Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-01-15
FINAL RUSH BY RIVERS
JUST BETTERS LEACH'S
Both Men Start Tenth Round with a Bang,
but Mexican's Strength Enables Him
to Shade His New York Opponent.


Just when Leach Cross was pre-
pairing for one of his familiar whirl-
wind ten-round climaxes at the EN-
pire A. c., In New York last night,
Mexican" Joe Rivers. his opponent,
went out with the same idea in mind,
snd a whirling and dashing display
Of swings as the pair fought and
then tugged TO be free when they got
into clinches brought the yelling
crowd to its feet.
The two had battled through nine
hard rounds. There were sensational
incidents, and it seemed they had
given their best and had run neck
and neck nearly. The lighting char
acteristics of Rivers came to the sur
face all of a sudden, and the clever
q Cross was forced to lay aside his
hefty right and to scover." Tearing
rt his prey, Rivers was all over
Cross in the final round and increased
Ass very slight lead with a rush.
Rivers fought in style that proved
his worth from the start. The way
the Mexican went in for infighting
delighted. Rivers never went back
any further than he was pushed last
night, and accepted all that Cross
had without any display of fear or
caution.
However, it did look at one stage
Of the game as if the long journey
: up to the club would not be reward
s ed with a long bout. Both boys
popped out of their corners for the
second with one bound. Rivers ex-
pected Leach was geing to start jab-
bYng with his left as he had done IN
the first round. Instead the Est
slider swung his left in hook style
against the open jaw of Rivers and
the Mexican toppled over, getting
another, as he was falling
The blow was a corlSer. 1t went
crashing against the jaw of the boy
. from the coast with a bang that
could be heard all over the house
THE Afexican went down on his
launches and was unaware of the
happenings around him for short
period. and all of the Cross follow
ers stood on their toes and yelled for
him. But Rivers finally collected
J himself, and when the referee had
/ reached ,Ine IllQuiC VI AAS ~Ns-+--~
scrambled to his feet again.
Crowd Was Big.
] Every avenue of approach to the
cluh-hou was damned early In the
evening. The crowd looked upon the
affair as one of the browning events
of the new year, and it had been
doomed in advance as much as the
puAchless fight between 5ippons ahq
McGoorty. Every inch of room was
Allied, and when the crowd started 70
choke upthe aisles the entrances were
closed to the hundreds still trying to
force their way through the doors.
The ipreiiminary bouts over, big ar
raw Of trainers piled into the ring
with Rivers and Cross as they
climbed through the ropes. There
was considerable anxiety as to the
weights. but Joe Humphries dispeiled
this quickly when he announced they
had weighed in ringside at fraction
over 1921. They had agreed on weight
of 1913. with a loss of $1,000 to the one
who overtopped the figure
Little work was done by Rivers in
the early part of the first round, but
il became evident he was there to do
some lighting. Cross seemed a trifie
drawn, still he was strong and anx-
ious. Joe pulled both hands over his
face stepping in to feel the force 'of
the iabs of Leach, but he was not
affected by any Of the blows
When they went into the first
! clinch Rivers would reach his right
around Cross and bang at his jaw,
and once got through his guard with
an uppercut Leach contsnted him
self with using his left, hoping to
bring the close guard of the Mexican
down, but he was unable to gain his
point and Rivers kept moving in after
him. At infighting. however Rivers
was the star and punched Leach hard.
That Second
Then came the eventful second.
Rivers still carried his hands in front
of his face and Leach shot his left
: over with a suddenness that surprised
the whole crowd. When Rivers came
Y to his feet again Leach tried for a
Z stiff left again, and Joe, in a, clinch,
& started his head bobbing up against
4 Leach's chin, for which he was
y Kissed. Just precious to the end of