1901-04-01 Joe Gans W-TKO4 Martin Flaherty [Eureka Athletic Club, Ford’s Opera House, Baltimore, MD, USA]

1901-04-02 Baltimore American (Baltimore, MD) (page 4)

MARTIN BLAMED IT ON BAD EYES.
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HOW JOE GANS MET ANOTHER OF THE EASY VICTIMS.
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Flaherty Was a Mark for the Colored Man, and Lost the Battle at Ford's in the Fourth Round, When Seconds Threw Up the Sponge--Defeated Man Had Reputation Made in Battles With Erne, McFadden and Sullivan, but Was Outclassed by Dusky Lad--Diversion Caused by the Arrest of a Woman, Who Wanted So Badly to See Contest that She Dressed in Man's Clothes.
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Another victim was brought up for Joe Gans, at Ford's Theater, last night, in the person of Martin Flaherty, of Lowell, Mass. Toward the ending of the fourth round after Gans had twice floored Flaherty in that round, Colonel Michael Haley threw up the sponge and the fight was Gans', while the great American people stood up on their opera chairs and yelled "Fake" and clamored for their money back. Colonel Haley, once a lightweight pugilist, and now looking like nothing more than a well-fed burgomaster, declares that Flaherty is next thing to a blind man, and as the Colonel assumed an air of injured innocence, and Flaherty blinked owl-like, with eyes partly closed, it is probably true, but that didn't satisfy the great crowd that filled every part of the theater for no other purpose than to see a slashing contest.

Colonel Haley says that what Flaherty needs is some of Colonel Mulberry Sellers' eye-water, and not the fierce jabs dealt out by Gans. Whatever the cause, the fact is that Flaherty was no more a match for Gans than was the lamented Whitey Lester. Flaherty knew that he was in for a good, hard beating dealt out in rag time, but he butted along with the plain desire to lose the fight in the first or second round on a foul. This is exactly what would have occurred but for the philanthropic thoughtfulness of Referee Mantz, who labored long and faithfully to give the people their money's worth. There was hardly a time that Flaherty did not fight foul.

He Hit in Clinches.

It was his game to hit in clinches, in plain violation of the rules. Totally unable to judge distance, Flaherty was perfectly helpless at long-range fighting, and his only hope was to work overtime in the clinches, trusting to pummel some of the steam out of Gans, or else to lose the fight on a foul and take the loser's end of the purse to his thrifty New England home.

So strongly was Flaherty inclined to fighting in the clinches that in the very first round there was afforded the diverting spectacle of a gold-laced police captain reaching over the rope and taking a strangle hold on Flaherty, nipping him into submission. Captain Cadwallader was the hero of this bit of police strenuousness and his method was more effective than that of Mantz, as Flaherty had a deep respect for the majesty of a law represented by an official ready to take a hand in the game himself. The only part of the game at which Flaherty was good was at blocking. He was a dead one at assault work; and, even if the truth, that should control all chroniclers, will not unreservedly admit that it was the fault of bad eyes. It is an excuse as good as any other. Although Flaherty could occasionally ward off the whip-like blows that Gans shot out, the Lowell man was plainly in for a good, hard drubbing. It took but one round for Gans to show to the front. In the first round, after the usual fiddling, they exchanged light rights and lefts and clinched. Flaherty started his fouling and infighting right then. Joe returned some of the short-arm blows, and Mantz had his troubles breaking them.

Martin led a left, but it was an abortive attempt, as it fell short, and Gans easily blocked it.

Gans' Head in Chancery.

They clashed again and clinched, and Flaherty managed to get Gans' head in chancery and began belaboring him, while Mantz made a center rush on the struggling men and tried by voice and muscle to break them apart. Flaherty was bent on doing all the execution he could in the clinch, and kept at it until Captain Cadwallader reached over the ropes, seized Flaherty by the chin and head, and, getting a strangle hold, took all the steam and breath out of him. There were lots of warnings to Flaherty, but it availed not. In the second round Flaherty blocked rights and lefts, and they exchanged body blows with little effect. Gans sent in a slashing right upper cut as Flaherty started to bore in, and in a clinch the pair fell with Gans on top. Flaherty clinched, fought foul and refused to break. After working like an army mule, Mantz tore them apart and sent Flaherty to his corner just as the gong sounded for the ending of the round. Mantz again warned Flaherty about fouling.

At the opening of the third round Gans scored a hard right hook on Flaherty's jaw and dazed him. Joe sent a straight left to eye and swung to head. Flaherty blocked a right and left, and scored lightly on Joe's wind.

The fourth round was the finish. Flaherty led two lefts for body that fell short. Gans feinted with right and floored Flaherty with a left to neck that knocked Flaherty flat. After some sparring Gans waded in, and, with a right to jaw, knocked down Flaherty and dazed him. This is when Col. Haley threw up the sponge and began his explanations about Flaherty's bad eyesight.

A Woman in Disguise.

The scenes that followed the close of the fight were diverting. During the process of the contest Captain Cadwallader spotted a woman dressed in man's clothes in the audience. After the show Cadwallader shouldered his way through the crowd, trying to overtake the woman. She saw his game and struck out at a lively gait down Fayette street to Eutaw, and headed for a well-known restaurant on the latter street. Just as she reached the door the police officer reached her. At his heels were over a thousand excited men, and the scene was lively as the officer marched his unique captive out Baltimore street to Greene, where he called the patrol.

As the crowd had reached huge proportions, Captain Cadwallader marched his fair captive to Pearl street, where he met the patrol. At the station the gay masquerader gave the name of Elizabeth Moore, aged 24 years, of Buffalo, N. Y. She was dressed in dark trousers, with sack coat, fancy vest, low collar, red necktie and white alpine hat. Se is a handsome brunette, and wore gold eyeglasses. Her glossy tresses were tucked under a wig of black curly hair. Her husband put in an appearance, and, at a late hour last night, started out to hunt up his wife's feminine attire and $101.25, the collateral necessary to produce to escape a night in the station on the charge of disorderly conduct.

Wanted to See the Fight.

"I wanted to see the fight awfully bad," said the fair prisoner to the police officials, "and the only way that I could get in was to dress like a man. My husband secured these clothes from a man friend, and helped to rig me out. I am awfully sorry to get into this scrape, and I should never have ventured into such a place had I thought there was any chance of discovery."

And the pretty "man" looked down at her grotesquely large patent-leather shoes, and seemed more anxious to cry than to see any more pugilistic contests.

Flaherty's Good Record.

Martin Flaherty's record looked so good that he should have done better. He has to his credit a decision over Frank Erne, a 20-round draw with George McFadden, and a creditable fight with Spike Sullivan. After the bout last night he blinked most dolefully, and declared that he had been hit on the eyes so much in the past three years that he can see nothing. The theater was packed, and the crowd was sadly disappointed at the outcome, as they wanted a clean, hard and a long battle. While the outcome last night was in no way framed up by the promoters, it is, nevertheless, unfortunate, as the vast crowd last night demonstrated the popularity of boxing among good men.

Several Lively Preliminaries.

Before the principal contest five preliminary bouts were run off, in which boys of the nonprofessional rank were the opponents. All of the bouts were for three rounds, and three of them created much laughter among the audience. John Eich and George Whitman were the first two to go on. Not the least bit of science was shown by either, and both swung wildly. At the end of the third round very little damage was done, and the decision was announced a draw.

The second bout was between James Farren, the 105-pound Baltimore featherweight, and Chris Butt. They were both well matched in their weight, but Farren displayed more science, and before the opening round was ended Farren delivered a left punch to Butt's abdomen which caused Butt to go to the floor, and was counted out. Farren was just as fresh as when he started, and stayed in the ring and then boxed Buck Washington, colored, the "Old Trial Horse of the Monumental Amphitheater," who could not get anyone to don the mitts with him. Washington looked to be 15 pounds heavier than Farren, but Farren showed great cleverness and landed some telling blows. Both were there at the end, and the referee announced it a draw, but Farren, from a spectator's point of view, had the better of the bout.

George Kunnicker and Sammy Harris, colored, were the next two to go on. These did not show any science whatever, but hammered each other over the ring. The referee had a difficult task in separating them. No damage was done by either, and the bout ended with a draw.

Fred Hill, of Canton, and Doc Tanner wound up the preliminaries. After going two slow rounds the referee disqualified them. Harry Lyons, Herford's featherweight, refereed the first two bouts and received an ovation.


1901-04-02 Baltimore Morning Herald (Baltimore, MD) (page 4)

GANS MADE SHORT WORK OF MARTIN FLAHERTY

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The Lowell Boxer Was Knocked Out in the Fourth--Rough Tactics Marked the First Two Rounds--A Woman in Man's Attire Saw the Battle

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The Gans-Flaherty battle attracted a big crowd to Ford's Opera House last night. The theater was packed from pit to dome, and standing room even was at a premium. The bout was scheduled to go 20 rounds, but it came to a sudden termination in the fourth round, when Flaherty's seconds threw up the sponge, after their man had been knocked down and virtually out.

Flaherty was distinctly a disappointment. He has the reputation of being a hard, rough fighter, and the crowd last night expected to see him make a lively battle. He was never in it, however. He was rough enough, to be sure, and in the first two rounds resorted to foul tactics, refusing to break and hitting in the clinches to such an extent that the police were compelled to interfere. As far as fighting went, however, the Lowell man was completely outclassed. When Gans started in to do business he pounded Flaherty right and left at will, and soon had him wobbling.

The first two rounds were marked by clinches and foul tactics on the part of Flaherty. In the third round Gans went after the Lowell man and staggered him with a terrific right on the jaw. This took all the steam out of Flaherty, and was the beginning of the end.

In the fourth Gans started right in to do business and sent Flaherty to the floor with a right on the jaw. The Lowell man was quickly on his feet, but was met with another right, which sent him down for good. Flaherty was staggering to his feet when his seconds threw up the sponge.

There were some cries of "fake" on the part of the crowd, but they were entirely uncalled for. While Flaherty was not entirely out he was virtually so, and it was an act of wisdom and mercy on the part of his seconds to give up the battle. The defeated man was so dazed that he had to be led off the stage, and it was some time after he had reached his dressing room before he could see clearly.

Flaherty claimed that his eyesight was affected and that he could not see well under the glare of the electric lights. It is quite probable, however, that Gans' righthand smashes had something to do with the failure of eyesight.

Gans' seconds were Al Herford, Cobb Bond, Herman Miller and Harry Lyons. In Flaherty's corner were Col. Mike Haley, Joe Elliott, "Scotty" McTavish and Dan Leahy. George Mantz was the referee.

Preliminary to the main bout there were some lively settos of three rounds each between local talent. John Eich and George Whitman had a lively go with no decision, as they were amateurs. Jimmy Farren put Chris Button out in the first round with a solar plexus blow, and then boxed two rounds to a draw with Buck Washington. George Kunnecke and Sam Harris fought a draw. Doc Tanner and Fred Hill boxed two rounds, but were stopped by Manager Herford on the ground that there was "nothing doing."

A Woman at the Show

There was an amusing sideshow connected with the fight which for a while attracted almost as much attention as the main event itself. Mrs. Elizabeth Moore somehow conceived the notion that she would like to see the fight, and she did see it, although at the expense of considerable notoriety.

Dressed in the latest approved men's habiliments, Mrs. Moore, accompanied by her husband, entered the opera house last night and took seats in the orchestra, about six rows from the front. The pair was immediately noticed, and the immediate audience "rubbered" in amazement at the woman's attire, which, to say the least, was inartistic. An enormous wig barely concealed her natural growth of hair and she carried herself with an air decidedly non-masculine.

The attention of Captain Cadwallader was called to the woman, but he decided to wait until the close of the performance before interfering. In the meantime the woman enjoyed the fight immensely and cheered the gladiators on. She afterward said that she had never seen a fight before and had never enjoyed herself more in her life.

At the conclusion of the contest Captain Cadwallader rushed out of the back entrance to the theater in an endeavor to head the woman off, but the pair made good their escape and entered a restaurant on Eutaw street, near Baltimore. They were followed down the street by a crowd which grew greater each moment. When the captain arrived the entire street was blocked. He pushed his way into the place and some moments later emerged with the woman. Meanwhile the crowd had grown enormous and it took the mightiest efforts of six officers to force a way to the nearest patrol box.

