San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-10-21

And his name is Johnny Merino.
Leo Palmer, whose name is Leo
poldo Palmero and whose skill in the
ring promises to make him famous
some day, took the first knockout Of
a rather brief career, but one filled
with plenty Of pyrotechnics, at the
hands of tough and determined John
ny Merino in the War Department
Theater at Fort Sam Houston Tues
day night.
Leo has q stiff neck today but
otherwise feels pretty fair" and
will carry out his plans to fight at
Enid, Okla, October 20, and Baton
Rouge, La, the Thursday follow
ing.
The knockout goes into the record
books as having occurred in the third
round, but it really happened in the
second. Just as the time-keeper
raised his hand to bang the finish
bell for the second round, Merino let
fly a volley of hooks at Palmers
head and a particularly well-timed
and well-directed right bounced off
Leo's Adams apple. The boy dropped
flat on his face, as sound asleep as If
he had shifted chloroform.
Referee Dell Gotten counted ten,
but it was discovered after the limp
form of Palmer had been dragged 10
his corner that the bell had been
whacked during the hubbub attendant
to the sudden knockdown and that
Palmer was entitled to try again-if
he was able.
REMARKABLE COMEBACK.
Don Curley gave him a big Whit
of smelling salts and his seconds lid
everything but stick him with knife
to wake him up. Palmer gradually
came out of his deep sleep, with much
splitting and shiyering, and. then, 10
the establishment of the packed house,
stepped out in the third session and
went after Merino as if nothing at
all untoward had happened TO him.
1t seemed that he might come back
sufficiently to Withstand Merinos
rushes and finish the fight. He
showed no sign Of grogginess, though
weak.
But he continued to drive in, in
stead of fighting his usual careful
style. and Merino waited his chance.
Suddenly the right hook flashed
through Palmer's guard to his chance
and he fell backward. His head hit
the floor with a resounding thud, his
eyes roneo ana nc went last u sieeP
aealn.
NO DOUBT ABOUT 1T.
It was fully Is minutes before he
was able to leave the ring under his
own steam.
Palmer seemed TO be holding back
from the start Of the bout and Mernio
had a good edge on points when the
first Touchdown occurred.
The victory tickled Johnny into
permanent grin. He spent most of
the night accepting double congratula-
tions-on his victory and on his mar
rage TO Miss Margaret Matthew,
which takes place Wednesday night.
The main eyenters fought at catch
weights. In was said unofficially tint
Merino weighed 125 pounds, five more
than Palmer.
Kid Lencho, the clever youngster
who cut Mickey Young to ribbons on
the Dempsey card here, probably will
be matched with Merino this winter,
AFTER Johnny returns to duty at Fort
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LhNohV fs' MhhINo.
Lencho. Rabbit Palmer and Vicente
Aguilar. the latter the middleweight
champion of Mexico, were introduced.
There was plenty of action in the
long preliminary bill.
Jack Avalon and Bill Fischer, 1885,
Founders, snapped 'em from start to
finish in the eight-round semi-windup.
Avalon having the better of the early
rounds but Fischer coming back to
even matters in the later sessions