1896-02-22 Joe Gans W-TKO6 Jimmy (St. Paul Kid) Kennard [Suffolk Athletic Club, Boston, MA, USA]

1896-02-23 The Boston Sunday Globe (Boston, MA) (page 2)

GANS WON.
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Other Bouts in Newton St Armory Were Draws.
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Solly Smith and Lavack Put Up a Lively Set-To.
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Smith Would Probably Win in Finish Fight.
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Burley and Strong Simply Tired Themselves Out.
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Neither Could Do Much Execution After Fourth Round.
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The boxing bouts at the West Newton st armory last night were witnessed by over 2000 persons.

Johnny Lavack, the Cleveland featherweight, boxed a 15-round draw with "Solly" Smith of California; Nick Burley and Charley Strong boxed 12 rounds to a draw, and Joe Gans of Baltimore scored a victory over Jimmy Kennard, the "St Paul Kid," in six rounds.

The latter was in no shape, having been substituted for "Spike" Sullivan, who was taken sick late yesterday afternoon.

Lavack is a very clever lad, but he is not a hard hitter. Had the bout been to a finish Smith would have won.

Burley showed that he will never do in the heavyweight class. He is more of a boxer than a fighter, and is something like Steve O'Donnell in style.

Joe Gans is a fairly clever lad, but he is not yet capable of meeting any first-class man.

Capt Bill Daly was referee, and his decisions met with the approval of the spectators.

Kennard, the "St Paul Kid," and Joe Gans of Baltimore were the first pair up. Very little boxing was done in the first two rounds. Gans landed his left just before the second round ended, toppling Kennard over. He was on his feet, however, in a few seconds.

For four more rounds Gans simply toyed with Kennard, landing left jabs, with an occasional right on the face and jaw. In the sixth round referee Daly, seeing Kennard was outclassed, stopped the bout, and decided Gans the winner.

Charles Strong of Newark and Nick Burley of this city met in the second bout. It was their second meeting, Strong having defeated burley last month in one round.

The first round was very tame, but they mixed it up in the second round in good shape. Strong started to cut out the work, but toward the close Burley forced it, and had Strong on the run, landing with both hands on Strong's face and jaw. When the bell rang Strong was very tired. The minute's rest revived him, and in the third he went at Burley, and for a half a minute the air was filled with arms, black and white, circling around.

One of the arms, which proved to be Strong's, stopped on Burley's jaw, and he went down. But only for a moment. He jumped up and continued, but little was done, both being tired. Strong forced the boxing in the fourth round, and Burley was on the defensive. Both men landed several times, but their blows lacked steam.

The next few rounds were even, both men being too tired to do any fast boxing, and they just kept landing occasional jabs or swings. In the ninth Strong started out with a rush, but as usual, it lasted only a minute. Burley then got in some of his jabs, and Strong become rather more tired. Very little effective work was done after this. The bout was called a draw.

"Solly" Smith and Johnny Lavack met in the closing bout, which was set for 15 rounds.

Round 1--Smith came up as if he regarded his job as an easy one. Lavack backed into one of the corners and Smith followed him, feinted a few times and tried for the face with the left, but the blow went over Lavack's shoulder. The latter got right and left in on the head, and then broke ground. Smith rushed, but was met with a left in the face. Smith tried at least four times to get the right on Lavack's jaw, but the latter cleverly avoided them.

Round 2--This opened with a hot mix-up with honours about even. Smith landed a right upper cut on the wind and then swung for the jaw, but the blow landed on Lavack's head. Lavack received a stiff left on the nose, when he started to force Smith, and a second later Smith put the left on the wind and then sent it up on the chin. Lavack received another right on the wind as the round closed.

Round 3. Lavack landed his left back of Smith's ear and put the right on the wind. Smith then hooked Lavack on the ear with the left. Smith again led and was met with a left on the jaw. He got a bit hot and tried again with the left, and was countered on the jaw. Lavack missed with the left, and while breaking ground Smith upper cut him on the nose with the left. Smith tried with the left and received right counter between the eyes.

Round 4. Lavack was the first to lead and he received a right counter back of the ear. After hooking Smith on the forehead with the left Lavack received a stiff jab on the chin. He then tried Walcott's furious double blow. His right fell short, but he caught Smith on the jaw with the left. Twice Smith was jabbed in the face, and then he upper-cut Lavack with the right. Smith tried three times to get the right on the jaw, but failed.

Round 5. Smith reached Lavack's wind, face and ribs three times with both hands, and received light jabs on the chin and wind in return.

Round 6--Smith sent the left on the wind, and in the clinch that followed Lavack landed on the ribs with the right. He missed with the left, and then Smith landed right and left on the neck. They were having a hot mix-up when the round ended.

Round 7--Smith had been using his elbows so often that referee Daly warned him at the opening of the round. Lavack had the best of the round, getting left and right on the ribs and nose a few times. A stiff jab in the mouth was his only return.

Round 8--Smith's left reached Lavack twice, and twice Smith uppercut him with the right.