All along the streets the wagon was followed by the noisy mass, which threatened to break down the station doors. The husband procured a hack and departed in search of proper wearing apparel for the woman, who was placed in charge of the matron. She said that her home was in Buffalo, N. Y., and that she had been stopping on Calvert street, near Read, for the past six weeks. The charge of masquerading in male attire was laid against her. She was afterward carried away in triumph by her husband, properly clothed and in a happy frame of mind. He deposited the sum of $101.45 for her appearance this morning.

1916-03-01 Ted (Kid) Lewis W-PTS20 Harry Stone [Unity Club Arena, New Orleans, LA, USA]

1916-03-02 The Daily States (New Orleans, LA) (page 13)

LEWIS BEATS STONE
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STONE, CONTENT TO STAY LIMIT, MAKES FIGHT HARD FOR TED
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English Fighter Outclasses Stone and Uses Him to Demonstrate How Boxing Lessons Can Be Furnished Real Clever Men; Stone Great Sprinter
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BY COL. CLUKE.

"Ted" Lewis, English light, welter and he says a middleweight, made good use of Harry Stone to demonstrate why he is able to flit about the country furnishing real clever boxers a lesson in the Queensberry code and providing those not quite so proficient with a ten-second snooze Wednesday night.

Patrons of Burns' fistic emporium saw Lewis perhaps under the most unfavorable conditions--unfavorable because Stone preferred to "run away and fight another day." It was evident from the moment the gong sounded that Stone was in the ring for one purpose--stay the limit.

Stone fought a defensive contest strictly. At times he sprinted faster than Bringhurst, notwithstanding every time he ducked a wallop or countered the fans cheered as though Lewis was on the verge of taking the count. Just how many times Lewis threw punches into Stone's face and body, is difficult to total. But one can rest assured, Stone stopped enough to hold him for an indefinite period.

Lewis, a tall, rangy chap, is the type of fighter that Orleanians rarely see in action. He has the knack of hitting from all angles, and not only possesses a wallop, but can also take it back a la Sambo Langford.

In the first ten rounds of the contest Stone resembled a selling platter meeting For Fair, Pan Zareta, Bringhurst and Ed Crump. He was virtually left at the post. Everyone anticipated Stone's defeat--by a decision in 20 rounds, so when Dick Burge hung up Lewis' "number" there was a slight cheer and the fans started homeward.

Lewis stung Stone repeatedly with a left hand blow that hooked the wind and was brought up to the jaw in the early part of the mill. From the tenth to the eighteenth, however, Johnston's fighter gave his southpaw wallop a vacation. In the last round Stone took a fearful lacing, and except for the eleventh, when the men stood in midring and traded wallops, Harry, who now says he is an Orleanian, was beaten to a whisper.

Had Stone abandoned his defensive tactics the fans would probably have witnessed a knockout. As it was, Lewis had to chase a crack sprinter, who, regardless of his other fallings, is clever and after cornering his man, find a spot to hit him.

Only Stone's boxing ability enabled him to stick the limit, for at no time during the hour of fighting did Stone have any more chance of beating Lewis than the assemblage cheered Tommy Burns when the announcer pulled off the Barnum and Bailey thing prior to the gong.

Lewis' work to some of the spectators was disappointing. He was figured to stop Stone early. Others claimed his left jab wasn't accurate; his right didn't have the steam, etc., but in the humble opinion of yours truly, it isn't difficult to understand why Freddie Welsh prefers the "get-it-while-the-getting-is-good" system to meeting his countryman for the lightweight title.

In some respects Lewis is a freak, but it must be remembered that all great fighters are freaks, for instance, Bob Fitzsimmons.

THE WORLD OF SPORTS
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BY COL. CLUKE.

It is a rare occurrence that a New Orleans fistic audience will hoot and jeer one referee and demand another name the winner and loser of a contest. Nearly $2000 worth of fans testified to their disapproval of Tommy Burns as ring arbiter at the Howard street arena last night, when Dick Burke retired very suddenly while the announcer read from a paper:

"The articles of agreement call for Tommy Burns to referee."

The hisses and jeers that greeted the mention of Burns' name forced the former heavyweight champion to turn colors in his seat at the ringside. The crowd seemed almost unanimous in the belief that Burke and not Burns was the proper man to referee. The "panning" aimed at Burns only ceased at the urgent solicitation of the announcer, who said:

"But Mr. Burns is not going to referee."

For a few minutes it seemed as though Burke would not officiate. The fans, however, demanded the "Made in New Orleans" official get in the ring, and he heeded the call. That Burke was dissatisfied with the method of the promoter in the hope of making a grand stand play was evident, and it required the advice of his intimate friends to convince him the fans were entitled to consideration. There was no necessity for Mr. Burns allowing the announcer to pull such Barnum tactics. But like all so-called shrewd moves, it served the purpose--convince Burns beyond the slightest doubt that the persons who patronized his arena are not keen to have him name a winner and loser in a ring contest.

Promoters Will Do Well To Allow Boxing Fans a Rest.

Boxing promoters will make no mistake in heeding the call of patrons of the sport that they've had quite enough of the Queensberry thing for a little while. The small assemblage at the Lewis-Stone affair indicates the public isn't keen for two or three bouts per week. Since last December the fans have responded faithfully for the impressarios. Enough is sufficient, as the saying goes, and if those who shine as promoters do not care to dig down in their jeans to cover losses the three arenas will be allowed to remain dark for a week or two following the close of the races next Tuesday.


1916-03-02 The New Orleans Item (New Orleans, LA) (page 12)

He Who Jabs and Runs Away Will Live to Jab Another Day--(Philosophy of H. Stone)
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LEWIS IS GOOD FIGHTER, STONE MARATHONER
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Fighting Is Not Exactly in Harry's Line, But He Does Some Good Ducking and Makes Ted Miss a Lot--Burke in Soft Spot on His "Come-Back"
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(By Ham.)

If there is such a thing as a welterweight champion, Ted Lewis is probably it.

Harry Stone is not altogether out of the championship class. His distance Wednesday night entitles him to some consideration along championship lines as a marathoner.

Stone is a great fighter on the retreat. He goes away from his opponent very cleverly, indeed, and is very fast in this sort of action. Bringhurst did some good time in the six furlongs Wednesday, but when Stone hit the sprints, which was in nearly every round, the great Tauber horse had nothing on him. Stone is so fast that he can run backwards with almost the speed that some sprinters make with their face to the finish line.

Harry's Ducking His Specialty.

With Stone backing away and Lewis following him up most of the time there wasn't much chance for the kind of milling that nine out of ten spectators like to see. In some particulars it was a fair enough boxing exhibition, but this consisted chiefly in Stone's very clever ducking. He made Lewis miss repeatedly.

When a fellow misses like that, the fans begin to wonder if he has not been over-rated, particularly in his boxing. But they are not likely to be perplexed on this score very long if they recall the comment on Stone's other local fights. He has made others look bad.

Lewis' Swings Awful Hard.

Lewis is not a very straight puncher and he had no chance of showing any particular wizardry with the gloves, but he is a good two-handed fellow and packs a terrible kick with a swing and uppercut. Stone did not always get away from the ripper to the body, but he ducked under many a one, and the Englishman's uppercut always found Harry's head swinging back out of the danger zone.

There were two or three occasions upon which Harry forgot himself and carried the fight. During these precious moments he was in great peril for there simply wasn't a chance for him to get by with it. Lewis changed his tactics several times, inviting Harry in to where the milling could be hot, but Harry was no sooner in there than he was quickly convinced that discretion was the better part of valor and that his discretion lay in skirmishing on the outskirts.

Dick Burke "Comes Back."

Improved weather conditions over Monday night when Lewis and Stone were scheduled to start and had to postpone it, brought out a much larger crowd.

Dick Burke "came back" as third man in the ring and did it quite gracefully. It looked squally for Dick a little while, though, as Jimmy Johnston, Lewis's manager, claimed he understood Tommy Burns was to referee and he wanted the understanding complied with. Tommy didn't want to do it and the crowd voiced its approval of Dick so Jimmy relented. Dick was in a soft spot so far as the decision was concerned. Lewis had such a good lead all the way that the betting went from 2 to 1 to three and four to one as the bout progressed.


1916-03-02 The Times-Picayune (New Orleans, LA) (page 11)

TED LEWIS IS WINNER IN BOUT WITH STONE
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If last night's twenty-round contest between Harry Stone of New Orleans and Ted "Kid" Lewis of England is generally recognized as a championship encounter, then Lewis today is welterweight champion of the world.

Lewis won the decision of Referee Dick Burke at the end of a score of sessions of wonderfully clever boxing and fighting in which he excelled in the latter department and took the advantage by forcing the fight, but though he won it is safe to say that probably never in all his time has he met a man who made him miss so many blows as did Stone.

Had Harry injected a little more aggressiveness into his milling the result might have been different. It might have differed in two ways. He might have won, or at least made a better showing, and then again he might have been knocked out. Lewis was unable to do his best against the retreating tactics of Stone but then, too, when Stone did turn and fight it was not always Lewis who had the better of the mix-up.

LEWIS EARNS TEN ROUNDS

From a safe corner of the ring it looked as though Lewis earned nine rounds while Stone was credited with six. The rest were even. At times, though Lewis was trying practically all the time, he was made to look exceedingly foolish in his attempts by Stone's clever ducking and blocking and Stone frequently returned a half dozen jabs to the face while Lewis was in and trying to get out again after missing with both hands.

But Stone's work was done practically altogether with his left hand. His right might about as well have been left at home. On the other hand Lewis is one of the best two-handed fighters and boxers ever seen in New Orleans, and if he is champion he looks like a real one.

Stone is a man who will make the best of the fight a bad fight. He is so infernally clever in evading punishment that he makes the aggressor in a bout look like a tyro much of the time and it was only by rushing in past his guard and hammering away with both hands that Lewis was able to make an impression.

At the end of the contest both were slightly marked but little damage had been done to either. Stone's left eye had a bad cut over it, sustained in the nineteenth round, while Lewis' mouth was slightly cut in one of the early rounds and his nose bled from a left poke in the nineteenth round. The latter session was undoubtedly the liveliest of the entire scrap, both of the boys standing up and whaling away with both hands and all their might. The twentieth was little less furious but in both Lewis had decided margins.

BRITON REAL FIGHTER

Lewis is really a remarkable looking chap, being strongly and cleanly built and showing speed and smoothness of action in every move. He works confidently all the time and seems never to be off his guard.

Many of the rounds were very tame with hardly a blow landed on either side, both trying often but owing to cleverness neither succeeding in doing much.

But at the finish there was little difference of opinion as to the quality of the match. "It was a good one," seemed to be the general opinion of it. It was not a slam-bang, slashing scrap, and there were no knock-downs nor anything that looked like one, but there was so much clever boxing and fast action in it that it was generally liked.

It is probable that Lewis will return to New York immediately as he is in great demand up there in short bouts. That was one thing that many thought would militate against him last night. He has been fighting regularly for a good while and has not engaged in any long bouts, but last night he did not seem to be tired or even breathing hard at any time and looked as fresh as a daisy at the finish.

1912-02-23 Mike Gibbons W-KO2 Willie Lewis [Empire Athletic Club, New York, NY, USA]

1912-02-24 New-York Tribune (New York, NY) (page 5)

LEWIS BITES THE DUST
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Knocked Out by Gibbons in Second Round of Bout.

Mike Gibbons, the St. Paul middleweight, knocked out Willie Lewis, of this city, in the second round of a ten-round bout at the Empire Athletic Club last night. One minute and twenty-five seconds had elapsed in the second round when Gibbons whipped over left and right hooks to the point of the chin and Lewis fell, to box no more for the night.

The bout was one sided from start to finish, and Lewis was never in the hunt. He landed about four punches, and was fortunate to last out the first round, as seven seconds before the end he was knocked down and saved from defeat then and there by the bell.

Gibbons went at his man at the start in a manner that forecasted the summary ending that followed. Stepping up briskly, he circled about, and, feinting Lewis into kinks, hit him when and where he pleased. Lewis, clever as he is, looked like an untried schoolboy, and was thoroughly afraid of the man before him. In an effort to take a chance he went in close, but Gibbons handled him like a child. His efforts at infighting were smothered, while Gibbons ripped solid counters home at pleasure.


1912-02-24 The Brooklyn Daily Eagle (Brooklyn, NY) (page S3)
Willie Lewis is in the Down and Out Club. The clever fighter from the Gas House district hit the toboggan slide at the Empire Athletic Club in Manhattan last night, and still is on his way to oblivion. Mike Gibbons, the St. Paul middleweight, started Willie along the road. It did not take Mike very long to bid Willie "bon voyage." After one minute had elapsed in the second round, Mike tapped Willie with his right on the point of the latter's jaw, and Willie peacefully passed away. So ended the second lesson, the first having been read at the Fairmont Athletic Club in the Bronx a month or two ago.

