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Show WNUWE FOUGHTWOLCAST Tillo the Wolgast-Nolson 'battle tlll la the all-absorbing topic among fight fans, many old-time Bporting men are beginning lo think of the famous fight between Joe Wolcott and Kid Lavigne, which upset the talent more thoroughly and really was every kit as exciting and Important as was the battle In which the Dane lost his tltl of lightweight champion. The Wolcott-Lavlgne fight will forever for-ever remain as one of the mout Important Im-portant battles In tho history of fistl-anla. fistl-anla. it not only made a new lightweight light-weight champion at that time, but It gave Sam Kltspatrick his reputation as one of the cleverest managers anc matchmakers the game ever knew. And it is one of tho blots on the escutcheon of Tom O'Rourke. It Is Just a little more than fifteen years ao since Lavigne ,beat the Barbadoes Demon at Waspeth. L. 1., In fifteen of the hardest rounds of fighting known In the annals of sport. To be evact, the date was December Decem-ber 2, 1S95, and It Is one never to bo forgotten. Walcott was under the management of O'Kourke and had been beating many good men. ORourko giving him the benefit of almost continuous training with George Dixon when the latter was touring tho country with a eportlng combination. The Demon became so good under the tutelage of O'Rourkc and Dixon that the former was certain that there was not a lightweight In the world who could beat tho negro. Many other people held the same opinion. About this time Fltzpatrick got hold of Lavigne. The Saginaw Kid wa9 never noted for his anxiety to train for a battle, but he had been showing his class. Beginning with, two draws, one of seventy-five rounds and tho other of fifteen rounds with George Slddons, he had advanced rapidly by beating Jerry Marshall, Johnny Griffon and others and getting an eight-round draw with Grlflo. All this time Lavigne was well under un-der the lightweight limit and frequently frequent-ly gave away considerable weight. Lavigne was getting so good that Wolcott and O'Rourke became a bit Jealous. On behalf of tho negro, O'Rourke announced that Wolcott would fight Lavigne and agroe to stop him ln6lde of fifteen rounds or forfeit the entire pursa. This was fine for Fltzpatrick, and he lost no time In agreeing to tho match, but he Insisted that Wolcott make the lightweight limit. O'Rourke and Wolcott, never doubting but tho latter would have an easy time with the Sagtnaw Kid, consented to the terms. Fltzpatrick took hold of Lavigne and started him training in a proper prop-er manner. The Kid stuck to his work and Improved with each day of conditioning. In tho meantime tho 9portlng men of the east wero betting better tban even money that Lavigne would never be able to 6tay tho fifteen rounds with the Demon whose powers to inflict in-flict the most terrific punishment had caused many lighters to sidestep matches with him. Tho few friends of Lavigne, including Fltzpatrick, started out lo bet that Lavigne would not only stay the fifteen rounds, but would beat the negro They were laughed at and told to write their own tickets for their bets. They wero getting as much as 20 to 1 that Lavigne could not outpoint the negro. Then came the battle; Lavigne trained to the minute and with a heart as stout as any ever carried Into In-to tho ring, Against him was tho Demon, ready to put up the best bai-tlo bai-tlo of his life and confident of end lng tho fight in a very few rounds. Wolcott lost no time In going after his man, lie was there to win as quickly as possible, and ho had no intention of losing any time. Dut It was a surprise party for Wolcott He rushed the white fighter from the tap of the gong, but Lavigne was right there to meet every attack. He vas wllllug to stand toe to toe and exchange ex-change wallops with the negro, or to meet him at any style of fighting Tho moment that Wolcott would slow up Lavigne would be on top of him, fighting like a wildcat. It was a case of the Demon out-demoned. As the battle progressed Lavigne began lo take the lead in the turrliic pace. It was only a few rounds before be-fore both men were battered as. badly bad-ly as Nelson was in his forty rounds with Wolgast. Lavigne lost an ear knocked off by a swing of Wokott's right. Both men bled until the ring was a shambles, but 6till they fought on. The longer the battle lasted the better bet-ter Lavigne showed, until In the closing clos-ing rounds bo was leading the negro all the way, and when the gong tapped tap-ped at the close of the last session the referee could do nothing else but give Lavigne the decision. He had not only lasted tho fifteen rounds. but had beaten the Barbadoes Demon. The result of the fight made Sam Fltzpatrick, as It mode Lavigne. Fltzpatrick has lasted longer in the game than did the Kid, and both have been wonders in their respective roles. There can be no question but that Lavigne and Wolcott crowded moro fighting Into their fifteen-round battle bat-tle than was done In the entire forty rounds of the Wolgast-Nelwon fight. Both men were battling every minute, both could lilt harder and each was punished as badly as was Nelson What chance would the Nelsons and Wolgasts of today have with the Joe Wolcott s and Kid Lavignes of fifteen years ago. In those days there were so many good men that a champion was liable to lose his laurels any time he fought. Today there are not more than three or four lightweights who can be regarded as having anything any-thing liko a chance to capture the title. I |