New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1928-07-27
TUNNEY JUSTIFlES HIS
CLAIM TO CHAMPIONSHIP
Genes Terrific Punching Power Stops New Zealand
Invader In 18th Round - Titleholder Finally Re-
vealed as Killer-Loss to Richard Will Probably
Amount to $500, O0O-Heeney Sorry Mess at End
After Gallant and Vicious Beginning.

AAAVSA ~ NN$AAA&SAaS S$AS~e ~
New York, July 81 R-The Hard
Rock from Down Under was we'll
nigh gravel today, pulverized by the
power in the fists of Gene Tunney.
a real fighting marine.
Under a storm of gloves that rip
ped his scanned features open and
blinded him in one eye. Tom Heeney
of New Zealand, who plodded his
way past all American challengers.
crumbled last night in the eleventh
round of the fifteen round battle he
had earned with the heavyweight
king. Heeney went down to defeat
a stumbling, CORY figure, numbed in
body by terrific right hand punches
which a new brand of Gene Tunney.
poured into the almost defenseless
challenger for nearly five consecu-
tive rounds. Heeney was saved from
the gnominy of knockout only by
the shielding arm of the referee
after one of the greatest stands and
most vicious beatings a heavyweight
ever endured.
Overshadowing, perhaps, the I'M
quenchable courage of the challen-
ger in the face Of whitening glove
fire, was the picture of the cham
pion revealed at last under the glar-
ing lights Of the Yankee Stadium
ring as a killer.-the type of fighter
! Tunney in his heart always had en-
We'd.
Unfortunately, Genes awesome
display of punching venom came too
first great failure of his career. AL
though official reports have yet 10
/ be announced. the promoter admit
! ted that the crowd of $4,000 that
! only half filled the huge home OF
the American League world cham
! pions, paid but 100000 to see the
major fistic show OF the outdoor
season.
The loss to Richard and the Madi-
son Square Garden Corporation
(, coming at the end of a series OF
| heavyweight championship matches
! that set new records for receipts,
probably will reach 100000. The
championship tilt. counting a guar
antee of $525.000 for Tunney ana
800, 600 for Heeney probably cost
$500, 600 to stage and of the $1o",-
600 estimated receipts, the promoter
must pay 80 per cent in taxes to the
state and federal governments. But
through that dreary vista OF figures,
| that showed Richard nothing but
losses where gates of $1,S00,00O and
so,600,00O once bloomed under the
magic touch of Jack Dempsey, the
promoter today saw visions of big
! ger and better gates to come.
The impresario OF Madison
SQUARE Garden believes that he now
has in Tunney the makings OF one
OF the greatest drawing CARDS III
the history Of the ring-a master
boxer with the power in his granite
fists to batter helpless a man who
never before was punched to the
canvas.
Brilliant Display
Certainly the handsome champion,
fbronzed the color OF an lndlan'
trained to the minute, and savage
in the perfection of his cloutlne
accuracy, turned loose upon Tom
Heeney brilliant all around display
Of fighting power.
From the third round until the
seventh, when siashing right
hook paralyzed the optic nerve II
Toms left eye there was no ques
ton of Tunney's supremacy. Ant
} from the moment that blow landed
until Referee Ed Forbes mercifull!
: stepped into save the Anzac blint
and helpless after two minutes ant
So seconds of slaughter in TIN
: eleventh, the sole issue was one o
: endurance-Heeney's ability to alb
sorb punishment.
: For just moment In the tent
: round, as Heeney. battered senseles
: by a storm of punches that rattle'
: off his flinty chin and chugged dee
l in his burly body. stretched helples
at the edge OF the ring, Gene seeme'
S to have won the prize of cleal
r Knockout. But before count coul
, be started. the gong changed to en-
!, the session and Toms despairin
j seconds dragged him to his corner
Heroic treatment restored the ANA
:, sufficiently to warrant sending hir
: forth for the final round, but tn
e end, forecast from the moment Gen
: paralyzed half of Heeney's sigh
L. ,te
/. more. Having the sympathy q
d most of the crowd by his Sparta
: Indifference to punishment, Heene
r tore into the champion in the fir:
II round and drove Gene before hi
y under a storm of short, loopin
e hooks to the head. Contemptuol
OF punishment, the craggy-feature
challenger ripped through Tunney
d guard. buled him about the rim
n and drummed his punches O
e Genes head.
n 1t was an amazing sight to tt
] throns, which viewed the champio
as a 5 to favorite and had con
IS with lightning let's. an occasions
q right and dazzle him with the taste
Re footwork any heavyweight has d
4. vcloped since the days of Jim Co
n bett. 1t was just as amazing
D. Tunrey and worried, harass<
: look was on his face as he trotte
lie to his corner, a red bruise abo'
his left eye.
Gallant as was Heeney's sta
amid the roads of appreciation
lie the crowd it ended as quickly a.
a bapan Within Tho newt thr