Cripps Beats McCalL

NZ Truth, Issue 64, 8 September 1906, Page 3

Cripps Beats McCalL

A Hard Dashing Fight.

Science Against- Strength.

Of all the battles- that have been; fought under the auspices of' thes 1 ' Olympic Club, that between Arthur? Cripps and Billy McCall at 4/he- Cyclop rama Building on Monday night was the cleanest and best. It was. a fight that was full of dash and go from the outset — an exposition of smartness, and skill against superior strength and weight, with dbgged determination and faiirhess on "both* sides. In the latter respect it was a contest that would have opened the' eyes of the wowsers who are continually declaiming the sport, for on more, than one occasion the big crowd present cheered the fine manliness: of bdt'hmen right lustily, and when McCail, missing -one of his hard drives for the body, went sprawling on 'to", the boards, to, be assisted to his feet again by Cripps, a shout went up that could have bten heard a mile away. Such ' : ;

-GRACIOUS LITTLE L&GT?: - do more 1 to elevate.t he tone of than : all ' tlie^ iiak-slingmg''imagitfa;biei' and m this ■instance even' hackees , 6f McCall had to % admit that a fairer fighter than Cripps never stepped into [.a-ring.

The night's diversion opened with a four-round bout between the two local: lads Bill Casey and Alf. Reed. A good lively mix-up ensued, wich. Casey always having a. 'bit "the best of' it, and eventually he got the verdict.

Then after an interval the real business of the evening was commenced "by Arthur Cripps entering the arena, attended by Bill SmiJ-h arid Monty Andrews. .McCall followed a moraent later, backed up- by Jimmy Russell and Bill S-quires, and the weights were .announced— McCall list 101 b, Cripgs list lift. „■'.) v \'■ ■ .

But as .their outside wrappings were discarded and the pair.sjtood up, the picture -of: health and muscular fitness, many of the : spectators -were inclined .to think McCall a good .deal heavier: than had been given out. He was certainly moulded on fuller lines, ; though m height arid reach there was not much m it. And m. whatever betting took place" 'before hostilities, commenced , the big fellow ' was ; f ay- ■• ■brite. '.•'■■ • ' :; '■ . : v" '"' -■■ ■ /■.■ ■• . Paddy Basto, the referee,- insisted on: a clean -break from all clinches,, and ■his orders welre observed vtb-:the-4et--ter. At ' ■•■'■■ ; ! ' ■,;- ■ ■"■ ■;• / „,'..'. THE FIRST GONGf ,\. it was seen that McCall meant- to lose nb 'fiiime. over the business. Swinging the right smartly for the^ body, he- jumped m straight away, but Gripps, as nimble on his legs as a cat, back-stepped, at the same timeshooting his right up smartly to "the* face. Twice again McCall tried the^ same bldw, but each time he took, the; uppercut, and tretired blinking. A rush followed, m which no harm was done, and the round ended 4n favor of Cripps. • At the next 'gong the same^ .tactics , were adopted, by , botih men. with very ' similar I'esiilts, McCall 's' hard drives for the body feeing repeatedly warded off, and repaid by a. stinging upper cut. Already it: was apparent that at, close rknge work, and despite his lighter weight, Cripps was far the better, boxer > He was inj and out again like lightning, never once out. of position, and always had his guard there. If hetseemed'not to hit hard, McCall's left eye, m, the third, round, was telling a different tale, and at this stage a heavy swing with the right for the big fellow's point only missed by a kairsbreadtlK It was the hardest 'blow that Cripps had attempted, and he was* fighting so confidently that the betting veered round to "even money Cripps." A

few of his supporters seemed to think he was fighting too confidently, ,this on account of his

•FAILURE TO "JUMP IN on several occasions, when he certainly could have done so ; without breaking the ring rules. ' \ ' A smart rattle m, round 4- saw honors easy, but walking to his corner Bill McCall rubbed his left. eye affectionately, v and knew better than the -bystanders that the game was not all it's cracked up to be. Behind him, Bill Squires wore an anxious look, .as* he glanced across at Cripps, as yet unmarked, and. with enough spare wind m- his sails to exchange a few words with Mike Williams, whom he^ fought m South Africa. Whatever,, there was m rounds 5 and 6 was still m favor of Cripps, but the next session opened with McCall putting m his best work of the fight, though be- • fore the »out ended Cripps had planted two hard stabs on the face, and showed nothing, m return bar a^tricklihg, spot on his right cheek-bone. i. Once more it was give and take m round 8, but at the next stage Cripps led -always, and bar a clean knockout, seemed to have, the fight- won. In round 10. the pace quickened. McCall swung heavily for the body, and got* there. He took a hard chop m the, face back with him,' 'but came *f or more, and got it. This was the Jtar--dest round of the fight, and. it came* to an end amid wild cheering. Me--Call's pet optic was, now next ,to use-:

less, but a ' . GLUTTON FOR PUNISHMENT he was always, and holding the small' end of the stick, as he did by, this time, the crowd appreciated his feame- 1 ness. At the next gong it was apparent that McCall was tiring. His rally m the previous .round had taken all the fire out. of him. His Wows now lacked force ; his nose bled freely ; he was fighting with one eye— still gamely, but practically at the mercy of the lighter man. Naturally the round belonged all through to Cripps, who was stiir little the worse for wear.

In round, 12, Cripps drove for the face repeatedly, and every blow m that region told its tale;- It was much the same -m, the next round; with Cripps warding oR everything that came his way, and planting his' harmless-looking jolts on the old familiar spot. McCall. v for a few moments, -livened up somewhat m round 14, driving home two or three body blows, which were repaid with interest. In the fifteenth round Cripps was still having; all the best of it, and it was now only,

j 'X QUESTION OR TIME as to how much longer McCall .was likely. <to stay. He. came up weary and; worried-looking at the next gong,,and Cripps, after stabbing hinutwice, stepped back a pace, and spoke to the referee. "It's a shame to hit him," said Cripps, a remark that was not witbjin earshot •of the majority of the spectators, but which was only characteristic of the fairness with which ,-Cripps had been fighting all through. A few more blows' sufficed, and then. Basto, stepping m between the men, ordered the contest to cease, at the same time declaring Cripps the win- •■ ner.

There could be no doubt at all about the correctness of the decision, and as the combatants shook hands heartily, neither with a grudge to the other, the applause of the crowd 'told they had had their moneys worth. It was a clean, honest fight, at every part of it, well won, and equally well lost • and although there may be just a suspicion that McCall is not the man now he once was, Cripps certainly gave the best showing he has yet given m Melbourne 5 ..