BOXING SENSATION

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 379, 14 November 1932, Page 3

BOXING SENSATION

FIGHT INTERRUPTED HOSTILE SCENES DURING STRIBLIN G-FREEM AN BOUT. SAVAGE STRUGGLE. Sy^neY, Sunday. The most astonishing ending 1;o a fight that has been seen for many years at the Stadium_occuTrecf. in "Young" Stribling's hnal Sydney contest last night against Johnny Freeman, another American heavyweight. It was declared "on contest" at the conclusion of the eighth round. Amid a tempest of hooting the men fought on after the eighth round had ended with the bell. Stribling appeared to be the principal offender. Freeman, by butting upward at Stribling's chin, lost all chance of being declared the winner. The referee, A. D. Barling, was faced with the dilemma of both men fouling — for to fight deliberately after the bell is a foul, apart from the butting. The whole fight contained a series of objectionable incidents, spectators showing their disapproval. In the first round, the fight was nearly over when Stribling made Freeman's legs sag with a right to the chin. But despite his rushing and two-handed punching, he could not press his advantage. He held Freeman around the neck, and persistently hooked and jabbed. His holding and hitting became more obvious in the second round, and the crowd hooted wildly. _ Stribling was not having things all his own way, as was the case in previous! contests. The crowd's hostility was roused when Stribling leaned over Freeman's back and smiled contemptuously. Stribling received his first outright caution for holding and hitting in the fifth'. Occasionally he used the shamrock and swung a blow to the kidneys with the side of his glove. The declaiJation of "No contest" caused a scene that has seldom been equalled at the Stadium for intensity of public feeling. Hundreds waited outside until long after the fight was over. Barling said afterwards: "Both wers continuously committing breaches, and I had cautioned both, principally Stribling. I told them before th'e fight that they were not to hit after the breakaway, and neither observed it." Mr. H. D. Mclntosh: We will hold an inquiry into the matter. Freeman: I thought I would beat him, and I think he quit. I think I did all the fighting. He did all the fouling. "Pa" Stribling said: "It suits me," and Bill Stribling simply echoed that statement.