"20b Contest": The GREATEST FIGHTS EVER

[McGoorty]

This Thread is for the great fights only, feel free to add your own fights or discuss the one's I put up :-- My First Article. Round By Round Description.

AD WOLGAST Vs BATTLING NELSON :- Part ONE

New York Times. 23 Feb. 1910.;-ROUND ONE :- Nelson swung his left high on his head and a moment later planted a solid left to the face. They fought at close range at a fast clip. Wolgast stood with his back against the ropes and flayed the Battler with short arm jabs to the face. Nelson forced the fighting landing right and left on the jaw and face. Wolgast, maddened, fought back fiercely, landing several powerful whallops on the champions jaw and nose. It was an even round----------------------------------------------------ROUND TWO :- Nelson started the round with a left smash to the face, and forced his man to the ropes. Wolgast landed two powerful lefts to the face, and a right and left to the jaw at close range. Nelsons lip bled slightly, both exchanged rights and lefts to the face. A right swing by Nelson opened up a cut just under Wolgast's eye that bled slightly. Nelson took the fighting to his opponent, but was met by two hard lefts to the stomach and a right to the jaw. Wolgast had a shade better of the round. ----------------------------------------------- ROUND THREE :- Wolgast shot in three straight lefts to the face, Nelson rebuking him with a right swing fairly on the jaw. Wolgast smiled and they mixed it against the ropes. Nelson brought the blood from Wolgast's nose, crossing him with a vicious right. After some wrestling, Nelson forced his man against the ropes, but Wolgast covered up and smothered neatly. Nelson was doing the majority of the work, and both men slowed down considerably. EVEN ROUND. ------------------------------------------------------------------- ROUND FOUR :- Nelson piled on top of his man, and the Milwaukian fought back fiercely . Nelson staggered Wolgast with a left uppercut to the jaw followed by left and right swings to the body. Wolgast fought back gamely playing for the head and body. Nelson fought his antagonist against the ropes and tried to land a knockout punch, but Wolgast was too elusive. Wolgast landed twice with the right on the face, and then they fought at close range. Wolgast's right finding the stomach and his left landing on Nelson's jaw. Wolgast's eye was swollen as he took his seat. Both men bled from the nostrils at the close of the round, which was even. ---------------------- ROUND FIVE :- Nelson forced his man around the ring and delivered a telling hard right smash on the jaw, to which Wolgast responded in kind, lifting Nelson in the air. They went at it like a pair of bullterriers, and both men were cautioned for butting. The round ended with a furious exchande, it was Wolgast's round. ----------------------------------------------------------------- ROUND SIX :- Wolgast talked to his seconds as Nelson battered away at him. After Wolgast had landed two hard rights to the jaw and a left swing to the same place. Nelson closed in and an exchange of short arm rights and lefts to the head followed. Nelson swung a hard right to the jaw that the Battler then duplicated a moment later. Wolgast backed into his own corner and scored on the stomach with a tremendous that sent the crowd howling. A moment later he landed another one to the same place. The round closed with Wolgast taking the round. ---------------------------------------------------------- ROUND SEVEN :- Nelson appeared to have slowed down a bit. Wolgast swung two lefts to the face and a mid-ring battle followed, the men exchanging right and left swings to the face. Wolgast met the oncoming Battler with two uppercut lefts to the jaw and an instant later swung twice with rights to the face and left to the body, meanwhile covering up cleverly . Nelson sent Wolgast almost through the ropes with a left smash to the jaw. They mixed it in the centre of the ring. Wolgast bringing a fresh stream of blood from the champions face. As the bell rang, Nelson swung a hard right over the heart. The round was fairly even. ------------------------------------------- ROUND EIGHT :- Nelson rushed in, planting his right fairly on Wolgast's jaw. He forced the pace, but was met with a right and a left to the face. Nelson never faltered however, and kept Wolgast constantly at work, covering. Nelson started the blood to flow from his man's nostrils as he chased his man across the ring, landing several times with rights and lefts to his face. Wolgast sought a haven against the ropes, with Nelson slugging away unceasingly. Wolgast looked tired at this stage of the contest, and his blows seemed to have lost some of their sting. The round closed with Nelson enioying a good lead. ---------------------------------------------------------------- ROUND NINE :- Wolgast broke ground before the Battler, ever and anon trying to reach Nelson with a right and a left to the face. Finally they mixed it, fighting at a furious clip, each landing on face, and jaw. One mix was a repetition of the other, Nelson forcing his man back and Wolgast trying to stop the pace leader. Wolgast uppercut his jaw with his left, and a moment later cut open Nelsons right ear with a right swing. Nelson danced to his corner with the blood streaming from his injured ear, despite this, Nelson shaded the round. -------------------------------------------------------------------- ROUND TEN :- Nelson forced the pace, constantly backing his opponent up against the ropes. Wolgast, in a corner got back fiercely, but the champion was not to be stopped. Time and again Wolgast landed, but Nelson never faltered. Wolgast peppered Nelsons face with left and right, and finally crossed with a terrific left to the jaw. Nelson never winced, all the time compelling Wolgast to step back against the ropes. Nelson again danced to his corner at the end of the round. Nelson's round. ------------

