Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-08-20

New York, Aug. 1s.-(P)-Tiger
Flowers, Georgia negro, successfully
defended his worlds middleweight
championship tonight by carrying off
the judges decision over Harry Greb
Of Pittsburgh, former title holder. In
a sensational fifteen round match at
Madison Square Garden.
Flowers was the victor by q de-
cisive margin ON points but was
forced to Withstand slashing rally
by Greb in the last two rounds Of
bout that was punctuated with rough
and tumbling tactics up to the finish.
| A crowd of $1,000 saw the fight.
| Flowers weighed 159 Ia and Greb
159.
| Greb, withstanding a terrific body
attack most of the way, flashed a SEN
! sational finish that had the Garden
| in frenzy in the last two rounds
but this desperate rally was not suffi-
| cient to offset the big margin which
the rugged Negro had piled up pre-
| yiously.
Although a majority Of ringside
critics gave Flowers decisive mar
| gin ON points, the Official verdict was
not unanimous. It was announced
that both judges gave the decision to
the champion. ut that the referee,
Jimmy Crowley, cast his ballot in
Greb's favor.
In the newspaper consensus of
opinion, however, the Tiger was
credited with winning eight of the
Is rounds with six going to Greb and
one regarded as even.
| ooy yfAd he @A
for the most part and pounded the
/! challenger severely about the body
while also shooting punches to the
head that opened cut over both of
Harry's eyes. Greb on the other hand,
directed his fire chiefly to the head,
landing straight right that fire.
quently brought the dusky warrior
up short.
Both grappled and wrestled in the
cinches and while Greb frequently
was warned for resorting to unfair
tactics at close quarters, holding and
sticking his thumb in the champions
eyes. Flowers seemed ready to meet
the veteran at the latters own rough
and tumble game.
The twelfth and thirteenth rounds
were Flowers best. In each he had
Greb backing under driving rights
to the body and left hooks to the jaw.
The challenger's shifty defense, how
ever, saved him on each occasion and
he had enough reserve left to uncock
a Whiriwind rally in the closing two
rounds. In both of these he had
Flowers bewildered under hail of
blows but most OF these were of the
glancing variety.
They were evenly matched in
weight, Flowers scaling 15S IA and
Greb 159.
The official paid attendance was
14,125, and the receipts $75.176.
Round One-Greb was the first to
land, leaping in with a left to the
body but taking counter to the jaw.
Greb rushed Flowers along the ropes
and they mixed at a fast pace Greb
connected with a hard smack to the
head. Harry rushed the champion
to the ropes and the crowd was in
an uproar At close quarters Flow
ers pounded Greb's body. They ex-
changed lefts to the stomach and
! Flowers connected with vicious left
hook to the ribs. The Tiger was set
back on his heels by two lefts to the
jaw. and they were in wild miXup
at the bell.
Round Two-Greb jumped in with
left to the body. They clinched
and slugged away with both fists.
Both were wild with their rights but
the Tiger connected with left hook
to the body that sent Greb to the
! ropes. Flowers ducked a vicious
| right swing. but took a glancing left
to the jaw. Greb connected with a
right to the chin and wrestled the
champion to his corner. Flowers
opened cut over Greb's left eye with
an uppercut. He was pounding the
champions body at the bell.
| Round Three-Flowers met Greb
coming out Of his corner and landed
both fists to the body. The referee
! struggled to tear them apart from a
| clinch in which the champion pun
| melled Greb severely. The Tiger
hooked left to Grebs jaw and fol-
lowed with smashing left to the
| ribs. The challenger was backing
away from the negro's furious attack.
Flowers turned completely around
| after taking a right to the nose. Greb
! connected with a wild right that
| glanced off the champions chin and
danced away from the Tigers count
er rush just before the bell.
| Round Four-Greb shot a straight
right to the jaw but took four wal
lops to the head in return They
mixed away at close quarters with
the champion outroughing the chal-
lenger at his own game. Flowers beat
tattoo on Greb's ribs. Harry
spared and danced saway from the
| Tigers attack. occasionally leaping
| Flowers with two straight rights to
| the head. one Of which started a
| flow of blood from the champions
mouth. They were pummelling away
when the gong sounded.
| Round Five-Greb complained of
| holding by the champion. but the I'll
ger countered with request for Har-
! ry to come in and fight. Greb took a
/ right to the chin and a two-fisted
| pounding in the stomach as they
! rushed together. Flowers complained
/ that Greb stuck his finger in his eye
| Greb missed a straight right and
Flowers blocked a left. Flowers
crashed smacking left hook to
Greb's stomach. He repeated the
| punch up against the ropes. Just be-
| fore the bell the champion took left
! hook to the head.
Round Six-As they were wrestling
away from q clinch Flowers stumbled
and nearly fell, the ropes saving him
! from hitting the canvas. Greb follow
| ed up with furious attack, shooting
| his right to the champions head and
| body with smashing effect The Tiger
mixed willingly and battered the chal-
! lenger's body. The referee warned
Greb for unfair tactics in q clinch. The
challenger had opened 4 cut over the
Tigers nose. Flowers clipped Harry
with two wallops to the head Just
before the round ended.
Round Seven-They started of at
furious pace, both smuggling away
from the tap Of the bell. Greb rocked
the Tiger with Q right swing to the