THE FIGHT

Hokitika Guardian, 28 July 1928, Page 3

THE FIGHT

A NEW TUNNEY. HEENEY “CUT TO PIECES.’’ Australian Press Assn.—United Service NEW YORK, July 2G. It was a new Tunncy that defeated Heenoy to-night at the Yankee Stadium, New York, and on© that had developed a skilled instinct that the critics had said he never possessed. Tunney scored a technical knockout over Heeney, which would undoubtedly have been an actual one if the reforoe had permitted the fight to continue. The plucky challenger was almost cut to pieces by the terrific mauling which the champion gave him, but Heeney put up as game a fight as ever has been seen in this country, and he refused to give in until he was officially compelled to do so. Gene Tunney was a very different man to the one who defeated Jack Dempsey by a decision, and was far more dangerous than he had ever previously proved himself to be. It was easily the greatest fight of Tunney’s career, and his victory was scored over an opponent who was well worth his steel. Although the champion held a wido lead on points, he did not bring the figt to a head until the tenth round, when he hooked and jabbed the challenger’s body, and ripped terrific blows to the head. Tunney sent Tom to the floor just before the end of the tenth round, and it was evident that ,he never would have risen in time had not the hell saved him. He appeared to lie unable to leave the canvas when his seconds rushed out and dragged him to his corner, and it was with the greatest difficulty' that they roused him sufficiently to continue in the 11th round; Tunney’s second was then urging him to go in and finish Heeney immediately. The referee appeared almost to have decided not to let the bout Start in ' the 11th. round, but, after ’consulting the judges he permitted the challenger to make one more effort. Curiously enough, Heeney appeared to be fully revived as he began the 11th. round, but after very little more fighting, it was obviously impossible for him to continue, and the referee took the only course open to him - . Throughout the bout, and especially towards the end, the crowd applauded Heeney most generously for his courage. I

THE REFEREE AND JUDGES. Eddy Forbes, a local newspaper man, was officially announced as the referee with Tom Flynn and Charles Mathison, of New York, as the judges, both of them being veterans. 'V.,' A battery of photographers stormed inside the ropes just before the main bout to take the picture. Tex Rickard announced that twentyfive thousand dollars had been taken at the gate after nine o’clock that night. Tom Heeney was the first to enter tfie ring, which ho did at 9.41 p.m. " wearing a Maori shawl, coloured, black and white, which is the strangest garment that has ever been worn in any ring by a prize fighter. „ Gene Tunney walked through the crowd with his head ,bowed but speaking to those whom he recognised. He entered the ring at 9.44 o’clock. Tunney wore a blue robe, trimmed with red and with the insignia of the U..S.A. Marines on the hack of it. At the champion entered the ring the cheers lasted for over two- minutes. The crowd gave Heeney even a bigger cheering than they gave the champion. DEMPSEY OVATIQNED. s* Jack Dempsey received, the greatest ovation of any of those who entered kf the ring. Dempsey later crawled into 1 the front row press seats and there produced a pencil and pad to report the fight. FIRST ROUND EVEN. As round ono began Heeney took a hard right on the chin. Then ho landed ft stiff right. The challenger • rushed Tunney to a corner and there i landed two blows to the body. Tunney ' now opened up with both fists to the head, -but Heeney kept boring in. The champion shot his right to the jaw, while Heeney also landed his right. They clinched. Then they stood toe to toe trading blows to the head on even terms. Tunney landed a left to the body and a right to the jaw. Tunney next landed his left on the body, hut the champion took four punches to his head in return. Tunney jarred 2 Heeney with a straight right to the ' jaw. Heeney then landed both fists to the head, making the champion dance away. They were sparring in mid-ring at the hell.. The first round 'ended even.

