Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1958-08-29
Champion Atkins
Escapes Defect
BY Thin Whisker
By CHARLES ]. LIVINGSTON

CHICAGO lamp In D fight
that had a Hollywood movie script
ending welter-weight champion
Virgil Atkins came from the brink
OF defeat 10 knockout Charles
Tombstone smith in lis Of the
10Th and final round Of their non
title nationally televised bout IN
the Chicago stadium Wednesday
night,
on the short end Of the scoring
going into the 10Th, Atkins, the
pride OF 81, Louis, lcaped 10 the
attack with the sound Of the gong
tossing long looping rights 70 the
head and left hooks 20 the body
After scoring with stiff right
he caught Smith with Earring
left hook that dropped him for the
mandatory eight count
Smith regained his footing and
tried TO fight back However he
was grogry and Atkins moved IN for
the kill He forced Smith into a
neutral corner and bomharded him
with rights and lefts that left the
Californian ar8ping over the ring
ropes. Referee Frank Sikura failed
20 count over HIM however and as
Smith moved back into the ring
Atkins pinned him against the ropes
and continued the assault
He scored with a continual bar
rage OF punches that rendered
Smith groRgy and helpless The
referee finally stepped IN and halg
ed the massacre
SMITH BLEW MS CHANCE
However uutil the 10th, the
eight was an Smiths. lie cut the
champion over both eyes and had
him bleeding from the second
round onward A 81 underdog the
small rngsidc crowd Of 500 fans
chcered Smith throughout
Those who viewed the action on
teleYsion must have realized hiw
close Atkins came TO his first De.
feat since winning the title on O
knockout over Vince Martinez
There was Atkins pccring through
bloodied eyes, weaving duckinR
and trying TO move in past the.
spearing left jabs Of his tormertcr
And there was smith ham
mcring away at his cropping
foe. keeping him off balance
and beating him constantly 60
the punch Fighting from AN
upright stance. he nailed Atkins
repeatedly and once appeared
90 have him set up for a knock
out
Three times during the bout the
ring physician entered the ring 20
examine Atkins wounds and the
ringside crowd pleaded with him
20 halt the bout But the doctor
allowed the fight 20 proceed and
Smith got cocky as the bout pro
crossed daring to mixed punches
with the obviously weakening
champion That proved his undo
ing
DEFEAT HUMILIATING
In his dressing room afterwards |
Smith cried from the agony Of De
feat 7 lost my head" he con
fessoJ Il know I had II made ri
got careless he moaned, trying \
70 explain how he blow the years 1
biggest ring upset one minute and 1
81 seconds more and he would have |
done e. However he thought the
referee should have allowed him /
20 continue a little longer n could |
have hung on a couple OF minutes
and won the decision To this 10
porter however Smith appeared /
helpless and unable 20 defend him !
aclf
AkINs WANTS BAsILIo
Akins gave Smith credit for be
ing a smart fighter bat said he
expected q tough fight from Smith /
Tie blamed his lnoptness in theI
early rounds on his inability 70 "a
Just 20 the 10 round limit "ArierI
training for rs rounds, you can't /
be- al your best he said
Asked ~ he stin wanted ~
fight Carmen Hasiiia, the fer.
mer weller champ. he nodded
Whoever my manager says"
he added
Al the time Of he Knockout |
Smith wan ahead on the cards N 7
nh three officials Ny sc5recard /
zhcsgad kE~,s abnaH "A ~ fr,ssy VEo