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Sunday, June 24, 2012

1910-06-24 Abe Attell ND10 Owen Moran [Pacific Athletic Club, Naud Junction, Los Angeles, CA, USA]

1910-06-25 Los Angeles Herald (Los Angeles, CA) (page 10)
ATTELL DEFEATS MORAN FOR ONCE
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Clearly Outboxes English Rival in Their Ten-Round Bout at Naud Junction
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SCRAP WAS FAST AND FURIOUS
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Britisher Loses No Prestige with Fans by His Great, Though Losing, Showing
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BY JAY DAVIDSON

Longer routes may bring about further dispute regarding the relative merits of Abe Attell and Owen Moran as boxers, but the featherweight champion last night clearly proved that he is the master of the Briton over the ten-round route, as he outboxed his English rival at every round, though not by any great margin, and wound up at the final gong with a margin so distinct and indisputable that there scarcely was any difference in opinion among those who sat at ringside and watched them in their marvelous exhibition of boxing skill. It was the prettiest and fastest boxing bout ever staged in a local ring and kept the fans in a state of excited interest throughout.

Both entered the ring perfectly trained for this fourth test Of their knowledge of the Queensberry art and neither lost any valuable time in fiddling around before getting down to real hard pan. They were at it right from the first jump and kept it up, like stake horses contesting for a derby prize, every minute they were in the ring. The old feud that probably never will be settled by them, growing out of their other tough battles at longer distances, bobbed up in every round, when they would intersperse blows with vindictives and occasionally make faces at each other. When the gong sounded for the end of the final round, Moran turned about and made a sassy face at Abe and twitted him in confidence that at last he had whipped the featherweight champion.

Straight lefts were used with lightning like rapidity throughout the bout, with Attell counting about three to one with these light taps. He started the first round with one and ended with another. Moran toed the scratch and never backed up an inch throughout the bout, but he also found Attell always within reach, even if he could not quite connect at all times.

They steamed up considerably in the second round and began to do some effective slugging, although mostly confining their efforts to jabs in the face and hooks to the head, of which there were an innumerable amount. The old feud showed up for the first time in the second when Abe began to talk to Owen and the latter to heel Abe with his glove in clinches.

The third round started off like real business with both boys swinging rights to body. Moran hooked his left to the head in the breakaway and Abe poked a right to the body and made Moran miss a stiff swing for the head. Abe blocked several leads for the jaw and was caught with a wild right to the ribs, as Moran missed the lead and swung clear around, but Attell offset it with a right and left to the head with jarring force.

The fourth round was faster than the preceding one and both boys did some effective clouting with lefts to the face and head, while Attell used a right uppercut with good effect two or three times as Moran rushed in with right swings. When the gong ended the round the boys were still quarreling and were inclined to overlook the bell.

Abe got onto his stride with a vengeance in the fifth and put over several wallops to head and ribs without return, often making Moran swing wildly and miss. A few left jabs to the face soon had the first claret of the bout flowing from Moran's nose, and this seemed to further anger him, as he charged Abe like a mad bull and put a stiff left to the face and a hard right to the ribs. Abe hooked a hard right to the jaw, the most effective blow of the bout, and followed it up with a right uppercut and a left hook to the jaw, showing at top speed and with his best punch in this round.

Moran opened the sixth with a hard right to the ribs and another stiff left to the face, Abe missing a right swing, but put a left hook to the jaw. Lefts to the face and rights to the ribs flew so fast throughout this round that a moving picture machine would have put on the bum trying to keep tab on them.

Moran rushed at Attell at the start of the seventh and swung his left to the wind, clinching at once. Abe hooked his left to the jaw rather lightly three times and stopped Moran's rush with a right uppercut that landed squarely in the mush and straightened up Moran. Then they began their swinging tactics once more, both showing some pretty hooks and well-timed swings that landed with good effect. Abe uppercut Moran with his right as the gong rang and again they were slow to cut it out.

