by Jim Buckley, Al Kubiak, Harry Edels and George Freeman while behind Langford were Bob Armstrong, George Byers, John Davis and Pete Walker, all colored men. Langford was resplendent in his green and yellow figured kimono.

Sam looked fat above the waist line, wearing a broad, high stomacher. He was fully six inches shorter than Smith when they went to the middle of the ring for their instructions, and this disparity appeared even more pronounced as they boxed with only the referee near them. Sam did not look unduly fat, but he was in much better condition than in his other bout here. Smith was supposed to weigh about 181 or 182, while Langford, with his tremendous shoulders looked about 195.

But Sam wasn't the supple, the athletic, the sturdy Langford we have seen in better days. His legs did not look so bulky, but he didn't have the elasticity, that resiliency, that quickness of motion, that was his great characteristic. He tried to swing around a few times for shifts, but he couldn't make the quick turn.

Of course you can't convince some that Langford was beaten. They will tell you he pulled so as to get Smith in a long distance bout for the championship and a big purse, but while he may not have boxed as wickedly and as viciously as he did against Jim Barry, he found himself years older and also against a man who fought him just as he should be fought.

Jimmy Walsh, who ought to know Langford, sat close to the ringside and even before the bout had gone two rounds admitted that it wasn't the Sam of old who was making the contest. Sam missed too many times to make Jimmy think he was the old standby.

What Fleming Saw

Sam may not have been trying, but if he wasn't on the level he was badly fooled. He may have looked for a draw but the decision went against him and almost nine men out of ten agreed with the referee, although maybe not with his full summary. Fleming gave Smith six rounds and Langford two, and possibly three, and the rest even. Fleming even declared that in his opinion that Smith held Langford even in the last round.

There wasn't a knockdown on either side, in fact, nothing like it. At no time was either man groggy. Smith looked weak in the eleventh round when he half reeled back to the ropes, but he quickly recovered.

The Three Knockouts

There were three preliminaries and each was decided by a knockout. Tom Butler defeated Owen Cunningham in two rounds. Dave Powers was floored several times in the first round of his contest with Billy Troy, but managed to weather the storm and finally won on a knockout in five rounds, although the seaman looked as if he could continue. The semi-final between Freddy Duffy of Jamaica Plain and Eddie Flynn of Lynn was won by Duffy in five rounds. Flynn gave a very game exhibition, being sent to the mat at least a half-dozen times.

Before the bout Joe Woodman announced that Sam Langford would sail for Paris on Dec. 2. It is understood that Sam and Joe Jeannette will meet at Paris in a twenty-round bout on Dec. 20.

It is very probable that Smith will go to the Pacific Coast on Friday in company with Tommy Murphy to prepare for the battle with Arthur Pelky at San Francisco on New Year's day.


1913-11-18 The Cleveland Leader (Cleveland, OH) (page 10)

Smith Gets Decision Over Langford, Though Colored Man Is Stronger at End

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BOSTON, November 17.--Gunboat Smith, of California, was given the decision over Sam Langford, of Boston, at the end of a twelve-round bout here tonight.

Smith led clearly during the early rounds, scoring repeatedly on left jabs to Langford's head and body, while the Boston negro made no serious attempt at defense.

But as the bout went on Smith, the California heavyweight, wearied, and Langford assumed the aggressive, sending left and right to Smith's body at short range while the latter swung unsuccessfully at Langford's head.

So many and so strong were Langford's blows in the closing rounds that many of the spectators expressed surprise at the decision of Referee Dick Flemming.

Smith at the start jabbed away with his left, supplying nearly all the action. Langford did not seem to be bothered by long-range blows, turning away many without great effort and standing up under others without defense. Occasionally he interjected a right or left on Smith's body, but not until the seventh round did he make any apparent attempt to maintain the battle. Then Langford started a short range fight, which in the eighth round resulted in opening Smith's cheek under the left eye.

