Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-27
PETROLLE BATTLE
I. BIG TEST FOR KING
Minneapolis Boxer Is Eager
to Prove Last Win Over
Billy No FIuke.
BY GEORGE A. BARTON.

1NNEAPOL1S, FeDruaty ~
I'M Minneapolis, for the frs
1 1 time in many years, has 6
real contender for cham.
pionship pugilistic hcnors in King
Tut, a squatty, aggressive, hard
punching, courageous fighter, who
seems perfectly capable Of knock
ing Jackie kid Berg Of England
loose from the Junior welterweight
title If the BritiSher only would
grant him the opportunity.
Since Tut knocked out Billy Petrolle
of Duluth, whom he meets again in New
York tonight, in "a seconds at st.
Paul recently, matchmakers of four
cities-Minneapolis, New York, Chi
Cago and Detroit-have made futile
efforts to obtain Berg's consent to 8
Minneapolis battler weighed 1885,
pounds at pm. the day of his fight
with Petrolle, thereby proving he is q
legitimate Junior welterweight, a class
In which the scrappers do their quarrel
ing at 140 pounds.
And when Tut polished OF Petrolle
In less than a minute. ne proved con-
clusively that he was entitled to
match with Berg It will be recalled
Tony Canzoneri in 10 rounds at Chi
cago September IL, exactly two months
before Tony knocked out Al Singer in
New York and assembled the lightweight
throne.
Decision Unpopular.
Petrolle followed up this achievement
by waging such sensational battle
against Jackie Berg that the ring
worms in Madison Square Garden
howled murder when the judges
awarded the decision to the Britisher,
it being the consensus Of the spectators
and a number of newspaper men that
the worst Petrolle should have received
was a draw.
Ten days after his bout with Berg
Petrolle sprang one of the prize upsets
of a tempestuouS pugilistic season by
deciSively whipping the highly touted
Jimmy McLarnin in 10 rounds in New
York.
One may gather from the foregoing
that Tut didn't knock out setup when
he slapped Petrolle to sleep in "a Sec
onds. This marked the third time
Tut had whipped Petrolle in five starts.
IN their first fight, at st. Paul August
]. 1927, Petrolle won on foul In four
rounds. They were rematched two
weeks later and Petrolle won the de-
cision after 10 savage rounds.
Promoter Mike Collins of Minneapolis
brought the pair together in Mill City
for their third encounter october 16,
1928, Tut winning the decision after
10 rounds of vicious milling. Tut gave
Petrolle such a beating that the Duluth
lightweight was forced to undergo an
operation, Billy being out Of the ring
for eight months.
Petrolle Severely Beaten.
T. - - ~
troit September IL, 1929, Tut again
winning, battering Petrolle so badly
that Billy announced his retirement
from the ring. Petrolle came out of
retirement early in 1880 and staged
sensational comeback, which saw him
defeat Canzoneri and McLafnin, along
with fighting Berg OF his feet for
10 rounds
Tut's right name Is Henry T'uttle,
and he Is Of Irish-Scotch- English
parentage. He was born at Winnenoc,
Wis, July 2, 1905. Tut Is five feet
five inches tail and is built like
power house. He Is one of the strongest
and most aggressive fighters I have
seen in 81 years Of newspaper work and
refereeing.
Tut reminds me Of the late Terry
McGovern. Like the Brooklyn Terror,
Tut rushes from his corner at the
gong and swarms all over his opponent,
smothering him with punches and
keeping everlastfngly at II until he
either wins by a knockout or completely
exhausts his opponent, thereby enabling
Tut TO gain the decision in the event
of the bout going the limit.
Tut has made Minneapolis his home
since 1924 He began his career as an
amateur In the Mill City, where he
turned professional in 1925. and during
the past five years he has fought in all
parts of the United States, from New
York to San Francisco, meeting such
topnotchers as Petrolle, Young Jack
Thompson, Jackie Fields, Ray Miller,
Jimmy Goodrich, Bruce Flowers and
Billy Wallace, along with many lesser
teur boxing shows wished the ring
knoniker of King Tut on the rugged
little battler.
Tut Popular Fighter.
Tut Is popular because he gives the
fans action. He Is small edition OF
the late Harry Greb, being rather ur-
orthodox but effective in his style of
fighting. Like Greb, he is clever in
his awkward manner. Tut has bob
bling and weaving style that makes him
an elusive target, and like Greb. he
has mastered the Anack of delivering
Furnishing blows while apparently on
HNAe@AANNs AA1 o~SAAAS 6AAb~A AAA
limited endurance.
Sammy Mandell repeatedly side
stepped offers to fight Tut during the
years the Rockford Sheik held the
lightweight championship. Tom AM
drews Of Milwaukee two years ago
offered Eddie Kane, late manager Of
Mandell, a guarantee of 5000 to meet
Tut in q 10-round fight, but Kane
would have none of the Minneapolis
nauler. merely mention this TO show
readers the respect in which Mandell
and Kane held Tut.
Following his recent decisive victory
over Petrolle. Tut's managers made
every effort to persuade Tom McArdle
to match him with either Berg or
McLarnin in New York but McArdle
said both fighters refused TO have any
thing TO do with Tut.
McArdle informed Tut's manager
that Rev Yorks fans and boxing
writer's regarded the Kings kayo Of
Fatrolle as duke and insisted upon
the Minneapolis battler going to New
York and proving his mettle. This ex-
plains why Tut viii fight Petrolle at
the Garden tonight.
BY the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, February 27.-King
Tut and Billy Petrolle, two hard-punch-
ing lightweights, renew their rivalry IN
Madison Square Garden tonight.
Five times these warriors have