Lewis never had a lookin during the encounter. His first knockout at the hands of Gibbons had left the former afraid of the clever fighter from St. Paul, and as a result, Willie wanted to keep well out of the road of Master Gibbons. The St. Paul man kept after the New Yorker and dropped Willie in the first round for the full count. However, the bell saved Lewis and he was able to get to his corner for a minute's rest. Hardly had the second period started than Gibbons sent over his right and Lewis dropped dead to the world. Not waiting to hear the count, Gibbons reached down and helped Referee Tone carry Lewis to his corner. It took a good two minutes to bring Lewis back to the land of the living.


1912-02-24 The Evening Telegram (New York, NY) (page 6)

Gibbons Makes Short Work of "Willie" Lewis in Ring

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Western Boxer Knocks Out the New York Pugilist in the Second Round.

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BELL SAVES DEFEATED BOXER IN THE FIRST

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Wide Open Swings Are Quickly Taken Advantage of by the Winner of Bout.

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By Ed. Cole.

It took one round and one minute and twenty-five seconds of the succeeding round for "Mike" Gibbons, of St. Paul, to knock out "Willie" Lewis, of New York, at the Empire Club last night. But for the very friendly bell Lewis would have passed up the fight in the first round, as he was down and the count was going on when the gong sounded to cease hostilities. He came up for the second round in fairly good condition and tried his best to get a swinging right to the young man from St. Paul. But it was a sorry attempt, and after Gibbons pumped a few left jabs into Lewis' face and hooked a short right to his jaw he went down, and everybody, about three thousand lovers of the boxing art, donned their wraps and went home.

That Gibbons is a master of the art of boxing he demonstrated last night without a question of doubt. He showed that he lacks nothing. He knows everything that was ever known in the art of self-defence. In the last three months he has developed what appeared to be lacking in his early fights in this city--a knockout punch. This he has proved he possesses twice within a month by knocking out Cashman and Lewis.

In regard to his cleverness, both with his hands and his footwork, old timers at the boxing game compare him with the one great boxer of the old days, "Jack" Dempsey, "the Nonpareil," who mastered opponents in the most artistic way until he met "Bob" Fitzsimmons. A fighter never leaves a positive record on the books that can prove decisively which is the better man unless they meet, hence it is only a matter of opinion whether Gibbons or the late and much thought of "Jack" Dempsey was the greater fighter.

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Gibbons a Phenomenon.

One thing is positive, however, Gibbons is not only phenomenally clever, but he has a snappy punch with either hand that will bring an opponent to the mat. This is something that Dempsey never boasted of. That is the one addition to Gibbons' stock of ability that will possibly give the impression that Gibbons would have proved Dempsey's master had he lived in the days of "the Nonpareil."

That Gibbons is headed for the middleweight championship is assured, and he is loaded to the muzzle with all kinds of shot. He intends to have another meeting with "Jack" Denning some time in April, and if he is in as good condition as he was last night it is only a question how long Denning will be able to stand his punishment. After that there is but one other fence for him to climb, the "Eddie" McGoorty obstacle, and the latter will no doubt prove the hardest proposition he has had to deal with.

Last night's contest needs little description. It was lopsided throughout. That Lewis' intention was to bring Gibbons to earth by a right swing was evident before a minute of the first round had elapsed. Lewis jumped into action immediately he left his chair. He shot his left out and Gibbons dodged it and in return for the attempt Gibbons hooked up his right and followed in one, two succession with his left. Lewis then tried another right swing, but Gibbons just backed away as cleverly as a batter gets away from an inshoot.

Gibbons drew Lewis into a right swing and then sidestepped a trifle and as Lewis floundered from the force of his swing Gibbons hooked him on the point of the chin and passed the left over on him as his head bobbed up from the force of the uppercut. Then with a short stinging right, again on the point of the chin, Lewis toppled over in bad shape. The referee started to count him out but the gong sounded and Lewis was helped to his corner.

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The Last of Lewis.

No sooner had the second round been called than Lewis made another effort with his powerful right hand, but it met atmosphere and not Gibbons. That was about the last thing Lewis did in the fighting line, for Gibbons smashed him with right and left, upper cut him and jabbed him. Lewis covered up with both hands, but the storm of gloves that bounced off him caused him to wobble about like a beheaded chicken. Then Gibbons waited for a couple of seconds and Lewis opened his gloves to see where Gibbons was. He didn't have time to locate him, for "Mike" shot his left into his face and hooked up his right to the jaw with the accuracy of a rifleman locating bull's eyes. Another right and left to the jaw and the story is told.

At the ringside Gibbons tipped the beam at 151 pounds and Lewis at 149½ pounds. To-day Gibbons leaves for St. Paul to see his wife, who expects to present a young middleweight to her husband in the near future. After that event he may return here to meet Denning and probably a local boxer in Bridgeport, Conn. He and his manager, "Ed" Reddy, will then take a trip to the coast in search of middleweight game.


1912-02-24 The Evening World (New York, NY) (page 4)

Lewis Cries When He Realizes Mike Gibbons Has Knocked Him Out

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Local Fighter Quickly Disposed Of in Second Round by St. Paul Fistic Artist.

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Three thousand fight fans witnessed the bout between Mike Gibbons of St. Paul and Willie Lewis of this city at the Empire A. C., and after it was over these same three thousand persons left Manhattan Casino proclaiming the Westerner one of the greatest fighters for his weight they have ever seen in action. This high compliment was tendered to Gibbons for the easy and graceful way in which he knocked out Lewis in the second round, after about one minute of fighting, with a terrific right hand swing on the jaw.

Gibbons would have accomplished the feat in the first round had it not been for the clang of the bell, which sounded while Willie was groggy on his feet after having got up from the floor in a helpless condition from a heavy blow on the chin.

Up to the time Gibbons put in the punch that stowed Lewis away the Western "phenom" had given an exhibition of cleverness, ring generalship and clean and terrific hitting which are seldom seen in bouts at the local clubs.

Gibbons fought an entirely different battle from those which he put up in his previous six contests here. Instead of doing a lot of unnecessary feinting, sidestepping and ducking, as he did in these other bouts, Gibbons just walked out of his corner and with his guard high he cut loose at Lewis in a way that showed he was out to win as quickly as possible or lose out himself in the attempt.

After jabbing Lewis a few times in the face Gibbons let fly an overhand left hand swing, which nailed him flush on the cheekbone. The moment the blow landed Lewis's legs began to wobble, and as he started to stagger Gibbons dealt him left and right hand swings on the jaw. These blows dazed Willie completely, and he began to rush at Gibbons, letting fly with a right swing. Gibbons saw the punch coming and, stepping back, let the blow fall short and then countered beautifully with two straight jabs into Lewis's face, sending his head back.

By this time Lewis was bewildered, and Gibbons, seeing he had him at his mercy, hooked a left swing to the jaw which sent him reeling. As quick as a flash Gibbons drove in a right uppercut, dropping Lewis to the floor.

After Referee Tone had counted six, Lewis staggered to his feet. He was very shaky, while both hands hung at his side. Gibbons was just about to put over the finishing punch when the bell rang, causing Referee Tone to go between the men.

When the second round started Gibbons waded right into Lewis by jabbing him hard in the nose with a straight left. Willie then threw over a left hand swing to Gibbons's jaw, which seemed to rile him, for he let go three stiff jabs to Willie's face and then crossed his right to his jaw, sending him to the floor on his back.

With the exception of a slight turn of his head and the raising of his right leg, Lewis did not move, and was counted out. At the fatal count of ten the referee and Gibbons bent down and picking Lewis up carried him to his corner. After he recovered consciousness Lewis, broken-hearted over his defeat, put his head on his glove and began to cry. He was still crying when he was escorted from the ring by his seconds.

Gibbons Best Man I Ever Met, Says Lewis in Adieu to Ring.

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By Willie Lewis.

I think Gibbons is a wonderful fighter. He is not only clever and shifty, but he can certainly deliver a terrific blow. Before my fight with him this time I was confident he could not punch. I know different now, for he proved to my satisfaction that he is one of the hardest punchers in the business. I have fought middleweights, light heavyweights and heavyweights, both in this country, England and France, but none of them hit me so hard as Gibbons. I wish to state right now that I am through with the fighting game forever. I have fought my last fight. I took on this bout with Gibbons to find out if I was still there or all in. I am satisfied now that I am all in, and that is the reason why I have retired from the game. I have been fighting for thirteen years next June and I think it's about time for me to quit. I intend to pay strict attention to my cafe in the future and forget the past. I wish Gibbons the best of luck and hope to see him middleweight champion in a year or so.



1912-02-24 The New York Herald (New York, NY) (page 11)

Gibbons Knocks Out Lewis

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St. Paul Middleweight Puts Local Man Away in Second Round at Empire A.C.

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Beaten into a state of utter helplessness and knocked out in the second round, "Willie" Lewis made a sorry showing against "Mike" Gibbons, the St. Paul middleweight, in the Empire Athletic Club ring last night. Gibbons did not allow Lewis to land a single clean blow, but went after him from the opening gong and battered him down in impressive fashion.

The crowd of five thousand that jammed the hall got an excellent idea of what was coming when Gibbons hammered Lewis down in the first round. Had not the bell come to the local man's relief just as he arose it is highly probable that he would have been saved the necessity of going into the second session. Gibbons took matters coolly, doing the execution in a businesslike way with right and left uppercuts, jabs and smashing jolts to the body. Lewis attempted several left hooks, but he was wild and the St. Paul boxer stepped inside the swings with straight lefts to the head. Gibbons landed half a dozen right uppercuts and left jabs and Lewis hit the boards. As he got up, wavering, the gong sounded.

The second round went just 1m. 25s. Gibbons repeated his programme of the previous round, and finally knocked Lewis out with a ripping left to the jaw. The Minnesota boxer's hair was not even mussed, and he failed to get any perspiration up. In the second bout in the city Gibbons easily defeated Lewis in ten rounds. "Willie" clamored for another chance, and he got it with a vengeance. Gibbons entered the ring weighing 151 pounds and Lewis scaled at 149½.

In the preliminaries "Eddie" McFarland, the Oklahoma lightweight, made a fair showing against "Kid" Alberts, the latter winning on points. "Willie" Chandler stopped "Young Terry" Martin, a negro, in five rounds. "Battling" Reddy and "Phillie" Carmine went six rounds to a fast draw.


1912-02-24 The New York Press (New York, NY) (page 7)

GIBBONS KNOCKS OUT LEWIS IN 2D ROUND

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St. Paul Fighter Lands Haymaker with Ease.

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NOTHING TO STOP HIM

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New Yorker, Unable to Put Up Defense, Takes a Count Soon After Start.

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There's another wreck on the track. Mike Gibbons, the St. Paul Limited, booming along at a mile a minute clip, crashed into Willie Lewis of the Gashouse district at the Empire A. C. of Harlem last night. All that was left of Lewis was the pieces. The once great welterweight was a mere toy in the hands of Glittering Gibbons. Willie's light went out in the second round. After dropping the former pride of the Parisian boulevards toward the end of the first round, the bell coming to Willie's rescue and postponing is enforced sleep, Mike caused the swan song to be sung over McKetrick's roustabout before the second round was half over. Mike sent a snappy right hook to the jaw and the tottering Lewis dropped like a log. Willie fell on his face, unconsciously tried to pull himself up and rolled over on his back while Referee Dan Tone tolled the full drone of the doleful decimal. Lewis was carried to his corner. Two minutes afterward he was revived and led weeping from the ring.

The beginning of the end came in the first two minutes of fighting. About the middle of the first round Gibbons hooked a hard left to the jaw. The punch rocked Lewis from head to toe, and but for his falling into a clinch he would have been floored. Gibbons fought himself free and shot rapid-fire lefts and rights to Lewis's head and body. For a few seconds Lewis weathered the gale. Then "crash!" and he was driven to the boards from a one-two punch, a straight left and a crossing right. Willie arose at the count of five. The fog was still in his eyes and he walked blindly in without offering to protect himself. Gibbons shook the staggering Lewis with stiff punches to head and body, but just when Willie was ready to fall the bell came to his rescue.

