1904-06-06 Dave Holly ND Joe Grim [National Athletic Club, Philadelphia, PA, USA]

1904-06-07 The Evening World (New York, NY) (page 10)

JOE GRIM GETS ANOTHER BEATING
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(Special to The Evening World.)

PHILADELPHIA, Pa., June 7.--Joe Grim, he of the iron jaw and rugged constitution that has withstood more beatings than any five fighters that ever donned the mitts, was the recipient of another severe lacing at the hands of Dave Holly last night at the National A. C. While Grim managed to stay the prescribed six rounds, he was all in at the finish and was holding on to Holly for dear life. Holly was in a rocky condition at the end himself, but it was not the result of Grim's punches, but he tired himself out punching Grim. Joe showed his ability to take punishment, but he was there to stay the limit and he did so.

Young Erne and Johnny Marto, of New York, repeated their fierce go of two weeks ago. The boys went through six terrific rounds and in a couple of rounds science was thrown to the wind and the go resolved itself into an old-time slugging match.


1904-06-07 The Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia, PA) (page 6)

HOLLY MADE GRIM TAKE THE COUNT
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The bout between Joe Grim and Dave Holly last night at the National Athletic Club was a corking affair for action, and it went the limit. Grim stood off another man, although the Italian was forced to take the count in the last round as the result of a stiff punch to the jaw. Joseph was decidedly to the bad at the close of the sixth.

In the semi-wind-up Young Erne and Johnny Marto put up a duplicate to their bout of several weeks ago. It was a splendid affair, and Young Erne had something the better of the going.


1904-06-07 The Philadelphia Record (Philadelphia, PA) (page 9)

HOLLY BESTED JOE GRIM
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Outpointed Italian in Every Round at National Athletic Club.
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COULD NOT PUT HIM TO SLEEP
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Young Erne Outpointed Johnny Marto in Six Exciting Rounds in the Best Contest of the Night.
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Dave Holly bested Joe Grim in the wind-up at the National Athletic Club last night, but, although he had the best of every round and once put the Italian down for the count, the negro could not stop Grim, and at the end of the bout Joe was there just as good as ever. Holly did all of the fighting except in the fifth round, when Grim rushed matters for awhile. The bout was not interesting, for both men did too much clinching and wrestling, and a great deal of time was wasted in this kind of work.

In the preliminary contests George Walker outpointed Johnny Kelly in a rattling six-round bout; Eddie Rocap and Johnny Allen went the limit at a good clip, while Jimmy Devine and Jack Durane boxed six fast rounds, with honors slightly in favor of the latter.

1904-04-11 Dave Holly W-PTS10 Sam Langford [Cambridge Athletic Association, Cambridge, MA, USA]

1904-04-12 The Boston Daily Globe (Boston, MA) (page 5)

HOLLY TOO HARD.
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Langford Loses in 10 Round Bout.
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Philadelphian Shows His "Loop-the-Loop" Punch.
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Cambridge Lad Unable to Beat This.
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Sam Langford, the colored lightweight of Cambridge, who jumped into prominence by getting a well-earned decision over champion Joe Gans at the Criterion A. C. some months ago, ran against a tartar at the Cambridge A. A. last night in the person of Dave Holly of Philadelphia.

Holly administered a sound beating to Langford in the 10 rounds they boxed and the outcome was a big surprise to the local followers of boxing.

Holly's ability to cover up and avoid punishment and his quick recovery when in close was the cause of Langford's downfall. Sam started in his usual snappy style and his lightning left jab and quick right cross worked well for the first couple of minutes, but after that Holly changed his style and his peculiar crouch and guard completely bewildered Langford.

The Philadelphian did his best work after Langford's leads, for then he began ripping and tearing away with both hands for the body, varying with twisting his body while Langford held on, and shooting his right upward to the jaw and face.

This was his famous "loop-the-loop" punch, and it worked well at times. Whenever Holly essayed to box cleverly Langford greatly outpointed him, and at such times Holly was forced to resort to his old crouch with his head and jaw protected by his shoulder and his body well covered.

Both men devoted a great deal of attention to the body and Holly proved to be the harder hitter. He early realized that Langford was too clever for him and he then worked his way inside Langford's guard and began pegging away for the body and head.