Smith, by reputation a strong right-hand fighter, relied on his left jabs throughout. Several attempts to land right swings met with varying success. But his jabs were continuous.

Smith's cheek bled freely as the fight neared the end, the blood getting into his eye and blinding him. He also seemed fatigued, and hung on to his opponent, while Langford, although apparently carrying more weight than at any time in his career, appeared the stronger. Langford escaped unmarked.

Round One.

Langford tried for body with right, while Smith swung three lefts to the face without a return; he then scored left and right to face. Langford missed a right hook to head, and got Smith's left on mouth. Langford shot left to mouth and a short body jab. Smith jabbed face with left and body with right. They mixed it with Smith getting body rights.

Round Two.

Langford started cautiously but received several jabs on face and then a hard right on face. Smith blocked savage swing from right to face, then played a tattoo on Langford. Langford swung to head, while Smith put in a right uppercut, left jab and right blow to face.

Round Three.

Langford scored terrible left to jaw. Smith hit to face several times, but missed right swing for Sam's head. Smith's guard too much for Langford, but he got in right and left to body. Smith responded with a rocking blow to the jaw.

Round Four.

Langford pounded left and right to body. Smith repulsed assault by continual lefts to body, but Sam got in a good right. Close infighting followed, the tar baby having the best of it.

Round Five.

Sam sent hard right to jaw, following it with left, closing Gunboat's eye. Langford then missed left hook for head, but landed again on the injured optic, cutting a gash. Smith gamely scored six times with his left before Sam could get away. Sam closed with a right to body.

Round Six.

Both rushed to center and mixed fiercely, Sam showing well. Langford sent hard right to body and head, but did no damage, Smith coming back with a stiff jab and a stinging right to head. Smith then put in some more jabs and a left and right swing. Sam was tired at the end.

Round Seven.

Smith missed a right hook to head, Sam countering to midsection. Smith placed left jabs to face, forcing Langford to the ropes. Smith did not follow as Langford steadied himself. Langford tried to land but failed, Smith playing with him at will. Smith sent a vicious right to ribs, sending Sam to his corner very fatigued.

Round Eight.

Smith, starting like a whirlwind, fired a volley of lefts to face. Langford, desperate, crowded Smith to his corner, but missed right and left swings. Coming back, Smith's left caught Sam's face while his right pounded his head.

Round Nine.

Smith went to the center with a spurt, trying a double left to body and head and missing a right for the head. The force of the swing almost floored him. Langford fought hard, trying to coax Smith to lead, but Gunboat kept jabbing and the round ended in Gunboat's favor.

Round Ten.

Langford came back strong in the tenth, but his spurt did not last long, as left jabs from the Gunboat again put him on the defensive. Sam then swung wildly with both lefts and rights, swings so vicious, that had they landed would have put out his opponent. Smith sent some left jabs to the colored man's face and Langford closed the round with a right to the body.

Round Eleven.

Again Langford started out with a rush and again the Californian was ready to meet him. Langford swung with rights and lefts at Smith's head but the Gunboat cleverly ducked and walked away. Smith sent in some telling backhand slaps at Langford's jaw, but here the colored fighter seemed to revive and landed heavily on the Westerner's jaw and face. He landed on Smith's jaw, drawing blood, as the bell rang.

Round Twelve.

The fighters barely touched hands as they came to the center. Smith jolted Langford with a left on the face that staggered the dusky fighter, and followed his advantage with hard rights and lefts, but Sam cleverly blocked the fusillade with his elbows and shoulders. Near the close came the fastest fighting of the grill, Smith scoring often. Langford went to his corner very tired, with Smith very fresh. Referee Fleming gave the decision to Smith.


1913-11-18 The Evening Times (Pawtucket, RI) (page 6)

SMITH'S JABS DECIDE BOUT
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Lanky Californian Fighter Delights 6000 Fans By Outpointing Sam Langford
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VICTORY IS WELL EARNED.
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Gunboat Has Edge on Dusky Boston Terror in Six Rounds--Langford Slow.
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HIS OLD PUNCH LACKING.
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(By Staff Correspondent.)

