Janitors ten most historicaly important British fighters and a bit about each of them

"eats a great deal and sleeps a great deal, and his exercises are a pleasure rather than a task to him."

 

I used to think those things about that Driscoll-Attell fight, but after checking the day-afters from the time, I found that the fight was reported to be a lot closer than what some more modern writers (like Harry Mullan, for example) would have us believe.

Taking apx six or seven round-by-rounds that were written the day after the fight happened, and coming up with a consensus for each round, I averaged it out to 6-3-1 for Driscoll. Based on the descriptions of it, round seven was very clearly an Attell round (all round-by-rounds gave him it), as he was described to have hurt Driscoll with a left hook in it that staggered him, and was also said to have controlled the whole round.

No shutout there, and in fact, there were even a few that thought Attell had the better of the fight. I think it may have been the New York Evening World who took a poll of 20 to 25 ringsiders involved in the boxing business at the time, and showed plenty of support there for Attell with Driscoll only having a slight edge in that poll at apx 9 to 7 with another 8 or so thinking it was a draw.

Driscoll did likely have the better of it, but based on what I've read from the time, I can't say that his margin would have been nearly as much as legend has made it out to be.

 

Thanks for that info Sam.

As far as I know, the bout was a kind of Whitaker-Chavez type fight, with Driscoll dominating quite a few rounds, and a few rounds being close and arguable for Atell.

I'm sure some of those that took the poll would have given Atell credit for pressing the fight, just like Chavez did against Pea, even though he was getting countered all night.

 

Edgren's remark is interesting in next day report:

"In cleverness they were so nearly a match that they often fought in exactly the same style, landing alternately with blows just alike. It was in speed and a truly marvellous ability to escape by a hair's thicknes that Driscoll held an advantage."

 

Ted Kid Lewis?

 

Excellent stuff Janitor, really good read.

 

This has become a really good thread. Nice work.

 

Very interesting post, Janitor: as always, you've got me doing more research as a result.