Allen Takes Thumping But Gets Even Break

A chorus of 1500 enraged voices, raised in a discordant unison, greeted the announcement of a draw decision handed down by Referee Ray Smith at the conclusion of eight rounds of legal assault between Roxie Allen and Emory Cabana at Twelfth and Federal streets last night. The occasion was the star bout of the Camden City A. C. boxing show.

Camden Courier-Post – September 1, 1928

Former Maine Ringster Wins Four Rounds, Loses Three, Splits One in 8-Round Fuss

A chorus of 1500 enraged voices, raised in a discordant unison, greeted the announcement of a draw decision handed down by Referee Ray Smith at the conclusion of eight rounds of legal assault between Roxie Allen and Emory Cabana at Twelfth and Federal streets last night. The occasion was the star bout of the Camden City A. C. boxing show.

This howling mass assembled at the local ball plant hoping to see Allen, regarded as the premier “lightweight” puncher of these parts, take a slamming from the shifty son of Maine’s woodlands around Sanford. They feasted their eyes on the unusual sight of Allen catching rights and lefts to the head and body. They saw Cabana clout his ever-moving target around the roped enclosure in four of the eight innings, losing but three, on of which was by a slim margin. They watched the popular Cabana fight to a standstill in the other frame and gloried in the scene of a reeling, leg-weary Roxie, with left eye battered, make his uncertain way toward his stool when the fight ended.

But the decision that called the affair even came like a lightning bolt from the sky and they cut loose their shrieking protest in a venomous volume that could be heard for blocks around the premises.

  • LOCAL FIGHT RESULTS
  • The winners, losers and their weights in the Camden City A.C. boxing show at the Twelfth and Federal streets ball field last night follow:
  • Frankie Mack, 126 pounds, of Camden, stopped Joe Powell, 128 pounds, of Camden, in two rounds. Bout stopped after end of first round
  • Joe Kid Kelly, 126 pounds, of Camden; won referee’s decision over Freddie Brady, 126½ pounds, of Philadelphia, in six rounds.
  • Tommy Kid Boots, 175 pounds, of Roebling, won referee’s decision over Joe Lill, 180 pounds, of U, S. Marines, in six rounds.
  • Joe Spearing, 135 pounds, of Camden, won referee’s decision ever Joey Michaels, 143 pounds, of Riverside, in eight rounds.
  • Emory Cabana, 129 pounds, of Philadelphia, fought draw with Roxie Allen, 138 pounds, of Camden, in eight rounds.
  • Referee Thomas Walters (first three bouts); Sgt. Ray Smith last two.
  • Timer – George Dean. Announcer Joe Valentine.

Cabana Gets Early Lead

Coming out of his corner with fire in his eyes and dynamite in his upholstered fists, Cabana lashed away at Allen to win the first two heats. These frames were treats to the patient patrons who have frequently flocked through the Camden Club’s turnstiles, hoping for just such a scene. Allen did better in the third session, for he earned an even break, but Cabana was right back at him in the fourth and carried that chapter, boosting his lead to almost an unsurmountable [sic] edge.

Roxie heard plenty of barking when he went back to his stool at the end of the fourth and he came out a changed clouter when the gong signaled for the fifth heat. It was the real Allen fighting back, jabbing, right-crossing, and he also pecked away with a series of one-twos in the sixth, shaving a considerable chunk off Cabana’s lead. Emory decided to do some more hustling on his own hook when the seventh started, but Allen retained a slim margin when they took the next rest.

In the eighth and final round Cabana came out the stronger, although Allen tried to trim him down with long right leads and light jabs. After this resulted to Cabana’s advantage Allen, shifted his tactics and bulled the former Maine mauler over the four sides of the ring. It was furious rubbing, heeling, clinching round, with Cabana deserving the nod due to his greater aggressiveness and cleaner punches. Allen showed much of his of self in this round, but he was whipped when he ambled to his stool.

Allen in Typical Form

Barring the first two rounds it was a typical Allen fight. Taking it from start to finish it was the usual pleasing Cabana mode of battling. In the initial rounds Emory was more than the rugged, rushing slashing, two-fisted knuckler that Camden fans have seen before. He tore in from the sound of the first bell, connected well with his long right crosses and sweeping left hooks to the belt and when he feinted it was just too bad for Roxie. The latter exhibited flashes of creditable work but he was often backing and did not add to his prestige.

There might have been a few who felt that deserved a draw and there might have been some in that gallery of mixed minds who may have given him the decision but if there was one inclined toward either of these turns he she did not let be known to that motley, screaming mass that yelled in protest of the verdict. They looked like an enraged mob with their hands waving high and their voices pitched to the limit, seemingly aching to reach the object of their ire but held in restraint by some invisible bonds.

To the writer it is hardly conceivable how the three rounds that are granted to Allen could balance against the four frames that Cabana earned even if an allowance of any of the latter innings could be shifted to Roxie’s credit.

Question Over Allen’s Weight

There was considerable comment heard around the ringside and back in the dressing barn as well as throughout the gallery over the weight figures.

At 3 o’clock yesterday afternoon it was announced that Cabana surprised everybody with 129 pounds while Allen’s weight was given as 138 pounds. When the fighters were brought into the ring after the first two bouts owing to threatening weather it was announced that Cabana’s poundage was 133 with Allen scaling at 138 pounds. It was frequently heard that Roxie tipped the beam at 141 yesterday afternoon and came in around 144 last night.

Since starting his comeback here several weeks ago Joe Spearing, the husky local lightweight as done some tall thumping and he added another nick in his knuckles when he beat down Joey Michaels, the Riverside knockerout in the semi-windup of last night’s bill.

Michaels took the aggressive at the start and whipped over some speedy rights and lefts forcing Spearing to the <illegible> pedal act for two rounds. The fighter however tested as one of the strongest boxers in the local ring.


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