The morning journal-courier., 1908-09-08
Illinois Thunderbolt Wins Mid dleweight Championship by a Knockout in the
 Twelfth.
LOSER BADLY PUNISHED
Hammered Until He Staggered Like q Drunken Man--Grcat Crowd Present---Thc Fight by
 Rounds.

Vernon Arena, Los Angeles Cal, Sept. 7.-Stanley Ketchel of Michigan, former middleweight champion of the world was knocked out In the twelfth round at Jeffries' Vernon Arena this afternoon by Billy" Papke of Illinois, who is now middlewelght champion of the world. II was a case of the Illi- nois "rhunderbolt" against Michigan killer" and the thunderbolt won Both men entered the arena in apparent per- feet condition and neither had ever been knocked out, ketchell had de- cision over Papke in previous lC round bout
 Both men are as clean looking prize lighters as anyone sees, but the bout ended as one of the bloodiest in ring history. Ketchell was plainly the great favorite of the crowd which had done betting on him at to 1. When Papke entered the ring he walked blithely to Ketchells corner and greeted him with a hand-shake and a cordial smile but when James j. Jenries, the referee. called time and Ketchell walked to the center extending his hand for the shake, Papke ignored the hand and sailed into the Michigan man with the fiery impetuosity which entitled him to be called the "Thunderbolt |" The fight was practically over minute and % seconds after the gong sounded. From that time on it was merely a question as to how long ketchell would last Papke tore into Ketchell with such fury that the undefeated cham pion was simply lifted on his feet four times within the next minute. Papke krocked Ketchell 10 the mat for the count and from his first knock down ketchel never really recovered his form. He was defeated man. dazed. bleeding, struggling from twenty blows In the face, and yet he came back and stayed with n terrible determination. And for at least three rounds he held his own with the victorious challenger When Ketchell stepped 10 the corner for the second round it was seen that his right eye was closed, At the next intermlssion his seconds lanced the eye and sucked the blood. but Ketchel never regained the sight of his right eye. Before the finish the other eye was all but closed and for the last three rounds he staggered about tn, ring dizzily like drunken man. prac. tically blinded,
 Round one-papke led with lofI and rushed ketchell Into a corner ' landing four blows on the head. Hf then stepped in hut Ketchell caugb' | him on the chin with his left. Papkc | knocked ketchell down with rirh and loft to the face and le got VI groggy. Papke knocked him dowr again with right and left to the moutl and Ketchel took the count of nine Again Papke sent him down with lef and right to face. ketchell came ur again as the gong rang. He Wa, groggy and bleeding freely from tn, mouth.
 In the second round Ketchell cam. up RrcGgy and Papke went to him lik, a tiger. sending him staggering aroun. the ring Papke landed repeatedly oi ketchell's head but was unable to pu him out. kctchells face wass on, mass of blood and bruises. His eye were blinded with blood and he cour do little but cling to Papke. Papk' exhausted himself by his efforts an, was unable to put his man ont Ketch ell was stronger at the close of thi ! lNn, at a,l, q,s
 In round three ketchell was strong CT and forced the fight He mIsse two right swings and Papke uppercu him again. bringing blood. Papk then landed straight right to th
 mouth. ketchell landed left o
 Papke's ear and the crowd cheered He followed moment later In tn same place. ketchell appeared
 little stronger.
 ketchell came up strong in th
 fourth but Papke quickly landed rleh
 on the mouth and started :he bloo
 again. Papke was covered "ith bloc : from his opponents blows. Ketche : landed two rights to body. missed vicious right for the head and put
 hard left on Papke's face. <etchell
 left eye was then closed Both me
 stood with heads down, neither a'
 tempting to land when he gon ! sounded. Papke was, bleeding frol the mouth. ketchells face Is In terri
 ble condition
 In the fifth Ketchell forced tn
 fighting but both men were very weak They repeatedly clinched and Jeffrie had to separate them. Papke nnall
 landed vlciously with the tight Q
 Ketchell's face. bringing blood afrest
 Both men were too weak .o land ef fectively. Papke showed no signs Q
 punishment. but he was badly wlnded
 In the sixth Papke landed a terrifl right on Ketchell's face but Ketche continued to advance on his antagon
 ist In spite of the punishment Jus
 before the gong sounded Papke lande 7 terrific left on the solar plexus an Ketchell almost immediately droppe in his corner but the gong saved him Tn the seventh Ketchell had a sligf advantage for the first time. He rusi ed Papke and swung with terrif
 force. He landed hard left to ston D ach and had Papke worried.
 9 They spared cautiously In the eight
 until Papke bored in on Ketchell : face with three lefts, starting the flo of blood again, The crowd frantical called to Papke to put him out :. Papke landed five or six upper-cuts ( the face and had Ketchell badly dag as the gong sounded.
 papkn heat E at,bou tovrilI, i,, Al