Excuse me while I catch my breath !!!

[McGoorty]

AD WOLGAST Vs BATTLING NELSON :- Part 2

ROUND ELEVEN :- Wolgast outboxed the champion but could not make him break ground/ Nelson mercilessly waded in, unmindful of the constant tatoo that Wolgast beat against his face and jaw with short arm hooks and jolts. Wolgast swung right and left to the jaw. The bell ended the round with Ad hammering away at Nelson's jaw and face, landing almost at will. Nelson's face was a mask of blood as he took his seat with the round honours going to Wolgast. ----------------------------------------------- ROUND TWELVE :- Wolgast was cautioned to let go by the referee. Nelson forced the pace as usual, Wolgast meeting him with several hard left swings to the jaw. Nelson was apparently trying to wear the Milwaukian out, but meanwhile he received fearful punishment. wolgast flaying with right and left with almost pendulum precision. Wolgast seemed to gain confidence as the men roughed it head to head against the ropes. Wolgast never let up and again started the blood going with right and lefts... Wolgast has big round. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ROUND THIRTEEN :- As the men towed the mark, Nelsons lips were puffed and his mouth and eyes swollen, they mixed liked tigers, Wolgast landing repeatedly on the body and jaw, with Nelson fighting wildly and spitting blood. Wolgast literally cut Nelsons face to ribbons, but still the Dane came on for more. Nelson wrestled his man to the ropes, Wolgast covering up. There was a temporary lull in the battle, after which Wolgast swung left and right to the body. The worst beating has ever recieved said the old-time ring followers, as Nelsons seconds worked on his damaged face in the minute available between the rounds.... Wolgasts round. ---------------------------------------------------------------- ROUND FOURTEEN :- Wolgast looked much the fresher as the fighters came out. He flung his right hard at the face and followed up with his left and right to the body. Nelsons face was badly swollen, and Wolgast fighting fiercely taking the fight right to the Battler. Nelson almost forced Wolgast through the ropes and then assisted him to the centre of the ring. Wolgast smiled and shook the champions hand warmly. Wolgast then hooked his left in quick succession to the jaw and followed it by a straight left to the face, and the bell ended a rather stale round. ------------------------------------------------------- ROUND FIFTEEN :- Betting now at even money, they whaled away ineffectively at one another, both showing more caution than displayed in any previous round. Nelson then wrestled his man about the ring only to be rewarded by a left uppercut to his sore mouth. Nelson, outpointed badly, continued to force the pace, all the while the target for Wolgast's well timed swings. Nelson missed a terrific swing that was labelled knockout, and this taught Wolgast that he should be careful. It was another tame round. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ROUND SIXTEEN :- Wolgast swung several times over the kidneys and they roughed it, Nelson recieving the lions share of the punishment. Wolgast kept plugging away with rights and lefts to the jaw. Nelson never wavered but closed in, trading punch for punch, Nelson swung left and right to the body and forced his antagonist against the ropes, landing several times with right and left to the jaw. Nelson went to his seat dancing. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ROUND SEVENTEEN :- Wolgast backed away, Nelson throwing himself on him with great vim. Wolgast met the onslaught with right and left swings to the body. Nelson fought hard and never stopped. Finally, Wolgast swung a terrific right to the jaw and then shot in half a dozen right swings onto Nelsons sore ear. Nelson received a hard uppercut on the jaw, cauding the blood to flow afresh. The men fought hard every inch of the way. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ROUND EIGHTEEN :- "How do you feel", asked Nelson as the men came up.---- "As if I were punching a bag", was the quick rejoinder from Wolgast, with which, he waded in landing right and left on Nelson's sore mouth. Wolgast slipped to his knees in his own corner, but he was up in a jiffy, he covered up, as Nelson battered away at him but failed to land. Wolgast apparently staggered the champion, sending in several rights to the chin. Wolgast deliberately head butted and was quickly rebuked by referee Smith. The crowd hissed and the round ended without damage. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ROUND NINETEEN :- The men came out for the nineteenth round seemingly as fresh as in the first. Wolgast time and again jabbed his left to the face, Nelson fighting back fiercely, but ineffectively. They battled about the ring, Nelson all the time the agressor and never relenting and Wolgast slowly breaking ground and playing for the face and jaw with short arm jolts. Wolgast staggered the champion with a succession of rights to the jaw. There was no giving way with Nelson, and as the round ended hr tripped to his seat. One round was practically a repetition of the last. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ROUND TWENTY :- They slugged and roughed it from one end of the ring to the other-- it was the same old story, Nelson forcing, and Wolgasr retreating and peppering the champions badly swollen face. Wolgast planted his left with much force as the round ended... It was a relatively tame round.--------

