The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-01-08
IN ELEVENTH ROUND
of FIGHTING TOMMY CORCORAN
DEFEATED FRED DOUGLAS.
BY REFEREE STOPPING BOUT.
RATTLE THE FIERCEST EVER
WITNESSED IN SAVANNAH,

And Throughout Was as Much a
wrestling Match as n Boxing
Event-often the Men CIinched and
Number of Times WrestIed to the
Floor, First One Being on Top and
Then the Other-DOugIas Did All
the FOrcing-Pace Was Fast From
Beginning to End and Referee Had
His Hands Full to Keep Men
Apart-BIOw to the Kidneys Sent
Douglas to His Knees in Eleventh
Round and Another in the Same
Place Put Him in a Condition
Where Referee Thought a COntin-
uance Unnecessary.
After eleven rounds of the fiercest
lighting ever witnessed in the prize
ring in Savannah, Tommy Corcoran
was declared the winner over Fred
Douglas in the arena of the Savannah
Athletic Club last night. At times the
argument assumed more the form of
wrestling match than a boxing con-
test, and at all stages of the game the
work of the men was rough, and ii
was amazing to the spectators that
the men held out as long as they did.
In the eleventh round Corcoran, aft
or a hot exchange of blows, landed
terrific right on Douglas left kidney.
and he went to his knees for a count
of six. He staggered up. and after
another exchange, went to his knees
again, and a few second later went
down in the same fashion the third
time. 1t was at this stage of the fight
that Referee Jenkins stopped the con-
test and declared Corcoran the winner,
though Douglas was on his feet and
willing to continue. He appeared in
condition to have gone further.
Jenkins gave as his reason for stop
ing to his knees unnecessarily to avoid
punishment, but that it would have
been question of few more
blows to have put him out for good. A
number disapproved of the decision,
hut at that stage of the contest it did
look that Douglas was done for, as he
had taken terrible bodily punishment
and was weakening.
Neither Badly Marked.
Neither man was marked to any ex-
tent considering the rapid pace they
had gone and outside of a few bruises
about the face were none the worse
for the fray. Douglas did all the fore
ing, penning Corcoran up repeatedly
and forcing him to lead. He was far
the clever of the two and seemed TO
be waiting all the time to cross his
right to the jaw, and though he made
many attempts, Corcoran ducked the
most of them and planted telling body
blows in return. Douglas used his left
but very little While Corcoran planted
let's and rights at all Stages. Of the
game.
CIinched and Wrestied.
CIinches were frequent and though
the rules called for a clean break
they often had to be separated, and
landed blows with the free hands
while Rugged up. In this Corcoran had
decidedly the best of the business and
soaked in blows that left their effect.
They also wrestled repeatedly, and
though Corcoran is credited with do
ing the most of this work, Douglas did
his share. All in all it was the fiercest
and toughest battle ever witnessed
here, and thoroughly pleased a fair
sized crowd.
Corcoran had with him as seconds
Joe Tobin and - Dyer while Doug
las was looked after by Dan Dougherty
and Kid Davis. Both men weighed I'M
der 14S pounds, and were in excellent
condition or else they could not have
gone the distance and pace they did.
Raedy Challenged Winner.
Pat Raedy, the welterweight who
was defeated some time ago by James
Handler, in what was termed a fake
affair." came over from Brunswick for
the express purpose of challenging the
winner, which he did from the ring
side, and though Corcoran has not ac-
cepted, it is more than likely he will
take Raedy on.
Previous to the main event, Young
Jollie proved his superiority over Young
Miller in two rounds. Though not
knocked out, Miller was no match Cor
Jollie, and after being groggy and all
but out the bout was stopped in favor
of the latter
The main bout is best told by rounds,
though it was impossible to take it
blow for blow, owing to the rough
and-ready way the men made it, but
the following is as near correct as pos
sble:
The Rounds.
Round One-Douglas assumes the ag-
gressive and forces Corcoran to lead,
which he does with a rush. but misses.
He repeats the performance and places
TWO to the face. Douglas ducks several
Wallops that would have put him out
OF business, and lands to the face and
BODY. Clinches follow every exchange,