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| Eau Claire Leader-Telegram, 17-July-1922 |
On 16-July-1947, in Chicago, Rocky Graziano met Tony Zale in the second of three fights. Zale won the first and last fights. Each fight was a bloodbath.
Graziano Stops Zale in 6th, Wins Title
Rocky Rallies
After Beating
to Score TKO
BY SID FEDER
Chicago, Stadium (AP) -- Rocky Graziano won the World's Middleweight
championship Wednesday night by stopping Tony Zale at 2
minutes 10 seconds of the sixth round of their scheduled 15 rounder
before a crowd of 18,547.
Graziano, a 7 to 5 underdog in the betting, weighted 155 1/4; Zale
159.
Referee Johnny Behr, coach of the 1936 American Olympic boxing
team, stopped the fight with Zale down for the first time, half
in and half out of the ring, after absorbing terrific punishment.
The end came after five rounds of the same fierce action that marked
their first fight last September when Zale retained his championship
by knocking out Graziano in six rounds.
This time Graziano was floored in the third round for no count,
had his left eye ripped open and his right eye virtually close tight
from the early beating.
Round One
Graziano landed a hard left hook to the chin and staggered Zale with
a smashing overhand right. Zale held after being tagged with another
right. Zale crossed a tripping right to the chin. Zale drove a left to the
face. Zale drove Graziano into the ropes with a vicious right. Zale
took a hard right to the face in return. A hook drew a red mark on
Graziano's eye. They exchanged short rights to the head. Zale fired
left and right to the face and took a hard right in return. Zale drove
Graziano into the ropes. Each landed a left on the chin. Zale dug his
right to the body and shook him with a left. They were fending at
the bell. Zale's round.
Round Two
Zale shook Graziano with a right to the face and took a hard left
in return. Zale landed a short right hook to the head then was
straightened up with a behind the ear. Graziano connected with a short left
hook. Zale bounced a hook on the nose as Graziano was wild with a
right. Graziano drove twice to the face. Graziano smashed a right to
the mouth. Zale drew a trace of blood from Graziano's left eye with
three straight jabs. Zale landed a hard right to the face. Zale was
sent back on his heels with a right to the chin. Zale threw his rights
to the body. Zale threw his rights to the body. Graziano landed two
lefts and a right. Zale dug his right to the ribs at the bell.
Graziano's round.
Round Three
Zale jabbed twice to the face. Then threw left and right to the
body. A right hand dropped Graziano for not count and blood spurted
from his right eye. They stood toe to toe slugging. Zale dug his
right deep in the mid-section. Zale jabbed three times to the face. Zale
threw left and right to the body. Graziano just missed and then
connected high on the head with a left. Zale fired his right to the body and
his left to Graziano's eye. Rocky covered up. Zale whaled away with
Rocky against the rope. Graziano landed an upper cut to the face.
Zale caught a hook to the chin. Graziano's eye was bleeding badly.
Zale jabbed twice to the face and took a left to the body. Zale drove
hard rights and lefts to the body. Zales's round. The State Athletic
commission doctor, Dr. John Drammis was summoned into the ring
but allowed the fight to continue.
Round Four
Graziano bounced a right to the head. They traded lefts to the
body. Zale fired a left to the body and right to the face. Zale drove
both hands to the body then jabbed to the face. Zale dug his left
to the head. Graziano landed a left jab. They traded jabs as the pace
slowed. Zale's jab connected but he took a hard right to the ear. Zale
spun around almost to his knees as he missed a right swing. The blood
bothered Graziano's vision. Graziano smashed a right to the ribs.
Graziano landed two left jabs. Zale did the same. Zale connected with
a short right and took a left to the head at the bell. Zales's round.
Round Five
Zale landed a jab as Rocky missed a hook. Rocky bounced a right
high to the head. Rocky fired a right to the ear. Graziano threw
a right to the body. They traded soft jabs. Graziano landed left and
right to the face. Graziano fired a right to the head and took a short
right to the ear. Zale dug both hands to the body. Graziano fired
both hands to the head. Graziano's right eye was almost closed from the
punishment. His left eye had stopped bleeding. Graziano connected
with a hard right and a short jarring hook. Graziano staggered Zale
with a left hook. Zale opened Graziano's eye and jabbed away at
the face at the bell. Graziano's round.
Round Six
Graziano jabbed twice to the face and received some of the same.
Graziano sliced a hard right to the body. Zale jabbed to the face and
took a hook to the body. Zale was staggered with a smashing left and
right to the head. Graziano sent Tony into a corner with a vicious right.
Another vicious right sent Zale into the corner and the referee stopped
the bout as the former champion stood helpless and unable to raise
his arms.
