GANS WHIPS GRIFFO IN EIGHT ROUNDS.
"Joe" Gans, of Baltimore, received the decision over Albert Griffith, better known as "Young Griffo," of Australia, last night at the Seaside Sporting Club. The referee stopped the bout in the eighth round, when Griffo was near out.The bout was to have been for twenty-five rounds at 135 pounds. For a time Griffo showed some of his former cleverness in blocking and landing neatly. Gans played a waiting game, and when Griffo grew tired he found no difficulty in settling the contest.
In the first round Griffo was knocked down, but he arose quickly. In the second round he landed often on his opponent, but it was evident that his blows had not much force behind them. He was floored again in the seventh round, and was in bad condition when the eighth round began. One of his eyes was closed. Gans got in some hard blows on his jaw and had him staggering about the ring and all but out, when "Johnny" White, the referee, stopped the bout.
1900-07-11 The Morning Telegraph (New York, NY) (page 10)
YOUNG GRIFFO LOST TO GANS
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Beaten to a Pulp in the Eighth Round.
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REFEREE STOPPED FIGHT
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Australian Showed Well for Awhile, but When Gans Had Him Sized Up It Was Soon Over.
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The attempt to resurrect Young Griffo was a dire failure.The once great boxer came from Chicago with the reputation of having retained all his former stamina, and he was matched with Joe Gans, who has no superior and probably no equal in the lightweight class.
On the surface, Griffo appeared to be in good condition, but when he got into action it was seen that he was a Queensberry wreck.
The cleverness that once enabled him to baffle the greatest men of the lightweight division had departed, and he was a plaything in the hands of expert Gans.
It took Gans but a few rounds to correctly size up Griffo, and then he beat the Australian to a standstill.
In the eighth round Griffo was beaten to a helpless condition, and the referee stopped it. Mrs. Joe Gans was in the building, and saw her husband win.
There was some pretty sparring in the opening round, and Griffo performed nobly for a time. Toward the close of the round Gans landed a right hand uppercut on the chin, and the Australian went to the floor. It was a clean knock down, and Griffo was worried, but the bell came to his relief.
Little of interest occurred in the second, but in the third Griffo set a hot pace, and forced Gans all about the ring, sending several heavy lefts to the stomach.
The fourth was very exciting, and while Gans had the advantage, yet Griffo carried the war to his opponent's camp and mixed it up in merry style.
Gans got Griffo's measure in the seventh and floored him twice, the Australian scorning the referee's count each time.
Gans pounded Griffo's face to a pulp in the eighth, and had his man very groggy. Referee Johnny White rightly stopped the bout after one minute and thirty-eight seconds of fighting.
Eugene Garcia and George Monroe furnished the preliminary canter of twelve rounds. Monroe outpointed his man from the start, and, while no effective punishment was inflicted, yet Monroe won decisively.
1900-07-11 The New York Herald (New York, NY) (page 11)
GRIFFO WAS SAVED FROM A KNOCKOUT
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Gans Had Him Beaten to Helplessness When the Referee Stopped the Battle.
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To the list of good old "former fighters" must be added the name of "Young Griffo," once regarded as the cleverest fighter that ever put on a glove. In less than eight rounds he was beaten into a state of utter helplessness last night by "Joe" Gans, a colored lightweight of Baltimore, at the Seaside Sporting Club. For five rounds the Australian held his own with his more youthful opponent, but his strength left him after that. When the end came after one minute and thirty-eight seconds of fighting in the eighth round. Gans would have scored a knock out had not "Johnny" White, the referee, stopped the bout.Two women witnessed the bout. Mrs. Gans viewed her husband's efforts from behind the mezzanine seats. Mrs. Herford, wife of Gans' manager, also saw the fight.
Gans led off in the eighth round with a left smash on the nose that made the blood flow, and followed with two terrific left handers on the jaw. He followed with a right hander on the jaw that made Griffo fall to his knees. The Australian was hopelessly beaten. He was bleeding, his right eye was closed and he was all but out. The referee stopped the bout and declared Gans the winner.
George Monroe outpointed Eugene Garcia in the preliminary bout, a twelve round affair. Monroe showed considerable cleverness, and outgeneralled his opponent all through the battle. He also gave Garcia a hard thumping.