BOSTON, Nov. 18.--Ceaselessly pumping his left to Sam Langford's face and occasionally crossing a right to the jaw, Gunboat Smith of California, the champion white hope, climbed a few rungs on the pugilistic ladder at the Atlas A. A. here last evening by defeating the Boston "Tar Baby" on points in their 12-round bout. Though the majority of the 6000 spectators went wild with delight over the manner in which Smith outpointed the burly negro, rated, with Johnson out of the country, the best heavyweight in America, the referee's decision must have given some of the wise ones a severe pain about the region of the pocketbook, for Langford entered the ring a top-heavy favorite at odds of 3 to 1.

There was no question about the merit of the award, however. Smith had at least six rounds on points, and although Langford forced the pace the Boston fighter was unable to land effectively more than three or four times and had a margin, in but two months. Smith's lefts carried no great weight with them, but he fairly showered them upon the negro's face, and while they rattled harmlessly off Langford's rounded skull they were all points that enabled the lanky and shifty Californian to carry off the victory. There were no knockdowns, in fact, seldom was either man staggered, but it was a hard, earnest battle from gong to gong, and there wasn't a man jack of the spectators who didn't keep his eyes glued on the big battlers in expectation of a decisive wallop, for both Smith and Langford are hard hitters.

Admittedly, it was not the real Langford whom Smith faced last night. Had it not been for the fact that the "wise" money was down on Langford at big odds the bout might have looked queer, for Sambo was not the neat puncher of days of yore. His blows lacked snap and he allowed himself to be jabbed all around the ring by Smith without a return, although there was a time when Langford, despite his short reach, could jab with anybody.

Langford advanced constantly throughout the bout, driving Smith around the ring, but seldom was he able to land consistently, for Smith either beat him to the punch with his left jab, pumping his glove to Langford's face almost feverishly at time, or else bounded into a clinch. When Langford did sink home a good wallop he seemed unable to follow up his lead, for Smith blocked cleverly and tied him up in the clinches. There was no question but what the black boxer was trying, but he has gone way back and the time may not be far distant when he will meet with a more decisive defeat than that at Smith's hands. Last night, after two weeks of hard training, he was still fat, and when the 12th round came it was quite evident that the sound of the gong was not unwelcome.

Mr. Smith Is Cool Customer.

Smith's showing was a pleasant surprise to the big crowd, most of whom were rooting for the white man. He boxed coolly and displayed splendid judgment and footwork. Seldom did he allow himself to deviate from his chosen plan of battle--to keep Langford away with his left and shoot over his right whenever occasion presented. Smith missed some fine chances to score effectively, however, by "pulling" his right. He seemed afraid all the time that Langford was "laying back" for a Garrison finish, an opinion freely expressed around the ringside and discounted when the 12th round saw Langford boxing slower, if anything, than he had in the three sessions previous.

Smith, though the victor, left the ring with signs of battle, while Langford was unscratched. Smith's souvenir was a cut under his left eye that Langford opened up in the fourth round. The wound gave the Californian little or no bother, however, and did not appear to interfere with his sight.

Smith is still some distance from a champion, but he is a shifty chap, awkwardly clever and carries a punch which promises to flatten more than one man before he hangs up the gloves.

Three Hot Prelims.

The main bout was preceded by three of as lively preliminary bouts as anyone would care to see. Walter Butler and Al Cunningham, 125-pound Boston boys, opened the show with a furious little scrap which ended abruptly in the second round, when, after flooring his man three times, Butler stopped him cold with a right and left to the jaw, Cunningham taking the full count.

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Dave Powers and Tommy Dowd, welterweights, put up a bout which started in a sensational manner and ended in a fizzle, for when Dawd, after flooring Powers four times with a savage right swing in the first round, found that he couldn't keep his red-headed opponent down, he dogged along until the fifth round and then quit cold. With Powers several feet away from him, Dowd curled up on the mat and didn't move until Dick Fleming had reeled off full 10 seconds.