ROUND TWO. „ They exchanged rights 'and then j clinched. Tunney, with his hack to the s ropes sent Heeney back on his heels with a left and a right to, the head. v Heeney, however, kept moving forward but in so doing ho was taking many .punches to the head. Tunney next landed a left to the head, followed by a right to the mouth, which opened a slight cut' on the challenger’s lip. Tunney now brought up a terrific left uppercut, but this did not stop ® the game challenger, who returned blow,for blow. It was Tunncy’s-round. ROUND THREE. I Tunney landed a right to the jaw and they clinched. Heeney landed a light left, while Tunney put a hard right to the jaw. Heeney jarred Tunney with a right to the face, and the < champion hacked away. Tunney now i began to rely on his left to the jaw. and he, [backed away from Heeney, al- ’ most to,a. run. Heeney almost floored j Tunney , with a left to the jaw, and < Tunney had to dance away. Heeney, i however, again reached Tunney with a right to the jaw. Tunney drew blood ; from Heeney’s nose with his left jabs. Heeney pnt in a terrific left to the body. The contestants then wlere punching each other about the head at the bell. This was Heeney’s round. FOURTH ROUND. Both started cautiously. Heeney landed a right and left to the face, taking a left to the body in return. Tunney then sent a left jab to the chin opening a small cut under tlie challenger’s chin. Heeney landed one or two punches on Tunney’s bead, but Tunney landed a hard right to the jaw, making the challenger clinch. Tunney next put a hard right to the body, and then n hard left. Heeney thereupon rushed the champion, making him back away. The challenger was bleeding from the nose, and from a cut under the chin, but he was fighting viciously. Heeney next drove Tunney to the ropes with a flurry of body punches and the challenger was fighting him hard at the l>ell. Heeney’s face was covered with blood rwent to his corner. It was Tunney’s round. ROUND FIVE, v Blood streamed from Heeney’s nose as he came out for the fifth round. Tunney landed two light lefts to the head. ' Heeney, who always was moving forward, landed half a dozen punches to the head and hotly. Tunney retaliated by shooting hard rights to the chin, and clinched, and came out of it very slowly. Tunney the staggered Tom with a hard right *' the body. Heeney, however, sent his left to the body, and then he landed a long left to the ear. Tunney mi**-' with both hands, and the challenger landed a right to the chin. Tunney Heeney ytyh ft left WM

