Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-05-03
STILL CHAMPION.
Lavigne Whips Connolly in
Il Rounds at New York.
Fight Fast and Furious for 10 Rounds
Then Connolly Weakens.
B ,:kcr Refuses 10 Allow Him to CONTINUE
-Lavigne Gets Decision.

| Lavigne of Saginaw, Mich, is stu the
HEAVYWEIGHT champion of the world. Fri
night. in the Broadway Athletic Club, be-
| fore 1000 people, he MOI and defeated Ed
die Connolly of st. John, N. b. Both
men weighed in this afternoon below
tie stipulated weight of 1873 pounds, and
| they were matched to box for % rounds
i to decide the worlds championship. The
battle was fast and furious. but at the
| erd of the 11th round Lavigne had CON
nelly fought to Il StandStill. after send
| irg him down five times in succession
with right swings on the head and Jaw
and he staggered into his corner at the
| end of the nth round. hopelessly beaten
Joe Choynski, who was Connolly ) prin-
| cipal handler. saw that the fight was
oSer so far as the Canadian was con-
c, rned, and would not permit Connolly
to subject himself to any more punish
ment. Referee Roche had no alternative
but to award the winning honors to La
vgne, which the Saginaw lay earned
cleverly.
I.avignes seconds were Sam Fitzpat-
rick. Benny Murphy, Jim Ryan and Tom
Tracy, while Connolly was handled by
Joe Choynski Jimmy Kelly, Dick Moore
ard Billy Smith
Iavignes victory over Dick Burge in
London. II months ago leaves him the
worlds championship. on January Is of
this year, Connolly met Burge in the
olympic Club. Birmingham. England
and after 10 rounds, the bout was decided
II draw.
i.avigne and Connolly entered the ring
at $50 and shook hands at 9.35.
Round 1-Connelly led off with left
lab on the face. Lavigne countered with
his left on the mouth. Connolly again
ia bbed on the face and both SPARED. La
vigne saw an opening and sent his left to
the face. Connolly countered with his
| of Tho face and crossed his right
the head. They exchanged lefts ON the
face and the Kid swung hard on the
head. Lavigne again led for wind and
landed lightly. Connolly sent hard
right to the head.
Round 2--Iavisne landed hard left
on the face. In close fighting. both sent
their right to the ribs. Lavigne landed
another left jab on the head, without
return. Connolly rushed his left on the
face and right on the ribs. Lavigne land
ed right swing on the ribs Lavigne
rushed. but Connolly met him with stiff
right punch on the ribs.
Round 3-Connelly opened with a right
on the ribs and Lavigne sent his left
across on the head. Connolly landed
hard right and an upper cut on the face
and in short-arm work LaVigne sent his
right and left to the head which made
Connolly stagger Lavigne rushed but
missed right swing, but landed a good
stiff left upper cut on the. face. Con-
nelly jabbed his left on the face and the
kid sent his right over the heart
| Close fighting followed, and Connolly
stumbled to the floor Lavigne jabbed
his left on the face and Connolly was
weak in getting away. Iavigne then
rushed him to the ropes, but Connolly
turned quickly and the gong found them
clnched.
Round 4-T.avigne sent a light left on
the chest and then swung Il hard one on
the same spot. avgne put a right on
the ribs and another on the kidneys.
Connolly jabbed his left on the face and
Lavigne sent two upper cuts to the face.
Connolly jabbed again on the face, and
in clinch both put hard rights on the
ribs. Lavigne landed another right on
the ribs and Eddie crossed his right on
the neck.
Round 5-Connelly swung his left ON the
head. and Lavigne clinehed. Connolly
upper-cut Lavigne several times with
his right on the face in the cling, and La
vigne placed short jabs on the ribs. Con-
nelly jabbed his left on the face again,
and in a clinch upper-cut Lavgne with
his right four times on the face Lavigne
in the clinches which followed sent sew
eral rights to the body. Connolly lodged
several of the champions swings very
cleverly. Lavigne led his right but
missed and Connolly crossed very
heavy right on the head Lavigne led
again with the left on the face, and Con-
nelly swung his left on his head Those
blows stunned Lavigne.
Round ii pUneliy lcu ms le1t ana Id
vigne ducked. and the Kid jabbed his
left on the ear. Connolly swung his left
on the head and the Kid iabbed his left
on the stomach Lavisne rushed. hut
Connolly stopped him with a hard upper
cut on the face. Connolly upper-cut with
his right on the forehead. Lavigne
swung his right on the back of the head
and both ducked splendidly from swings
Round 7--IIavigne led his left the
neck and both landed left jabs on the
.t,r,, tl.~ t.t,Iy
away, but turned quickly and swung his
| right on the Kids neck. Both countered
| on the face with lefts The Kid jabbed
| his left on the face and Connolly landed
| u hard swing on the head. Iavigne
swung his left to the head and Connolly
| showed his glove flush on the mouth. At
| the close of the round they were clinched.
Round S-Lavigne landed but missed,
| and Connolly jabbed his left on the face.
| He landed the same blow and Lavigne
swung his right on the ribs. Lavigne
| jabbed two lefts on the face and Con-
nelly sent n left on the mouth and a left
| swing on the head. Lavigne got in
| couple of body blows. and his right
| swings went twice to the back of Con-
nellys neck Lavigne pushed his left
| into the ribs and Connolly upper-cut him
with the right on the mouth.
Round S-Connelly jabbed his left to the
face and Lavigne sent his left and right
to the face. Two more lefts on the face
| from the Kid put Connolly with his
| guard up in the center of the ring The
| Kid put his right and left on the face
| and in short-arm fighting played fast on
| Connelly's ribs.
| Round 10-Connelly landed a left on La
vigne's left eye, and Lavigne jabbed lefts
| on the ribs. Lavigne again iabbed his
| left on the ribs with a crack which
| sounded like a bone breaking. Lavigne
: sent his left to the face and right to the
| ribs and then swung four rights on the
| head without a return. The champion
1 kept working like a beaver till the gong
| sounded. Connolly was very weak going
| to his corner
Round 11-Lavigne opened with a left
| on the wind and swung a terrific left
| flush on the mouth. He followed this up
| with a stiff right on the ribs and Con-
| nelly swung his left on the head. La
vigne put another right on the ribs and
| Connolly sent nothing back. Lavigne
| rushed and Connolly met with a hard
! right on the ribs. Lavigne hooked his
| right on the jaw and Connolly went
down. Five times in succession Lavigne
| sent Connolly down with rights on the
! head and Connolly got gamely to his
| feet every time in a couple of seconds
| The bell changed when he came up the
| last time. and he staged to his corner
| in q very weak condition.
| When time was called for the begin
| ming of the 18th round. Connolly was in
+, such weakened condition that his sec
| onds would not allow him to continue
and the referee awarded the fight to La