Search this blog

Friday, October 31, 2014

1899-10-31 Joe Gans W-PTS25 George McFadden [Broadway Athletic Club, Brooklyn, NY, USA]

1899-11-01 New-York Tribune (New York, NY) (page 5)
"JOE" GANS DEFEATS M'FADDEN.

"Joe" Gans, the clever colored Baltimore boxer, received a decision over George McFadden after fighting twenty-five rounds at the Broadway Athletic Club last night before one of the largest crowds of the year. This was the third time the men had met, the first meeting ending in a victory for McFadden and the second contest ending in a draw.


1899-11-01 The Brooklyn Daily Eagle (Brooklyn, NY) (page 16)

Joe Gans of Baltimore completely upset the calculations of the reputed wise set in pugilistic circles, at the Broadway Athletic Club last evening by defeating George McFadden of New York, in a twenty-five round contest at 133 pounds. McFadden was a big favorite in the betting, his followers flooding the house with money at odds of 100 to 75. In making Mac the favorite the crowd forgot the last fight between the men when Gans really ought to have received the decision. They looked only at his recent performance with Kid Lavigne, but again forgot that Gans was an altogether different style of boxer from the Saginaw boy and that the latter virtually defeated himself.

At no time last evening did the New Yorker make any kind of a showing at all. Instead of sticking to his old style of blocking and allowing his opponent to make the fighting and thus wear himself out until he was so weakened that it would be an easy matter to finish him, Mac Immediately took the aggressive and attempted to do the leading. In Gans, however, he found a master hand at his own game of blocking and his attempts to land were usually futile. He put in some hard left swings on Gans' head and sent the right at times well to the body, but Gans met him every time he rushed.

Gans penetrated McFadden's guard with straight lefts and with one of the fastest and surest rights ever developed by a boxer, rocked George's head time and time again, and in the twentieth round sent Mac to the floor, Gans' footwork was wonderful and the way he sidestepped and threw his right to the body caused the crowd to cheer repeatedly. As the fight proceeded the odds on Mac steadily receded until Gans' admirers were offering 100 to 40.

Mac stayed the limit but was extremely lucky to do so for Gans had him groggy many times when the gong came to his aid. After the decision had been awarded to Gans, Al Herford, on his behalf, issued a challenge to any light weight in the world, O'Brien or Erne preferred, and offered to post a side bet of $5,000.

In the preliminary bout, Kid Trueman of New York and Johnny Reagan of Brooklyn met for twelve rounds at 116 pounds. They fought a fast a clever fight, Reagan getting the decision. Johnny White was referee.


1899-11-01 The Evening Telegram (New York, NY) (page 8)
GANS A VICTOR BY CLEVER WORK
--------
Baltimorean Defeats McFadden in the Third Attempt by His Blocking and Jabbing.
--------
"Joe" Gans, of Baltimore, was a popular victor at the Broadway Athletic Club last night, when he defeated George McFadden, of this city. It was his clever blocking and jabbing that gave him the triumph. He wore down his opponent until in the end McFadden was saved from a knockout only by a rare exhibition of clever blocking. When Gans was given the decision on points the referee was cheered.

Many bets were recorded on the result, with McFadden the favorite at odds of 100 to 80. McFadden and Gans had met on two former occasions. In the first contest "Mac" knocked the colored boxer out after twenty-two rounds of fighting. The second contest went to Gans on points.

Contrary to his custom, McFadden rushed his man when the bell called them to the centre, landing his left on Gans' face and cleverly dodging a right swing aimed for the jaw. Gans clinched. After breaking away the New Yorker again rushed, and scored with right and left on Gans' head. Gans clinched and held his opponent. The referee separated them and told Gans that if he continued his holding tactics he would disqualify him.


1899-11-01 The New York Times (New York, NY) (page 8)
Joe Gans Whips George McFadden.