Phew !!!,.. and we are only half way folks !!!!

[McGoorty]

AD WOLGAST Vs BATTLING NELSON :- Part 3

ROUND TWENTY ONE :- Nelson opened the round with a vicious straight right to the jaw and Wolgast sought refuge in a clinch. Nelson then planted left and rights to the jaw. And Wolgast almost backed up to the ropes. They milled it up to the centre of the ring without doing too much damage and then exchanged rights to the face. Wolgast swung a hard right to the jaw, Nelson countered with a right to Ad's jaw. The bell ended a round of tame milling. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ROUND TWENTY TWO :- Nelson staggered his antagonist with a clean right drive to the stomach. He followed his advantage, landing right and left with shots to the head and body. A right swing sent Wolgast to his haunches. He was up quickly but staggered across the ring. Wolgast stalled for half a minute and both swung fiercely at each other. Nelson tried with all his might for a knockout, but failed. Wolgast's seconds gave him whiskey at the break. It was all Nelsons round. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ROUND TWENTY THREE :- Nelson went right after his man and Wolgast fought on gamely. He swung twice to the Battler's jaw with his right and then a hard rally took place in mid-ring, both landing telling punches. Nelson appeared to be much the stronger of the two. He shot his left hand to the jaw, Wolgast retaliating with left swings to the jaw. Nelson tried for a knockout , but Wolgast covered up cleverly and closed in for a clinch. The round ended without serious damage. Wolgast was again given whiskey at the break. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ROUND TWENTY FOUR :- Wolgast came up fresher, Nelson forced him from one end of the ring to the other, Wolgast in the meantime swinging viciously to the jaw with right and left. Nelson only shook his head and then shot a hard right to the jaw and a left swing to the face. Wolgast hooked his right to the jaw, Nelson countering with a left hook to the body. Wolgast slowed up perceptibly and the crowd yelled "Fight", "FIGHT", "FIght". The round ended tamely. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ROUND TWENTY FIVE :- Nelson dropped his man among the ropes but his swings were badly directed. They exchanged savage lefts to the face and Nelson crossed his right to the jaw. Wolgast set his backers cheering by scoring thrice on the jaw with hard right swings. Soon after, he duplicated that performance, but Nelson never wavered. Wolgast appears to be tiring at this stage. The crowd let out a great cheer when they realised that Ad Wolgast had just gone twenty-five rounds. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ROUND TWENTY SIX :- They wrestled to the centre of the ring and refused to break. Then they battled head to head, Nelson almost closing Wolgast's right eye with a straight left. After some struggling at close quarters, Wolgast swung a great whallop to the Battlers face and the Battling one went to his corner spitting blood. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ROUND TWENTY SEVEN :- Wolgast changed his tactics at the start of this round, he rushed in close and took the fighting up to the Dane, fighting shoulder to shoulder, each landing on the face. Nelsons left eye was almost entirely closed by this stage. Wolgast clipped Nelson solidly on the jaw with his right, and the spectators cheered. Wolgast closed in and played for the body, but his efforts were blocked and Nelson broke it up with a stinging right to Wolgasts face.... Wolgasts round. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ROUND TWENTY EIGHT :- Nelson came up with a badly swollen left cheek They fought at a hot pace, locked in each others embrace, and were cautioned to break. Breaking, Wolgast swung twice with right to Nelson's sore face, and at close range swung left and right for the mouth, starting blood. They slowed up considerably, and frequently fought to a clinch. Nelson went to his corner on a trot. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ROUND TWENTY NINE :- Wokgast rushed, jabbing Nelson with one arm, and fought to land on the body with the other. he finally landed several swings over the kidneys and twice shot his left to the face. Nelson unhooked a left that caught Wolgast over the heart and the latter winced and groaned. Nelson caught his man straight on the jaw as they rushed to close quarters, and then followed a succession of clinches. Breaking they exchanged terrific left swings to the jaw and then fought to another clinch, in which position they ended the round. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ROUND THIRTY :- As the men came up for this round, Nelsons left eye was completely closed. The men roughed it, Nelson hitting rather low. The crowd yelled it's disapproval. At close quarters, Wolgast drove left and rights repeatedly to the stomach and Nelson covered up. Nelson then sent a terrific right to the jaw and missed two similar blows. Wolgast swung a right to the jaw and the champion broke ground for an instant. Nelson then ended the round with a right smash to the chin. ----

