FIRST ROUND VICTORY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 January 1939, Page 5

FIRST ROUND VICTORY

HEAVYWEIGHT BOXING TITLE. LOUIS EASILY DISPOSES OF LEWIS. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. NEW YORK, January 25. It took Joe Louis (holder) only 25 seconds longer to dispose of John Henry Lewis (challenger) than when he beat Max Schmeling recently in a bout for the world heavyweight boxing title.

The champion, who is a close friend of Lewis, showed him no mercy. It was evident from the moment when he shuffled into the centre of the ring that he was determined to finish off his opponent with the greatest dispatch.

When Lewis twice sprang up from the canvas without taking advantage of the counts of nine in order to clear his head, it was evident that this veteran of 99 battles was punished beyond his capacity to think, and that the bout would be momentarily finished. Louis weighed 14st 411 b and Lewis 12st 1231 b. There were 18.000 spectators and the gate receipts amounted to £20,000.

Two hard rights to the jaw almost immediately after the opening of the fight prepared the way for its speedy end. Louis .was softening up Lewis with these murderous blows, and the third hard right to the nose knocked Lewis to the canvas.

He sprang up without the count, but once again Louis landed a right that spun his oponent about and, following the blow, he drove Lewis to the ropes, where the champion proceeded to finish off the aspirant to the crown with left and right smashes to the head. Lewis was sent sprawling to the floor, profusely bleeding from the mouth.

Ho was up at the count of two, but a barrage of hooks that culminated with an explosive right to the temple downed him for the third time, and the referee stopped the bout after a count of five in order to save Lewis excessive punishment.