Lewis, staggering to his corner, was showered with water by his seconds. He was weak and groggy, however, when he came up for the second round. Mike went right in to finish him. For a few seconds Willie tried to block the lightning punches that Gibbons shot in from all angles. Gibbons, however, picked out the holes in his armor, and drove home shot after shot. Lewis threw discretion to the winds and waded in with his guard down, risking all on one good healthy swing. It was Gibbons, however, that landed the haymaker. He sent three lightning left jabs and a terrific right to the body. Another left jab and a vicious right uppercut followed. Then the terrible crossing right and--it all was over but the count.

Though defeated Lewis was not disgraced, and he went down to defeat like a man. It was another case of the pitcher going once too often to the well. A great fighter in his day, Lewis's stamina and vitality were sapped by loose training that often amounted to excesses. He was but a shell of his former fighting self. In fact, he has been living on his reputation since he was beaten to a pulp and knocked out by Frank Klaus a year ago. His ring generalship and courage have carried him through several tough battles since then, but it only was a question when some good, fast, hard-hitting man would come along and "bust" the bubble.

Gibbons entered the ring at 9.55 p. m., accompanied by his manager, Eddie Reddy, and a retinue of handlers. Lewis followed a minute afterward. Danny McKetrick and Joe Jeanette looked out after things in Lewis's corner. It was announced the men had weighed in, as agreed, at 147 pounds at 3 p. m. The announcer said the ringside weights of the men were: Gibbons, 151 pounds; Lewis, 149½. While the men were donning the gloves Jess Smith, Johnny Dundee, Tommy Coleman and Knock Out Brown were introduced, and a collection was taken up in behalf of the widow of Connie Schmidt, the Jersey fighter who was killed by a freight train last week. The McMahon brothers donated $50 and those around the ringside contributed generously, several hundred dollars being taken up.

The gong rang a few seconds before 10 p. m. Lewis lead with a light left to the face, Mike coming back with a snappy left and a right-hand uppercut to the face. The punch hurt Lewis. Gibbons shot a left to the jaw and Willie, returning the compliment, fell into a clinch. Lewis hooked a right to the jaw on the break and, quick as a flash, Mike planted a left and right to the face. Gibbons stepped back and then leaped in with a crossing right labeled "knock out." The punch missed the mark, grazing the jaw. Lewis shot a left to the face and tried the right for the jaw, but was blocked. Mike then began peppering Lewis with straight lefts. Gibbons shot in his punches with the speed of a bullet, and Lewis could not block or duck them. Willie got wild and missed a hard left swing. Lewis landed a right to the jaw, and then Gibbons hooked a vicious left to Willie's mouth. The punch shook Lewis from head to heel, and he fell into a clinch. Mike fought himself free and hooked a left and right to the jaw. Again Gibbons sent the left and right to the jaw, following with a right cross. Lewis was sent to the boards. He got up at the count of five. Gibbons tried hard to finish him. Lewis, though groggy, was set to receive the punches. Mike was showering him with stiff lefts and rights, and Willie was staggering when the bell came to his rescue.

Lewis had trouble getting to his corner. It looked as if he would fall before he could get to his chair. Frantic work by his seconds brought him up for the second round. Mike opened the round with a left to the face. Lewis missed a right and clinched. Mike shot a right to the body and hooked the left to the face. Gibbons reached the face with a straight left and crossing right. Willie reached the body with a right, and Mike sunk a left and right in Willie's mid-section.

Three times Mike jabbed Lewis in the face. By this time Lewis was almost in. He dropped his guard and tried to land one good, solid punch. Gibbons stepped in and placed a right to the body. He jabbed the face and uppercut the jaw with his right. Suddenly Gibbons crossed his right flush to the jaw. Good night.


1912-02-24 The New York Times (New York, NY) (page 12)

GIBBONS KNOCKS OUT LEWIS IN SECOND

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St. Paul Man Has New Yorker Staggering Around Ring in Empire A. C. Fight.

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Willie Lewis had his chance last night at the Empire Athletic Club to prove that his recent defeat by Mike Gibbons was a fluke, and the St. Paul whirlwind brushed the erstwhile king of welterweights into dreamland in less than five minutes. A right to the jaw was the finishing punch and it did the trick so effectively that Lewis was still in the land of dreams when Gibbons carried him to his corner. The knockout arrived less than two minutes after the second round began.

From the bell which started the rival battlers on their way until Gibbons dropped Lewis to the canvas for the full count, there was nothing to the bout except Gibbons. Lewis, noted for his feinting ability and all-around boxing cleverness, was as powerless before the St. Paul boy as a novice, and during the five minutes he failed to land a single effective punch on Gibbons. Mike simply toyed with the New Yorker, feinted until Willie was dizzy, stepped out of the paths of Lewis's punches without apparent effort, and penetrated Lewis's guard with his terrific punches as often as he desired. It was evident before the first round was half completed that Lewis was in for the trimming of his life. He took almost as much punishment as could be crowded into such a short space of time.

Before the bout was ten seconds old Gibbons had jolted Lewis's head back with two lefts and a right. Within a minute he had Willie staggering around the ring, and before the bell sounded Gibbons dropped Lewis with a terrific right uppercut after staggering him with a left swing. Lewis regained his feet at the count of five, and the bell sounded just in time to save him from a knockout.

Gibbons went in to make a quick finish of the bout in the second round, and succeeded. He was landing often on Willie's jaw with either hand, and Lewis was unable to stop the shower of blows. His right eye was swollen and his face was very red from the punishment already received. A series of rights and lefts soon had Lewis groggy, and Gibbons shot out that terrible right with enough power to end the bout. Lewis did not move a muscle while Referee Tone tolled off the fatal ten, and Gibbons helped Willie's seconds to carry him to his corner.


1912-02-24 The Standard Union (Brooklyn, NY) (page 8)

GIBBONS MAKES SHORT WORK OF WILLIE LEWIS

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Mike Gibbons, the St. Paul scrapper, to-day laid claim to the welterweight championship of the world, following his decisive victory last night over Willie Lewis, at the Empire A. C., of Harlem. Mike declared that he had been vindicated by knocking out the New York boy who claimed that Gibbons' recent decision over him was a fluke.

"I said I would put him away in a hurry, and I made good," was Gibbons' comment to-day.

A ring victory was never more decisive. In the first round Gibbons put over a crashing blow which would have ended the battle had not the bell rung while Lewis was lying helpless on the floor. In the second round the St. Paul wonder duplicated, but this time the bell did not come to the rescue.


1912-02-24 The Sun (New York, NY) (page 11)

WILLIE LEWIS KNOCKED OUT.

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Gibbons Does the Trick in Second Round at Empire A. C.

Willie Lewis, the local welterweight who once claimed the world's championship, was knocked out cold in the second round by Mike Gibbons of St. Paul at the Empire A. C. in Harlem Casino last night. Lewis was no match for the wonderful Western boxer. He could not land his heavy swings and also found it impossible to defend himself when Gibbons went after him. Gibbons outboxed, outfeinted and outslugged Lewis from start to finish.

Just before the first round ended Lewis was floored with a heavy right hand hook to the jaw. He was just getting on his pins when the bell rang. Gibbons cut out fancy business in the second round and made a punching bag of the Bowery boy.

He hit Lewis from every angle, putting so much power into his punches that a knockout was inevitable. A left hook on the chin finally put Lewis away in such a manner that he was dead to the world when the tenth second was counted.

Attracted by Gibbons, one of the largest crowds ever housed by the club gathered at the ringside, and by the time the preliminaries were at an end there were few empty seats in the big casino. The ringside weights were: Gibbons, 151; Lewis, 149½. Dan Tone was referee.

First Round--As Lewis tore in Gibbons landed a hook with each hand and made the local man break ground. Gibbons danced around his man with great foot work, jabbing him with lefts and sending over a terrific right to the ear. Lewis blocked for a moment and then, rushing in, he received more hooks in the face. Gibbons feinted beautifully, after which he shot a left to the jaw. Lewis's swings were short, and again Gibbons jabbed him in the face. Lewis tore in with a right on the neck, whereupon Gibbons cut loose with a blinding volley of punches. A right put Lewis down, and he staggered up just as the bell rang. Gibbons had the round.

Second Round--Lewis missed a hard blow with the right and Gibbons stepped in with hooks and upper cuts that made Lewis reel. The latter rushed and Gibbons sidestepped him. Again Lewis rushed and this time Gibbons landed a fierce right hook under the chin. Lewis tottered, but instinctively threw up his hands. Gibbons drove in body blows underneath his guard and then, shifting with a left hand upper cut, he reached the point of the jaw. It was a terrific wallop and Lewis's legs bent under him. He sank to the floor in a heap and after being counted out he was literally carried to his corner, where he soon revived. It was an easy victory for Gibbons.

1916-01-03 Sam Langford L-PTS20 Harry Wills [Tulane Athletic Club, New Orleans, LA, USA]

1916-01-03 The Daily States (New Orleans, LA) (page 11)

LANGFORD MEETS WILLS AT TULANE A. C. TONIGHT

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Negroes In Good Shape and Promise Fast Bout, Says Promoter Burns

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BY HARRY MARTINEZ

Harry Wills and Sam Langford will enter the ring at the Tulane Club arena Monday night in good condition to furnish the local boxing fans with the first negro heavyweight scrap seen here in several months, according to word forthcoming from the local promoters of the scheduled twenty-round bout.

When the two last met here, the bout only went ten rounds, the decision going to the local negro. This was more than a year ago. Since then the Boston "Tar Baby" dropped Wills for the count in a bout on the coast. In this last scrap Wills floored Langford twice before the Boston negro packed the fatal wallop.

While showing here in but very few bouts, Wills is said to have made a big improvement in the past year. His fight here with Battling Jim Johnson was too one-sided to determine whether or not he has improved to any great extent.

Sport writers from the various sections have boosted Wills and fans will see for themselves just how good he is when he meets the most experienced negro fighter in the game at the Howard street arena.

Langford has been fighting for years during which time he has bested some of the best in the heavyweight division. Of late, Wills seems to be the only fighter in his class to give him trouble. Langford has trained hard for this mill and is looked for to put up his best fight against the local negro. Wills has been made the favorite.


1916-01-03 The New Orleans Item (New Orleans, LA) (page 8)

Wills Has Chance To Show He's Best Of All the Heavies

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(By Ham.)

The assertion frequently is made that Harry Wills, either now or in a year from now, will be the world's best fighter--in other words, will stand just where Jack Johnson stood just after he defeated Jeffries.

Joe Woodman, manager of Sam Langford, will not admit that Wills has much of a chance to beat Langford in their 20-round fight Monday night, but he does say that in one more year Wills should beat Langford and the rest of the blacks, and he intimates very strongly that he believes Wills, if properly handled, will develop into a better man than Willard.

They have been saying such things about Wills for more than a year. He hasn't developed as rapidly as was expected of him, but now that Jim Buckley, the man who contributed largely to the making of a near-champion out of Gunboat Smith, has him, the New Orleans negro may show surprising improvement over his last fight here, which was with black Jim Johnson.

This Was a Bad One.

That fight, by the way, left a dark brown taste in the mouths of local fans. Johnson was hog fat and had to stall his way through. It takes two to make a fight and Wills had no chance to show anything that night.

Langford will enter the ring considerably to the fat himself, but Sambo has had three experiences with Wills and the last, which was a boxing session of ten rounds, was so much of a Wills nature that Sambo has taken no chance this time, and is said to have trained harder for this engagement than for any in a long time. Sam probably knows he's sliding, and knows that this tall young copper-shade will get him if he is not very careful.

But Sam knows how to be careful. He hasn't been in the game for nothing all these years, beating some of the best men in the ring. He went down five times before Wills in their Los Angeles fight, but Sam was crafty and Wills wasn't and the result was that Wills took the full count in the fourteenth round.

Black Hope Needed?

Many wise fans fight shy of the black squadron, knowing that a lot of stuff has been pulled in the past year that wouldn't bear close scrutiny. Most of it has been in the 10-round no-decision bouts, however, and Wills and Langford showed in Los Angeles what is likely to happen in a longer fight.

Wills has a chance to stop Langford if he keeps a cool head. If he doesn't Langford will stop him again. Either outcome would not be entirely unexpected.

If Langford is knocked out Joe Woodman will have to start a search for a black hope. The only classy negro of the old brigade left besides Langford is McVea, and he is going. Wills would have no real competition as he is the only young one coming up.