The BLOODY END of the FIGHT..... Soon !!!

[McGoorty]

AD WOLGAST Vs BATTLING NELSON :- Part 4

ROUND THIRTY-ONE :- Nelsom trotted to the centre of the ring and Wolgast landed several short arm jolts to the stomach. Following that with a right swing to the chin. Nelson fought more carefully, Wolgast swung a hard right to the sore cheek, after which both rested in a clinch. Breaking, Wolgast swung twice with his right on the jaw and danced away as the Dane rushed after him. Wolgast had the advantage of the round. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ROUND THIRTY-TWO :- The round started slowly, and immediately closed in, volleying at each others stomach, with Wolgast landing frequently. Suddenly Wolgast swung with his right, catching Nelson flush on the mouth, and a stream of blood followed. Nelson presented a gory picture as the blood covered him from head to foot. The round ended in Wolgast's favour. He no longer failed to mix it with the champion and appeared to gain in confidence as the fight progressed. --------------------------------------------------------------------- ROUND THIRTY-THREE :- In a clinch, Wolgast drove three rights to the stomach and with his left he peppered away at Nelsons damaged eye. Wolgast then swung two rights to the same place and Nelson was half-blinded, his blows were wild, and he found it difficult to locate the Milwaukee lad. They mixed it and Wolgast landed two hard rights full tilt to the stomach and Nelson clinched. Nelson could see with one eye only, the other being out of commission. It was all Wolgasts round. Nelson's efforts to land were feeble. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ROUND THIRTY-FOUR :- Both came up quickly and had to be pried from a clinch. Bets were offered at even at this stage, with no Nelson money in sight. Wolgast peppered the Battler's sore face, and varied this with right and left short arm rips to the stomach. Nelson seemed to have lost all his vim, and seldom made any determined effort to land. The men closed in and Wolgast and started blood spouting from the champions mouth, with two well directed jolts.... Wolgasts round. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ROUND THIRTY-FIVE :- Nelson was a sight as he came to the centre of the ring. All life seemed to have gone out of him, and although he tried to force matters all his efforts were needed to defend Wolgast's blows. Wolgast started, his arms swinging in a whirlwind fashion, landing without return on the Dane's stomach. Wolgast staggered the champion with a tremendous left swing to the jaw, and Nelson seemed to be going to pieces gradually, Wolgast smashed a right and had the champion groggy from a succession of rights and lefts to the jaw. The bell rang in the nick of time, saving the champion from what looked like, certain defeat. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ROUND THIRTY-SIX :- Nelson came up weak, he waded in but could not see Wolgast, the latter danced around the champion like a jumping-jack, sending in punch after punch. Nelson almost tottered into a clinch but Wolgast fought warily and took no chances of the Battler's stalling. Wolgast played for the head and body alternately, but his blows were not strong enough for a knockout. Nelson almost fell into his chair at the end of the round. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ROUND THIRTY-SEVEN :- Wolgast took no chances, apparently fearing that the champion was feigning weakness. Wolgast jarred Nelson with three right crosses to the jaw and Nelson could hardly come back. They met in mid-ring with Nelson swinging like a babe and Wolgast landing with good clean punches. Nelsons ability to stem the tide was a wonderful exhibition. Wolgast almost sent Nelson through the ropes with a right smash to the jaw. Nelson tottered about the ring helpless and Wolgast sent in smash after smash as the gong rang, saving Nelson from a knockout. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ROUND THIRTY-EIGHT :- Nelson was a pitiful sight as he staggered to the centre of the ring. Wolgast appeared in no hurry to complete his work. Robinson at this stage tried to throw in the sponge, but the other Nelson seconds grabbed the sponge and threw it back into the bucket. Nelson to all intents and purposes was a beaten man and it required all his senses to stave off or prolong inevitable defeat. Both men were covered from head to foot with the champions blood and the arena soon became a shambles. Wolgast peppered away at the disintegrating champion, the crowd yelling itself hoarse for the Milwaukee Man to end the agony. their cries were mingled with pity for Nelson, betting two to one in favour of Wolgast. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ROUND THIRTY-NINE :- Wolgast seemed loath to put in the finishing touch, he jabbed incessantly at the Battlers anatomy, and again the blood flowed in a stream. Nelson tried to make a last rally, but it was only for a fleeting moment, and he again quickly subsided and scarcely could hold his hands up. Wolgast almost sent Nelson to the floor, landing blow after blow on the defenceless champion's face. Ring followers said that never had they seen such an exhibition of gameness as displayed by Nelson. Referee Smith said he would stop the fight in the next round if Nelsons seconds would not. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ROUND FOURTY :- Wolgast backed away, looking for a final shot, he smashed the beaten champion on the jaw with a right, putting all his final strength into the blow. Nelson tottered on the point of collapse when referee Eddie Smith stopped the fight and awarded the fight and the title to Ad Wolgast. Nelson tried to shake the hand of his conqueror, but was so weak he was nearly dragged to his corner.

