Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-03-07
THE PUGILISTS JOE THOMAS
 WAS THE BEST
Beat Up Melody in Six Round. Last Night But There Was No
 Knockout.

Philadelphia, March 7.-Joe Thom.
 as easily won from Honey Melody
 in a siX-round fight before the Ma
 tional Athletic club last night. Mel
 lody went the full six rounds, bnt
 Thomas had it on the champion all
 the way and he was well beaten up
 at the finish.
 In the first round Thomas scored a
 knockdOwn and for q time there was
 promise that it would be a first-class
 fight. but later they continually went
 to clinches and there was disposi-
 tion on the part of Melody to stall when the milling became fast.
 They met at catch weights and the
 welterweight championship was not in consideration. A big gathering of
 New Workers. came over to the fight,
 and the betting was brisk on the re- suit with odds around even money.
 Thomas was seconded by Harry
 Foley, Tommy West and Johnny l0f- tus. In Mell0dy's corner were Joe Hagen, the McNamara boys, and Johnny DOugherty
 Round one-ThOmas opened pro- eeedings with a light left to the face and Melody came back with two stiff ones to the body. He followed with . right swing to the jaw and two to the body. Thomas landed a hard left to the jaw that staggered Melody and lie followed it with d right to the mouth that sent the champion to the mat. Melody came back promptly and sent two lefts to the wind and landed a hook to the face. Thomas put q short right to the chin and Melody hooked his right to the face coming from clinch. Just at the bell Melody sent his right to the eye. Though no serious damage was done. Thomas had q slight lead in the round
 Round twO-Thomas opened with a left to the face and they exchanged rights without infiicting much dam- age Melody put his right to the mouth and they went to a clinch. Thomas drove short right to the heart and jabbed his left to the face in the breakaway. Thomas uppercut his right to the chin and smashed hard left to the wind. Melody came back with two lefts 10 the face and swung his right to the ear. Thomas replied with right to the ear and jabbed his left to the eye. Right through the round they exchanged wallops. but Thomas was the strong CT throughout and had an advantage at the bell.
 Round three.-They rushed to clinch. Thomas jabbing his left to the nose and Melody countered with q left to the ear. Melody missed three hard swings for the head. Thomas jolted Melody with both hands to the head and shook the champion up further with two stiff lefts to tile face. Thomas swung right and left to the jaw and Melody came back with right to the heart. In this round Melody showed plenty of strength. and the Westerner had on him.
 Round four-They went to clinch in the middle of the ring. Thomas hooked his left to the face and fol- lowed it with two others to the same place. They exchanged swings for the head. Melody followed the ex- change with d right and left swing to the head and wind. Thomas jabbed his left to the face and swung a right to the eye. Thomas rushed and land- ed with both hands repeatedly just before the bell. It was Thomas round all the way.
 Round five-Thomas landed light left to the face. and Melody came back with two hand lefts to the wind. Thomas sent a hard right to the kid neys and a left to the head. Melody swung his right to the wind and left o the jaw. Thomas sent both hands 10 tile head and Melody missed q nari swing. with which he attempted Q counter. Thomas sent a short light to the face and hooked his left o the eye. Melody swung his right Q the ear and they exchanged lefis. They went to a long clinch and. in he brcakaway. Thomas hooked a Iarl left to the chin. Just at the bell Melody ovened matters up with both lands to the head, followed by hard eft to the chin.
 Round six--Thomas jabbed his left Q the eye and swung the right to the hin. Melody went to clinch and lung on until parted by the referee. sent a left 10 the face snd ,lellody came back with left nook O the face and another to the ear. Iellody swung his right to the head nd Thomas shook him up with left Q the chin. Melody swung both lands to the head and Thomas coun- cred with rights to the chin Thom- s jabbed three lefts to the face and wung a light left 10 the shin. At the ell Thomas sent twQ lefts to the nou,h. There was some fiddling and much clinching and the fight was cv- i r.
 Though Thomas added little to his epu,ation in his exhibition. he had it -, sf.a chau,p;.u and tltQ rsfl1rrlar yer.