Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-10
ATTE[L IS BEATEN
Former Champion Falls a VIC
tim to Tommy Murphy.
BOUT IS HARD FOUGHT
Ex-Champion in Bad Way at End
of the Twentieth
Round.

DAILY CITY. Cal, March 9.--Abe Attell,
erstwhile featherweight champion, lost
the decision to lightweight Harlem
Tommy Murphy in the twentieth round
this afternoon at the DAILY City open-air
arena. It. was a bloody fight through
out. and Attell presened sorry figure
as he tottered to his dressing room after
the contest. Murphy had a clear lead
in the majority of the rounds. his best
blow being a right cross. with which he
time and again sent Attell's head back.
Referee Welch's decision was cheered
by the spectators. Murphy outweighed
Attell by least eleven pounds.
In the first round Attell landed fire.
quenly on the body and forced Murphy
to seek protection against the ropes, but
did no damage. Attell bled from the
mouth as the round ended with the
honors shade in his favor.
Murphy was reprimanded several times
in the second round for holding. Attell
went to his seat at the end of the round
unsteady with a swollen eye and bleed
ing freely.
In round three Murphy had Attell
groggy, landing a fusillade of short-arm
punches to the face. but at the close
Attell staggered the Harlemite with a
1t was honorS even in round four
Attell now appeared to gain strength,
and a well directed volley of snappy jOlts
caused the New York boy to spit blood.
Murphy rushed Abe to the ropes in the
fifth The crowd yelled that Murphy
was holding and jeered him. Murphy
used his right uppercut and pushed
Attell through the ropes. Both bled as
they took their corners.
Long-distance sparring started i'll the
Ci% not fiphf nPrnpnfi.
bly,. Attell clearly outboXe6 Murphy, who
clinchedl to avoid punishment.
Murphy forced his opponent into a
corner in the seventh, landing right and
left heavily.
The blood fairly spurted from Abe s
nose. Attell worked to the center OF the
ring, where a hard rally ensued, Murphy
doing the greater execution
In the tenth round Murphy landed sew
eral short-arm let's 20 the face. but was
again cautioned not to hold. Abe sent in
several punches and the round closed
with the crowd yelling Good boy, Abe.
Attell gave his first exhibition OF his
much-vaunted cievernesS in the ninth and
had Murphy hammering the air. Attell
landed right and left to the stomach.
Murphy looked worried and Attell's steady
fire of body punches did great execution.
1t was Attells best round.
In the tenth Murphy hammered at the
face with left and right. At long range
they exchanged rights to the face and
Murphy started the blood afresh. 1t was
an even thing at this point with the fight
half over.
Murphy took the fight to Attell in the
eleventh He landed twice on the sore
nose, but ran into trio Of body punches.
For thirty seconds Ii was hammer and
tongs at close quarters.
The twelfth round witnessed a lull, not
a blow being struck for two minutes.
Then Murphy outslugged At.ell at long
range. They mixed it in q corner head
to head. Attell fought with great des-
peration, but showed weakness.
-Attell maddened Murphy in the thir-
tenth with q right over the heart. Close
quarters fighting followed, Murphy hold
ing on. Abe forced him back with sue
cession of stomach drives.
Attell's seconds worked constantly
patching up his face.
Attell in the fourteenth sent his lett to
the stomach and face with clocklike reg
ularity Referee WEIGH warned Murphy
several times to cease holding. They
fought in close until the bell ended an
even session.
Murphy slowed up considerably in the
fifteenth under q trio of stomach punches.
but was willing at all times to mix it.
Both fighters landed with great frequency
to the body and face
Murphy forced his opponent into cor
ner in the sixteenth and landed short arm
punches to the face at will Attell opened
a cash in Murphy's lips with several we'll
timed left hooks. Another mix followed
Oontinued on Second Page.)