Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-12-12

l
slipping from his grasp, Paul Ber-
lenbach pulled himself back from
the brink of disaster tonight to
punch his way to victory over his
| former conqueror, Jack Delaney, in
a slashing, sensational 10 round bat
tie.
| While a record breaking indoor
crowd of $4,000 looked on from the
vast spaces of the New Madison
Square Garden. Berlenbach rallied
after having been knocked down in
the fourth round and punched in the
seventh. He came back through the
closing six rounds with rushing,
swinging attack that turned the
tables on the challenger and depriv-
ed the latter of a triumph he
| though he had clinched.
Berlenbach's desperate, furious
finish, from which Delaney himself
took a short count In the twelfth
round, saved the IT'S pound title for
the rugged New Yorker, but not by
a very decisive margin.
! The champion won a judges ver-
1 dict by narrow margin in fur
ious battle in which both fighters
went down for a count during the
fierce encounter. The champion
! measured his length when Delaney
landed squarely with mule-kiclSing
right to the jaw in the fourth round.
| The challenger went down in the
/, twelfth when Berlenbach's bone
crushing left found it's mark. Twenty
| three thousand spectators damned
the new Arena TO see the match.
| Right up until the last two or
/ three rounds it seemed that Delan-
! eys earlier superiority kept him in
che lead; but, courageously as he
tried to do so, the cool Bridgeport
battler could not stem the tide of
rights and lefts that engulfed him.
| Their faces smeared with blood,
both fighters put up a thrilling fin
| ish, but Berlenbach was the stronger
and more aggressive in spite of De-
| laney's gallant efforts right up to
the closing DELL. So close was the
verdict among ringside critics that
| a majority of them accorded Ber-
lenbach a margin of only one round,
| giving the champion seven altogeth-
er, the challenger six, and register
! ing two as even.
| For the most part it was a test
between Delaney's tantalising left
| jab, followed by his smashing right
hook, the blow that knocked out
Berlenbach in their previous meet
| ing, and the champions persistent
aggressiveness, coupled with his un-
| usual ruggedness and ability to alb
| sorb punishment.
Through the first half of the bat
| tie Delaney's weapons dominated
| and it seemed only a question of
time before he would measure the
champion for final count. After a
| slow and cautious start, Berlenbach
| brought first blood in the third
round with a singing jab to the
lose but Delaney came back in the
| fourth to floor the champion for a
count of three with a vicious right
| to the chin. Again in the seventh,
after Berlenbach had pulled him
self together a bit and covered up,
/. Delaney found his mark twice with
hard rights and the champion reel
| ed backward.
| These were Delaney's big chances
but on each occasion he backed oft.
| cooking his right hand for finish
ing blow which never found an
opening. Delaney fought co1ily and
deliberately, seemingly .nhdent
that the battle was his, but his lack
of aggressiveness when he held the
upper hand cost him his chance for
| victory and a championship.
Stirred to high pitch by the SEN
sational finish of both fighters in the
final round, the big crowd accepted
(, the verdict as satisfactory on the
whole, although there was a no.
ticeable chorus of booes from some
of Delaney's supporters.
Promoter Richard did not disclose
the official attendance and receipts
! but the estimated crowd of $4,000
was figured to have paid close to
| $15O,0O0 to witness the first boxing
show in the new Garden.
The title holder weighed 173h to
166 for Delaney.
In preliminary bouts Harold Mays,
1771f. of Bayonne, AZ. j., won four
round decision from Andy Palmer OF
! Philadelphia. 10, and Pat MCCARTHY
of Boston, 174, gained the judges
verdict over Alex Rely, Peruvian ne
gro. 1741h, in a six round go. The
| semi-final resulted in q decisive VIC
tory for George Cook, Australian
| heavyweight. over King Solomon OF
Panama in ten rounds. Cook weigh
ed 1874 and Solomon 1S9.
Round One-Delaney was given a
| rousing ovation as he was introduce
| ed to the throng which packed the
new Garden. The challenger was
| forced to rise and bow three times
| before the cheering subsidized. De-
| laney danced around the champion
| for half a minute without a blow
| landing. Delaney crossed his right,
| but Berlenbach caught it going
away. Both appeared cautious and
/ the crowd roared for action. Delaney
! landed two weak left jabs and the
| champion countered with left to the
| body without damage. They were
| dancing at the bell. 1t was tame
| round.
Round Two--The dancing con-
tinued, neither man appearing will
ing to open up. Delaney bounced. a
left jab off Berlenbach's jaw and
stumbled as he evaded the cham
pion's return. falling to the ring but
he was up Immediately. Delaney
missed with his left and Berlenbach
| landed a right to the jaw. Jack jar
red the champion with a stiff left
to the face. They continued to
dance and jab weakly as the bell
| rang.
Round Three-Delaney scored
with his left twice. A hard jab to
| Delaney's face brought a furry OF
blood from the challenger's nose. 1t
was the best blow of the battle. De-
Ianey lifted the champion off his
| feet with singing left to the ear.
Both landed let's to the head. De
laney lifted neat uppercur and
drove the champion to the ropes. De
laney landed three jabs to the head
| and took one just as the bell rang
| Round Four--The champion landed
solidly to the challengers head and
body and Delaney countered with left
to face. Berlenbach rushed Delaney