Rounds 9-10--After falling short with the left, Lavack broke ground. Later he jabbed Smith in the face a few times and then they had a hot mix-up with honours about even. Smith finally got the left on the jaw, and Lavack retaliated with left and right on the face.

Round 11--Smith did all the work in this round, getting the right on Lavack's ear, ribs and face.

Round 12--Smith forced the work, and he kept Lavack continually on the jump. He reached Lavack's jaw with the left and uppercut him with the right in the wind. Lavack reached Smith's chin with the right, but it had no force. An exchange of lefts closed the round.

Round 13--Smith opened with a left on the face, Lavack countering on the ear with his right, and they clinched, Lavack landing his right on the ribs. Smith landed again on the face with his left, receiving two lefts in return on the jaw. Smith got in his right on the ribs, and then Lavack chased him to the ropes, landing his left on the nose. He then scored on the ribs with his right, and Smith missed a right swing for the jaw as the bell rang.

Round 14--Smith landed his right on the ribs, and then sent his left over on the chin. Both got in their rights on the ribs. Smith sent in a right uppercut on the chin, and followed it with a left jab on the face. He landed again with his right on the body, and Lavack countered with a left on the face. Smith got in two uppercuts on the ribs and a left on the face just before the bell rang.

Round 15--After shaking hands, Lavack landed a left jab on the chin, and they mixed it up lively for half a minute, with honours even. Lavack sent over a right, but it landed too far back on the ear. Smith got in a left hook on the ear, and then both landed rights together on jaw. Smith sent his left into the wind, and followed with a right on the chin that brought Lavack to his knees. He was up in a few seconds, and kept out of harm's way until the round ended, and the referee decided it a draw.


1896-02-23 The Sunday Herald (Boston, MA) (page 4)

BURLEY FAILS TO WHIP STRONG.

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An Accident Spoils His Chances--Three Bouts at South End.

A well satisfied crowd of perhaps 2000 left the Newton street armory last night at 11 o'clock, declaring that they had seen "a great show." Of the three boxing bouts but one was not particularly interesting--that between Joe Gans and Jimmy Kennard--but the others more than compensated. "Spike" Sullivan was to have been Gans' opponent, but he was too sick to appear.

The first round of the Gans-Kennard bout was filled with a great deal of posing and bluffs. Gans had his man pretty well measured by the third round. He ended the contest in the sixth, when he scored incessantly, and it was so evident that he was the superior boxer that the referee stopped it and gave Gans the award.

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The return match between Nick Burley and George Strong was the hottest of the night. Burley had many supporters, who felt convinced that he would retrieve his lost laurels by disposing of his colored opponent. It is generally believed that he would have done so had he not injured his right hand. Although a draw was declared, some thought Burley should have had the decision.

Strong went right to work to whip his man again, and it looked as if he would do so by the wicked swings that he sent in. For the whole first round the punching was of the stiffest description, and it appeared that Strong had a little the better of it. Burley closed in, and it was a ding-dong, savage battle for nearly half a minute, with chances about even as to which would go down. Both survived, but Strong appeared all worked out by his efforts.

It looked to be all up with Burley in the third. Strong landed three left swings in quick succession on Burley's face, and the fourth one brought him to the floor. He got up, but was weak and weary. He sought to keep away, but Strong followed him. Burley hit him a terrific punch on the head with the right, injuring the hand so badly that it was of little use to him afterward. In vain did Strong try to get the left on again, and Burley pulled out the round.

Both were so tired in the next round that little more than slapping was indulged in. Burley now had only one hand, the left. From this time on Burley picked away at Strong's nose, hitting it about a dozen times in each one of the remaining rounds. He had the colored man so tired toward the end that Strong's swinging lefts did not have enough steam in them to hurt Burley when they did land on the jaw. It was pretty nearly all Burley from the fourth to the 12th round; then a draw was declared by Referee Daly.

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Solly Smith of New York and Johnny Lavack of Cleveland, O., met at 125 pounds. Smith opened up for business instantly, but Lavack was hard to find. In the second round Lavack landed one good, long left on the face, but for that he was forced to take a right chopper on the jaw, a terrific crack flush on the nose, and a few more of lesser account. The fourth was a busy round. Lavack got in on the nose, and with right and left full swings came within an ace of catching Smith on a vital spot. Lavack stood some stiff punching in the next, but his excellent condition enabled him to withstand it.

The sixth was all in favor of Smith. The referee had to caution Smith for using his elbow in the seventh. Lavack managed to get in three in succession on the face, but they were as flakes of snow. In the eighth, Lavack caught Smith three times in the face, but Smith not only stood them but kept right along after his opponent.

Lavack made a fine showing in the ninth, and it was his round, as was the next also, and Smith's eye showed the effect of Lavack's handiwork. Both men missed many blows, each being clever at ducking. Lavack showed the pace in the 12th, and scored two to one. Smith seemed a bit tired, while Lavack, despite the belly blows he had received, appeared as well as ever. The 13th and 14th were very similar to the others.