1916-01-04 The Daily States (New Orleans, LA) (page 12)

WILLS WINS BLACK TITLE

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WILLS BEATS 'BOSTON TAR BABY' FOR BLACK HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE

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Negroes Fight Fastest Twenty Rounds Seen In An Orleans Ring In Recent Years--Local Negro Is Now Top of His Race.

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By COL. CLUKE.

Jess Willard, heavyweight champion of the world, is fortunate Harry Wills of New Orleans and Sambo Langford of Boston are negroes. If they were any other color, the celebrated "wild west hero" would be forced to defend his title against either man with a possibility of being bumped off the Queensberry throne.

In earning a twenty-round decision over Langford Monday night at the Howard-street arena, Wills convinced a majority of the big assemblage he is championship material. Langford, too, showed himself a great fighter, for in keeping Wills busy from start to finish, the defeated negro put up a very creditable scrap.

The black men, contrary to the word passed down the line, "who's turn is it?" gave a corking-good crowd a run for its money. It is doubtful if any heavyweight scrap of recent years measured up to it for speed. And as for the blows traded, something more than a wallop is necessary to put Sambo down for the count of ten.

With the possible exception of the twelfth when Sambo tried every trick he knew to ease the dreamland wallop over and had Wills worried, and in the eighteenth, Wills sending the Boston black to his corner partly groggy, there was not the least semblance of a knockdown.

Wills Loses Head When He Is Hurt.

Wills, however, is an improved fighter. He lacks experience to cope with a man of Langford's ability. His biggest fault is the same as when he fought McVey, losing his head when hurt. Langford peppered Wills with slashing rights and lefts to the jaw at different periods and in almost every instance, the native black opened up and narrowly escaped the deciding swing.

For the first ten rounds, and it is doubtful if two middleweights could have gone the same pace as the negroes, Wills, because of his advantage in height and reach, stabbed Langford with a left jab, using his right at times for a cross and hooking it to the wind. Wills showed a variety of punches that if used by Willard or some other fighter, would make him the best touted man in the heavyweight division.

In the second half of the scrap, though a trifle slower, excelled any black bout staged here in the past four years. Langford realized his only chance to earn the decision was by dropping his opponent to the cloth and the Tar Baby began a systematic attack, loafing one round and cutting loose with everything he had in the next.

Wills Shows Respect For Sambo's Left.

Wills continually retreated during the twenty periods and in the closing number hardly tried to land a blow. The local negro was also guilty of an unusual lot of holding, especially in the last half of the mill. Another referee would have probably penalized him for these tactics. It was evident throughout that Wills had a lot of respect for Langford's left, as every time the men locked, Harry tucked Sambo's southpaw lunchhook beneath his arm and held it as tight as if it were in a vise.

Just how much stamina Langford possesses, even though he is supposed to be a "fat old man" who has seen his best days in the ring, isn't difficult to imagine when he assimilated all of Wills' wallops to the midsection and continued to carry the fight to his opponent.

If Sambo is ready for the scrap heap, he surely must have been a great fighter when at his best.

In the preliminary mill, Young Kid Green lost a decision to Eddie Palmer.

According to the announcement made from the ringside, Langford and Wills fought for a $1,000 side bet. The currency posted was in the shape of a check. Tommy Burns handed it over to Wills at the conclusion of the mill.


1916-01-04 The New Orleans Item (New Orleans, LA) (page 8)

Wills Is Another Black Peril to White Heavies

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(BY HAM.)

The black squadron has an admiral. Another Jack Johnson has come out of the colored population of Louisiana and boxed himself to the front through the ranks of the Langfords, the Jeannettes and the McVeas--all good ringmen and better than the run of white heavyweights.

One or two of these still may be good enough to win a decision over Harry Wills, but his improvement, as shown in his 20-round victory over Sam Langford Monday night, means eventual command of the situation, and that very soon. He has been beaten by the entire trio of black rivals, but in his last three times out against them he has outboxed McVea in 12 rounds, and outpointed Langford both in ten and in twenty.

Langford has been the best of the negro fighters, Johnson excepted, for a long time, and a decisive victory over him even at this late day is quite enough for the fans of ebony hue in New Orleans and vicinity to rave about.

Will History Repeat?

Such a feat establishes Wills as the best heavyweight in the world, barring Jess Willard, and a little development may soon make him a better man than the white champion.

This comparison may be distasteful to many followers of fighting, but who knows that the time isn't far off when this brown-skinned negro of New Orleans and the giant of Kansas will meet to settle the supremacy of the races just as Jeffries and Johnson did--when the black man won?

It doesn't take a great stretch of the imagination to picture this in the face of ring history that is not seven years old. The then invincible Jeffries retired and bestowed his title on another white man, Tommy Burns, who refereed last night's fight, came along and won it.

How Demands Started.

Burns was a good fighter, but a small man. He would have been a great champion of light heavyweights. Everywhere the fight fans and experts of the game said there lived a better fighter than the champion himself. Eventually Burns agreed to defend his championship against the black man and the black man won.

Then the call for Jeffries to come out of retirement. The title must be restored to the white race. Wasn't Jeffries the real champion, anyway--only in retirement?

Public appeal and the false confidence that has carried nearly all champions to their defeat brought Jeffries out of retirement--but the black man won again. It took a young Lochinvar to come out of the west to restore the title.

Is It the Last?

Jack Johnson's reign was thorn enough in the sides of white men, but it was more odious because of his criminal character. An exile from the United States it was necessary for Willard to meet him in Cuba.

"Well, that's the last. There'll never be another fight between a white man and a negro for the championship," declared the sporting public with great relief from its agony.

Willard declared he would not meet a negro as long as he held the title, and recently when he signed for a championship fight here he demanded that the phrase "any white man" be inserted in the articles.

Let's hope sentiment will always stand as an effective barrier against "mixed fighting." If there should be a return to it for only a few matches there same condition that prevailed when Burns was champion might arise again. Wills probably could beat the Morans and Coffeys, and the fighting world doesn't yet look upon Willard as a great champion.

Wills Sambo's Master.

From the time Wills shot a straight right to Langford's nose in the first round and sent him half-way across the ring until the twentieth round, Wills was master of the situation. There were isolated instances of Langford's superiority, but it would be hard to give the Boston tar baby more than four rounds of the entire twenty.

Though in the early rounds Langford's hitting was the cleaner, and though he carried the fight in the majority of rounds, Wills scored point after point when his shorter opponent was unable to reach him at all. It suited Wills for Langford to carry the battle to him. Inexperience might have led the local negro into many an error had he been compelled to force the fighting.

Sam Can't Put It Over.

Langford had only one effective weapon in his attack, and that was a vicious lightning left hook, which sometimes rocked Wills' head, but more often was dodged or blocked. Wills surprised the ringsiders several times by ducking under this blow, and Langford had trouble measuring it.

The tar baby sacrificed boxing and all else to land a knockout via this punch. He took blow after blow hoping to "get one over." Had he landed half the punches that Wills scored the local negro never could have weathered the 20 rounds.

Wills was content with his boxing, and only now and then traded blow for blow. His long left, which he sometimes used in a sort of corkscrew jab, worried Sambo considerably, but Harry's only drive of any force was his straight right, which would have been more punishing had he not drawn his body from it as he shot it.

There was no lack of speed or action. It was the fastest and best heavyweight fight staged in any New Orleans ring in years.


1916-01-04 The Times-Picayune (New Orleans, LA) (page 11)

HARRY WILLS WINS GREAT BATTLE WITH 'SAMBO' LANGFORD

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Local Negro Proves Himself Peer of All Fighters of His Color.

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After one of the greatest ring contests ever seen in New Orleans, Harry Wills, local negro heavyweight, was awarded the decision over Sam Langford, of Boston, in twenty rounds at the Tulane Athletic Club last night, and thereby established himself as the peer of all negro heavyweights.

Wills earned eleven of the twenty rounds, while Langford could claim but five. And when the final gong sounded the end of what probably was the fastest heavyweight battle ever held in a roped arena, there was not one of the 4000 spectators that packed the arena who was not of the opinion that the verdict of Referee Tommy Burns was a just one.

None was more convinced of Wills' right to the victory than the veteran fighting machine, Langford, who showed as early as the twelfth round that he realized his only chance of winning lay in a knockout. This frank admission on the part of the great little Boston fighter, coming in the form of a throwing off of all intentions of trying to win on points, was well received by the fans, who appreciated that "Short Sam" was acknowledging that he must win by a knockout or lose.

For twelve rounds Langford used every bit of his remarkable boring-in defense to cover him while he attempted to penetrate Wills' guard, with unsatisfactory results. The giant New Orleans negro was Langford's master at the finer points of the game, and the Boston "Tar Baby," whose experience as a ring gladiator extends through nearly fourteen years, made no attempt to evade the issue by hiding the fact that he knew he was being outpointed.

ALWAYS GOING IN

And it was this willingness on Langford's part to toss aside the chance of getting a draw anyhow by slowing up and making Wills lead, which made the struggle one which long will be remembered by those who saw it. Throughout the entire twenty rounds the Boston negro kept after Wills with bull dog tenacity, forcing the fighting as fast after he dropped his guard as when he was picking off Wills' blows coming in.

At the end of the twenty rounds, Langford was beaten, but not disgraced.

There were no knockdowns, but this must not be taken to mean that there were no hard blows landed. There hardly was a second during the whole contest when mighty blows were not being exchanged, in the clinches, which were few and of short duration, as well as out of them. That there were no knockdowns, can be attributed to the fact that both men were in remarkable condition.

Never did Harry Wills fight as he fought last night. Only once during the whole battle did he appear to be facing defeat. This was in the twelfth round, when Langford shook him up considerably with a stinging left hook and a mighty right cross to the jaw, causing Wills' knees to sag.

Outside of that spell, however, the local heavyweight seemed one of the most confident fighters in the world, and though there were other rounds in which he was bested by his stocky antagonist, he always walked to his corner with the bearing of one who was sure of victory.

Seldom missing his punches, Wills pecked away at Langford's guard in the early rounds, sometimes raining ineffective fusillades on Langford's gloves and arms, but at other times beating down the Easterner's defense and peppering Langford's face with left jabs and hooks and right crosses and uppercuts.

WILLS ALWAYS AT EVENS

While in the clinches and in most of the toe-to-toe bees, Wills held his own in the majority of cases and in some fought the ever-coming Boston negro to a standstill and momentarily checked "Short Sam's" advance.

Langford could have made a better showing if he had cared to wait for Wills to come for him. He could have kept covered for twenty rounds and probably would not have been outpointed so far.

But the Boston negro considered himself champion fighter of the negro heavyweights, and he was out to prove it. He had knocked Wills out once, and he was anxious to show that this victory was no fluke, and though he did not accomplish his end, he at least proved that it was through no fault of his own but solely because in the Wills of last night he met a greatly improved fighter from the Wills he knocked out in fourteen rounds at Los Angeles, and because the Wills of last night proved himself one of the greatest heavyweight fighters the ring has known in recent years.

As has been said, the end of the twelfth round found Langford with a little the worst of things as far as points were concerned, though he had been the aggressor throughout.

At this stage of the game, the Boston "Tar Baby" decided he had waited long enough to begin his real battle.

So he bored in even faster than he did before, only he decided to devote more of his attention to landing blows than to blocking them.

While he did not altogether quit picking off all the dangerous wallops he could, Langford obviously showed that he was out to land a decisive wallop if he had to take a hundred. And right here let it be said that Joe Woodman's veteran battler stopped many a blow with his face during those last eight rounds. His left eye, which had been badly puffed since the early innings, closed altogether in the fourteenth, while his right eye, lips and nose were considerably battered up.

From the thirteenth round on, every move of Langford's was pointed toward one goal--a knockout. His vicious left hooks to the body, and his right and left hooks to the head carried worlds of steam, and once or twice he rocked Wills.

But Wills remained cool and collected, and showed lots of stamina in assimilating Langford's hardest punches, at the same time keeping a volley of left jabs and right crosses in Langford's face as he stepped around and landing many a terrific right swing and uppercut to Langford's kidneys and ribs in the clinches.

So anxious was Langford to turn the tide of battle that as the rounds wore on he became wild, and Wills' advantage stood out in stronger contrast.

Wills enjoyed every physical advantage, being more than a head taller than his opponent, and thereby being able to reach over Langford's shoulder and deal telling blows to Sam's kidneys.

Langford was much faster than when he fought Wills here before, sometimes dancing in like a flash with a left jab to the wind, and with left hooks to the jaw.

Wills weighed about 210 pounds, while Langford scaled in around 190.