1900-07-11 The New York Press (New York, NY) (page 4)
GANS OUTFOUGHT YOUNG GRIFFO
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Referee Stopped the Bout and Prevented Knockout.
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Australian Showed Old-Time Form Until the Eighth, When He Was Punished Badly.
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Joe Gans of Baltimore was awarded the decision over Albert Griffith, better known as "Young Griffo," of Australian, at the Seaside A. C., Coney Island, last night. Referee White stopped the bout after they had fought one minute and thirty-eight seconds of the eighth round, when Griffo was so far gone that another punch from Gans would have put him out.The articles called for a twenty-five round bout at 135 pounds. For a time Griffo showed some of his old-time form, blocking and punching in clever style, but his dissipation has told on him, and although he had trained faithfully he had not the steam to stand the negro's punches.
Gans played a waiting game and when Griffo had fought himself out, he found no difficulty in putting the Australian in such condition that the referee's action was pleasing to the crowd and mournful to Griffo. Gans was a 2 to 1 favorite, but there was little betting.
The crowd in the house numbered about 3,500. Gans entered the ring accompanied by Al Herford, Harry Lyons and "Kid" Thomas. Griffo followed with Clarence Forbes, Paddy Gorman and Tommy Holden as seconds.
Griffo looked to be in excellent shape and Gans appeared in his usual good form.
The men shook hands at 10:05. Gans was the first to lead with his left for the head, but Griffo blocked and followed with left to the face.
Twice Griffo ran into a clinch and was cautioned for holding. Three times again he jabbed his left to the negro's face and swung a left to the head. Gans was cool and waited for him, and finally crossed his right to the ear and twice jolted it to the body.
Just before the bell rang Gans uppercut with his right to the chin and dropped Griffo to the floor, but he was right up and fighting at the gong.
In the second round Griffo showed much of his old science, but Gans showed superior blocking in the third, and Griffo's attempts for the head did not land as frequently as before.
Griffo finally cornered the colored lad and drove three hard lefts to the body, and reached the head with both hands. Gans finally escaped and hooked left and right to the head.
Gans opened the fourth with a right to the head, but Griffo stepped aside and jolted his right to the body. He slipped to the floor and Gans helped him to his feet. There was fast fighting on the part of both men. Gans tried to reach the head, but was blocked repeatedly, and took some good body blows in return, but the pace seemed to be telling.
Both steadied up a bit in the fifth, and toward the end of the round both landed some telling blows on the body, and Gans was clinching at the bell.
Griffo continued to do the offensive. Gans was waiting for a chance. Twice he thought he saw it, but was blocked each time in his attempt. In the seventh round Gans stepped in, and with a right-hand uppercut lifted Griffo's head and then sent over left and right, dropping him to the floor.
Johnny White began to count, but Griffo waved him away and jumped to his feet to take another cluster of blows that shook him up badly.
Gans's right hand punches to the heart showed their effect in the eighth, and Griffo was forced about the ring with left jabs to the mouth that brought the blood in a stream.
Gans saw he was gone, and, measuring his man admirably, swung his right to the jaw. Griffo staggered across the ring, and Gans followed and swung his right again to the mark. It only needed another punch to knock him out, but before Gans could deliver it Referee Johnny White stepped between them and sent them to their corners, stopping the fight and giving Gans the decision.
In the preliminary George Munroe got the decision from Young Garcia of Brooklyn at the end of ten rounds.
1900-07-11 The Standard Union (Brooklyn, NY) (page 9)
GRIFFO TAKES A BEATING.
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Showed Much of His Old Cleverness, But Could Not Stand Gans' Hard Thumps.
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Fight Given to Colored Man in Eighth Round.
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Young Griffo, once the most shifty and dazzling boxer who ever stepped into a ring, was brought out again at Coney Island last night as an opponent to Joe Gans. Reports had come from Chicago that rigorous training had erased all effects of Griffo's long-continued dissipation, and it was announced that with strength restored and cleverness undimmed he might be expected to stand off the coffee-colored Baltimorean for twenty-five rounds. None of these expectations were realized to the full, for although he fought with savage gameness and with much show of his old-time skill, Griffo only lasted into the eighth round, when Referee John White stopped the bout to save the Australian from a knockout.Griffo was noisily cheered on entering and received applause during the fight whenever there was the slightest excuse for it, while Gans was greeted coldly. Griffo looked in excellent condition. He is shorter and much more stocky than Gans and does not have the colored man's great reach. From the beginning everyone was interested to see if the resuscitated fighter remembered all of his cleverness. It was, indeed, pretty boxing that he put up. He took the aggressive at once and feinted close up to his opponent, his lightning-like motions protecting him from a lead. Then he shot a swift left to the side of Gans' face, setting the crowd wild. He repeated this several times, but Gans finally came to close quarters and the first blow he struck knocked Griffo down, doing no damage, however.
