The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1918-04-23

lie OIL Terry MCGONern. Inc next IN
stallment will appear tomorrow
Terry McGovern's spectacular rush
through the bantam weight division
was halted only by the fact that no
one was left who could give him a
real battle. And so Terry was forced
to look into the higher class and at
once began picking on" George Dixon.
then the title-holder of the feather
weight division
Dixon eagerly accepted the challenge
of McGovern. The two men were
matched to fight January 9, 1900. Few
battles in ring history ever provoke ed
more excitement or greater discussion
of the heaviest betting bouts ever
staged in America. Conservative esti-
mates have it that close to a half-mil-
lion was wagered on the outcome of
that blue ribbon fistic clash.
For 10-years Dixon had ruled SUI
preme among the featherweights. Dur
ing that period he had beaten hundreds
of foes Boxing enthusiasts had come
to believe that the negro would retire
undefeated. His defense was SO SUI
perb, his ring judgment so wonderful
and his ability to take punishment so
amazing that it was considered an inn
possible feat for man in his own
class to take away his crown.
But Terry McGovern accomplished
the trick in a battle that was one of
the most wonderful and most thrilling
ever fought on American soil
Dixon was in good shape when he
fought Terrible Terry but not in
the splendid condition that he had
known in his earlier days. Added
years and easy living had taken away
some of the speed and endurance pow
ers that made him a marvellous per-
former in his prime. Just the same,
Dixon went into the McGovern battle
retaining all of his far-famed clever
ness and with the aid of a keen, agile
ring brain and years of experience
In making the match with McGovern
he knew that he was taking on the
most aggressive fighter the smaller di-
vision ever had known. But Dixon
figured that he was the lrlshmans
master.
With the bang of the first gong.
Dixon beat McGoyern to the rush ana
started driving Terry around the ring.
The aggressiveness of the negro sur
prised the crowd. But it was in keep
ing with Dixon's programme of bat
tie. He felt that his best chance for
victory was to attempt to beat down
McGovern with fury of punches be-
fore Terry could begin cyclonic at
tack. But in doing so, Dixon made
grave blunder. His rushing tactics
used up practically all of his strength
in the early rounds-and didn't weary
Terry Had the negro elected to stand
off and box, using his brain and his
skill and his cleverness to keep out OF
the way of McGoyerns rushes, dif-'
ferent story might be written about
that contest.
But George Dixon elected to slug
with Terry McGovern--and George
Dixon went down to defeat.
During the first round the negro
champion made McGovern look like
novice. With bewildering footwork,
clever blocking and ducking, Dixon
forced McGovern to miss practically
every lead. Terrible Terry didn't
land a really solid punch throughout
the first round, whereas Dixon played
a tattoo upon the face and body OF
McGovern. The story of the second
round was much the same--Dixon all
the way. The negro found no trouble
"
gladiator was swinging wildly-and
vainly.
The third round brought something
akin to CONSERVATION among the NC
Govern partisans. Dixon started OIL
rushing Terry and landed success
sion of lefts and rights to the ston-
ach and head without serious re-
turn In furious mixup in the CEN
ter of the ring Dixon tricked Mc1oV-
ern into wild swing and then
whirled in and shot terrific LETT
handler to Terry's jaw. McGovern stag
gered and the Dixon partisans went
wild with joy They figured that the
end of the fight was near. But they
reckoned without taking into consiu-
Grafton the endurance powers OF NC
Govern. Terry, although dazed, had
sufficient presence of mind to fall
into an Immediate clinch and he held
onto Dixon until he had recovered
somewhat from his grogginess.
The tide of battle began to turn
in McGoverns direction at the open
ing Of the fourth. And it all WIS Que
to the counseling Of Charlie White,
who was in McGovern's corner. White,
the futility of an attack
on Dixon's head, commanded Terry to
devote the next three rounds to vol
leyfng tho stomach. So Terry came
out in the fourth and began to pound
the midship section of his opponent at
every chance. In each clinch Terry
hurled succession of blows INTO the
and kidneys of the negro.
In the fifth round Dixon began to
show the effects of the terrible stom-
ach blows. He had grown slower and
weaker The flashing speed of tile
earlier rounds was gone. The smile
had disappeared. Each new wallop
brought spasm OF pain to Dixon's
face. and Terry speeded it up all the
faster. Through the sixth he drove
Dixon around the ring with a mer-
CHESS attack on the stomach and when
that session of fighting was over
George Dixon saw the handwriting on
the wall--and the crowd knew that
the Impossible" soon was to hap
pen--that the hour of defeat had cont
for the once peerless negro.
McGovern varied his attack in the
seventh round, opening with punches
for the stomach and then sending
crashing lefts and rights to the ne
gro's face. Dixon tried to get out of
their way. But to no avail Terry was
an avalanche now-overwhelming with
the sheer fury and power Of his at