New Britain herald., 1930-12-13
BATTALlNO DEFENDS TITLE
 ACAINST KID CHOCOLATE
Proves to New York Ring Followers That He Is Not Cheese Champion" "-Goes Down for Count of Nine in First Round-From Then On He Tears Into the Cuban With Relentless Attack - Credited With Eight Rounds to Seven for Opponent-Details of Fight.

Now York. De. 13 Pt-Somc thousands Of fight fans We're won d,rIug today whether Bat BattaIino. Hanford"s fa>orita fighting son, had been vastly underrated as d champion or whether all through snould b. written on the long ring record Of the young Cuban Negro. kld Chocolate.
 8aualno, whose performances had failed 10 impress the fight faithful made t highly successful defense of his foathcrW eight title 4n Inst nights battle with the Negro at Madison Square Garden. Hot alter watching him pound the rul~n's body for l5 rounds Of r4- l-nll-ss attacking to win the unani- nous decision Of the referee and tNo judges the fans still were not sure whether it Was Bats strength or the Negro's weakness that brought the result.
 1t was Hartalino himself, proudly acocpiIug congratulations ot friends on the success Of his first appear anc- in New York who put the general oplwoa into words,
 "WII, l guess showed them l wasn't a cheese champion.' he said, If ant, l was pretty strong cheese .or rhooolal"."
 Although ne lasted the full 15 rounds, the longest route he ey'r had tried. ChocoI1t.s third success sjvc defeat was much the same 1s his first, when Jack (kid) Berg ended his string of more than l9o victories The sIm Cuban startled the fans in the very first round when he sent tho champion down for q count of nine, The Negro vas the poetry of boxing motion compared 10 Battalinos clurnsiness and strength. H. nlaneuvercd Bat talino into position and lashed ont with q pair Of solid clouts that sent Bat down. but did moi hurt him.
 From that minute it was all Bat taHno. boring in. his arms wrapped m ound lis head taking Chocolates $ blows on his elbows and firing with both hands to the body whenever he got within range. The champion fight went on and q great rally to- ward the md which won him the eleventh, twelfth, thirteenth and fourteenth rounds. turned the tide inevitably iH his favor. The Asso- cia;rd Press scor, card gave Bat tslino eight rounds and Chocolate seven.
 In many ways. inc fight was just what had been predicted. BattaInc djnp}aycd almost no dcfcnsr. but T steady attack He took plenty ot punches as h. Waded in, but only thos" in the first round were strong though to upset mm and his steady boGy punching through the rest ot the battle did uGt give the Cubn q chance to got set for another red | walIop.
 Rattalino vcighed 124i2 pounds Chocolat" t23.
 The fight by rounds follows;
 First Round
 ! After three suCCeNeiNc ChmChos + winch Battalino drove his right tc the body. Chocolate staggered th' champion with d left hook 10 the jaV and almost upset BattaIino with ; right 10 the jaw. Chocolate fooret Rattalino with q sharp right upper cut to the chin for the count 0 eight. BattaIinos left eye was cu as Chocolate drove lefts and right to the head and face.
 Second Round
 Chocolate smothered his rival witt q binding succession Of lcfts ant rights to the face opening the round Battalino walked in steadily but va awkward and almost fell througl the ropes when he sought to clincl as Chocolate stepped aside. Choco late shook the champion with a righ to the chin and repeatedly jabbe' i his left to the face. Battalin pressed in nevertheless and in on furious exchange drove several left and right to the head. Chocolat continued 10 jab his left to the fac and uppercut a right to the head although Battalino was fghtin strong at the bell.
 Third Round -..-
 - Rat;c cii.o pressed the fighting an workin~ cloee. drove both hands f the body ill several clinchcs. Choco