The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-12-03
LIVELY PRIZE FIGHT
.skID- LAvIGNE MEETS JOE WAL
COTr IN THE MAsPETH ARENA.
After Fifteen Fast and Furious
Mill to the Saginaw Pugilist.

MASPETH, l.. l., Dec. "A good-sized
crowd assembled at the Empire Athletic
Clubs arena tonight to witness the bout
between Joe Waleott,S the Boston colored
boy, and kid" Lavigne. the Saginaw lad.
In order OF secure man to meet Wall
colt, Tom O'Rourke agreed to get Joe
down to 133 pounds, and il Lavigne should
last fifteen rounds he was to be declared
the winner. ORourke said that the fact
of his man having to reduce to 13S pounds
would not lessen his chances of success,
and the betting tonight. was 100 to so on
walcott Sam Fitzpatrick, who trains La
vigne was equally confident of his mans
ability. to stand off the coiored lad and Sc
cure the purse. The sporting element seat
ed around the roped arena very rep
resentative one, all the principal cities in
the East being represented. John l.. Sulli-
van received the usual ovation when he
took seat in box at the ring side.
Tim Hurst acted as referee, and at $50
o'clock he announced that the preliminary
bout would be between Casper Leon, Of
New York, and Joe Elms, of Boston. The
boys had fought three hard rounds and a
part of the fourth. with honors in favor Of
Leon, when the referee stopped the fight
and awarded it tc the New Yorker The
decision was well received.
At $40 o'clock Walcott climbed through
the ropes, accompanied by Tom O'Rourke,
George Dixon and Joe Gideon, who were his
seconds. At 9:22 George (Kid') Lavigne
came on. He was seconded by Sam Fitz-
patrick, Ted Alexander and Tommy Ryan.
Announcer Harvey then stated Walcott de-
sired to challenge Tommy Ryan for fight
at future date, Ryan accepted the
challenge and a match will be arranged.
The men shook hands at $780,
In the first round honors were about even.
Towards the close OF the second they mixed
it up rapidly. and Walcott ripped both
cs s in was o0ds IN rRf
cheered when he punched Walcott straight
ming Of the fourth round Lavigne was a lit
eo s et right snd Fl ws settled ed
In mix-up Walcott slammed right and
left the body. In the next round Wal
colt sent his right straight on the wind.
jaw He followed with his right on wind.
Walcott sent his right in frequently on
5 joe head f back With LETT jab under the
Jaw They both then went slam-bang with
right and left on face, neck and body.
eye was closed up and walcott's forehead
was bleeding 80 ssl''l
body. and Iavisne kept going away for a
short time. but they soon got at each other
and Lavigne gave joe straight left on the
colts hands to the. floor. sLavigne put his
left on body and right on face; The round
ended in a c.inch, amid wild cheering;
| in the seventh, and the kid" sent his left
straight to the face. walcott slammed
right and left on body. Both landed straight
| left
| to the jaw and Walcott the left. Lavigne
swung his right on neck
| With the battle half over Lavigne was
| fresh and went up to his man in the eighth
! round. ana a lot of right and left-hand
| punches from each man was the result.
| he landed more frequently, and the round
| ended with Walcott fighting in Lavigne' s
corner. In the next Walcott started in
| the body. and Lavigne kept moving away.
| The Kid turned and swung his right. on
| Joes left ear. BY this time Lavigne's left
| ear was hanging off and his nose was
bleeding freely. At the end OF this round
Walcott was still jabbing right and left.
went og gh and he b e
| the face He fought the Kid all around
| the ring. banging with both hands i'm the
wind and upper-cutting with his left on
| though he was receiving terrible punish
ment Tom O'Rourke just then said: . Kid
is a wonderful boy and very game. He Is
! take
Both countered with left on face in the
waeos kept on dbhtns Lay NJ
the body. In the elinch Walcott smashed
| his right the. kids injured
spaed bursting oat on oa '9 face 0fao
vigne fought gamely.. and took his
medicine cheerfully sending back an occa-
next round Lavigne rushed Walcott to the
| ropes, being encouraged by the spectators
| Walcott still kept jabbing on the body as
| sent his left twice to Walcott's head and his
! right heavily on the neck. By this time the
| crowd was yelling to Lavigne and cheering
had the better OF this round
The kid" opened the thirteenth with his
left on Joes face and Walcott did his best
/ to cross over his right for a Knockout. He
| worked hard TO do the white boy. but La
| vigne was not TO be so easily disposed OF
and came back at him bravely determined
| TO last the two remaining rounds. Walcott
! put his left twice on the body at the OPEN
| ing of the fourteenth and Lavigne swung
his right splendhidlyy or on Joe,s head Wal,
| he missed Lavigne punched with his right
and left lively and fought Joe TO the ropes.
Then he s ros rang into the h5
got upon their seats and screamed like mad
men,. The sympathy OF the house was
clearly with the Western lad.
In the fifteenth and last round, after a
| few light exchanges, Lavigne swung his
| right on walcott's head. To every ones
| establishment, Lavigne did the greater part
OF the lighting and rushed the colored mar.
1 to the ropes, twice standing up to his work
! in wonderful shape. Although Tom
| O'Rourke shouted long and loud TO Walcott
to do his man, and Dixops cries of 60 in.
Joe. show himlr the old trick" Walcott
| could not get in on the Saginaw boxer
| sufficiently hard enough to stop him and
| the gong sounded, ending the fight The dir,
and tumult just then was deafening anc
| every one in the house wanted TO shake
| Layigne's hand. The referee awarded the
| fight to the Kidd according to agreement.