The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-02-11
RUSSIE STANDS
TOE TO TOE WITH
FIGHTING BILL
Former Stablemates Fight in
Fargo Bout rs They Have
Never Fought Before
LEROY HAS MORE WEIGHT
Petrolle's Ring Experience and
Punching Ability Give
Him Advantage
LEROY HAS MORE WEIGHT

Him Advantage
BY J. e. MacGREGOR
Tribune Sports Editor
Fargo, N. D., Feb. 11.-North Da.
kota has two great fighters.
AS Kussie Leroy stunned 1900
thrilled fight fans who jammed the
Fargo auditorium Friday night BY
standing toc-to-toc with Billy Pc.
trolle, rocking the conouerer Of
Sammy Mandell with labs and
hooks, it dawned on the followers
OF these two great warriors that
Russie, too. deserves consideration
among the elect Of fistianG.
Through ten teeming rounds the
former stablemates edged to and fro
in the center of the ring, fighting as
they have never fought before, trad.
ing blow for blow, planting resound-
ing. punches and finally falling into
each others weary arms at the end
OF 10 rounds, each with mutual ad-
miration for the others prowess.
Fight Called a Draw
~ vas q u1oWs OOulO Will say
that Leroy won because he landed
the cleaner punches. Others will
contend that Petrolle's aggressive
ness carried him to an edge victory.
But the neutrals will say that it
was truly North Dakota's battle Of
the century," and it was.
Jack Hurley, promoter of the
show, announced from the ring that
Leroy's weight was 140%, while Pc
trolle's was 1861.
1t was apparent that Russie had
q decided advantage in height and
reach. Pctrolle's advantages Icy in
his ring experience and punching
ability.
As Jerk Doran, matchmaker q
the st. Paul boxing club, hammered
the gong in the first round, both
boys came to the center Of the ring,
circled, jabbed, and then waded in,
hammer and tongs.
Every round was . repetition Of
the firsts The first was even. Pc
trolle shaded Leroy in the second
because Of his aggressiveness and
sportsmanship. Leroy grabbed the
third with q wild splurge Of lefts
and rights that had the Express
bobbing and weaving. Round four
was even.
Fifth Round Russie's
Leroy had the fans gasping in the
fifth. Five times in deliberate sue
cession he cracked Billy on the
cheekbone. Five times Bills head
rocked. The next worlds light
weight champion was visibly upset.
And when the bell changed, Referee
Ed Shave was forced to pull the
cutting Leroy away from the retali-
ating Petrolle.
Petrolle evened the point register
in the seventh after an even sixth.
Bill was wary Of LeRoy's jabbing
left and sweeping right. The Ex-
press was content to nod his head
as punches swished by, and to snap
over straight rights and lefts that
had the crowd yelling for a knock
out. Petrolle also took the eighth
by cleaner punching.
Leroy threatened Peirolle's pres
tige in the minds of the fans in the
last two stanzas by apparently slap
ping the Express dizzy but the boys
at the ringside saw most Of those
wicked looking hooks stop on the
tough Italian skull, the rugged
shoulder or the sharp elbow.
Petrolle will continue his ring ac-
tivities in North Dakota when he
meets an unnamed opponent in a
10-round bout scheduled for Bis
marck.
Prelims Are Exciting
In one of the most sensational
bouts seen in . Fargo ring in many
years, Spud Murphy, Moorhead, out
pointed Battling Morris Of Duluth
in the cight-round semi-wind-up.
Earl Orton, Fargo, knocked out
tho masked marvel Of Duluth in
the third round Of a scheduled six
round fray.
Szymka Zabull, Polish lumberjack
heavyweight from Duluth, plastered
AL johnson, st. Paul, with 80 many
rights and lefts Of al kinds that
johnson had to be carried from the
ring ct the end Of the first round.
In the curtain raiser, Tommy Nc
Cough, Fargo, landed . sheep pro-
ducer on Kid Herman, Moorhead, in
the first round.