Powers got a great hand when he left the ring, for in the first round his chances didn't look worth two pins. Dowd fairly flung himself at his opponent in that furious session and Powers went down four times as if he had been hit by a board. After the second round, however, he kept inside and beat Dowd so steadily with straight punches that the yellow soon commenced to show.

Freddie Duffy of Jamaica Plain was allowed to cruelly punish Eddie Flynn of Lynn in the semi-final. He knocked the Lynn boy cold in the fifth round because Flynn's seconds didn't know enough to throw in the sponge after their man had been beaten to a frazzle. Duffy started Flynn on the chutes in the first round, when he floored him with a neat straight one-two punch. Twice more Flynn went down and was groggy when he went to his corner.

From then on Flynn had no show, and in the fifth round, after he had been beaten to the mat twice by his slashing rival, Duffy knocked him cold with a right uppercut.

Shortly after 9 o'clock Smith entered the ring and was given a great hand. He was accompanied by Jim Buckley, his manager, and Al Kubiak. Sam Langford clambered through the ropes, escorted by four Ethiopian esquires, Bob Armstrong and George Byers being conspicuous members of the retinue. There followed the usual confab and then it was announced that the men would box straight rules. Before the fight Langford was a 3 to 1 shot.

As is the case in many big bouts, there was very little action in the first round.

Smith Pops Over Left.

Langford landed lightly on the body and Smith tapped the negro with several left jabs. In the clinch Langford put over two right hooks, but after that was blocked so well that he could land but seldom. Before the end of the round Smith started jabbing like a piston-rod and had a lead on points at the bell.

Langford tried to get Smith at close quarters in the second round, but Smith was wary and kept dancing around, poking his left against Langford's nose so often that the negro once or twice rubbed it with his glove. Just before the end of the round Smith threw over a hard right hook and went to his corner with the crowd cheering him wildly. It was his round.

The third round saw Smith keeping Langford at a respectful distance by constant use of his left. Several times, too, he just tickled the Boston boxer's jaw with a right that fairly whistled through the air. This also was Smith's round.

Langford worked faster in the fourth, but all he got for his pains was a right which sent him back, and Smith's jabs soon evened the round. Langford had a slight shade in the fifth, as he landed frequently on Smith's eye, which he had cut in the previous session with a hard left, but his margin was slight.

Langford Has Eighth Round.

Smith again led in the sixth round, and the seventh was even, but the eighth saw Langford straighten up Smith several times with uppercuts, and Smith's eye bled profusely. This was Langford's best round, the only one in which he did any real heavy punching.

The ninth was even, the 10th saw Smith dancing around the ring but piling up points, and although Langford tried hard in the 11th and got an even break, Smith closed strongly in the last round and outfought the negro enough to win the honors in the final session. There was wild cheering when Dick Fleming pointed to Smith's corner, signifying that he had won.


1913-11-18 The Evening World (New York, NY) (page 15)

Langford Loses Decision To Smith in 12 Rounds
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(Special to The Evening World.)

BOSTON, Mass., Nov. 18.--"Gunboat" Smith looks like a real boxer. Before nearly 7,000 fans last night at the Atlas A. A. he won the award over Sam Langford in their twelve-round bout. The decision was a just one, for only in about three rounds did Langford have the honors.

It was probably the largest crowd of sports that ever watched a bout in this city, and all went away satisfied that Langford had shot his bolt, so far as ever again being considered a good contender for the world's title. He has gone back so far that the fans last night were surprised, for they never realized that the once formidable boxer had retrograded to such an extent.

That he would be defeated by Smith was not dreamed of by most of the fans, who were offering 100 to 25 that Langford would be the winner. Some of the bolder betters were ready to make good wagers that Langford would stop Smith within six rounds. There were few takers of the Smith end.