The eighth round was the slowest of the bout, and neither boxer did much in the line of damaging punches. The ninth started with a renewal of rushing tactics by Moran, and Abe uppercut with his left as he sidestepped a vicious right swing for the head. Moran came close and poked a straight left to the face and switched to the head in quick succession, Abe swinging to the wind and swapping  rights to the head. The final round opened with Attell meeting Moran with a hard right cross to the jaw and a left to the wind. Both landed hard lefts to the jaw and began swinging again, most of the leads being prettily blocked by each. Abe caught Owen backing out of a clinch, and swung right and left to the jaw, but while these blows carried steam behind them, the little Britisher was not seemingly affected by them and rushed in with a hard left to the head as the gong ended the bout. Moran turned and jeered at Abe like a school boy, and both dashed for newspaper row to find out who had won, without result.

CHICO OUTPOINTS AUSTIN

The first preliminary bout was scheduled as a six-round affair between Paul Sikora and Jeff O'Connell, but Sikora failed to pass the required physical examination by the club physicians and was not allowed to go on with the bout. Frankie Sullivan passed the examination and was substituted at the last moment, but the number was moved down the line and Jimmy Austin and Battling Chico were sent in for the curtain raiser at the same distance.

The first round of the Austin-Chico bout went to the credit of Austin, both boys sparring cautiously during the opening session, but in the second Chico began to force the issue and took a good lead with several stiff body punches, one of which, a lead for the wind, staggered Austin and almost put him down. The third round also was in favor of Chico, who continued his aggressive tactics and outboxed and outpointed Austin. Chico used a pretty right cross that he got home a couple of times with good effect and outjabbed Austin in the use of a straight left to the face. Austin improved in the fourth and took a good lead by straightening his left to the face several times, finally drawing the claret, and crossing frequently with his right to the jaw with good effect. The fifth round was the best of the bout up to that time. Both hoys grew confident and indulged in considerable slugging, but in every such instance Chico made Austin back up and stop swapping punches. Chico had a good lead at the gong. The final round was very even, neither doing much in a damaging way. Chico was going at his usual stiff pace, and whenever his blows landed they were of greater effect. Austin was up against a game and clever little slugger and found it impossible to overcome the good lead of his opponent, Chico earning the decision.

McGOVERN STOPS HATTON

Second on the card was Young McGovern, once regarded as a bantam championship possibility, and Berryl Hatton, lately graduated from the amateur ranks. This was McGovern's first appearance in several months. McGovern began using his painful right hook and swing with good effect right off the reel, and showed some of his old-time form, but Hatton was cool headed and clever and boxed cautiously, avoiding any damaging effect of the terrible right. In the second round McGovern finally landed his right, owing to carelessness of Hatton in not keeping a guard against the principal stock in trade of McGovern, and put Berryl down for nine. Following up his advantage, McGovern rushed Hatton to his corner, and after several vain attempts to finish Hatton, put over the same old right to the point of the jaw, and Sergeant Danny Long ordered the bout stopped before Referee Reynolds had counted four.

The semi-windup was the rearranged Paul Sikora-Jeff O'Connell bout, in which Frankie Sullivan was substituted for Sikora because of the failure of Sikora to pass the required physical examination. Sullivan opened the bout with his usual right hooks and swings to the jaw and worked it with good effect during the opening round. He played it so regularly that it looked as if he intended making a short argument of it, and had a good lead at the gong. Sullivan used both hands during the second round and showered straight lefts to the face and right crosses to the head and jaw. O'Connell warmed up to his job too, and got in some stiff punches, but Sullivan proved the cooler of the two in the exciting mixups and materially increased his lead. Frankie began to tire in the third, showing lack of condition, but kept up his aggressive tactics and landed some stiff wallops to the jaw, using an occasional uppercut to good effect. Both were glad the bell rang. Sullivan had O'Connell practically out in the fourth from the effects of continual hooks to the jaw and weariness, but was so tired himself that he could not finish the job. At the gong both were so weary that they could not do any damage at all. O'Connell's exhibition of gameness drew forth great applause. Both boys were slightly less weary in the fifth and did very little damage, although O'Connell woke up for a few seconds and opened up a gash under Sullivan's left eye with a right uppercut. Sullivan finished stronger, however, and had a fair lead at the gong. Sullivan was somewhat refreshed at the start of the sixth and put up a winning finish by adding to his already good lead. He whipped his right over for staggering blows two or three times and clearly had all the better of the milling. He won the decision.