This round gave a pointer on the fight, and the Gans money, which had been going on at 100 to 35, now went begging at 4 to 1. Griffo's cleverness was apparent, and his gameness was soon to be demonstrated. But Gans never appeared worried by all the Australian's shifty feints, leads and blocks, nor did he seem to be hurt much by several good ones which Griffo landed on the body. Gans kept poking a hard left to Griffo's head and soon had his right eye closed. Later the Australian's face was cut and bleeding profusely.
Griffo's best round was the sixth, in which he rushed Gans savagely, pounded the body with right and left and then stood grinning ten feet away while Gans was slicing circles out of the air. But it was easily seen that the only blows which counted toward the result were those which Gans was putting in at intervals whenever he thought it time to do something.
The seventh round was a succession of game rushes by Griffo against the piston-rod rights and lefts which met him at each onslaught. Twice he went down before long, hard lefts; each time he was up, disdaining a count, but his finish was only a matter of time.
In the eighth the men stood up and slugged, and Griffo was soon so weak that he could not put up his hands. When White saw this he sent the men to their corners and declared Gans the winner.
Griffo's backers cannot complain that he did not do his best to save their money for them, for he plainly fought with all there was in him from the beginning to the end, but his weakened constitution could not keep him up under a moderately hard thumping.
The preliminary was twelve rounds between George Monroe and Eugene Garcia, the latter taking the place of Itsy Ryan, who was above the stipulated 117 pounds. The decision went to Monroe.
1900-07-11 The Sun (New York, NY) (page 4)
GANS DEFEATS GRIFFO.
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AUSTRALIAN HELPLESS IN THE EIGHTH ROUND AT CONEY ISLAND.
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Referee Mercifully Saves Him From a Knock-Out--Dashing Contest for Six Rounds With Honors Fairly Even--Two Knock-Downs in the Seventh Turns the Tide in Gans's Favor.
Young Griffo of Australia, once considered the greatest boxer of the world, was literally beaten to a standstill by Joe Gans of Baltimore at the Seaside Sporting Club in Coney Island last night. The end came in the eighth round when Griffo, blinded with blood and weak from the incessant hammering that Gans handed out to him, was on the verge of being put to sleep. But for interference on the part of Referee John White the Australian would have been knocked out.
In spite of a wild career Griffo showed that he had regained much of his old-time vigor. For six rounds he made things hum for Gans, but in the seventh round a couple of hard knock-downs took away the Australian's strength and prepared the way for his defeat. Griffo could not be said to possess his former remarkable science. He was quick, but not quick enough to stave off the clever Baltimorean, who took his time and then delivered the blows that won. Griffo's exhibition of gameness, however, was remarkable. He refused to take counts when floored, and, though badly beaten about the head, he never flinched. While his strength lasted he put up a fierce fight, but he was outclassed in nearly every respect. When about to leave the ring Griffo, after shaking hands with his old rival, Jack McAuliffe, took a long drink out of a black bottle. He had evidently had his fill of training and recuperation.
The principal interest centred in the physical and mental condition of Griffo. Though the erratic Australian, because of extreme dissipation, had been forced to spend several terms in a sanitarium, his friends asserted that he was once more in old time condition. To those who looked Griffo over as he got ready for the battle he appeared to be restored to his former good health. His complexion and eyes were clear and his body was well rid of hog fat. In fact, Griffo seemed to have been carefully trained, and in answer to questions he said that he had not forgotten his wonderful cleverness as a scientific boxer which made him famous as a drawing card several years ago. Griffo expressed confidence in his ability to stay the limit, though he recognized the skill and prowess of Gans. Speculators saw an opportunity to risk their coin on the proposition that Griffo would at least stay ten rounds, but the talent figured Gans a sure winner because of his superior condition, his cleverness and punching ability. Griffo's weakness in the hitting line was taken to mean that he would have no chance to stop the Baltimorean, no matter how hard he might try.
