Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-02-12
|Cocky Gavi|an Ready
To Take On Turpin
Or Bobo Olson
CONTINUED from Page CID

OAAAos S"NAoA oSOo " PSA NOAAO
and Davey 20. Gavilan will get
about $4,000.
The first definite indication
that the so-called experts were
right in making the Cuban cham
pion a stout favorite came in the
third round when Gavilan start
ed one Of his patented flurries
and f1oored Davey with a right
hand punch after pounding him
furiously with both hands.
That was only the second
time Chuck had been floored
since he started boxing. The
first occurred in the spring of
1948 when one Of Heinie Mil
ler's University of Maryland
boxers "a natural southpaw
named Barney Uncontrolled
Southpaw Davey and dropped
the Michigan Slater. On that
occasion, Chuck barely got to
his feet before the count of 10,
but recovered quickly and went
on to take the decision.
Davey Fights Back.
Davey got up willingly enough
after the first knockdown last
night, too, fighting back de-
terminedly. He didn't do at all
badly during the next four
rounds, either, but Gavilan says
he knew he had his opponent
after that first knockdown.
All during the fight Davey
displayed the speed and boxing
skill that so thoroughly capti-
waited the Nations television
fans during his brief rise to
fame. His right jab was as good
as ever and he connected with
any number of crisp lefts to the
champions jaw. But they didn't
bother Gavilan a bit, it seemed,
and the collegian simply lacked
the punch and experience to
cope with those vicious f1urries
the Cuban turned loose at least
once each round.
There is little doubt that Gavi-
Ian was sharper last night than
in any of his recent fights. He
showed a lot of respect for Davey,
even though he had said, "Eet
take two to tango" when asked
yesterday morning what he
thought of his collegiate OPP
ponent as fighter.
Gavilan Turns sOuthpaw.
Gavilan himself indicated that
it might have been ego that
caused him to switch to south
paw stance at the start Of the
fifth round. He said he just
wanted to show Davey and the
crowd that he could fight pretty
well that way too.
The Cuban fought as a left
handler for two rounds, then
switched to an orthodox stance
in the seventh. All three of these
rounds were close, with the
champion having a slight edge
due to his windmill tactics in the
closing seconds.
Gavilan reverted to the south
paw stance again briefly in the
eighth round, just long enough
to land a rip-hammer left high
on Davey's right cheekbone.
Blood spurted from a cash under
Chuck's eye and Gavilan switched
back to his natur0 pose and
moved in for the kill. He
pounded the wounded Davey to
the ropes with rights and lefts,
but the game challenger stood up
under the attack. although bleed
ing badly as he went to his
corner.
The ninth round had barely
started when Gavilan connected
again and Chuck was down for
another nine-count. He arose
only to be floored again. On
arising, Davey took another ham,
mering before Gavilan landed
the right that sent Chuck spin
ming through the ropes and al
most over the ring apron. Only
a few seconds after he clam
bered up again. the round ended.
It was all over when the chal-
lenger didn't come out for the
10th.
Kid Ahead on Points.
The fight was not in the bag
when Gavilan turned loose his
dynamite in the eighth and
ninth. Referee Frank Gilmer
had it 40 points to Al for Gavi-
Ian at the finish with the Kid
winning only the third, eighth
and ninth and four rounds even.
Judge Ed Hintz had Gavilan
in front, 1898, winning the
third, sixth. seventh, eighth and
ninth with three even. Judge
John Bray made it 81 to 80 for
Gavilan with the Kid taking the
third and from the fifth through
the ninth with the first even.
Davey had grinned broadly at
the start of the fifth when Gavi-
Ian turned southpaw. He said
later that he had expected such
a. move, but admitted it bothered
him more than he thought it
would.
Gavilan praised Davey as a
good, smart boxer, but implied
that he is sadly lacking in ex-
perience. In fact, the Cuban
seemed quite fond of Chuck. say
ing the ex-collegian apologized
quickly early in the fight when
he accidentally butted the Kid.
Gavilan also told how Chuck