The men fought for a side bet of $1000, which was handed to the winner by Tommy Burns after the fight.

1913-12-29 Jack Britton ND10 Al Dewey [Peerless Athletic Club, Wilkes-Barre, PA, USA]

1913-12-30 The Scranton Truth (Scranton, PA) (page 8)

JACK BRITTON DEFEATS DEWEY
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Too Fast and Clever for Luzerne County Fighter Who Makes Good Showing.
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YOUNG CONWAY ON TOP
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Jack Britton, known as the Chicago wizard, and who has trimmed nearly all the topnotch 135-138 pound boys in the land, Packey McFarland excepted, outpointed Al Dewey of Wilkes-Barre last night in ten rounds before the Peerless A. C. in that city. The battle was one of the most exciting staged in that burg in years. Every round was a thriller, Dewey doing his utmost to land a knockout blow while Britton was jabbing away at him and avoiding wallops in clever fashion. About 1,700 spectators were in the arena.

Britton's principal stock of trade was his left hand which he used to jab his rival throughout the fight. Sometimes he would land five jabs on Dewey's face and head without getting a return. Jack didn't do much at infighting for the simple reason that this is the department in which he is weak. He is a wonder at long range and whenever Dewey permitted him to fight at that style, the visitor had things his own way.

Two Went to Dewey.

Dewey had two rounds in the fight and the others were Britton's by a wide margin. The first was Britton's and the second went to Dewey. For the next seven rounds Britton outboxed Dewey enough to give him a good lead. Dewey made a garrison finish and deserved the round, although he didn't do all the fighting in that period.

The second, seventh, ninth and tenth rounds were the stellar periods of the engagement. The seventh found each boy standing toe to toe walloping away at one another. In this round Britton shot his famous right across twice and one of them gave Dewey a shaking. In the ninth round Britton shot the same right to Dewey's jaw but Al simply smiled and went back for more. Dewey took good punishment, but was not cut up very much. Had he been able to get away from Jack's left handed jabs it would have been a closer exhibition.

Conway the Winner.

In the semi-final Scranton had a representative in the person of Young Conway of the South Side. He met Rubber Gibbons of Ashley for the fifth time in about two months. Conway won the bout by a good margin, although neither scored a knockdown and neither was marked up to any great extent. It was a first class scrap and pleased the sports who were put out by two preliminaries that had been cut short.


1913-12-30 The Tribune-Republican (Scranton, PA) (page 12)

DEWEY OUTPOINTED BY JACK BRITTON; FIGHT GOES LIMIT

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Famous Chicago Pugilist Finds Wilkes-Barre Boy Tough Customer. Young Conway Winner.

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Special to The Tribune-Republican.

  WILKES-BARRE, Dec. 29.

Jack Britton, of Chicago, considered one of the greatest fighters in the world, outpointed Al Dewey by a good margin before 1,100 fans in the Peerless club arena tonight. The combat went ten rounds, the limit, with neither boy suffering a knockdown and with neither being badly cut up. Britton was by far the cleverer and there was no question but that he won. However, it must be said that Dewey put up a slam-bang argument--his showing being better than was expected of him by some of his best friends.

Britton had height and reach on Dewey and used the reach to good advantage. The Western fighter was as heavy, if not heavier, than his opponent. It was said both boys entered the ring weighing under 138 1-2 pounds. But if one of them was over the person was Britton.

Britton Had Good Left.

Only occasionally during the battle did Britton shoot his terrific rights over. In most rounds he was satisfied to jab away at Dewey, some of these reaching his face, but a majority going to his forehead. He did little fighting in the clinches. With his advantage in reach he managed to keep away from a number of Dewey's hard rights, although on one or two occasions Al made them reach their mark and Britton's face took on a surprised look.

It was a splendid battle. Each round had a lot of action, Britton satisfying the sports by his clever footwork and boxing, while Dewey's continued forcing of the milling won for him the admiration of the big crowd. Britton had about seven of the rounds by a good margin. Three were fairly even and one went to the local boy. Dewey's best rounds were the second, ninth and tenth. He was fighting in wonderful style at the close.

Dewey a Tough Boy.

After the battle I asked Britton what he thought of Dewey and he said: "He's a good, tough boy, and don't let anyone think otherwise." Dewey was well pleased with his showing. He admitted that Britton was one of the cleverest boys he ever tackled. "He has a dandy left jab and that right of his carries a wallop, too," said Dewey.

It was the greatest crowd that the Peerless club has ever catered to. The total receipts amounted to about $2,400, of which Britton received $1,000. He fought under a guarantee with a privilege of percentage. It isn't known what Dewey pulled down.

Young Conway, of Scranton, and Rubber Gibbons went the limit in the semi-final, with Conway winning by a larger margin than he did last Thursday, when the two boys fought in Scranton. Conway hit the harder blows tonight and worked better at infighting. Gibbons' best work was in using his left hand jab. It was a dandy bout.

The referee announced that Porky Flynn, of Boston, and Jack Curfey, of England, heavyweights, fight next Monday night. On the following Monday night Frankie Burns tackles Tommy O'Toole.

There were about 100 Scranton sports at the mill.

  BUB.

1913-12-30 Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader (Wilkes-Barre, PA) (page 14)

DEWEY FORCES BRITTON IN TEN ROUND DRAW

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DEWEY STAYS LIMIT WITH JACK BRITTON

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In a battle "Al Dewey of Edwardsville stayed the limit with "Jack" Britton of Chicago in 10-round mill at the Peerless A. C. last night. The local boy was on the short end at the close of the fifth round, but from that time on Dewey took the aggressive and forced the fighting. It must be conceded that Al proved himself a game, clever fighter and that he gave his opponent all he was looking for.

The crowd was one of the largest that ever attended a mill at the Peerless A. C., nothing left but standing room at 8:30, and the fans continued coming until time for the main bout to start. Naturally the majority were in favor of Dewey, but Britton also had his admirers.

The latter was there with a wicked left jab which he shot to Al's face time after time, only to have Al come back with a vicious right to the head or body. Britton's famous right did not seem to be working and he seldom landed with it. Dewey forced the going and kept boring in all the time, but he was wild and many of his blows were wasted through the clever dodging of Britton.

The first round was fairly earned by Dewey, who landed left and right to the wind and a corking left to the head. Britton jabbed Dewey in the face with his left, but not hard enough to hurt.

Britton won the second, third and fourth rounds, by pushing that left jab over on Al's proboscis with alarming regularity and drawing blood from the Edwardsville lad. Al came back with a couple stiff lefts to the face, but not enough to balance up with Britton's jab.

The fifth was one of the best of the match. Dewey rushed matters at the start and landed two left hooks to Britton's face which shook the latter. "Jack" then came back, assuming the aggressive and took the round. His best blow was a right uppercut which fairly raised Dewey off the floor.

Dewey showed a lot of stuff in the sixth round and made a wonderful spurt, planting a right hook to Britton's head and then coming through with three smashes to the mouth. The visitor was unable to keep Dewey back with his left jab in this round. Dewey won all the way.

The seventh session was pretty even, Britton trying to score with a chopping right, but Dewey made him miss several times. The eighth was a repetition of the seventh.

Dewey put on steam in the ninth, but Britton kept him away in fine shape, neither boy doing much damage. The tenth and last round was full of action and Dewey had a shade on his opponent, landing several hard rights.

The semi-final between Rubber Gibbons of Newtown and Jimmy Conway of Scranton was a fine battle. Both boys were in there fighting all the time. Conway earned the decision by a shade. Gibbons was bothered by a bad right hand which he sustained in his bout of Christmas afternoon.

Billy Welsh of Pringle and Kid Pritchard of Forty Fort met in the first preliminary and Welsh put his opponent away in the third round with a hard right to the jaw.

In the second preliminary Johnny Cooney of Ashley put the kibosh on Spike Hennessey of East End after one minute and forty seconds of the first round had elapsed.

In an added bout Johnny Cooney took on Freddy Haefling for four fast rounds and the milling was about even.

Jack Curphey, heavyweight from England, a new man in Dewey's stable, was introduced and it was announced by the referee that he would meet Porky Flynn in the wind-up at the Peerless A. C. next Monday night.

SHORT SPORTS OF ALL SORTS

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Crisp and Breezy Comment on Current Events; Pertinent and Newsy

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Were you at the Peerless A. C. last night?

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If you weren't you missed a corking good bout.

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Dewey fought the best battle of his career and surprised a lot of the knowing ones.

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Britton's left jab was a beautiful thing to watch and he kept banging away at Dewey's head all through the bout.

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Rubber Gibbons put up a great fight considering the condition of his right hand, which he injured in the bout at Scranton Christmas afternoon.

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With all Britton's jabbing, Dewey kept boring in every minute and the Chicagoan was kept moving all the time by the West Side boy.

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That sure was some crowd at the Peerless A. C. last night. Just goes to show that the fans will patronize good attractions. Dewey and Britton must have cleaned up right on the battle.

1914-12-28 Jack Britton ND10 Al Dewey [Peerless Athletic Club, Majestic Theatre, Wilkes-Barre, PA, USA]

1914-12-29 The Scranton Truth (Scranton, PA) (page 8)

DEWEY OUTCLASSED BY JACK BRITTON

WILKES-BARRE, Pa., Dec. 29.--Al Dewey, of Edwardsville, was completely outclassed by Jack Britton in a ten-round fight which went the limit here last night. Dewey was at the mercy of the New Yorker at all times and suffered severe punishment from an unerring left jab which landed many times in each round.

Dewey was wild. In the fifth round he steadied and again in the ninth but aside from these two flashes he did not worry his opponent. He landed only a few solid wallops.

Al Murphy, of the Tripp Park section of Scranton, gave a classy exhibition in his bout with Joe Peters, of this city. Peters was game and both had a punch. It went six rounds. Miles Moran, of Scranton, severely punished Pete Farrell, also of Scranton, and the bout was stopped in the fifth round by Referee Jack Gallagher. A large house attended the mills. Young Driscoll and Kid Brown, both of this city, drew in the prelim.


1914-12-29 The Tribune-Republican (Scranton, PA) (page 10)

JACK BRITTON DEFEATS DEWEY

WILKES-BARRE, Pa., Dec. 28.--Fifteen hundred fight fans saw Jack Britton, of New York, win from Al Dewey, of Edwardsville, tonight at the Luzerne theater. The bout went the scheduled ten rounds, but Britton won by a larger margin than when he tackled Dewey about a year ago in this city. The receipts amounted to about $1,500.

Dewey's only rounds were the fifth and ninth. In the fifth he caught Britton with a sharp left hook that staggered him while in the ninth he rallied again, rushing Britton all over the ring. Outside of those rounds Britton had everything his own way, his left hand meeting Dewey's jaw time after time. Neither boy scored a knockdown during the ten rounds.

In the preliminaries Al Murphy, of Scranton, won from Joe Peters, of this city, in six rounds, but in doing so hurt both his hands. In another prelim Miles Moran, of Scranton, stopped Pete Farrel, of Scranton, in the fifth round.


1914-12-29 Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader (Wilkes-Barre, PA) (page 13)

AL DEWEY BEATEN BY JACK BRITTON IN GOOD BATTLE

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New Yorker is Too Clever for West Side Boy and Wins by Good Margin

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JOE PETERS IS DEDEATED

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Al Murphy Too Strong for Peters, Who is Very Game But Lacked Weight

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Jack Britton of New York defeated Al Dewey in ten-round wind-up.
Al Murphy of Scranton won over Joe Peters in six rounds.
Miles Moran and Young Farrell of Scranton were so bad that bout was stopped in fifth.
Young Driscoll of East End defeated Young Brown of East End in six rounds.
Referee--John Gallagher.
Timekeeper--Elwood Smith.

Al Dewey, the pride of Northeastern Pennsylvania, was defeated last night at the Majestic Theatre by Jack Britton of New York, in their ten-round battle. The Gothamite carried off the honors in six of the ten rounds, taking the second, fourth, fifth, seventh, ninth and tenth rounds. Dewey made a good rally in the eighth and won by a shade, while the first, third and sixth were fairly even. The West Side boy didn't have a chance with Britton, who hit him at will.

Britton boxed all around Dewey, stepping around the ring and pecking away with left jabs until Al's face was red as a ripe tomato. Jack would vary the attack with an occasional right swing to the face, but the principal method of attack was a left jab, which landed with the nicety of a piston rod and with the force of a trip-hammer. This method of attack had a tendency toward slowing Dewey up, but he never stopped fighting for a second, and the 1,600 fans gave him credit for his earnest trial against Britton. But all those in attendance, who saw the battle between these boys last winter, claimed that Dewey didnot put up as good a battle as he did on their first meeting. But it might be remembered that at that time Britton was far from being a well man, while last night he was in the pink of condition.