The crowd did not flock into the building at an early stage, but still when the preliminary was put on there was a good attendance which was increasing in size every moment. The appetizing bout was provided by George Monroe and Eugene Garcia, both of this city, who were matched for twelve rounds at 117 pounds. Garcia took the place of "Itsy" Ryan, who came to the clubhouse several pounds overweight. John White was the referee, and Joe Dunn kept time. Garcia was a mark for constant facers and body blows in every round, but he stood the gruelling with good grace. Monroe received the decision.
Bob Fitzsimmons and Sharkey were among the spectators, also Ruhlin and McCoy. Gans's wife was smuggled past the doorkeepers and had a seat unobserved within reach of the ring. Gans was a 5 to 2 favorite, but there was very little money up. The colored pugilist entered the ring first, there being no demonstration, while Griffo received a cheer. Gans's seconds were Al Herford, Harry Lyons and Kid Thomas. Griffo was looked after by Clarence Forbes, Paddy Gorman and Tommy Holden. The match called for twenty-five rounds at 135 pounds, Queensberry rules. As Griffo sat in his corner the crowd seized a chance to size him up. His arms and legs looked strong enough to stand a hard fight, and his chest and back were well hardened. Gans was in superb condition, as he always is. When they shook hands Gans had a slight advantage in height and also had the longer reach.
Griffo stood up coolly and sent a quick left to Gans's face. He went in again with a corking left swing that landed on the eye, and the crowd yelled. Gans then took the defensive and as Griffo kept on top of him with rapid lefts in the face, Joe was puzzled. Gans was finally forced into a mix-up and shot a left to the ear. In another mix Griffo fell, but he jumped up laughing and ran into a rally that was stopped by the bell.
Griffo opened the second round with a rush which brought a clinch. Gans met another advance with sharp counters on the head. "I'm goin' to do yer," said Griffo, with a grin. "All right," replied Gans, and the Australian then jumped in with swift lefts and a right on the head that drove Gans away. Gans came back with several heavy swings, which were blocked, but a straight punch on the nose brought blood. Gans then rushed and made Griffo retreat in some disorder.
When Griffo came up for the third round his right eye was closing rapidly. Gans quickly jabbed him in the face with a hot left and Griffo danced away after a short spell of boxing. Griffo tried lefts, but they had little force. Gans on the other hand had plenty of power in his smashes. Joe took his time, however, and Griffo, getting him cornered, whipped in three lefts to the stomach, two of which were well stopped. Griffo cut loose then and with more body blows he made Gans clinch. It was a fine rally on the part of the Australian and the crowd cheered him to the echo.
Griffo began the fourth with a rush which was stopped. As Gans rushed in return Griffo slipped to a knee, but was up and into a hot rally without delay. Griffo paid special attention to the body and every time he reached it Gans clinched. Griffo kept his man busy for several moments, but Gans soon cut loose and with rapid swings he made Griffo clinch. Then they got at it in fierce style, Griffo having his mouth and his eye further swollen, but the Australian kept on fighting like a demon to the bell and went to his corner with a skip.
Gans was in no hurry when the fifth began. He used his feet and blocked many swings, at the same time putting in counters to Griffo's sore face. Griffo was the aggressor until Gans landed a couple of swings on his eye, after which both were contented with light sparring. Griffo stood in close at all times, and in the mix-ups he whipped in heavy stomach blows that made Gans hang on for all he was worth, Griffo was doing all the fighting at the gong.
Gans opened the sixth with lefts delivered at long range. Griffo went in quickly for another mixup and hammered the ribs with left and right. Gans then tried more long swings which Griffo blocked with consummate ease. Gans did some clever blocking too, and then tried a right for the jaw. Griffo stepped away from it, and pounded the ribs with his left. Griffo then jumped in with a right over the heart and got away so quickly from the counters that came back that the crowd yelled in appreciation.