right to the body, but Tom rose without any count. The challenger, however, appeared to be in a bad way, but ho was still fighting viciously. Heeney landed a right at the bell. This was again Tunney’s round. ROUND SIX. Heeney grazed Tunney’s body with a right. The champion landed a right under Heneey’s heart, and the latter replied with a right to the bend. They exchanged blows to the head, and clinched. Heeney landed a hard left to the body and Tunney backed off. Tunney next landed lefts and rights to the body. Heeney backed the champion to the ropes and took a left to the body and a right to the head as the result. Tunney now jabbed Heeney’s head with both fists continually, cutting the challenger up badly. Heeney landed a right to the body. The Now Zealander appeared to be slightly groggy as he missed with a left aimed to the chin. Tunney shook Tom with a hard left to the jaw. The chammon was fighting a superb battle and was wearing the challenger down. This was also Tunney’s round. ROUND SEVEN. They sparred for an opening. Tunney landed his right to the body and then two lefts to the head. The champion next dug his right glove deep inrti Heoney’s body. Heeney landed a sharp left to the head.- Tunney jarred Ton' with a left to the face. Tunney then had the better of an exchange at -.lose quarters. Heeney landed a left fo the body. They then clinched. Tunney placed a right to the body. Then in a furious exchange, Heeney landed two blows to Tunney’s one, forcing the latter to retreat. Tunney placed a left to the face. The crowd elueiv.'i as Heeney landed a hard left to th? face. They were sparring at the bell Heeney won this round. ROUND EIGHT. In the ’eighth round, Tunney met Heeney with a right to the body as no challenger bored in. Heeney was now blinking his left eye, and backing from the champion, who pursued him. Heen.ey wiped his eye with his glove but he was unable to clear it. He was now unable to see out of liis eye. This was the first timo that Heeney had backed away, which, obviously, was owing to his restricted sight. Tunm.y jarred Tom with a two-fisted attack on the face; 'Heeney had a vision of the champion then and he landed a left jab to the face. Despite his blind eye, Heeney stood toe to toe, exchanging punches. 'l'unney drove botli his fists to the head and he had Heeney groggy at the bell. ROUND NIKE. Starting round nine, Tunney landed his two fists to the body and then a one-two punch to the head, followed by a straight left to the face. Heeney still bled from the nose. Tunney sent Heeney back on his heels with both hands to the body. Then they exchanged punches to the head at long range. Tunney opened a deep gash over Heeney’s left eye. The blood poured down Tom’s face, but he refused to stop boring in. Tunney jabbed the challenger with left and right to the head. Heeney sent over a terrific right as they came out of a clinch. Tunney then scored with a straight left. The champion finally sent both fists to the body. It was round.. ' ROUND TEN. Round ten saw Tunney send his right to the body. They then clinched. Tunney next scored with two rights to the head and three rights to the face. Heeney’s face was now a gory mess, and his left eye was almost closed. Tom put in a hard left to the body, The challenger was spitting blood but ho never took any backward steps. Tunney landed three left jabs to the body. Heeney then landed his left to the chin and sent his right to Tunney’s jaw. Heeney rested his head on the champion’s shoulder and landed lightly to the 'body. Tunney drove a hard right to the stomach and then a series of hard lefts and rights to the head. Heeney was now taking a had battering, but he refused to back. Tunney then floored Heeney with a right to the jaw. At the bell the challenger’s seconds picked him up and half carried him to his corner. The bell apparently saved Heeney, whose seconds worked over him to bring him to. It was Tunnev’s round. REFEREE STOPS THE FIGHT.

For round eleven Heeney came out groggy. Tunney staggered him with lefts and rights to the head. Heeney was now in a bad way, being almost ready to topple over. Tunney, however, fought cautiously, driving both fists to the head. With a left the champion almost floored Heeney, and sent a left to the jaw which knocked Tom’s mouthpiece out. Tunney put everything he had behind his punches. Heeney, however, while fighting blindly, landed a hard right to the jaw. Tunney staggered Heeney ,with lefts and rights to the head. 'Then, with Heeney absolutely groggy, the referee stopped the bout, and Gene Tunney retained his title as champion of the world.

PRIME MINISTER’S MESSAGE. WELLINGTON, July 27. The following cable was sent by the Prime Minister this afternoon : “ Tom Heeney, New York: We are all very sorry success did not come your waj. However, you have the satisfaction of having put up a splendid fight agnins the champion. Kai Ora ! Coates, .Prime Minister.” NEW YORK CRITICS. NEW YORK, July 27. Among the comments by the sports experts on the fight are the follow--111 James Dawson, of the “New York Times” says:-“Gene Tunney came into his own last night. Fighting in defence of his world’s heavy-weight title, for the first time in his home town the first heavy-weight ring monarch that New York lias known, hammered Tom Heeney, the Nev Zealander, into submission m eleven rounds of tlie scheduled fifteen round struggle at the Yankee Stadium. The plaudits of the crowd of about fort* thousand rang . warmly ur Tunney ■* ears in acknowledgement of the conquest scored with all the method and system of a highly-skilled workman. Dudlev Nicholls, in the “New Yoik World.”' says:—“Tunney proved Ins right to the heavy-weight title at the Yankee Stadium last night when Referee Forbes stopped the championship bout eight seconds before the end of the eleventh round, and led the wobbling New Zealander to Ins corner The referee’s action just prevented Tunney demonstrating some of; lus applied poetry The champion had sent six lefts straight to the blacksmith s face, which was gory with blood, and lie was half blinded.

tunney fought like a CHAMPION. NEW YORK, July 2<. In his comments, Air Nicholls continues: “Heeney, gamely pressingl » uphill fight, went to pieces in the ten round, which terminated with a li.i knock down just before the gong soundrf Cney fc.Kl.b Uko « <*».»•"• Ld his face and body were unmarked at the finish, except for splotches n blood which had fallen Heeney’s crimson face, hut Heeney won the crowd from the commencement when he bored in, grimly with his head lowered over his sho„g), deep chest.”