Smith's heady boxing and his footwork was as big a surprise as Langford's poor showing. No one can say that Langford did not do all he could, for if ever he worked hard to win he did last night. It was Smith's tantalizing left jabs and his right to the jaw that threw Langford off, so that he had hard work getting set or countering.

Smith was in good shape, while Langford still carried a lot of unnecessary fat. Only a few times did Smith forget the plan that had been mapped out for him to follow, and when he did deviate from it he received some wallops that made him shake.

There was not a knockdown in the battle, but at the close both boxers were pretty well tired from their work. Though Langford's punches had much power behind them, Smith had outscored him in every round but the eighth, ninth and eleventh by a big margin.


1913-11-18 The Gazette Times (Pittsburgh, PA) (page 10)

Decision Is Awarded To Gunboat Smith
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Californian Whips Sam Langford in a Twelve-Round Bout in Boston.
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BATTLE GOES TO THE LIMIT
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[By Associated Press to Gazette Times.]

BOSTON, MASS., Nov. 17.--Gunboat Smith sprung a surprise on the fight fans here tonight by outpointing Sam Langford, the big tar baby, who has been hot after Jack Johnson. The go went 12 rounds, Smith and Langford both holding back during the first six rounds. Langford was hog fat and took the defensive. Smith held him off with a stiff left, and swung repeatedly with his right, but the vaunted power of Gunboat's right failed to put Langford in serious distress.

Right at the gong in the first, Smith poked over some quick left jabs that set the pace. During the round he got in two right swings to the jaw, while Langford danced and played shy.

The second was about even in the swap of blows, Gunboat still using his left successfully. Smith had all the better of the third and held his own in the fourth.

First blood came in the fifth when Sam opened up Gunboat's eye. Langford let himself loose, but failed to distress his opponent. Again in the sixth, Langford showed the best work, but in the seventh Smith got busy again and forced Langford to cover up. The eighth and ninth were Langford's, but Smith was putting up a game battle.

Smith put in a hot round in the tenth, swing his right on to the jaw of Langford with but little effect. Langford came back strong in the eleventh and outpointed Smith here.

The final round was even, the two heavyweights showing the best fighting of the evening. Langford was badly winded and after the first few rounds it was apparent he could not knock Smith out. Smith had everything to gain and tore into the colored fighter during the last few rounds. His aggressiveness and speed kept Langford constantly busy. The decision of Dick Fleming, the referee, fell to Smith.


1913-11-18 The Kansas City Star (Kansas City, MO) (page 8)

NOT A CHEER FOR THE WINNER.
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The Gunboat Smith Decision Was a Regular Boston Verdict.

Boston, Mass., Nov. 18.--In giving Gunboat Smith a decision last night in his bout with Langford, Smith certainly secured what is known as a Boston verdict. When the referee gave the verdict the large crowd present were so taken back that they left the club without even a cheer. Langford was much faster than at any time since his return from Australia, and while not in his best shape, certainly looked more like his old self. Langford left the ring without a mark, while Smith had to be led from the building. Langford wants a return match and will show the sporting world that he is Smith's master. Langford fights in New York City next Monday and then goes to Paris to fill his engagements. Last night's crowd was the largest ever at a boxing contest in Massachusetts.


1913-11-18 The Seattle Daily Times (Seattle, WA) (page 16)

SAM LANGFORD KIDS TOO LONG, SO GUNBOAT SMITH BEATS HIM
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Though he was hanging on for dear life at the end of the twelfth round at Boston last night, and despite the fact that he was dog tired and right on the verge of a sound whipping, Gunboat Smith was given the decision over Sam Langford in their twelve-round bout.

Sam was as fat as a prize porker and in the early rounds he planted himself in the middle of the ring and let Smith jab away at him. Some of the blows he tossed off with his arms; the others he took without blinking an eye.