Griffo began the seventh with an ineffective rush. Gans responded with a hard right on the heart that almost turned the Australian around. Griffo was still coming in and Gans met him with sharp smashes in the face and stomach. Gans rushed, and with a storm of long swings on the head he sent Griffo down. As the referee started to count, Griffo pushed him aside and got up. Gans piled the blows in then until Griffo's face was battered and bathed in blood, but he stood up to be knocked down hard. Griffo would not take a count, but leaped up and was fighting like a tiger when the bell rang.
Gans was confident of victory as he faced the plucky Australian for the eighth. He began the round with several cutting facers, but they did not deter Griffo from standing in for a series of mix-ups. Gans simply laid the blows all over his man after that and with a heavy right on the jaw he made Griffo totter blindly toward the ropes. Another smash would have knocked the Australian out, but the referee interfered and declared Gans the winner. It was a merciful action on the part of White as Griffo was helpless. The time of the round was 1 minute 38 seconds.
1900-07-11 The World (New York, NY) (page 5)
GANS BEAT GRIFFO IN THE EIGHTH ROUND.
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Australian Displayed but Little of His Former Cleverness.
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Joe Gans made a poor showing for a would-be champion at the Seaside A. C. last night. To be sure, he whipped Young Griffo in eight rounds, but, then, Griffo has been dead pugilistically for years. He has been in an asylum, and there is not the least doubt but that Terry McGovern can put him out in three rounds. Griffo was clever, but only with a ghostlike cleverness of the old days. While he was fresh he outpointed Gans, but he did not stay fresh long, for nature, in him, had been outraged beyond belief for years. The crowd was pleased with the bout because it made Gans look so like a third-rater.The men entered the ring at 9.55. Griffo was cheered when he climbed through the ropes, while Gans entered without recognition. Griffo looked well, but Gans looked better, and the betting showed what the crowd thought about the fight. The odds were 100 to 35 that Griffo would not win, and 100 to 80 that he would not stay ten rounds. The Australian looked a little wild and seemed nervous. When the men were introduced all the cheering was for Griffo.
Griffo caught the crowd by walking right into Gans. He surprised the negro by putting two left-hand swings on the jaw. Gans was puzzled and made ground, while Griffo, who was in excellent shape, fought close to his man. Just before the gong sounded Gans landed two hard ones and Griffo went to the floor, but jumped up laughing, and the crowd, remembering how Gans quit with Erne, yelled its joy at his quick recovery.
The second round found the crowd yelling with delight, for they expected to see the whole thing ended in six rounds. Griffo went at his man again and landed several good ones, but got a few in return. His right eye was almost closed, but he still pressed Gans, who made ground and waited for the Australian to lead.
In the third round Griffo fought fast and furiously. He fought close to Gans, swinging for the belly and landing often. Gans was kept so busy guarding that he did not have time to lead. He was smiling, and in that smile many saw the finish of Griffo, even though he was fighting well. The gong sounded as they came to a clinch.
The fourth round was one of the fastest fought in the club in months. Griffo kept after his man. He mixed it with him he roughed it with him and he had Gans breathing hard. They hit and blocked and ducked and side-stepped and now and then landed. It was too fast for the eye to follow, yet Griffo seemed to have a shade the better of it.
In the first part of the fifth they sparred, but soon Griffo went at his man again. He was getting tired, but he kept Gans guessing. He had the negro in the corner as the bell sounded and was putting them in the belly. Gans, who does not like them there, winced, and the crowd yelled in appreciation. Griffo got away from some desperate rights and lefts in the early part of the sixth round by extreme cleverness. He landed a good one over the heart and kept Gans busy again ducking and guarding. His showing was surprising even to his friends.
The seventh was Gans's round. Twice he put Griffo down, but each time he came up like a rubber ball, refusing to take the count, and the crowd cheered. He rushed Gans as soon as he got to his feet and landed several good ones. He came up comparatively fresh for the eighth round. Gans then started in and soon had Griffo groggy. He landed often, and Griffo was too weak to help himself. At this point Referee White very properly stopped the bout after one minute and thirty-eight seconds of fighting and gave the fight to Gans.
The preliminary battle between George Monroe and Eugene Garcia was one of the best fights seen at the club for some time. Monroe gave an exhibition of cleverness that puts him high among the feathers, while Garcia gave an exhibition of gameness and ability to stand punishment that has seldom been seen.
Referee John White gave the fight at the end of the twelfth round to Monroe.