In the last, Smith was in the lead, mainly through his superior strength. Lavack stopped many of his terrific right upper cuts on the body. A draw was declared.

1896-03-05 George Godfrey D-PTS15 Nick Burley [City Point Athletic Club, Music Hall, Boston, MA, USA]

1896-03-06 Boston Morning Journal (Boston, MA) (page 3)

POOR BOXING.
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Burley and Godfrey Took Things Easy.
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It Looked as if They Fixed Things.
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Referee Did Not Understand the Rules.
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Flaherty-Sullivan Drew.
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Neither George Godfrey (colored) nor Nick Burley added one leaf to their laurel wreaths by their wretched exhibition of boxing at the City Point Athletic Club boxing show, held last evening in Music Hall.

They sparred 15 rounds, which were of the tamest description and disgusted the spectators and the club officials. Burley was cautious, and in the sixth round was disabled. Godfrey picked him up bodily and deliberately threw him over his head, a clear infringement of the rules. But as Referee Sheehan did not want to award a decision on such a technicality and as Burley, who though limping and in pain, was willing to continue, he called for the next round, after a couple of minutes' rest. After that it was a game of tag, as the gallery gods declared.

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The show outside of this was good, and was attended by about 2700 people. There were three other bouts, in which Capt. Wm. Daly, Jr., was referee. Twenty sturdy blows were not delivered in the big contest. Some claimed that the boxers had arrived at an understanding, and declared that it was another fake.

The first bout was between Peter Corrigan of Jamaica Plain, and Mott Leary of East Boston, at 145 pounds, for eight rounds. This was a bout in which the strong physique of Corrigan carried him to victory. Leary pounded Corrigan time and time again, but Corrigan stood the blows, and then when Leary tired himself by his exertions, Corrigan sailed in just at the close of the sixth round and knocked his man out.

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Joe Mullins, with his dance, went against his fellow townsman from South Boston, Jack Foley. The latter was a tyro, but did well. Mullins is a coward and resorted to most foul tactics. He won, but such boxers as he hurt the sport. "He should never be billed again in this city," said a well-known sport.

The third bout had as principals Martin Flaherty of Lowell, weighing 126 pounds, and Billy (Spike) Sullivan of South Boston, weighing 118½ pounds. This was a rattling good contest with the men interlocked in each others' embrace fully two minutes of the three in each round. Both stayed the 12 rounds and it was declared a draw, with Flaherty having a decided advantage on points, but none on condition at the end of the bout.



1896-03-06 The Boston Daily Globe (Boston, MA) (page 3)

LOOKED "QUEER."
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Godfrey-Burley Bout Was Very Tame.
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Men Acted as if There Had Been an Understanding.
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Flaherty and Sullivan Gave a Good Exhibition.
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Latter Did Much Better Than Was Expected.
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The bout in Music hall last evening between George Godfrey and Nick Burley was one of the poorest exhibitions seen in Boston for a long time, and was on a par with the Hall-Maher "fake."

The exhibition was under the auspices of the City Point athletic club. Godfrey and Burley were scheduled for 15 rounds, and during the whole contest there was not as much boxing as in one round of the other bouts.

Before the men had boxed three rounds it was plain to the 2500 spectators that they had come to some understanding.

In the sixth round Burley should have been awarded the contest on a foul, as Godfrey deliberately threw him to the floor, injuring his left hip.

Referee Sheehan declared the bout a draw, but he would have been justified in declaring it no contest.

The 12-round contest between Martin Flaherty of Lowell and "Spike" Sullivan of Boston was the best bout of the evening. Flaherty completely outclassed Sullivan, and scored fully 10 blows to Sullivan one. The bout was called a draw, as the contestants had agreed that such a decision should be given if both were on their feet at the end of the bout. Flaherty has had much more experience than Sullivan yet the latter made a better showing than was expected.

The next bout was between Peter Corrigan and Mat Leary, two local boxers. Leary started off like a winner, and had it all his own way in the first round. Corrigan made a better showing in the second, and it was more even, both boxers landing often with left and right. The third round was of hurricane order, each one disregarding all the rules of defense, and simply swinging right and left alternately, landing together time and again on each other's face and jaw. Corrigan had a shade the better of it. The next two rounds were even, both men sparring for wind. The sixth round proved the last. Leary did most of the leading and landed often for two minutes. Then Corrigan got in some stiff blows that had their effect on Leary, who went down in his own corner just as the bell rang. His seconds decided it was better not to let him go on again, and Corrigan was given the decision.

Joe Mullen and Jack Foley, two South Boston featherweights, were the next pair. All that can be said of Foley is that he is game and willing. During the contest he seldom reached Mullen, while the latter landed some hard punches with both hands on the face and body. They were to box 12 rounds, but in the eighth Mullen landed a couple of right swings and a left jab on the jaw that dazed Foley, and the referee sent them to their corners, and gave Mullen the decision.