A LIGHTNING FIGHT

Hokitika Guardian, 12 February 1920, Page 4

A LIGHTNING FIGHT

CARPENTIER’S GREAT VICTORY,

LONDON, Dec. 5.

With amazing swiftness the great boxing contest - between Beckett and ‘Carpentier at the Holborn Stadium in, (London last night, was all over in 53 seconds of boxing, or less than half a •round.

Then J. Recktett, the heavy-weight boxing champion of England, was counted out, knocked out by a tremendous right-handed punch on the jaw from Georges Carpentier, champion of •France and of Europe. It was indeed a lightning fight.

BECKETT’S MISTAKE.

TERRIFIC KNOCK-OUT BLOW. (By Berkeley, in Daily Mail). By my old stop watch which has stood me in good stead in many a gallant sporting encounter the great glove fight (for the heavy-weight championship of’ . Europe between Georges Carpentier and Joe Beckett began at 9.57 exactly ■and was over at 9,57.53. The moment .that Beckett was counted out was 9.58.3. It was 53 seconds of actual boxing. The blow which beat Beckett was a light smash to the jaw—a real, nail•lwmiiier blow which would have stopped an ox. The men manoeuvred half-way round the ring, when Carpentier mado a left lead for the stomach. To the consternation of everyone knowing anything about the game Beckett chopped it down with his left, thereby leaving the whole of his right side, exposed. Carpentier, who, whatever his other qualities, does, not lack quick; perception, saw his chance and took it. He would have been a baby had he ignored ;it. Like a flash he half-hooked, halfdrove the right at Beckett’s head. The clenched gloved fist connected at the •right spot. Beckett hung on to his .opponent for a second or so, while Mill. J. Angle, the referee," who acted from outside the ring, by the way, shouted “Break away.” Carpentier disentangled himself and Beckett drop-, ped to the floor, there to remain face downwards and squirming slightly until the timekeeper had pronounced the fatal word “Out.” THE HYPNOTIC FIST. It was a far more sensational and dramatic termination to a contest than that which saw the downfall of Bombardier Billy Wells when Carpentier beat him at the National Sporting Club in •73 seconds a few years ago. As I saw Beckett—as fine a specimen of welltrained English manhood as ever stepped into a ring topple to the canvas I began to wonder whether this young Frenchman had not got the hypnotic •eye. The hypnotic fist I admit. But really 'the blow by which Carpentier retained his European championship and thereby established for himself a ring record which surely can never bo surpassed—that is as a quick dcspntcher •of aspirants—was too simple for words. The veriest novice would not have taken it. It was easily avoidable; the counter to it would have been an extremely dangerous blow; Beckett’walked straight into the danger zone as if there were no such thing as Georges Carpentier in front of him, and he paid the penalty—a penalty which I hope ho will remember is national as well as personal. Although I had pinned my faith on jpeekott—and I have not yet lost it* entirely—l say straight out that there is no excuse-.whatever for him. What he did, or attempted to do, was simply stupid. He had by a long way the best of the handicap. He was superior in height, weight, reach, and condition, yet he gave his oponent a chauce which no novice would have offered. It may have been that ho was over-confident. He certainly did not appear to be nervous.

Whatever the reason, Joe Beckett let the boxing reputation of his country clown very badly last night. And when I write these words please understand that I am writing of a man, for whom, as an athlete as well as a man, I have the profoundest repect and admiration. Physically he is a great fellow, but the less said about his judgment last night the better.

There could be no mistake whatever about the effectiveness of the blow. Beckett did not leave the ring for at least three minutes after he bad been counted out, and even then he was dazed. He eould make no sort of response to the queries of his backers, the brothers Mortimer, or of his seconds. He smiled vacantly at them all, and even when be was introduced to the Prince of Wales he wore the same look, that was almost comical. I doubt not he will feel the effects of that punch for many a day to come. THE PRINCE AND CARPENTIER. Need I say that the scene at the finish was remarkable? The Frenchmen hoisted their man on their shoulders and carried him round the ring to deposit him in front of the Prince, who shook I him warmly by the hand and likewise waggled his programme at him as if to say: “You naughty-boy ! How dare you do it to our champion.” Meanwhile the crowd roared with excitement, rather than delight. Full measure of praise was accrded to the winner, hut there was a deep bass note of disappointment under the treble yells because the champion of England had-, as one Cockney cliap expressed it, “gone down to a foreigner in a couple of punches.” Carpentier cannot go back to Paris and say that ho had not a right royal reception. If there was an added touch of patriotic fervour in the cheer that greeted Beckett when he entered the ring, then who can blame the. lads who gnvo it? After all, blood is thicker than water, and surely we proved in tho war that, with us, country is the greatest tiling of all. But we still know bow to salute and appreciate a gallant foeman, and sporting England to-day may be depended upon to put a proper value on the wonderful boxing abilities of Georges Carpentier. CELEBRITIES EVERYWHERE. There is nothing, more to be said about the “fight.” One might slobber it with ink for a week and get nothing more out of it than I have written, beyond that it was probably the most expensive boxing match that lias ever been staged in this or any other country. I shall not attempt to describe the attendance or its constituents beyond that I think it put the greatest gala night I have ever seen at the National j Sporting Club well into the shade.

From my perch in the Press Gallery I could have counted celebrities by the hundred had I had the time to do so. There was even politicians and diplomats of another age among the spectators.

As to the organisation and management of the affair, I considered it an unsurpassed feat of showmanship. The welcome given to the Prince was more than cordial, and when he stood up in response to calls for a speech and said, “I thank you all for your very kind welcome; I am very glad to be back in London,” the rafters rang again. There was one little by-incident which I hasten to put on record. During a brief interval Major Louis Greig, Equerry to Prince Albert, introduced to the Prince Arthur Gutridge, who is now one of the regular seconds at the National Sporting Club, and who on this ocasion "was assisting Beckett. Guttridge was not only a first-rate boxer in his youth, but in his middle age ho did a very gallant deed in saving some young lives from fire. Therefore the honour dono him was more than pleasant to see. CARPENTIER KISSES DESGAMPS. Carpentier, wlio, when it was seen that lie had won, kissed M. Descamps, his manager ,rapturously in the ring—and incidentally, several ladies outside of it—returns to Paris to-morrow, so I am told He really never received a blow; as a matten of fact thero was no blow of any consequence delivered until the knock-out punch.