Joe Gans, the colored boxer of Baltimore, and George McFadden of this city put up one of the hardest fights of their careers for twenty-five rounds at the Broadway Athletic Club last night. The fight went to the limit, but it was astonishing that it did so, for Gans gave McFadden a beating hard enough to knock out an ordinary 133-pound fighter. McFadden stood up under blows that were heavy enough to fell an ox, but his fight after the tenth round was a hopeless one. Referee White gave the decision to Gans. McFadden was the favorite in the betting at odds of 100 to 80, and many thousands of dollars changed hands at that price.


1899-11-01 The World (New York, NY) (page 10)
GANS DEFEATED M'FADDEN EASILY.
--------
Little Negro Was Worried in the First Two Rounds, but Then Began to Fight.
--------
THEN HAD IT ALL HIS OWN WAY
--------
Gave McFadden an Awful Punishment and Several Times Nearly Put Him Out.
--------
THE LOSER FOUGHT A GAME FIGHT.
--------
Stood a Mauling That Would Have Made Nine Out of Ten Fighters Lie Down.
--------
Joe Gans, of Baltimore, defeated George McFadden in twenty-five rounds at the Broadway Athletic Club last night. It was the best lightweight exhibition of fast, clever fighting and bulldog courage and endurance ever seen in New York.

Both men aspire to championship honors, but last night the clever Baltimore negro made McFadden look like a fifth-rater. He punched him almost at will, and almost put him out several times.

McFadden's display of gameness and endurance was wonderful. He never stopped fighting against certain defeat.

Each man had let his friends know that he was in perfect shape, and was sure of winning. The result was that from the moment the doors opened betting was heavy.

The Baltimore men came to Gotham with a pot of money. McFadden had a host of friends, and was the favorite at 100 to 80. Probably $15,000 was wagered at these odds before the bout began.

Even at the increased prices the house was well filled. Four thousand spectators were on the benches. Johnnie White was the referee.

McFadden Started Well.

McFadden, who is usually slow to begin and cautious, rushed at the negro, sending in a fusillade of blows. Gans retreated, fighting back cleverly. Both blocked beautifully. For two rounds McFadden had slightly the best of it, but in the third Gans was all over his opponent. He sent straight lefts to the face again and again, and swung the right three times heavily to the jaw. McFadden slipped down, Gans helped him up.

The pace was too fast to last. It was all Gans in the next three rounds. McFadden was not fighting in his usual close blocking style, and the clever negro landed blow after blow with right and left.

Gans tried so hard that he grunted as he put all his strength in each blow. He is the weaker of the two, and McFadden is strong as a bull and stood the furious work without showing it.

McFadden's face and neck were red and swelling. He began to do more blocking and less leading. It was Gans all the way until the ninth round, when twice he turned McFadden's head around with a right swing, but Mac swung his left to Gans's jaw and staggered him. Then he ripped a right to the negro's body that hurt. The betting changed to even money. The referee had to tear them apart in the clinches.

They kept up the race for four more rounds, Gans still having the best of it although McFadden was blocking better. In the fourteenth round Gans punched McFadden almost at will. He swung right after right on Mac's jaw and had him almost groggy at the bell. Mac came back like a bulldog for more and got it. He was bleeding from the nose.

Gans Punches Hard.

Gans continued to punch McFadden on head, jaw and belly for three more rounds. McFadden came back doggedly, but he was gradually getting weak under the awful punishment. Gans again almost put him out with a right swing on the jaw in the eighteenth round. The bell saved him.

Gans looked at him as much as to say, "Well, who can put you out?"

McFadden was knocked down in the twentieth round. He stayed there nine seconds, got up groggy and fought back to the bell.

McFadden came up surprisingly strong. He was game as a pebble, and tried for a wild knock-out. Gans fought cautiously, looking for a knock-out chance. He almost did the trick in the twenty-fourth.

McFadden rushed desperately in the last round, but couldn't touch Gans, and was almost put out again.

Referee White gave the fight to Gans.

The preliminary bout was the hottest kind of a fight. Johnny Reagan, of Brooklyn and Kid Trueman, of New York, fought twelve rounds at 115 pounds. Reagan won.