The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-02-27
|O'DOWDANDPROTO
STAGE GREAT BOUT
TO DRAW AT BAG.
New Jersey Scrapper Makes
Good Impression on Fans
in Bout With Albanian
By Tad

Jimmy Proto, Tommy Tompkins
newest protege, fought a great fight
in his initial encounter in the Magic
City to draw with Tim O'Dowd of
Atlanta, champion bantamweight of
the south. Proto proved to be one
of the fastest little scrappers seen
in the local ring in long time,
and packed a mean right wallop,
which he landed effectively on
ODowd's jaw. The New Jersey boy
was at his best on infighting, and
was a hog for mixing it up. He was
the aggressor throughout and forced
O'Dowd at times.
Jack Bodines decision was hailed
with approval by the fans. The bout
was so close that to call it a draw
was the only fair thing to do. al
though had decision been made
it probably would have gone to
Proto. Both boys showed hard, clean
fighting throughout the bout and
gave the fans their moneys worth.
Proto opened up in the first round
by rushing O'Dowd, but the Atlanta
boxers jabs to the jaw beat Proto
to many of his ticks. Proto was
landing his stomach blows, both right
and left, while or
his left to the head largely.
The second round was fast, with
O'Dowd still landing lefts to the
jaw and Proto swinging for the
stomach. Proto took O'Dowd by sur
prise in this round by a change of
tactics and landed a telling right
to the jaw.
The third round brought the fans
to their feet. In this round Proto
was at his best and it was evident
that he was fighting according to
the style of his choice. Proto rushed
O'Dowd and was walloped on the jaw
with right, which seemed to "peeve"
the local boy, and he opened up with
everything he had. ODowd seemed
as willing to mix 1t as Proto, and
both boxers stood toe to toe and
staged one of the greatest smuggling
bouts seen lately in a headline at
traction. Proto came out with
good edge in this round.
Proto Shifts Attack.
Proto temporarily left off his stom-
ach attack in the fourth round and
puzzled O'Dowd with lefts and rights
to the jaw. He landed several good
ones in their round that told on the
Albanian.
The fifth round was an exchange
Of punches to the head and body
Proto was landing with body and
head punches while ODowd was aim
ing mostly at the head with lefts.
The sixth round was rather slow
Proto and O'Dowd both got in sew
eral good body blows.
In the seventh O'Dowd was land
ing his jaw punches pretty regular
ly with Proto getting the edge on
the mitigating. Proto's lefts and
rights to the body from short range
were good, while O'Dowd landed
lefts to the kidney in most of the
clinches.
Both boxers turned loose with some
pretty fighting in the eighth round
Both were fighting for the head,
with Proto putting in body punch
occasionally. Proto had O'Dowd COW
ering again in this round. while he
beat tattoo of lefts and rights to
head and body. O'Dowd was sue
cessful in covering up in the close
fighting. while Proto blocked num-
Der of O'Dowd's swings to the jaw.
Proto opened up again in the ninth
round with his mitigating. He landed
several good right-left ticks to the
jaw and stomach and O'Dowd got
the worst in he clinches.
The tenth round was slow with
neither boxer showing much stuff.
Both were reluctant to mix it. and
the bout ended in a slow fashion.
Proto made a good Impression on
the local fans by his showing against
O'Dowd. He is type of fighter
that has not been seen here ften,
and believes in making his bouts
fight and not a boxing match
From the enthusiasm shown by the
audience, an early temperance of
Proto will be hailed with delight
CORkING PRELIM BILL
One of the best preliminary cards
ever offered at the B. A. c. pre-
ceded the O'Dowd-Proto scrap. The
card was opened by wrestling
match between Earl Simmons and
Newt Watts. Both men showed some
clever wrestling. Simmons gained
a fall over Watts in the sixth round
with an arm scissors and lock but
Watts came back in the seventh and
threw Simmons in about Is seconds
with head scissors and arm lock.
The third fall came in the eighth
when Watts secured an arm scissors
and pinned Simmons.
One of the features of the card
was the Baby Claude Wilson and
Baby Spark Plug. mosquito-w weight