RICKARD A LOSER. NEW YORK, July 26. The newspapers are practicftUy hfiapi

mous in stating that Tex Rickard must have lost at least a quarter of a million dollars on the bout. It is generally agreed that the crowd did not exceed forty thousand, with the receipts estimated at 650,000 dollars gross; and as Rickard’s guarantees to the fighters alone amounted to 025,000 dollars, there is no room for doubt that he has met with the first big financial failure in his experience as a promoter.

POKED IN THE EYE. (Received this day at 8 a.m.) NEW YORK, July 26. In the dressing room, after the fight, Heeney said: “Tunney’s thumb stuck in my eye as we squared off in the eighth round'. T could see nothing by that eye from then on.” In his dressing room, Tunney paid a tribute to Heen.o.y’s rugged gameness, adding: “I made him fight my fight for me. The referee should have stopped the contest in the eighth round, when I paralysed Heeney’s optic- nervo with a hard right just above his eye.” Indignantly denying he poked a gloved thumb in Heeney’s eye, Tunney added that it was a hard clean right that started him blinking. PRAISE FOR HEENEY. (Received this day at 9.30 a.m.) NEW YORK, July 27. Heeney to-day is greater in defeat than before lie fought Tunney. It is not too much to say that his wonderful fighting heart and superb courage literally astounded the American people and nil newspapers ring with liis praises of which the following excerpts are typical:— “ At the end of the slaughter Tom Heeney still stood heads above the gamest man around here in many a day, and the man from far off Gisborne marched to defeat with his head bloody, but unbowed, and upheld the British tradition by facing his ioe to the last gasp.” “ Heeney’s refusal to make excuses, coupled with an honest tribute to Tunney, also endeared him to sportsmen and the general public here.” THE MEN’S ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Commenting on the fight Tunney said: “Heeney put up a wonderful fight. It was worthy of a challenger. I have nothing-hut admiration for his courage.” Heeney said: “Gene Tunney is a wonderful tighter. I am not satisfied with the light I put up in the fifth round, as a piece of eyelash turned back into my left eye mid 1 could not see. After the sixth round Gene T unnev beat me fair though, and he is a very, very clean tighter.” HEENEY’S THUMB BROKEN. LETTER TO PARENTS. GISBORNE, July 23. With considerable reluctance Hecney’s parents have been persuaded to release for publication a letter from Tom, which reveals that last month he sustained a badly broken thumb. The fact was suppressed by Heeney, because be was afraid Rickard would make it an excuse to replace hint in the title bo-ut. The letter, written on June 19th. states: “A few days ago I broke my thumb, and have not been able to train. I can’t let them know as they might get some one else. Tlie trouble is I don’t know how it will go when I start training, because the bone will be liable to break again. A doctor told me I had broken it before and it had not set right.” HEENEY’S PARENTS LISTEN TO BROADCAST. Heenoy’s parents listened to the broadcast description -by I)’Meant, sitting silent and motionless throughout, receiving- the verdict with a smile. Tom’s voice from the ringside was clearly distinguished. Mortimer’s message to them from Tom, through a microphone was most encouraging. Kin Ora coming though like a cheer. A subsequent message trom Tom by wireless stated : “Very sorry, unable- to win, but you folks at home will know I did my best. I have been defeatod, hut not hurt. Love to all.” Tom’s .parents had little comment to olfer on the result. “One of them had to lose,” said Mrs Heeney. “Wo would have liked him to win, hut he did his best and that’s all we could expect. We have every reason to he proud of him.”