M'GOORTY CHAMPION.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1952, 8 January 1914, Page 6

M'GOORTY CHAMPION.

NERVES BEAT DAVE SMITH.

KNOCKED,OUT IN ONE ROUND

mmu tesifpu'if secqiul s Vn |t cV* tnißi ii r' v was aiid;;;hoavy-\vei!;iit\ "ehnmiMoiiVA knocked -(UiS.A.) m t)ipir;sbattlo";forw;.tlie! world's : £ middlo-weiulit|;:oli'aii'f|)ioii_sl!!p-"'r(!ii : 'Xc\y£b Year's last time. Smith was knocked eJeahyonfc;??Tlie" towel .'.thrown in by a 'swqnd-sav'cd him from -the? lull wmnt cf for;:nintlint h<! was out.' over , , again. '■' ' ' . &'.\ \vqiKierfuloro\vd,-'estimated to rami-' bertie.OOO.-and, to,hare;paid £5000 at jonst^ior-;aJmission'i'.tlirongod the Stnd-iuin;-S:.;For.: hours, :;jvntes> the Sydney had been congregatiiis;S:lookinK4for\rard;.to a keen, liard^contflst^eortainl.v.- looking forward -two- , minutes battered to piecesX«Sc|3£ l %'■!■- ■ '

/\.A ; preliminary; , Gordon Con* hillr!("Dave"t;Smitil's';'sparriiiß partner) If noticed ■■''out- vVlbert -i'Poaley (one ■ i-f M'GoortyVpartners) was soon over,'"ls it an.omen.!-'' asked many. . ■k A tumult of cheerina; , announced , that ■■'Dave" Smith" had ■ left his dressingroom. ■■■■. Through th© ■ wildly-applauding crowd ■,]ie...wa]ked, ,, alertly athletic. Ho looked the"'picture of health and vigour —a little on .the. fine :side, perhaps. But that note.was lost.in a survey of the general make-up of the man ■ "Dave , * Smitlt as he entered the rins; was a conF.dent, business-like Idoking man. r"A brief interval and aiiother storm cf applause'-?!swept l ";across . the Stadium. M'Goorty,' looking a bit- of a -slupgard, had appeared."!: Sniitli: : glanced nervously in the dircction.jv.lt:.was the first display of nervousness., ■ Hβ was not now the Smith ivho had' jauntily snunfi; him&elf throupli the ropes speonds before. M'Goort.w.liiidai-.heaten-". .liiin ifi two punches in" Now,.York, and thp watcher saw/, that Smith" had not shaken tlio moniory clear.. JFIo was not cowardlv. not" actually afraid.''-''Xo man afraid would, have stood so'Rrittily the.battering that ho took within a couple, of minutes, But- the impression that at once, came to'.the mind was- tlwt- Jl'Goorty would be Smitli's master whereves , they met. , ' It is a point in the psyeljology of boxing, that is well nifjli inexplicable, ■ Sonio minutes were taken up with tho presentation of crayon enlargements of one another" to'the boxers. For sonio time prior to-this, -however, Smith— probably because of agitation—had. been standing-instead, of "sitting in liis corner. *■- .. '■■ ■:" ■'' ■)'\\ '. '"■

■ "Are you ready?"-said Arthur SeoH. Smith nodded—M'Goorty, too.

Smith advanced to tho" ring centre to shake hands.. M'Gobrty fiddled with his waist-band and kept his opponent waiting; ■' Those few seconds told on Smith! Then.M'Goorty slightly crouched, squared up. "Box on," from the referee,-and-M'Goorty started to advance ./slowly. •, Everybody ;, expected ! Smith's left to shoot out to stay tho progress of his. opponent, that was not so quick' as ; stealthy: < But Dave simply retreated. .'.'Feebly, almost, he dabbed with liis left; but tho blow was short. Smith, was noir Hearing the ropes in his- own corner. Their proximity seemed to hamper -him.. Quick, as a flash M'Goorty'.s , ' right;;'swung overarm. The blow did not land squarely; it glanced off Smith's head and downwards to his chest. Smith apparently had been looking for. one,tiling—a left hook, that crunching blow that had laid him low in Ney Vork. The surprising move of M'Goorty's, ■ cleverly tactical *as it was, threw- him into a panic, and Smith's hands flew up and , then down. Crack — it sounded' as though.a wedge had boon bit .-smartly .-.with a mallet —M'Goorty's left had'found'its mark. Tho contest had been in progress just 10 seconds, and. here was .Australia's champion beaten; : Tho blow scattered his wits. v He reeled to the ropes, but tho instinct to fight kept him on liis feet, with hands smothering his face Another devastating left whirled through the sir, and Smith ducked it. A lot of people breathed freely. "Davo ■is not so rattled after a!!," ■ they. said. Tim thought could barely have passed when M'Goorty's left had shot, across again. This .time it landed, and Smith went, down.. . The count had goiio to 4 seconds when Smith, too , , fuddled to heed liis seconds!-,, cry to take his time, got to liis : .seet.to go down again immediately for three Staggering, he roso again, and was battered with "right and left across tho ring. Two quick following blows sent him crashing to the- floor, The shock of the fall appeared to mako him.sensible of his position, and this time lie rested-on one kneo till 9 had been called. But Smith was beaten. Gamely- he , .-,propped himself —sat, in fact, on the lniddfe strand of the rows, and smothered his head against the battery of blows , . The crowd hooted. It is a pathetic sight 1 to see .a gritty man punished." M'Qcoi'ty looked appealingly to the referee to stay him. Then he changed his tactics, and drove n right to the body. , ■ Smith came out from tho ropns, and' loft- and right to tho head sent-.him down, , mercifully, for, the last time:<'v : ■■:!■■■* ,;■- :■. "■' ■„ ' '

■'.There' is only'oiio explanation of tho contest,'. and that is that Smith from the moment M'Goortv got in the ring saw .before him-a vision of that otbor time when M'Uoorty beat him so signally.''■■' Then tho left beat him, and it was* a left ho was joking for last night. M'Goqrtjy with clever tactics, played a right. It took Smith by surprise, and completed his mental discomfiture. The rest'was a formal business. ■At the'.-2 o'clock'., weighing■.M'ftoortyat -list.:- 41b.' had in:.advantage of tniy 2 ounces. '■'■ '■' ■ ■. ■ ■ ■ The sudden.termination staggered the vast, crowd.' yiipve.'were ,a ; few who hooted Smith," but/.'-many ■ mors cheered him ''■'■'