With the preliminary bouts out of the way and everybody in a good humor by reason of the highly interesting bouts, the ringsiders were a bit impatient for the start of the main event. Attell was first in the ring, entering after a delay of about ten minutes, accompanied by Kid Dalton, Battling Swanson and Jockey Mountain, who served as his seconds. Moran followed a few minutes later, with Bad Bill Aldridge, Jeff Perry, Hobo Dougherty and Sam Keller as his seconds.


1910-06-25 The Evening Times (Pawtucket, RI) (page 2)
ATTELL HAS SLIGHT LEAD OVER MORAN
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LOS ANGELES, Cal., June 25.--With District-Attorney Fredericks, Chief of Detectives Browne and half a dozen other officers at the ringside, at the direction of Governor Gillett, enjoying themselves hugely, Abe Attell, featherweight champion, and Owen Moran, the English champion, gave the fastest exhibition of sparring last night that has been seen at Naud Junction this year. A telegram from Capt. Fredericks to Governor Gillett last night stated that there was no fight, but a boxing contest.

Attell won the newspaper decision on points, but it was a very close contest throughout. There was no heavy hitting, but for clean foot work, rapid punching and heady battling, the contest was a great success. It would be only fair to class last night's meeting a draw, although a majority of the fans thought the American had the better of it.


1910-06-25 The Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, CA) (page I6)
ATTELL AHEAD BY LONG LEAD.
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SO FIGHTER IS SAVED FROM A DRAW WITH MORAN.
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Straight Boxing and Clean Hitting at Naud Junction Last Night and the Fans Seemed to Like It--Trace of Bad Blood Between Englishman and Hebrew.
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Abe Attell beat Owen Moran, ten rounds, close decision.
Frankie Sullivan beat Jeff O'Connell, six rounds, snappy battle.
Young McGovern stopped Berryl Hatton, second round.
Battling Chico beat Jimmy Austin, six rounds, boxing only.

It was straight boxing, and clean hitting at Naud Junction last night, and the fans seemed to like it. At any event it was a far better exhibition than has been put up by Uncle Tom's bean eaters for some time.

There is no doubt of one thing. The District Attorney can have little to say in regard to the class of contests staged last night.

As for the men themselves, and their performances, Abe Attell is still the cleverest man in the ring today. With Moran he has a foeman worthy of his glove, and, but for the long lead that he obtained in the early rounds of the fight, would have been forced to content himself with, at least, a draw.

There has been a trace--of course, just a trace--of bad blood between the men for some time. An Englishman and a Hebrew, somehow, get on each others nerves, and stay there.

In the battle last night trouble started in the fourth round, and Eyton was talking to the men as the gong sounded. In the eighth Moran slipped to the floor, and Attell started to help him up. Moran pushed away the gloves and swung for Attell's jaw as he came to his feet, but the shifty champion was not in that immediate neighborhood when the blow arrived.

With the exception of the little family trouble between the two boys the bout was one of the fastest and cleverest ever seen in the Naud Junction ring, and, on Attell's part, comes close to the performance on that Fourth of July afternoon long ago, when Abe and Frankie Neil met in the same ring.

In the first round Attell showed his cleverness and at the tap of the gong retired to his corner without having his hair mussed. The second and third rounds were about even, with little damage done on either side, but with Attell's whips touching up the Irish in Moran's name.

The fourth round was Attell's, and it was here that Moran began to show his temper. Attell's blows were full of steam and ginger, and in the fifth period he showed no let up to the stinging blows that continually peppered the Englishman's nose and cheekbone.

In the sixth, Moran took the honors and whipped one over to Attell's jaw that worried Abe more than he cared to show. The Englishman grinned until Attell walked into him, and the gong sounded with the men waiting at the ropes and Eyton cautioning Moran against letting his temper get away with him.

The seventh and eighth were Attell's periods, but with little damage done.

In the ninth and tenth Moran began to pick up speed. He butted a bit and otherwise misbehaved himself, and was roundly booed at the end of the period. Throughout the round he let Abe have fully as much as he took himself. His blows were mostly swings, and Abe covered well.

In the tenth, Moran found an opening or two and made good use of them.