The early rounds were rather tame and uninteresting, but as the bout progressed Holly began to show his strength and in the eighth drove Langford all around the ring with straight rights to the jaw and left and right short-arm jolts to the stomach and ribs.

The Cambridge man was tired at the end of the round, but he came back strong in the ninth and held his own by jabbing.

The last round was a hurricane affair with Holly doing the forcing and Langford holding on at every opportunity, but even as Sam hung on Dave slammed away and near the close of the round drove Langford to the ropes with a hard right swing to the jaw.

Referee Harry Hodgkins awarded the decision to Holly. It was a popular decision.

In the semifinal bout Charles (Kid) Fanning disposed of Jack Sumner of Cambridge in the third round. Young Cahill of Roxbury and Johnny Lynch of Cambridge boxed one of the fastest and cleverest six-round bouts ever seen in Cambridge. Cahill won by a very close margin. Harry Gilman of Roxbury also defeated Billy Phillips of Boston in six rounds, after a hard contest.


1904-04-12 The Boston Journal (Boston, MA) (page 5)

Dave Holly Defeated Sam Langford In Ten
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Bout Was Fierce All the Way Through With Philadelphian Leading.
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Dave Holly, the Philadelphia boxer, defeated Sam Langford of Cambridge at the Cambridge A. C. in ten rounds last night. It was a fierce battle between two crack colored lightweights and went at terrific speed the whole distance. Holly won on his aggressiveness, as he had Langford on the run continually, forcing him to back away in order to avoid these onslaughts. Holly did all his execution at close range, boring in on his opponent and smashing away with both hands until Langford tied him up. Langford did his best to keep Holly away by stabbing a game at which he has few superiors, but to offset this strong point of the Cambridge lad Holly dove inside and got home substantially.

It was a case of two dissimilar styles, in which Langford's standoff methods were conquered by Holly's swings and infighting.

Holly was the most willing throughout and banged away as long as one arm was free. He stretched the rules a bit by holding Langford's right and swinging with his loose wing. Langford had trouble in reaching his dusky confrere at the start and was bothered in this direction throughout the bout.

Holly had a peculiar crouch that, with his perfect covering, made Langford's attack almost fruitless till he could find an opening, which Holly seldom allowed.

They were away at a hot clip and immediately it was seen that Holly had the punch, while Langford was point racer. Langford got inside several times with strong left hooks but received a battering on the head that caused him to step up short. They mixed it freely till the seventh round, and in this session Holly got over his right to the jaw that staggered Langford, but he came back with straight stinging left jabs.

The eighth was worse for Langford, as he was driven to the ropes where Holly administered a severe drubbing and had the local boy distressed.

Langford was game and recovered quickly, retaliating with his straight aim work.

The windup was a slashing mixup, each trying for a knockout. They went at it fast from the gong, Holly endeavoring to put the hooks in and letting go swings in rapid succession. Langford blocked well and showed his science, but he was not in it with the roughing tactics of Holly.

In the semi-final Charles Fanning of Boston won from Jack Sumner of Cambridge in two rounds. Sumner looked strong as a bull, but ran up against a few of Fanning's "haymakers" and it was all off.

Young Cahill of Roxbury beat Johnny Lynch of Cambridge in six rounds and Harry Gilman of Roxbury got the decision over Billy Phillips of Boston, after getting the worst of it for three rounds.


1904-04-12 The Evening Times (Pawtucket, RI) (page 2)

DAVE HOLLY BEAT SAM LANGFORD
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At the Cambridge Athletic Club at East Cambridge, last evening, were held some lively boxing contests in the presence of about 500 spectators.

The first event was a six-round bout between Harry Gilman and Billy Phillips, both of Boston, Gilman got the decision. Johnnie Lynch of Cambridge and Young Cahill of Roxbury boxed six very fast rounds, the decision being given to Cahill, who did most of the leading. Jack Sumner of Cambridge was outclassed by Charles Fanning of Boston. The bout was to have been eight rounds, but Fanning was awarded the decision in the third round.

The event of the evening was a 10-round bout between Sam Langford of Cambridge and Dave Holly of Philadelphia. Holly's peculiar style puzzled Langford somewhat, but he punished the Philadelphia boy badly up to the finish of the eighth round.