Britton was out to score a decisive win and that is just what he did. While he didnot punish the local boy severely, he landed enough punches to the face and body to give him the decision by a good margin. Britton started to rough matters in the fourth round, hitting in the breakaway and apparently trying to get Al's goat. Referee Gallagher cautioned Britton, who claimed that Dewey was hanging on.

The first round was fairly even, with both boys sparring and feeling each other out. There were no blows of any consequence struck in this session. The second round was faster, with Britton starting to use his left hand to advantage. He sent it to Dewey's face hard and often, while Al played for the body, landing several light blows to the wind.

The third round was fairly even. Dewey landed several hard body blows, but Britton came back with a bundle of left jabs, which evened the going. The New Yorker took the fourth with east. He walloped Dewey with both hands to the face. Britton was very rough in this round, wrestling Dewey and hitting in the breakaway. The clever Britton also took the fifth, continuing to peck at Dewey's face with left jabs, causing the latter's map to take on a pinkish hue. But Al came back for more and continued to play for Britton's face and wind.

The sixth was fairly even. Dewey made Britton miss with right and left swings repeatedly and the crowd applauded Dewey and booed Britton. Britton continued to jab, while Dewey sent several hard rights to Britton's face. The seventh and eighth were all Britton's, who jabbed Dewey around the ring, there being hardly a return from the local boy. The ninth was different. Al got busy right from the start of the session and carried the fight to his opponent in a surprising manner. The latter roughed matters considerably, but Al stayed right with him. The tenth belonged to Britton, who forced the going in this session.

The first preliminary was between Young Driscoll and Young Brown, both of East End. Brown had height, weight and reach on Driscoll, but that made no difference to the little Scotchman, who gave Brown, the East End poet, a fine lacing. Young Farrell and Miles Moran, both of Scranton, were supposed to fight in the second preliminary, but they panhandled around for five rounds and then the referee stopped it. Joe Peters of East End was defeated by Al Murphy of Scranton in the semi-final. Murphy was too strong for the local boy and possessed the harder wallop.

1911-11-28 Mike Gibbons ND10 Willie Lewis [Fairmont Athletic Club, Bronx, NY, USA]

1911-11-29 New-York Tribune (New York, NY) (page 5)

LEWIS FINDS A MASTER
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Battered from Pillar to Post in Savage Bout with Gibbons.

Willie Lewis practically was eliminated from the ranks of the contenders for the welterweight championship when Mike Gibbons, of St. Paul, beat him decisively in a ten-round bout at the Fairmont Athletic Club, The Bronx, last night. Lewis never had a chance after the first round, and, after escaping a knockout in the second, was lucky to last the limit. Even his most partisan admirers were forced to admit that Lewis was beaten by a better man. One of the oldtime Fairmont crowds witnessed the bout, and fully 2,500 persons were packed in the hall.

Gibbons made good all the statements which preceded him out of the West. He was, indeed, a large edition of "Packey" McFarland, but with a more vicious punch. He boxed fairly at all times, and met the questionable tactics of Lewis with furious rallies.

Confronted by a clever boxer, Gibbons feinted and boxed Lewis into kinks. He hit short and straight to the mark. The punch travelled only a few inches, but it carried crushing force behind it, and time and again Lewis reeled from the impact. Toward the end of the battle Lewis became desperate, but as his efforts grew wilder he played right into the hands of his opponent, who countered him with both hands almost at will.

Lewis was game. He took a licking which would have made many a man take the count, but he stuck to his guns gamely. At times he resorted to elbowing, but these were few and far between.

The second round narrowly escaped being the last for Lewis. Willie opened fire with a blow to the head, but the St. Paul lad ripped a smashing right uppercut to the chin and Lewis rocked under it. Gibbons then leaped in with a left to the face, and when a shift fooled the East Side boy into dropping his guard the former crashed a right to the jaw. Lewis staggered and his arms dropped. Like a flash Gibbons landed again, and Lewis dropped across the lower rope and rolled over on his back to the canvas. At the count of seven he recovered and arose, and although Gibbons battered him from pillar to post Lewis lasted out the round. The St. Paul man was wild in placing his blows, else he would have scored a knockout.

Lewis also bordered on a knockout in the eighth round, when a heavy fire of solid smashes to the jaw and body had him rocking, but the Western lad was unable to drive in the finishing punch to the vital spot. He outboxed Lewis, who tried swing after swing with the desperate hope of a beaten man to turn the tide of battle in a single punch. His efforts were fruitless, for Gibbons was cool and clever, and either swayed back or stepped in and countered.


1911-11-29 The Brooklyn Daily Eagle (Brooklyn, NY) (page S1)
Mike Gibbons came pretty near living up to all that was said of him when he easily won from Willie Lewis last night at the Fairmont A. C. Gibbons is known as a hard hitter, and he dropped Willie for the count of seven in the second round. The Westerner had also been touted as a clever boxer. He proved it when he had no trouble in outpointing Willie, who is one of the most scientific of the present crop of middleweights and has always depended upon his skill more than upon his strength.


1911-11-29 The Evening Telegram (New York, NY) (page 8)

"Mike" Gibbons Beats "Willie" Lewis, Winning Welterweight Crown
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St. Paul Boy Just Played with Lewis and Nearly Had Him Out in Second.
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"Willie" Lewis gave the welterweight championship crown to "Mike" Gibbons, of St. Paul, last night at the Fairmont Athletic Club. "Willie" didn't want to do it. In fact, he did the best--and his best was very poor--to keep the honor for himself. But "Mike" Gibbons took it without so much as saying if you please. It was the easiest thing that the St. Paul boy has experienced in his ring career, easier than taking pennies from an infant in arms. He made "Willie" look like a novice long before the gong sounded at the end of the tenth round--just fooled with and laughed at the New York champion.

It took Mr. Gibbons just one round to figure out Mr. Lewis. After that it was easy. The issue was never in doubt. He outpunched him and outpointed him at will. In the second "Willie" came within an ace of going out. Gibbons ended a fast exchange of blows by hooking over a hard right. It caught Lewis flush on the point of the jaw and sent him flat on his back, with his head outside of the ropes. Every one of the big crowd of fans present thought it was the finish of Mr. Lewis. Referee Joh stood over him counting off the seconds. "Willie," dazed and stunned, crawled slowly to his feet and managed to get up just before the fatal ten.

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Lewis Weak at Finish.

Then Gibbons tore into him and gave him an awful beating, but he was over anxious and could not send in the finish punch. He hit Lewis at will. The New York boy, dazed, staggered about the ring under the rain of blows. Once he stuck out his chin and let Gibbons smash him two or three times. But, strange to relate, Gibbons couldn't do it. He was nervous, excited by the uproar in the house, and the bell found Lewis on his legs, but very groggy. The "fans" were disappointed in Gibbons. They could not understand it.

There was very little real fighting for the next three rounds. Lewis forced matters, but his punches, chiefly a left jab, had no effect on Gibbons. Lewis, who had the first by a good margin, also had the third by a shade on points. Gibbons made little if any effort. The New York boy also had the fourth. All that Gibbons did in these two rounds was to feint and jump about the ring. Occasionally he put one over, but he was not fighting or making any pretense of it.

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Gibbons Shows Form.

But in the fifth he opened up, and before the round was ended proved to the crowd that he was Lewis' master at every stage of the game. Both exchanged blows at the opening. Then Gibbons started to do some fast and fancy left hand jabbing, landing repeatedly, beating Lewis to the lead all the time. The New York boy rushed and was met with a hard right uppercut to the face. He put over a left jab, and in return Gibbons rocked him with hard rights and lefts to the head. Lewis covered up to avoid punishment. In a breakaway he hooked over a left. It was Gibbons' round by a big margin.

Lewis opened the sixth with a left jab, following it up by three more. They clinched, and in the break "Willie" whipped over a right hook. Gibbons laughed at him. It made Lewis mad and wild. Then Mr. Gibbons took a hand and made "Willie" look like a preliminary boy. It was his round. So was the seventh and eighth. Honors were about even in the ninth, though Gibbons' blows were more telling.

The tenth round opened slowly, both boys hugging and clinching. Gibbons had the better of this rough work. Then things began to happen--that is, happen to Lewis. Gibbons let out a few links and jabbed, hooked and punched Lewis all over the ring, receiving hardly one in return.

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Lewis Takes Count.

It looked for a few seconds as if Lewis would go down and out, but he stuck it out to the end. It was Gibbons' round by a mile. The welterweight championship went with the bout. Both boys weighed in at 145 pounds at three o'clock. Lewis looked heavier than the St. Paul lad when they came together and had the advantage in height and reach. Both were in excellent condition.

Gibbons made a good impression on the local fans. It was his first appearance in the East. He is clever both in defence and offence, and has a good punch. It was the general impression that he would have put Lewis out before the end had he forced matters. In this he was a disappointment. He contented himself with outpointing Lewis. Gibbons came out of the battle without a mark and was apparently as fresh as when he started. Lewis, on the contrary, showed the marks of the bout in a badly bruised and cut face.

Gibbons meets Walter Coffey next week at the Fairmont in the star bout.

In a rattling good six round semi-final "Kid" Harmann had the better of "Mike" Clancy. The latter appeared in the first preliminary and made his opponent, "Frankie" Pappa, quit in the second round.


1911-11-29 The Evening World (New York, NY) (page 6)

Mike Gibbons, Classiest Fighter Seen Here, Easily Beats Up Willie Lewis
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Local Championship Aspirant Luckily Weathers Pugilistic Gale After Being Almost Put Away in Second Round.
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BY JOHN POLLOCK.

Willie Lewis, whose sole ambition always has been to win the welterweight championship of the world, had said ambition completely shattered at the Fairmont A. C. last night. Willie met Mike Gibbons, the crack welterweight of St. Paul, in a ten round bout and what Gibbons did to him in those ten sessions of fighting is sad to relate.

Not in many a day has Lewis been so completely outclassed by a man of his own weight. To size up the bout in a few words, Lewis never had a look in after the first two minutes of fighting in the opening round. If he were not a great ring general he would have been knocked out.

As it was, Willie had a narrow escape in the second round, for Gibbons dropped him with a short, snappy right hand swing to the jaw, his neck hitting the lower rope. This saved his head from striking the floor, otherwise he might have been rendered unconscious.

Although badly dazed from the punch, Lewis staggered to his feet at the count of eight and luckily managed to last the round out despite the fact that Gibbons landed numerous right and left hand swings to the jaw.

GIBBONS WONDERFULLY SKILLFUL BOXER.

It was after this round that Gibbons started in to display his wonderful skill as a boxer and fighter, and the way in which he feinted Willie into knots and landed on him not only surprised Lewis's followers, but was also a revelation to the admirers of Gibbons.

Any time that Gibbons wanted to get in a punch he did so without the slightest exertion, and there were times that he scored three or four blows without a return. At infighting Gibbons also outclassed Lewis, sending in short, choppy rights to his jaw and stomach. After the fourth round Lewis seemed to lose heart, for some of the wild swings not only went wide of their mark, but also showed that Willie was badly bewildered.

Several times during the latter part of the battle Lewis took a chance at mixing with Gibbons, but his efforts were useless, for while he succeeded in getting in some jabs and swings, the latter stood toe to toe with him and gave him some wicked blows, which caused his face to swell and drew the claret from his mouth.

GIBBONS TRIES TO PUT LEWIS AWAY.

In the last round Gibbons tried to put Lewis away. He jabbed Willie several times and sent his head back with a right swing on the chin. Lewis fought back hard, but Gibbons kept sending in his blows with much speed, and at the bell Willie was in bad shape.

Although Gibbons won by a big margin, it must be admitted that he is not much of a puncher. He showed this by failing to put Lewis out, although he landed enough blows to do so.

Gibbons is a clever two-handed boxer, hits short and straight to the mark, blocks excellently, takes advantage of all openings and is a fine ring general. However, he does entirely too much fancy stepping. In many of the rounds he indulged in this when there was no need of it.

As for Lewis, he is not the fighter he was a few years ago. He has lost his punch and cleverness.


