The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-07-27
Dundee Floors Criqui For Count Of Nine In First And Twice In Second But The Frenchman Stays Al The Way

Way
 e."s POLO GROUNDS. NEW YORK, 4 July 26.-(By Associated Press)-The featherweight championship of the wcr!d, in French hands for less than two months, came bacN 10 the United States tonight when Johnny Dundee, srizzled Italian American veteran, battered his way to victory over Eu- gene Criqui, gallant eX7poilu. in eruclling iJ round struggle that was never in doubt from start to finish. Hrts DunGee, rising to the greatest 'helghts of his long and embattled career. Wua decisvelY all the way, but only in the face of game and courageous stand that will go down among the most thrilling in prize ring history. The judges decision scrowning Dundee as the new title holder was drowned in a wild out burst of cheering, but in defeat the little Frenchman was accorded an ovation that rang out above even that for the victor,
 Criqui's was d hopeless battle from the first round. Floored for a count of nine hardly before the ini- ..t tia! bell had sounded he somehow i. smanased 10 weather the storm only tu be Knocked down tWtCe, once for a count Ui seven and again for nine seconds iu the second round. It seemed that Dundee had a knockout 
 he would ane maulinG Italian American cou4i not swing over fin ishing blow.
 HollinA .ha Upper hand. while Cri qui tried GamclS but Vainay to stem tEe tide ot battle. Dslndee let up in his terrific Iace somewhat until the seventh round. Then he Iashed out Naaain witt, a Volley To head and .-. body, but Criqm, though he was Staggering. kept his feet. The end again seemed in sight in the eighth, when Criqui, blood dripping from his nese and mouth in crimson stream. reeled about the ring under spec tacular barrage of blows.
 Again in the ninth Dundee failed to bring the Frenchman down. so he switched his tactics in the next few rounds, trying for fresh opening. The twelfth saw him unleash an other battering drive. He swung as hard as he could with both fists to Criquis head. but through a blood srneared face the Frenchman smiled grimly as he backed to the ropes. He had taken Dundee's hardest and kept his feet and when he went to his corner the crowd gave the bat tered champion a thunderous Ova- ton.
 Prelininnries.
 Charley Glazer of Chicago was awarded the judges verdict over Davy Jones Of New York in a four round bout, first preliminary to the Dundee-Crid1T match tonight. Glazer floored Jones in the first round for ecount of nine, but they fought on close to even terms after that. GlaZer weighed 124 and Jones 12612.
 Tony Natarelli of New York out punched Harry Zerbey of Jersey City, N. l., in the second preliminary. ob- taining the judges verdict after six rounds of brisk battling. Vacarelli wei ghcd 126 and Zerbey 127A.
 Mixer Mitchell of syracuse, N. Y., who began his professional ring ca judges decision over Leon Poutet, French sparring partner of Criqui, in the third preliminary of six rounds. It was nip-and-tuck bat knockdowns in early rounds, but Mitchell landed the cleaner blows.
 Danny Edwards of California, ne gro bantamweight received the judges decision over Mickey Del mont of Newark in the semi-final contest cut to three rounds to per- init the championship match to go on at scheduled time. Edwards weighed 117l2 ana belmont l2l.
 o O O
 Criqui'S Defense Soves Him.
 Criqui's defensive tactices saved him in the thirteenth and fourteenth but in the final round he again was on the verge Of gong down. Dun ut'G lTltu SdNdScIS NO letllu dllOlhSA knockout blow, while Criqui swung wildly about his head, but when the finishing bell rang Criqui, .groggy and bloody, under pummeling at tack was still doing his best to fight back.
 Only the heart of fighter, the Instinct of a courageous ringman, enabled Criqui 10 stand up under that Withering fire. He had held his patch Of ground in the dark days of Yer dun and in the squared circle tonight he held his ground to the end.
 The jaw that stopped German bullet in the front line trenches proved equal to the hardest shocks human fists could bring to bear upon it. He went down to defeat bat thing to the end.
 Dundee, in achieving the ambition of his long career, fought cool nastcrful battle. He displayed every thing but a knockout punch, and II was perhaps more the ability of the T'renchman to absorb punishmen mt than Dundees failure to apply it, that made it possible for the bout to go the limit.
 Dundee hit Criqui with every blow In his repertoire and from every angle He delt terrific punishment to the Frenchman's ribs at close quarters s He swung at the poilu's head With rights and lefts in rapid fire success sion, but they failed to bring him down except in those first two rounds. The Italian resorted to all ms famous tactics. bouncing OH tne ropes and jumping at his opponent jaw from various angles. But Crl' qui refused to be led into danger py these tricks and covered up when Dundee started his acrobatic stunts
 Against Dundee Crlqul was ial from the impressive fighting machine he appeared to be when he won the featherweight title on the same battle ground on June from Kilbane Beaten from the start, the best he could do was fight gamely to offset his opponents big advantage. But while he tried hard his strength sapped by Dundees merciless attack, was never equal to the test
 .c,,ou, Tn co q R.ek Ik 92o France.
 Thus Criqui will go back to France next week, shorn of the honors he won so sensationally but held only briefly He will appear in charity exhibition in Paris and then, perhaps may return to this country again.
 Dundee has been seeking the featherweight title for more than lC years.
 A year after Kilbane won it from Abe Attell in 1912, Dundee fought a 20-round draw with the champion His repeated challenges failed tc bring Kilbane into the ring with hin again and last year, the New York state athletic commission ruled kll- bane was automatically dethroneC for not accepting the Italians defi Dundee was elevated to the title, SC far as this state concerned, after knocking out Danny Frush. Wher Kilbane signed to box Criqui here, his title was restored to him with the understanding that the winner of the bout would give Dundee the long sought chance at the title.
 Dundee also was recognized as