The San Francisco call., 1910-06-05
THE END NEARER

For the next six rounds Kirain was busy hopping
around the ring and seeking grass at the hrst oppor
tunity, perfectly legitimate tactics under the rules
after blow had been struck but not at all to the k-
ing of the crowd of Sullivan, who thundered scorn
and defiance The heat was terribly oppressive and
the bstered in the sun, but the champion
showed slackening. Beyond some distress of wind
he had suffered while Kilrain considerably
battered and appeared to lack his earlier spring In
the twenty-sixth round he made a sudden squirt,
checking his usual retreat with flashing parry and
right drive that smacked hard to the body. The
blow stopped Sullivan's advance and Kilrain to
grips, throwing Sullivan for heavy fall, while his
hackers, who had long been silent, cheered again
Kilrain opened the next session well, jamming an
other jarring drive to the ribs and clinching The
champion fought him off and launched a half circle
that caught Kilran at the back OF the neck as the
challenger twisted away. Sullivan then swept
reaper to the ribs, took light tap to the head and
countered heavily to the neck knocking Kilrain
down.
For the next three rounds Kilrain got down as
soon as possible, and in the following four he was
knocked down, He was putting up great night and
blow he could land seemed to bother Sullivan in the
least and the champion forced consistently, boring
and failing without remission. In the thirty-hfth
round Sullivan threw him, and in the next knocked
him down again.
In the thirty-seventh Klrain sent light tap the
head and away the ropes. Instead of pursuing
Sullivan folded his at the scratch and waited,
while the crowd jeered and Kissed Kilrain. This
rather unfair to the challenger, who was proving HIM
self the gamest, most courageous and ski1ful oppO
nent Sullivan had faced. He came back under
the taunts. jabbed again and again skipped away.
Sullivan still waited at the scratch, calling to him,
until Kilran jumped into a clinch drubbed Johns
ribs and was overborne in his own corner.
In the thirty-eighh session. which lasted four and
half minutes Kirain continued to retreat until the
referee acting repeated appeals from Sullivan, told
the challenger that he must stand up and tight He
had no authority to issue this command under the
rules and Kilran plainly within his rights.
Sullivan had just grievance. II he could not catch
his the burden him. But Kirain showed
his spirit again by acting a best he could the
order in spite of the discouragng hostility of the
crowd He fought into clinch and went down. The
tide continued Suivans way for the FIVE rounds,
claims of fouls on both sides being ignored
Sulivan'S stomach his weak spot. failed him
in the fortvfth round as the result of the heat and
terrific strain and Kilran would have spared him. as
he appeared to be helpless Kilrain offered to
call tic battle draw. Suvan's answer was an in
dex TO his ruthless unyielding nature He sprang at
Kiraln they stood near the scratch and knocked
him down with a tremendous drive to the body In
the next session krain led heavily the neck and
went down under a rib searcher. A determined claim
of foul was made here by Kirain's attendants, who
declared that Sullivan had jumped Kirain as he
lay helpless Many IN the crowd backed this
ton, but the referee ordered the men to proceed.
The next round was very brief In the forty-sev-
enth Kilrain rallied aoain and D1an+sd er,5ebi-,
right to the stomach But he lacked the strength
to follow up and Sullivan threw him easily From
the forty eighth to the sixtyseventh Kirain conn-
ued to and shift getting down whenever Sulh-
van reached him. In this period he and his friends
pinned their essening hopes the earlier belief that
sullivan could not last wearing hght- But the be-
Lief FADED and finally disappeared the struggle drew
VH- o!iiiSdh WAS somewhat o4o"H anu MSdly DuI
his lead over kilran increased steadily. While Kill
rain still got through good blows occasionally they
lacked and the champion pounding steadily
on with his drives and crushing clubbing swings
In the sixty-eighth round Kilrain lodged away and
Sullivan followed closely, hammerng at the ribs. Kill
rain stood and Sullivan feinted Kirain was falling
to himself when Sullivan caught him stagger-
ing uppercut that lifted him away collapse help
lessly 1t the final blow Kilrains chances but
for more rounds he tottered and fumbed
through the motions, prolOnging his brave effort to
the utmost limit OF endurance. When he went down
under light tap IN the seveny-hfth round he could
do Mitchell over to the CHAMPIONS
corner and once more proposed draw On Sullivans
scornful refusal Mike Donovan walked TO the cen
ter and tossed up the sponge in spite of KiIrains
weak protests. The act was wise and met with the
approval OF the crowd which gave Sullivan an ovation
to the extent Of its remaining lung power
Thus ended the last championship fight with hare
knuckes under the London prize ring rules 1t left
John L. Sullivan champion under those rules an
hon, Il fr,-., -