DEFEAT OF WELLS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 184, 30 April 1919, Page 10

DEFEAT OF WELLS

• 4 BECKETT THE BETTER FIGHTER, ' Joo Beckett beat Bombardier Wells in a 20-rouud contest at the Holborn Stadium for a .£2OO a-side and a purse of .CIOOO. Bombardier Wells was knocked out in the fifth round, after boing down twice in the first; round. There was a large crowd present, for the match had attracted much interest (says the London "Times"). If the shades of tho departed could come back, then no doubt, such famous men as Figg, Sayers, Jack Broughton, Gully, Jackson, Jem slace, liendigo, Tom Cribb. and Tom Spring were present. They must have been somewhat amused to see men fighting, with carefully padded hands, for such a large sum of money, and in conditions so different from tlic-e which they knew. Those men fought; these men merely boxed. When Saycrs fought I'erry there was one round which lasted thirty minutes, and the average of the ten rounds was i:en minutes each. There was big money in those days, but not for the fighters. A Mr. Bulloch won' cue bet of ,£20,000 wliqn Johnson beat Perrins, who weighed 17st„ and the Duke of Cumberland, iu the middle of the eighteenth century, lost very heavily on several occasions by backing the wrong men. Wells was orthodox Brilish, standing up and using with effect, when he was allowed, a straight left. Beckett, on the other hand, was modern in style. He crouched, and thereby placed his body as far away from his opponent as he could. jU we same time lie was covering his body llis style was the style adopted by the French from the great boxers of the United States, Wells, true to his style,' refused to box out, but Beckett insisted on in-fighting. Beckett won very largely because fie would not allow Wells to get away, who was thus forced to in-fighting, which he did not want, but could not avoid. When Wells could get Beckett away he scored with his left, but did 110 real damage.

There was one other thing which was more interesting than the lighting, and that was the two ■men. Wells is an almost perfect specimen of the ideal figure of a man.' It is difficult (o find a fault with him, but on looks he does not appear the man fur a fight. Heckett, on I Ik- other hand, is a powerful man, and that is all, but he looked just what lie was—a man difficult to damage, and with great possibilities as a fighter. He was at a disadvantage in reach, but lie cancelled all that by insisting on in-fighting. He was the better general.

Wells was very nervous—he hail not lost, that oid failing—when they came into the ring, but Beckett gave no, sign of any Mich handicap. The boxing opened sensationally, for early in the first round Wells was down for. a count of six. Before the end of the iouml lie was down again; on neither occasion did lie appear in serious difficulties. The next three rounds were chiefly noticeable for Beckett's generalship, in that he would not allow Wells to box at long range. On, the few occasions that Wells did get away he showed (hat he was a good boxer, lie, scored several nice points with his left, but they did no real damage , .Beckett, on the oilier hand, was worrying "Wells with his body blows. It was not attractive to watab, but it' wns effective.

Tho fifth- and last round began with Wells reaching and shaking Beckett with a strong left. Wells followed up this advantage, and for the first time during the fight appeared at his best. . There wis on all sides a. murmur of approval, of hope, but if lasted for.only a moment. Beckett did well in some in-lighting, and shook Wells very heavily. They broke away,' and .Beckett, with his opponent weakened, sent him down with a right on the jaw. Wells rose, but was obviously beaten, and was sent down again and counted nut. ; So ended a disappointing fight. With the sky for a canopy, and the flash of guns and bursting .shells, many a more interesting fight was fought, in the squares of'devastated villages in France in an improvised ring.