New Britain herald., 1928-06-12
lBY c. r. e

Hit in the groin twice within the space of minute in the fourth round of his bout with Al Melo for the middleweight championship of New England, Frankie O'Brien of Hartford was unable to continue and was awarded the verdict on a foul by Referee Billy Conway last night at the East Hartford Velodrome. The blows. unintentionally sent in by Mello, were unquestionably low and were plainly seen from the ring side although those removed some distance were unanimous in the opinion that O'Brien had not been hurt and was quitting.
 It happened that the second blow which suddenly ended the battle was delivered as the two fighters were sparring in the northeast cor ner Of the ring at point immedi- ately in front of the writer. Mello Was sending in right uppercut to ORrien's mid-section when the punch landed 'squarely in foul terri tory. Dazed for q moment and with his left leg suspended in air. OBrien made for his corner few steps away and as he reached it. he began to sink to the canvas.
 Both hands were pressed to the section where the punch landed and Frankie's face was contorted in pain. The fans in the bleacher sec tion howled with disappointment as Referee Conway hastened to O'Brien's corner When he asccr- tained that O'Brien was unable 10 continue, he awarded the Hartford boy the bout on a foul.
 There wasn't any question about he blow being foul and to the writer's mind, there wasn't any question about the punch hurting O'Brien. The Hartford battler was holding his own very nicely with his more experienced opponent, and in the minds of most newspaper critics at the rngsiIe. neither boxer had more than slight edge over the other. As to the charges that O'Brien quit because the sailing was too rough, the answer is given that O'Brien is not qlitter and had no reason to stop fighting last night.
 Only d few blows were struck in the sparring about the ring. Both men fell repeatedly into clinches and spent their time avoiding each others attempts to fight on the in- side and in tying each other up. Mello appeared to be the more re- sourceful of the two and in the third round, he caught o'Rrinn on the jaw with a punch that rocked the Hartford boy and dazed him momentarily. Any chance for Mello to follow up the advantage was lost as he ripped and fell to the floor.
 While it lasted. it was a dull and uninteresting affair. The continual cIinching and wrestling of both box CTS and their over-cautionsness took away any thrills there might have been.
 State Athletic Commissioner Thomas F.. Donohue examined both fighters after the bout in theIr dressing room and he expressed himself as satisfied that O'Brien had been hurt severely enough 10 dis able him from further fighting.
 Preliminary Bouts , The main bout was put on before the final to give out of town fans the opportunity of getting home, Jimmy Amato White of Boston handed Joe Smith Of Hartford scientific lacing in the eight round semi- final. He opened cut on the Hartford's boys forehead that gave Smith a gory appearance when the fight was over. White was too exper- fenced for the Hartford boy.
 Tommy Mamby of Holyoke and Frank Senk of Springfield indulged in a slow and cumbersome bout with Hamby carrying off the hon. CTS. The fans kept up a continual ieer as the bout progressed.
 Buster Nadeau of Willimansett, one of the most popular of the anna teur fighters to ever appear ill thls city. lost a close decision to keWple Ledoux of Holyoke in the best fight of the night Both boys started at a terrific pace in the first round and kept up their windmill tactics dur ing the entire six rounds. This bout l alone was worth the price of admis- ] sion. When Referee Billy Conway | raised LedouX' hand in token of vic tory, the crowd long and loudly 1 vented its displeasure. The decision ]