San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-03-18
MIKE NJ T|GUE,
NEW CHAMP Of
L|CH7-HEAV|ES
Sikh Pays Penalty Of Meet
ing Irishman in Dublin
on St. Pats Day.
DECISION in TWENTY
Not Much Of a Fight But
Martial Surroundings
Provide Thrills.

Dublin, March IL. - One Of Ire
lands first homemade" fighters
stepped into the pugilistic throne room
here Saturday night when Mike Nc
Tigue won a 20-round decision from
Battling Sikh, the Senegalese wild man,
and became the worlds light-heavy-
weight champion.
Most Of the martial spirit attending
the bout was confined to the outside
of the Scala Theater. where soldiers
and police walked carrying rifles with
bayonets fixed TO prevent the riots and
disturbances threatened by the Re
publicans. A land mine explosion
near the theater shortly before the
fight. shook the city. Two children
were wounded.
The only thing that happened to
make the McTigue-Siki meeting look
like fight occurred in the eleventh
round when one of Skis wild swings
found its target and closed McTigue's
right eye. and drew blood.
The Senegalese seemed 10 go back to
the primitive state Mt the sight OF
blood and he tore into the 1rishman
furiously. McTigue kept his head,
however, and jabbed the black away
with his left hand.
Sikh did all the forcing for 10
rounds. McTigue seeming to be con-
tent with staying away and relying on
his superior boxing and speed of foot
to tire out his opponent. In the NTH
round McTigue was warned for hold
ing.
Let Black Tire Himself.
McTigue apparently had been
coached to let the Senegalese wear
himself out, as he was obviously not
in the best of condition. McTigue
swarmed around him, content TO tap
and keep him from getting set for one
Of his wild swings.
Skis steam went out OF him at the
end of the fifteenth round. He was
very weary, and he had to be pushed
out of his corner.
McTigues seconds sent bin to fight
in the seventeenth and he crawled all
over Ski. punching him with all his
strength for the first time, and trying
for knockout.
Three hard right hand swings to
the jaw in the eighteenth rocked Sikh
TO his heels and made him bang on.
He was in trouble and he had the
greatest difficulty lasting out the
round.
McTigue was still fresh and he con-
tinued furious attack in the nine
teenth and twentieth rounds. He
punched Sikh dizzy and it was only an
unsuspected and unfigured ability to
take punishment that enabled Sikh to
be on his feet when the last bell rang
Gave Vent. to Mighty Cheer.
The crowd went into frcnZied cheer
ing even before the decision was an
nounced. When the verdict of the
referee naming McTigue the winner
was announced, the roof was nearly
rocked off the building with the
volume Of noise.
All of McTigue's friends had bet on
him. but few of them really believed
he had more than fair chance to WIN.
Skis reign as the worlds light
heavyweight champion was short-lived:
He pulled one Of the most sensational
surprises in ring history on September
"A, when he knocked out Georges Car
pentier in the sixth round in bout
scheduled to go 20 rounds in Paris.
Sikh was considered only a set-up be-
fore that time.
With all of his titles. Sikh went to
such extremes in celebration that ne
lost the hold he posse cd on the Paris
public and he was finally suspended
for 30 days by the French Boxing Fed-
Grafton and had his titles taken from
him. Sikh then created another sena-
tion when he said he was to have laid
down" for Carpenter. but that
Georges hurt him and he forgot about
the agreement An investigation
was made and his charges were brand
ed false.
Considered Bout Easy.
Sikh then went on his good behavior
and he was reinstated. This bout with
NcTirue was considered by his hand
lers as nothing more serious than an
easy means Of replenishing a depleted
bank roll.
Republican threats TO attack the
tbeater during the bout, kidnap the
fighters or throw bombs came after
Eamonn Deyalera issued statement
that the bout would not be permitted.
as il would constitute a dissertation OF
ST.. Patrick's Day.
The rebels we're understood to be
prepared for a special attempt to DEM
onstrate that tie free state was not
CAPABLE of carrying on its affairs with
ont disorders. and that it could not
even keep the peace during prize
fight in the heart of Dublin.
Ii is doubtful whether a boxing con-
test was oser staged under such condi.
tions as this one. Spectators walked
TO the. tbeater between rows OF guards.
Armored cars doomed around corners.
Machine guns poked their noses from
noints of vantage. During the fight
The spectators had their attention di-
vided between the proceedings IN the
inr aud rnmnr. that a battle had