AD WOLGAST :- Winner by T.K.O. 40.

O.K. Your ratings for this fight. COMMENTS PLEASE !!

[StarshipTrooper]

Good stuff! :cool9:

[IronDanHamza]

Great read McGoorty.

I enjoyed that thoroughly.

[McGoorty]

Harry Greb Vs Gene Tunney I

HARRY GREB Vs GENE TUNNEY I

A short report from the Providence News, 24th May 1922 :-New York, May 23rd. :- Harry Greb, Pittsburgh Bearcat, and master of landing a dozen blows to his opponents one, defeated Gene Tunney, of Greenwich village, in a furious 15 round encounter in Madison Square Garden last night, and thereby won the American Light-Heavyweight Championship and the right to fight Georges Carpentier for the World Light-Heavyweight Title. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Garden was packed to the rafters and some 13000 wild-eyed fans paid$58,914.12 to see the title change hands. In addition to handing Tunney a far tougher lacing than in his fight with Tommy Gibbons a few weeks ago, greb conceded the champion a weight deficit of 12 pounds, the weights were Tunney 174 and a half and Greb 163 and a quarter. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Greb came out of the unscathed, his hair was barely mussed. Gene Tunney was a weird and gruesome spectacle. Ragged gashes poured a crimson flow from over each eye, his lips were swollen, and his nose was battered. He fought gamely enough, and he had the crowd with him, but he was no more of a match for the revolving tornado of Pittsburgh than was Tommy Gibbons. Greb maintained a terrific pace throughout the 15 rounds and from first to last he smothered all of Tunneys offensive efforts with a deluge of blows. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It was a hurricane of gloves that met Tunney last night, it was the storm that bewildered him. In two of the rounds, the 7th and the 11th Tunney managed to draw even. He was unable to reach Grebs face with either hand and gradually gave up on that direction and concentrated on the Bearcats body.