Smith has been touted all along as a hitter; a slugger of the clean-up type, but he was so scared of Langford last night that he stood off at long range and jabbed with his left. His right is his best hand; the blow he uses to drop his opponents, but he was afraid to cut loose with it against Langford last night.

In the last five rounds Smith tired and Sam began to dig into his body with short, savage blows that had steam behind them. Smith does not like that kind of stuff. He turned his back and dogged it from Carl Morris a few weeks ago, making a bluff that he had been hit low, and he had no stomach for the work last night after Sam began to punch in earnest.

Sam occasionally sent a punch to the head and opened up cuts under both of Smith's eyes. The Gunboat was bleeding freely and was hanging on to Sam like a long lost brother at the close of the mill, so naturally the crowd was surprised when Referee Dick Flemming held up Smith's hand as the winner. Sam had simply loafed and kidded too long in the early rounds and the referee remembered the points Smith had piled up with his long left jabs and thought they counted for more than Sam's business-like drives in the closing rounds.

This decision will help Gunboat's record, but it would be hard to make any one who has seen the two men in action believe that the Gunner would have much of a chance with Sam if the squatty negro will take the bout seriously enough to train off some of the fat that is now larding his frame.


1913-11-18 The Sun (New York, NY) (page 8)

LANGFORD TOO SLOW FOR GUNBOAT SMITH
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Sailor Wins Decision Over Sam in Twelve Poorly Fought Rounds in Boston.
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LEFT JAB MAIN FACTOR
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Gunner Uses It Repeatedly to Worry Negro, Though It Does No Damage.
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Boston, Nov. 17.--Gunboat Smith won the decision over Sam Langford in a twelve round go at the Atlas A. A. tonight. The bout was a poor one, Langford being slow and Smith so wary that he did his leading at long range and covered up when the pair came in close. The result was a shock to most of the 7,500 who assembled with the expectation of seeing the Tar Baby put an end to the white hope aspirations of the tall youth. It also hurt the feelings of many who felt so sure their favorite would win in easy fashion that they went so far as to bet 2 to 1 on Langford.

Sam looked very well fed and consequently he did not display the speed and vigor that Bostonians have been accustomed to in his encounters of years gone by. Smith fought a defensive battle. He kept away about all the time, refused to open up and evidently had received good advice as to how to tie Langford up when close in. Gunboat used his left very effectively in that it scored points and kept his opponent so busy blocking and ducking that he did not have many opportunities to lead.

Sam tried fruitlessly to back Smith up against the ropes, a favorite line of action by the Boston slugger. Every little time he felt the ropes behind him the sailor stuck his left into Langford's face and got away. The jabs which the white man used were almost countless, and while many of them were blocked those that did land were very light and bothered but did not hurt the dusky boy.

Langford had the better of four rounds, the eighth, tenth, eleventh and twelfth. The others were Smith's by a considerable margin. He hit Sam repeatedly without returns and though he did no damage points were scored. Occasionally Gunboat cracked away at Sam's jaw with his right, but the blows did not hurt. Langford opened Smith's left eye during the fifth and he used the cut for a target during the remainder of the bout.

In the eighth Sam punished Smith quite a little, getting in several left hooks to the jaw. During the eleventh Smith was slowed up by a stiff left, followed by a right to the body, and he retreated. In the final round Gunboat was very tired but he kept his head and stood away sending in his left as a defensive measure.


1913-11-18 The Washington Times (Washington, DC) (page 12)

Langford Is Slipping; Smith Gets Decision
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BOSTON, Mass., Nov. 18.--Gunboat Smith, California heavyweight, upset the dope here last night, and beat Sam Langford of Boston in a twelve-round bout, out-pointing him in all but two rounds. The "Tar Baby" was a 10-to-7 favorite, and was in better condition than when he fought Flynn recently, but his aggressive tactics failed to penetrate Smith's defense, except in the eighth and eleventh, when Langford threw science to the winds, and waded in. Even then he couldn't deliver heavily enough. It is conceded today that Langford is slipping back.