A STIRRING BATTLE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLV, Issue 4007, 13 August 1915, Page 7

A STIRRING BATTLE.

WORLD’S MIDDLEWEIGIIT CHAMPIONSHIP

AUSTRALIAN TRIUMPHS OVER AMERICAN.

LES DARCY BEATS MCGOORTY SOUNDLY.

The following clever summary of the fight for the middleweight championship of the world between Les. Darcy, of Australia, tho holder, and Eddio McGoorty, of America, challenger, -which was fought at the Stadium, Sydney, on July 31 , and decisively won by the Australian, i»_ given by "Solar- Plexus” in the "Sydney Referee” : THE BATTLE IN TABLOID.

They start —both are careful, and Darcy’s eyes fix resolutely on his man. Ho is not rushing in like the tornado lie had been against JefF Smith and Mick King. He recognises that until he has sampled it the migJit of the McGoorty punch must be evaded or minimised. Both show defensive art of a high order for a full minute. Both are feeling their way. Tnon McGoorty swings the left and cleaves the air inches above .Darcy’s ducking head. He swings again and again it is ducked. The crowd applaud the boy, who is quick into the opening and rattles left and right to the face. Those short lefts hurt.

The American tries the swing, but it is evaded. The boy is too quick. The crowd has noticed one tiling new in the boxing of the famous American. Ho has caught it hard on the mouth from Darcy’s lclt at short range, and now backs round the ring a good deal. This backing of the mighty hitter looks novel, for he usually has his antagonist doing that. in close they work, and the Australian is the. aggressor ; his arms get inside McGoorty’s and cut off the latter’s attempts at punching, while now and then he himself whips the right to the chin or ribs. MeGoortv got- one good left to the body, but it did not stop Darcy. DARCY HAS Mt-GOORTY’S MEASURE.

The round ends, the crowd, tense with feeling, is relieved by its cheers. Darcy walks back to his corner coolly and confidently, and the crowd at once feels that the boy is tho American’s match in strength, his master in boxing. But what of the power of the punch! In the second round Darcy cut McGoorty '.s mouth wit-li the left that hurt, and followed with a slashing right to the jaw. McGoorty kept backing, though now and tilt n lie fought- back fiercely with left and right for the body. But a superb defence- with the gloves and quickness of foot that a cat might envy toiled him.

Darcy made the pace and blood Unwed freely from the American’s mouth, for the vounger man was planting the blows quick as lightning, the snappy left getting there repeatedly. McGoorty’s face was being peppered, yet he let fly a few fierce hooks that did not connect, and got one good rigid home to the jaw. It must- have stung But the round was all Darcy’s, who was not marked, and looked as fresh as at the start, while McGoorty vas palpably punished. DARCY’S DEFENCE BAFFLING. The battle was grimly earnest. The American .found it- almost impossible to land one of his deadly blows on a vulnerable spot. As it- progressed, Darcy’s mastery became more and more established, and the American here and there seemed distressed Still he fought back most courageous-' ly,-and up to the fourteenth round made repeated efforts to plant a winning blow. But Darcy never grew careless, though he smiled a good deal—the smile of the happy boy. McGoorty. very much weakened, had lost any trace of smile playing on those cut and swollen lips, and was blowing hard from the tenth lound. In the twelfth, thirteenth and fourteenth rounds McGoorty fought with all his strength and aggressiveness immediately he got to the ring centre, but in each case Darcy was prepaid , and the effort miicklv subsided, and the American relapsed into-the hunted D«rev’s right eyebrow had been cut- by a left book, but its effect- bad disappeared. If he was looking battered McGoorty fought buck grimly for the body with lefts and rights m the thirteenth and i our teen th rounds without doing any damage, the defence of Darc-y being too good. DARCY’S KEENNESS NEAR THE END.

The end came in the fUtoenth, the American being done to a turn, win c Da rev seemed as strong as thougn were*about to start the battle. Darcy was so eager to finish it when YU - Goortv first went down that the u 4« reo had to wave him off. His youth and keenness were there exemp 6h-• He turned round and walked am smi»ig, but promptly walked back attain. But when his adversai v "ci down a second and third time, he re cognised the spirit of the kent away. The end came with start ling calm, a bulk of the crowd apparently not suspecting how i Y distressed the American had been in the fourteenth ound. -NO EXCUSES TO OFFER.”

Though, beaten soundly, YlcGoorty fmurht grind v. But he has left an again at tho middleweight limit. H remained in his corner i' ol ■ el minutes after the end,, and latrt , scu reclining in his dressing lomn , re marked at once "I ha , vt ;. f J" ng whatever; lie is a wondei fully «iong b °Darcy demonstrated that he is a fighter of remarkable P T,gna ® ,^ 1 . hover of exceptional skill, 1 ~ . 1 craft correspondingly "stomshmg^j^ his' formidable opjonont ja* sajgjß