1911-11-29 The New York Herald (New York, NY) (page 14)

"WILLIE" LEWIS ALMOST OUT
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"Willie" Lewis' claim to the welterweight title was pounded out of his grasp at the Fairmont Athletic Club last night when he was decisively beaten by "Mike" Gibbons, of St. Paul. In the second round a right swing to the jaw almost finished him. Flat on his back, mouth wide open, scarcely moving a muscle, Lewis looked so far gone that the large crowd began a rush for the exits. By a superhuman effort he managed to get to his knees at the count of eight and totter to his feet just in time. Gibbons battered him from post to post, but Lewis hung on and saved himself, reeling to his corner at the bell. Thereafter, Lewis, although fighting desperately, could do nothing better than last the limit of ten rounds.

After the first few minutes spent in solving Lewis' style, Gibbons had everything his own way. Throughout the entire thirty minutes of milling Lewis, always regarded as a clever boxer, scarcely landed a dozen blows. Gibbons, on his toes all the time, dancing, shifting, jabbing, feinting, had Lewis completely bewildered. Lewis tried to win by chance blows, but Gibbons blocked them all with his gloves and elbows, dealing out punishment that had Lewis groggy time and again.

Lewis surprised the crowd by his ability to assimilate the punishment, particularly after the stormy second round. In the last two rounds he was fighting in a dazed condition all the time.


1911-11-29 The New York Times (New York, NY) (page 12)

MIKE GIBBONS WINS FROM WILLIE LEWIS
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New York Welterweight Floored for the Count in the Second Round.
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Mike Gibbons, the St. Paul welterweight, had his first real Eastern test last night when he fought Willie Lewis of New York at the Fairmont A. C., and the Westerner more than made good. Lewis, who claims the welterweight title, and who can usually be relied upon to hold his own or do better against any boxer of his weight, looked at times like a novice against Gibbons, and when the final bell sounded the local boy was so far behind that there was not the least doubt as to superiority.

It was announced that the pair weighed in at 145 pounds at 3 o'clock. While there is some dispute regarding its ownership, Lewis has been generally accredited as the best of the 145-pounder and better than many middleweights, in which class he fought until recently. In the second round Lewis walked into a terrific short right swing by Gibbons and went to the canvas as if shot. For five seconds he laid on his back with his head dangling over the lower ropes, his arms and legs being motionless. Then he slowly pulled himself together and was barely able to stand up as Referee Billy Joh counted ten. Gibbons tore in to end the battle but Lewis was able to stall and avoid punishment well enough to finish the round.

At every stage of the game Lewis was outclassed. He has always shown through his wonderful cleverness his ability to feint an opponent into knots. Last night he was as far outclassed in cleverness as he has been accustomed to show up slower opponents. Gibbons at times appeared only to toy with Lewis. He sent his jabs through Lewis's guard without any apparent effort, and his peculiar defense so puzzled Lewis that the New Yorker was unable to do any damage. Gibbons has a peculiar motion in approaching an opponent, and it so bewildered Lewis last night that he often stood still and let Gibbons walk in. Besides making a big hit by his cleverness, Gibbons went into popular favor early by his manners in the ring. His work was always clean. He never lost his temper and he had a smile that Lewis could not shake off. On two or three occasions when Lewis began to rough it Gibbons did nothing more than cut loose and show how fast he could fight, never resorting to rough work.

The opening round for the most part was made up of feinting by both men. Neither showed any great desire to mix matters and few good blows were struck. Lewis got in bad with the crowd early by hitting on the breakaway and using his elbow in breaking from a clinch. Each handed out about four hard wallops and the round ended with honors even.

After getting over two or three hard wallops early in the second, Lewis got in the path of a terrific right-hand uppercut, and it shook him from head to foot. A few seconds later Gibbons handed out a similar punch, and he went to the canvas on his back, his head resting on the lower rope. It seemed that he was knocked out for good, but he opened his eyes at the count of five and slowly pulled himself together, barely regaining his feet at the count of nine. For a full minute Lewis did nothing more than stagger around the ring and protect himself from Gibbons's blows. The latter tore in to put an end to the battle, but was unable to do so. The minute's rest did Lewis a world of good, and he was greatly refreshed when he came to the centre of the ring. Lewis was cautious and was very careful to keep away from Gibbons's swings. He jabbed with his left, but very lightly. The round was even.

In the fourth the action was not as fast as in the third. It was feint, feint, feint, and then more of the same work. Gibbons did not show the tendency to lead that his earlier work would lead one to expect, and Lewis was still fighting a wary, cautious battle. The round showed little in favor of either, as no work of any consequence was done.

The fifth showed plenty of work. Gibbons jabbed Lewis repeatedly and also sent over some hard rights which hurt Lewis. Acting on orders from his corner to cut loose and take a chance, Lewis continued to rush in and try to get over a staggering punch, but Gibbons was always out of the way when the punches went by. He usually shot over a stiff right to Lewis's jaw, and he jabbed him at will throughout the round. It was Gibbons's round by a big margin.

In the sixth, Gibbons continued to show to advantage. In fact, he seemed to simply toy with Lewis. The greater part of the round was spent in jabbing to Lewis's head, and three or four times he cut loose with a shower of blows that shook Lewis up. In the open fighting, and also in the infighting, Gibbons had a big lead over his opponent.

The seventh round was on the same order as the sixth, but Gibbons's lead was less pronounced. It was a succession of light jabs and two good slugging sessions, and at each Gibbons had a shade the better of the game.

The eighth was all Gibbons's. He did more effective work in getting over his punches than in any other round. He did not score a knockdown as in the second round, but he landed much oftener and his punches had enough steam to shake Lewis and hurt him considerably. Lewis was still rushing in and swinging in the hope of getting over a knockout, but Gibbons was as good in taking punishment as he was handing it out.

In the ninth the pair indulged in some rapid-fire exchanges, with the honors for the round in favor of Gibbons. About the middle of the round Lewis showed his best work of the bout, and in one rapid exchange he had a bit the better of the fighting, but during the remainder of the round Gibbons showed the same superiority in both infighting and long range work. The round belonged to Gibbons.

In the tenth it appeared as if Lewis was due for another trip to the canvas. He got in the way of one right hand swing which jarred him to his toes, and he could not check a shower of rights and lefts which followed in quick succession. But the veteran was able to take them all without going down. Gibbons was strong at both styles of fighting, and he finished up the victory with plenty to spare. He went to his corner at the close of the bout without a mark on his face. Lewis's face was badly swollen from the shower of blows which he had to take during the ten rounds.


1911-11-29 The Standard Union (Brooklyn, NY) (page 6)
Mike Gibbons of St. Paul to-day is hailed as the recognized welterweight champion. His victory last night over Willie Lewis, one of the strongest contenders for the title, was so clean-cut that all the critics to-day award him the palm. Gibbons sent Lewis down for the count of seven in the second round and thereafter simply toyed with his opponent and permitted him to stay the limit.


1911-11-29 The Sun (New York, NY) (page 7)

GIBBONS A SURPRISE.
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St. Paul Welterweight Easily Outpoints Champion Willie Lewis.

Mike Gibbons of St. Paul, who came here several weeks ago practically unknown, proved at the Fairmont A. C. last night that he has a strong claim on the welterweight championship of the world. Gibbons in a ten round bout easily disposed of Willie Lewis of this city, who entered the ring with the prestige of having defeated the American and English champions in this class.

Lewis never had a lookin. In the second round he came within an ace of being knocked out. Gibbons, who is a great boxer and a solid puncher, put him down in that round with a right hook on the jaw. Lewis lay partially on the ropes for five seconds, apparently dead to the world, but he managed to struggle up at the count of eight and then stayed to the bell.

After that Gibbons, confident of success, was satisfied to outpoint the New Yorker. He went about his task with remarkable skill. He was so fast and clever that Lewis could not land his terrific swings, while Gibbons seemed able to send home the punches whenever he pleased. Lewis tried all styles of fighting but the result was the same. Gibbons knew too much for him and so easily outclassed him that there wasn't a doubt as to which was the better man.

Gibbons is a legitimate welterweight, but he is willing to take on heavier opponents and after his victory he was matched to box ten rounds with Walter Coffey of California at the Fairmont A. C. next Tuesday night.

The bout attracted a crowd that filled every nook and corner of the building. More than 2,500 fans smoked cigars until the air was stifling and the club managers had to open all the windows in the low roof. The men weighed in at 145 pounds at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. When they climbed into the ring, more than seven hours later, each had taken on several pounds. William Joh was the referee as usual.

First Round--Lewis was the first to lead, his left being short. Gibbons, working in and out swiftly, shot a left to the ear. Gibbons blocked a rush and stepping in the put left and right on the head. Gibbons did some great feinting, Lewis throwing up his guard and using his feet. Lewis then tried a left that was stopped. Gibbons jabbed him twice in the nose with a speedy left. Gibbons also landed several body blows and had the round on clean points.

Second Round--Lewis's left fell short and he ran into a clinch. At close range both landed rib roasters. A quick left hand jab drew the blood from Lewis's mouth, the latter rushing in for a mix, in which Gibbons sent home a heavy right hook to the jaw. At long range Gibbons shot another right to the eye that staggered Lewis. Still another right knocked Lewis down for the count of eight. When he got up Gibbons tore in for a knockout and rained all kinds of terrific punches on the New Yorker's head and body. But the latter in weak condition staggered through to the gong.

Third Round--Lewis met a rush with a left to the body. Gibbons stepped away from several hard swings and feinted Lewis into knots. Dashing in with a left, he put Lewis on the ropes and shook him with a right hand swing on the neck. Gibbons scored points with clean left hand jabs until Lewis decided to mix it. Then both landed heavy swings on the head, Lewis being the first to clinch. Gibbons landed more sharp lefts in such a manner that Lewis was puzzled when the bell sounded.

Fourth Round--Gibbons stepped away from a rush and laughed. He made Lewis miss a couple of swings and then did some great blocking. After that Gibbons stepped in with hard left hook under the jaw and Lewis backed away. Gibbons was so skilful that he blocked and countered continually and had the round by a wide margin.

Fifth Round--Gibbons opened with a solid left squarely on the jaw. He repeated the blow and made Lewis's nose bleed. Gibbons blocked a dangerous swing and peppered Lewis's face with dazzling left handers. Lewis covered up as he tried to get closer, Gibbons bolting him in the stomach with short uppercuts. Gibbons blocked a right for the jaw and sent a hard right hook to the neck. Lewis tried to mix, but Gibbons's defence was superb and he remained unhurt. It was Gibbons's round.

Sixth Round--Lewis missed a left, but he landed another on the neck. They clinched roughly, and on the break Gibbons showed fast footwork as he danced in and out landing quick blows that Lewis couldn't block. As Lewis missed again and again Gibbons smothered him with rapid jabs. Lewis took the defensive and saved himself by clinching. In a rapid exchange Gibbons staggered his man just as time was up. Gibbons's round.

Seventh Round--Gibbons stopped a left and then poured in several hot jabs to Lewis's mouth and nose. Lewis swung wildly, Gibbons getting away nicely and then jumping back with more hard punches in the face. Lewis mixed it fiercely, but he was outpunched and outboxed. Gibbons wore a broad grin as he drove in smashes and made Lewis look like a greenhorn. Gibbons easily had the round.

Eighth Round--Lewis missed several desperate swings and received more cutting jabs in the face. Gibbons blocked a wild rush and ducked a fierce swing. Lewis landed a hard left on the ear, but when he tried to follow it up Gibbons wasn't within reach. Then Gibbons stepped in with half a dozen short punches on the jaw, Lewis clinching. Lewis rallied with another wild attack, but he couldn't land an effective blow. Gibbons punched Lewis's face until it was crimson. Gibbons's round.

Ninth Round--Gibbons made his man miss several times before he shot in the usual fast lefts. Lewis rallied and mixed it with terrific power. He landed several swings on the head but Gibbons stood up and traded punches with him until Willie began to clinch. Gibbons in that rally showed both stamina and cool headedness, for he came back later with an attack that drew the claret from Lewis's nose. A right hand hook jarred Lewis and a left in the mouth made him see stars, yet he rushed blindly until time was up. Gibbons's round.

Tenth Round--Lewis rushed into a hard mix. Gibbons feinted a moment and followed with lefts in the face and rights in the body. Lewis was slow but full of fight and kept mixing it. Gibbons blocked many blows but landed himself with plenty of steam. He shot a right to the jaw and ducked a quick return. Then he made Lewis reel with a right on the jaw, but the latter tore in for more. Gibbons finished in splendid style and was an impressive winner.