Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), Thursday 9 December 1954, page 14


DAWSON RETAINS UNBEATEN

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Eddy Dione (left) grimaces with pain from a short right to the side of the jaw

by Freddie Dawson in last night's fight at Sydney Sports Ground.

FIGHT RECORD IN AUSTRALIA

American Negro Freddie Dawson retained his unbeaten Australian record when he decisively outpointed Eddy Dione at the Sydney Sports Ground last night.

I Dawson, fourth rated welter

; weight in the world, did not

lose a round. The fight was

hard at times, but was disap-pointing to watch, due mainly to Dione's spoiling tactics.

DIONE SMOTHERS ATTACKS

Dione nullified the

majority of Dawson's attacking moves by mov-ing up close, but did noth-ing in these clinches to force the fight.

Dawson has now won his 19 contests in Australia.

Dawson was 2-1 on to win.

A.B.C. officials last night estimated the crowd at 11,000.

I Other estimates varied be-

tween 5,000 and 8,000 people.

The Australian Boxing Club anticipated a crowd of .about 16,000.

They needed a crowd of this [size to help recoup some of

the losses from the recent Empire title fight between Barry Brown and George

Barnes.

Both Brown and Barnes were on a guarantee of £3,000 each for the fight, and the A.B.C. lost about £5,500 on the contest.

Last night's disappointing crowd for a fight billed as the "Contest of the Year," indicates the Sydney fight public is not partial to out-door contests unless a big title is at stake.

Dione is only the fourth fighter to last the distance against Dawson.

Unanimous

The three previous fighters were the American Negro Charley Williams and the Australians George Barnes and Bernie Hall.

The three judges were unanimous in awarding the fight to Dawson.

Frank Hyde gave Dawson 32 points and Dione 28, Charles Moses awarded 37i points to Dawson and 22i to Dione, and. Les Pearson allotted Dawson 36i points to Dione's 231.

After the contest Dione claimed that Dawson would have been disqualified had the fight taken place in France.

Speaking through an inter-preter Dione said Dawson had persistently claimed during

the 12 rounds contest.

He added he would like to fight Dawson again, but not under referee Art Mawson's

direction.

Dawson said that Dione was a tough fighter but "was a little shy."

"His safe tactics would not allow me to have a decent shot at him," he said.

"Dione was holding me more than I was holding him during the fight."

During the contest many of the spectators called on

referee Art Mawson to separ-ate the boxers and tell them to fight.

Dione Clinches

The persistent clinches in each round spoilt the fight as a spectacle.

Dawson was content to stay away from Dione and try to catch him with a long punch, but Dione kept boring in and

remained close to Dawson.

Although Dawson scored at least five punches to one in the clinches, Dione kept up these tactics for the majority of the fight.

The only highlight of the fight was early in the 12th round when Dawson nearly sent Dione down.

The French champion buckled at the knees after Dawson had smashed three punches at him-a left hook, a right cross and another left

hook.

The crowd hooted Dawson in the fifth and 11th rounds when he stuck his chin out at

the French champion, and tried to entice him to lead up.

But Dione, who had been warned about this habit of Dawson's, could not be tempted.

Dione took the initiative for the first time in the third round, scoring with a good left hook, but Dawson retali-ated with a number of short

lefts and rights to the head.

For the next four rounds the fight continued in the one pattern-Dawson trying to

catch Dione and the French

champion moving in to clinch.

Dawson opened out for the first time when he landed two straight lefts, a left hook and then a few seconds later a left hook and right 'cross which had Dione on the back

move, shortly after the start of the eighth round.

These punches rattled Dione and he was ill at case as Dawson stalked him for the rest of the round.

Dawson kept moving up in the ninth round, trying to land a telling punch, but Dione boxed cautiously and appeared determined to last the dis-tance.

The Frenchman tried to take the initiative from Daw-son midway through the round when he scored with a number of lefts and rights, but these carried little sting and did not worry Dawson.

Dione switched his attack to the body at the start of the 11th round, but Dawson deflected most of these punches with his elbows.

Dione landed his best punches of the fight midway through the 11th round-two straight lefts and a right.

He caught Dawson in a corner but the American fought his way out.

The crowd booed Dawson and urged Dione on when Dawson stuck' his chin out.

At the end of the round Dione had a slight nick under his right eye.

Best Round

This had been the best round to date of the fight, and the crowd applauded for the first time.

Dawson went all out for a knockout at the start of the 12th, and had the French-man in trouble.

For one of the few times in the fight he was able to connect with his longer punches and sent Dione reel-ing.

Dione clinched whenever

possible and used every inch of the ring to keep away from Dawson to see out the remain-der of the round.

Only scattered applause greeted the announcement that Dawson had won on points.

Weights: Dawson 10-8;

Dione 10-7.

PRELIMINARIES. - Amateur (4 rounds). - Bantamweight: Rodolfo Valcnlo stopped Johnny Abrahams in the 3rd. Lightweight: Alan Tier-ney outpointed Lloyd Syron; Norm Hocgard stopped Peter Farrell in the fourth. Featherweight: Wally Atkins stopped Les Davidson In the third. Professionals (6 rounds): Johnny Jarrett (8-9) k.o.'d John Bancy (8-7) in the third; Stan Davis (11-3) beat Kevin Moorshcad (10-12), Moorshead disqualified In fifth. Eight rounds: Jimmy Ripley (9-8) k.o.'d Johnny Symons (9-10) in the fifth. Four rounds: Harry Castle (11-7) stopped Bernie Gilroy (11-7) In the

second,

10 rounds: Ross Jenkins (14-6) stopped Fossl Schmidt (13-4) In the

third.