HARRY GREB Wins By Unanimous Decision

[McGoorty]

HARRY GREB Vs GENE TUNNEY I

A short report from the Providence News, 24th May 1922 :-New York, May 23rd. :- Harry Greb, Pittsburgh Bearcat, and master of landing a dozen blows to his opponents one, defeated Gene Tunney, of Greenwich village, in a furious 15 round encounter in Madison Square Garden last night, and thereby won the American Light-Heavyweight Championship and the right to fight Georges Carpentier for the World Light-Heavyweight Title. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Garden was packed to the rafters and some 13000 wild-eyed fans paid$58,914.12 to see the title change hands. In addition to handing Tunney a far tougher lacing than in his fight with Tommy Gibbons a few weeks ago, greb conceded the champion a weight deficit of 12 pounds, the weights were Tunney 174 and a half and Greb 163 and a quarter. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Greb came out of the unscathed, his hair was barely mussed. Gene Tunney was a weird and gruesome spectacle. Ragged gashes poured a crimson flow from over each eye, his lips were swollen, and his nose was battered. He fought gamely enough, and he had the crowd with him, but he was no more of a match for the revolving tornado of Pittsburgh than was Tommy Gibbons. Greb maintained a terrific pace throughout the 15 rounds and from first to last he smothered all of Tunneys offensive efforts with a deluge of blows. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It was a hurricane of gloves that met Tunney last night, it was the storm that bewildered him. In two of the rounds, the 7th and the 11th Tunney managed to draw even. He was unable to reach Grebs face with either hand and gradually gave up on that direction and concentrated on the Bearcats body.

HARRY GREB Wins By Unanimous Decision

Did you like Greb V Tunney I ???? Any takers for Zale V Graziano I. Next ????

[McGoorty]

Did you like Greb V Tunney I ???? Any takers for Zale V Graziano I. Next ????

Or how about Sam Langford Vs Young Peter Jackson.... (they fought more than once.. so there's some leeway there.)......

[McGoorty]

TONY ZALE Vs ROCKY GRAZIANO I - 1946

OK - No Requests ,... so from :- "The Montreal Gazette", -------------------------- 28 September 1946

ZALE Vs GRAZIANO I

Large Stadium Crowd See's unusual "BLOOD & THUNDER BRAWL" :--- By Sid FEDER : Yankee Stadium, New York, 27 Sept. Tony ZALE, every inch a champion, came back from the verge of a knockout tonight, to flatten the mighty punching Rocky GRAZIANO, in the sixth round of a "Blood and Thunder Brawl", and retain his World Middleweight Championship, Zale weighed 160 and Graziano 154. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Floored once himself, his face bloody as the dynamiter from New York's lower east side turned loose his "Rock-a-Bye" punch, the one time Indiana Steel Mill hand caught up with the challenger in the mid-way of the sixth round to drop him with a lightning left hand and put him away for keeps at 1 minute and 43 seconds in the sixth session of their scheduled 15 rounder. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- It was the second knockdown for Rocky the Rock, in as vicious and bloody a brawl that has been seen in any ring. But this second time, apparently softened up by the body bombs that are Tony's speciality he couldn't make it to his feet again. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- He sat on the ring canvas, holding on to the ropes, as referee Ruby Goldstein, himself a classy Welterweight of a bygone era, counted the full ten, to leave the 160 pound crown on Tony's head in his first defence as champion. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The crowd of 39,827, one of the greatest crowds ever to see two battlers other than Heavyweights fight it out. were on hand for the proceedings and contributed to a gross gate of $342,497. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The finish was as startling as it was definite and final and one of the greatest crowds to see two little men in action roared for 10 minutes in shock surprise at the suddeness of the end. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WILL HE COME OUT !!! ... Up until that point, through three of the last four completed rounds. Graziano had given Tony so fierce a going over with his right hand. That when the fifth round ended, some ringsiders were even wondering whether the champion could even come out for the sixth, but out he came, bleeding from his mouth, his face a smear, and Rocky came back in again, then suddenly, Tony caught Rocky against the ropes with two of those "Tummy Torpedoe", specials of his. The Rock covered up, came half way across the ring. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Zale was after him now, he lashed out with a straight left, that straightened up the young knocker-outer who had been installed as a 11 to 5 favourite in the ringside betting. A right hand put Rocky back on his heels. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Then came the crusher, a hard, crunching left hook shot out, and there was Rocky on the deck. Through "Seven" and "Eight" it appeared as though he could pull himself up to his feet. But he couldn't, two seconds after the "Ten" though, he got up and apparently not realising that his shot at the title was over, Rocky came charging and flailing across the ring until the referee grabbed him. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- It was an astonishing pay-off to a fight that was one series of hair-raisers from beginning to end. Graziano was on the deck in the first heat, Zale was down in the second and was still there when the bell had sounded to end the second.

I Wish I was there for that one. WHAT A FIGHT !!!!!!