The Savannah morning news., 1901-01-15
RICE WAS The VICTOR
WON THE DECISION OVER FORFEIT
TO AFTER % ROUNDS.
THE FIGHT A HOT ONE.
SHORTY" JENKINS HAS CHAL-
LENGED THE WINNER.

NO Knock Downs and Neither Man
Damaged to Amy AppreciabIe EN-
tent-Rice and jenkins May Com
cIude Arrangements To-day.
The fight between Peter Porretto of
Cincinnati, and Austin Rice, of New Lon
don, which was pulled off at the Theatre
last night under the auspices of the Aus
trail Club, was won by Rice, who received
the decision after the fight had gone the
limit of twenty-five rounds.
A preliminary preceded the main fight,
which began shortly after 10 o'clock and
lasted until within a few minutes of mid
night. The fight was good one and was
holly fought. Not until the last two or
three rounds could it be said to be de-
cidedly in favor of either of the contest
ants.
Both men were game and the freshness
they displayed even after the lot of
punching each received, was really re-
markable. There were no knock downs,
though both men went down a number of
times as the result of slips and the strug-
giles in the clinches. Nor was either APP
was over The most damage that could
be seen was that Rice had a badly swell
ed nose and mouth, and Porretto a swell
ed nose and badly skinned place on his
left side.
The men were pretty evenly matched as
to skill, though Rice had apparently the
advantage of his opponent in hight and
weight, and proved to be the better in
HoL,t
ring. Porretto was undoubtedly the clev-
erer with his hands. but could not put
force enough into his blows to put his
opponent out of the game Rice appeared
TO be willing to take several light blows
if in turn he could land good one and
this plan characterized his work through
out the fight. Again, Rice fought for
the body, giving but little attention to
the head, while Porretto made the mead
and face his especial target, and there
was scarcely a round that was fought in
which he did not score one or more blows
on this part of his opponents anatomy.
Both men were evidently confident of
the outcome, Rice carrying his assurance
to such a degree as to indulge in a spe-
cies of horse play, putting up a ludicrous
appearance of being groggy, which far
from deceiving Porretto, was apparent
even to the spectators as a fake. He also
promenades around the ring, apparently
ignoring the presence of Porretto, and in
vitinS a side attack.
Porretto was cautious, and seemingly
has not had the experience of Rice, but
no one could question his gameness, and
after each round, he was quickly up and
evidently ready for all that was coming
to him. Also he was as a rule, the mora
aggressive of the two men, though to-
va I'd f1n and Of hs, d
lead in this matter, making rushes and
clnches in which he got in his favorite
punches during the infighting.
There was sameness about the rounds
that would make a detailed account of
them Improbable. Each man stuck to
his style of fighting, Porretto quick and
light on his feet, landing on the face and
head and Rice either standing perfectly
still and waiting his opportunity for a
BODY blow or else rushing the other man.
clinching and getting in his most effec-
tive work during the infghting. In many
of these miX-upS the men refused to break
upon command from the referee that
they do so. often Jenkins had to force
them apart by the most strenuous efforts,
and then blows We're passed across his
shoulder or over his head.
Rice made himself conspicuous several
times by sitting down on or through the
IL
the clinches once both men got entirely
out of the ring and several times they
forced each other against the ropes and
struggled there until separated by the
referee
The fighting was pretty even. first one
and then the other getting the best of
a round until the twenty-first Then they
mixed it up pretty lively in Porrettos
corner, and the men clinched both falling
ryI, tla
fighting again Rice gave Porretto a stiff
punch in the stomach and Porretto be-
gan to loose the smile that he had hither-
to worn. In the next round, however. he
redeemed himself with his sympathizers
by landing a beautiful right-hander on
his opponents eyes, which sent Rices
head back with a sudden jolt. The next
round, however, was pretty near all
Rices. With his left hand lifted high
he invited Porretto's attack, and then
drove him a hard one in the ribs. Por-
retto ducked and they clinched, but as
soon as they broke Rice landed another
stiff one on the stomach. There was
mixed fighting again during, which Rice
landed repeatedly. The twenty-fourth
round, also was one of the hottest of
the fight. Rice started the work with
rush. and when Porretto ducked they
went together and Rice with his right
OF the fight on Porrettos stomach and
ribs. He also gave him one or two in
the neck. The gong saved Porretto fur
Their punishment.
The next and last round. too, started out
in q lively fashion, Rice's supporters
loudly urging him to go in and put out
the man. a bit of advice that he tried
to carry out. But Porretto was stiN in
the ring and had plenty of fight in him,
so they exchanged blows, and mixed it up
generally until the gong proclaimed that
the fight was over.
AS soon as the gong sounded every man
in the house stood up and clamored the
name, each of his favorite. so often and
vocferously that II was several minutes
before Referee Jenkins was able to speak
at all to be heard The decision seemed 10
be about what had been expected. for
nobody made any particular talk about il.
Porretto. however seemed to think that !
he had been badly treated, evidently ex-
pecting that the fight would be declard
draw.
Shorty Jenkins, the referee, announced |
before the fight that he would challenge
the winner for a fight of any number 4
of rounds on any terms, and a side bet |
OF 81 coo.
Rice. who won the toss-up for choice |
of corners. took the southwest one. with /
his back to the spectators. His seconds !
were Howard II. Meyers of New York. |
Sam MCGOWAN of Washington. and Fred |
Fox of New York. who is also his man |
ager I'm the corner of Porretto were Tom