Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-05-13
DE MELLO'S HARD
PUNCH Wins
fight
especial star-Bulletln correspondencel

Especial Star-Bulletin Correspondence
HILO, Hawaii. May IA singing
right swing TO the left kidney, follow
ing closely q stunning jar to the
law, cut short in the sixth round the
aspirations Of Young Jack Johnson,
Of Honolulu. for fistic championship
honors over Ben De Mello, the Hilo
lion, before q big audience last Sat
urday night in the armory. Johnson
might have weathered the blow on
his Jaw, az he had one earlier in the
scrap, but he.sl<idnsy punch was a
long sweeping uppercut that started
with the rush OF De Meho from the
center Of the ring and landed with
d fesoundinR smack on Johnson as
he stopped nedr the ropes. which had
all the weight and force of the Hilo
fighter back Of 1t.
The finishing blow knocked John
son-not out, but timber. 1t did not
need the decision Of the referee-or
a doctor-to. show that he had had all
the fighting he could stand. Before
the referee had finished his count of
ten the crowd was on its feet surging
toward the door aud IL was several
were in the ring ministering to the
Honolulu pug, that he was able to
support himself.
Nor does the conclusive ending of
the mia carry proof that it was a
one-sided affray. While Johnson did
not decisively win any of the proceed
ing rounds there were several in
which his opponent had no shade over
him and in the first round he was the
aggressor. He was on his feet bury
ing In for punishment from the begin
ming and in at least two of the fight
periods showed his willingness to
rough Il.
De Mello In the beginning fought
with some of his known caution, un-
til he had tried out the force Of the
Honolulan's punches. and then began
taking chances waiting for an oppor-
tunity to land telling blow. De Mello
has developed a bit of boxing clever
ness. new to all who have ever seen
him fight, and several times he show
ed he had learned to use his left at
close range, although, as always, de-
pending upon his right for victory.
Johnson was fast on his feet and
was clever In avoiding and guarding
against rushes. but was always Sc
verely pummeled when De Mello
could get him up against the ropes.
Twice Johnson went through the
ropes and coming up would have the
upper strand between him and his
opponent. On both these occasions
De Mello landed blows on the face of
Johnson, a portion of the crowd
criticising the act as dirty fighting.
The men were fighting with one
! hand free coming out Of clinches but
neither OF the scrappers showed much
knowledge of this feature of the
game, although Johnson cut a seam
over De Mello's right eye which
started the blood flowing freely in
clinch in the fourth encounter.
The main event was refereed by
Grey, the promoter of the fights, who
after long speech to the crowd ask
ed them to state IL they were willing
he should do the deciding, as he had
much at stake on account of having
guaranteed that the fight was to be
square one, and because he had been
unable to get anyone for a referee
who knew anything about the game
The crowd signified il was more
than willing to see a fight than to
hear a speech, which he took for as
sent After the scraps though, the
crowd showed Il was satisfied the
fight had been on the square
Someone has termed the prelimi-
naries "a comique." In the Serpa-
Comes go of four rounds there were
two decisions and either a foul or
knockout, followed by a recess of
seven or ten minutes, and then more
fighting. Serpa went down in the
second round with his hand on his