There was no damage done to either lad during the mixup and Attell's decision was earned wholly on points. The boys should go to Nevada and be given a complete workout over the long route.

The Sullivan-O'Connell go was the best bout on the card, from the standpoint of the fans, and Sullivan earned his decision by clean straight hitting. Be it said for O'Connell, however, that no gamer man has ever shied his castor through the ropes in McCarey's ring.

From the first Sullivan was the aggressor. He is the proud possessor of a good right hand and knows how to use it. His covering was the best part of his work, and O'Connell had a mighty hard time to find an opening in his crossed arms, for every one of Sullivan's blows left him completely protected.

In the second round O'Connell took some of the worst punishment that has been administered in a local ring, and, what is more, took it smiling. At one time he was back on the ropes apparently out, for he had been eating punishment, but he came back grinning, as if nothing had happened.

In the third round he put up a strong battle, but in the fourth was thrown back onto the ropes again. He simply stayed the round on nerve and the ability to stand up under sledge-hammer blows.

The fifth and sixth were fast, with both boys working nicely. Sullivan won by his clean hitting, even outside the two rounds in which O'Connell was almost out.

Young McGovern stopped Berryl Hatton just a Hatton thought he was ready to start.

The first bout, between Jimmy Austin and Battling Chico, went to Chico on points.


1910-06-25 The San Diego Union and Daily Bee (San Diego, CA) (page 10)
ATTELL IS WINNER; LAW NOT VIOLATED
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Hebrew Boxer Gets Newspaper Decision Over Moran; Is Hair-Line Verdict.
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By the Associated Press

Los Angeles, Cal., June 24.--If the specter of Governor Gillett sat at the ringside of the Pacific Athletic club at Naud tonight it witnessed some of the prettiest timed rounds of milling seen on a Los Angeles arena in weeks.

In the main event--a ten round contest between Abe Attell and Owen Moran--the newspaper decision went to Attell. It was a hair line verdict. With two such clever men in the ring the bout could well have come under the designation of a "sparring contest," but there were periods when it approached dangerously near to prize fighting.

Both were strong on their feet at the finish, however, and neither displayed any serious marks of the combat.

The only blood that was shed began flowing from Moran's nose in one of the earlier rounds.

There was much display of ill-temper, too, and twice Moran was hooted for forgetting to stop when the gong sounded the end of a round. At the finish of the tenth the Englishman followed the feather weight champion out of the ring with outstretched hand, but Attell refused to grasp it.

It was in the preliminaries that the crowd saw real damage done. After Jimmie Austin had outpointed Battling Chico in six rounds, Young McGovern stopped Beryl Hatton in two. Frank Sullivan won a decision over Jeff O'Connell at the end of six rounds.

District Attorney Fredericks was present at the ringside. In a statement afterward he declared that there had been no violation of the law and he saw no reason to interfere.

"The provisions of the city ordinance governing limited round contests in this city were fully observed," said the district attorney. "Tonight's events were sparring bouts for points, which are sanctioned by the city authorities, and police officers were present to see that they did not go beyond that."


1910-06-25 The San Francisco Call (San Francisco, CA) (page 9)
LOS ANGELES FIGHT IS NOT MOLESTED
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Abe Attell and Owen Moran Go Ten Fast Rounds With Abe Having Shade
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[Special Dispatch to The Call]
LOS ANGELES, June 24.--With District Attorney Fredericks at the ringside to see that a prize fight was not held, Abe Attell and Owen Moran boxed 10 of the fastest rounds ever seen at Naud Junction tonight.

If a decision was rendered it should go to Attell, whose marvelous work, both offensive and defensive, proved conclusively that he has not gone back. Moran was the stronger and apparently had several pounds the best of it in weight. But the Britisher's superior strength and constant attack was more than offset by Attell's clever boxing and lightning blows.

Neither man had a scratch on him, although several stiff punches were exchanged. Moran was inclined to rough it and frequently was hooted by the crowd for what appeared to be fouls. After being warned by the referee Moran did not offend again.

Both finished strong, Attell seeming to have a shade in the final round.

One of the preliminary events was stopped by the police when it appeared that one of the boys would be knocked out.

No attempt was made by the district attorney, acting under orders from Governor Gillett, to interfere, either with the main event or the preliminaries.

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