Both were on their feet at the close of the 10th round, during which Holly landed almost at will, making a whirlwind finish, and being given the decision.

1904-03-29 Dave Holly ND6 Joe Grim [Southern Athletic Club, Philadelphia, PA, USA]

1904-03-30 The Boston Journal (Boston, MA) (page 5)

JOE GRIM WAS ALL BUT OUT
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Dave Holly Gave Him the Worst Pounding He Has Received in His Career.
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Philadelphia, March 29.--Joe Grim, "the human punching bag," received the worst punishment in his career tonight, when he met Dave Holly at the reopening of the Southern Athletic Club. No one is quite sure whether they boxed five or six rounds, but at that Grim was all but out and it was just as well for him that the bout ended, even if it was only five rounds.

From the very first round Holly began a tattoo of punches of all kinds. Round after round Grim faced the fusillade manfully, giving but little in return. In the last round Holly fairly rained blows upon him, and Grim became helpless so far as returning punishment or even defending himself, and everybody was glad when it was over. It was like a man battering away at a see-how-hard-you-can-hit machine.


1904-03-30 The Evening World (New York, NY) (page 12)

BEATING FOR GRIMM BUT NO KNOCKOUT.
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PHILADELPHIA, March 30.--Joe Grimm, he of the iron jaw, who boasts of not possessing a polar plexus, was the recipient of one of the worst beatings of his career last night at the Southern A. C. Dave Holly, the husky colored lightweight, was the boy who delivered the trouncing to Grimm, and the Italian champion was a sorry looking spectacle when the six rounds were ended. How Grimm ever managed to last the limit is indeed a mystery. He received enough punishment to stop any two ordinary men, yet with the exception of the latter part of the sixth round, when he was knocked down twice, he stood up gamely under the terrible gruelling.


1904-03-30 The Philadelphia Record (Philadelphia, PA) (page 9)

HOLLY BEAT GRIM.
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Dave Administered a Terrible Gruelling to Italian Champion.

Although Bob Fitzsimmons, Jack O'Brien, "Kid" Carter, George Cole and various other lesser lights of the prize ring have had a crack at Joe Grim, the Italian boxer, it is doubtful if any of the former gave Grim the terrible grueling that Dave Holly, the colored light-weight, of this city, administered to him at the Southern Athletic Club last night. Grim had every natural advantage over Holly, but made little or no attempt to fight Holly except in the clinches, when he would pound Dave on the back. As a consequence Holly had things pretty much his own way throughout the six rounds. Holly did not give Grim a chance during the bout to cut up any of his usual capers, being at Grim all the time and making a veritable punching bag of the Italian. The fourth round, perhaps, was the worst for Grim. Holly punched him from one corner to another until it looked as though Joe would surely go down. He was very unsteady on his feet, and the crowd was yelling for Holly to finish him. But by holding Holly round the waist Grim managed to last the round out.

In the first round Holly, in his anxiety to stop Grim, became a little too rough, and was warned by Referee Schlichter for throwing Grim to the floor.

Grim plainly showed the effects of Holly's punches as he came out of his corner for the sixth round. Holly fairly flew at Joe and neither one shook hands. Holly forced Grim to the ropes and ripped his right and left to body and jaw. Grim clinched, and Dave in order to get away began tugging and pulling, until Grim fell to the floor. When Joe got up he again clinched and they went through the same performance. Holly didn't give Joe a chance to clinch when the latter got up, but measured his distance and gave Grim a terrific smash on the jaw, and Joe went down. Grim was up before the full count and Holly was like a wild bull. He rushed at Grim right and left and finally sent the Italian down again from a left hook on the jaw. Grim was still on the floor when the bell rang.

Terry Martin outpointed Jimmy Casey, of Bristol, in a fast six-round bout in the semi-wind-up.

Jack Bowler, the ex-amateur, and Harry Monaghan put up the best bout of the evening. It was a rattling good "go," with Bowler having the better of the first four rounds. In the fourth and fifth rounds Monaghan boxed very fast and had the ex-amateur champion in trouble several times.

In the other contests Reddy Flynn and Joe Croke boxed a draw, while Phil Griffin stopped Billy Keator in the fifth round.