Saturday, Mar. 17, 1923
Firpo Bests Brennan
The hairy, blood-stained form of Luis Angel Firpo, Argentine heavyweight boxer, pounded its blundering way to a knockout over Bill Brennan in the twelfth round of a scheduled fifteen round fight at Madison Square Garden. Showing nothing but courage and a vicious right, Firpo battered through the superior defense of the veteran to win by assault rather than strategy.
When the fighters appeared, Firpo's shrieking check bathrobe, done in gold, black and purple, seemed to intrigue the audience rather more than the fighter within it. Brennan jumped through the ropes in a ragged old red sweater. Firpo weighed 220; Brennan, 203.
As the fight began, it was apparent that the Argentine artillery would bother Brennan. Wherever Firpo's right landed the surrounding territory shuddered. In the fifth round the American launched a counter attack which opened a deep gash over Firpo's right eye. And for the rest of the fight the South American was streaked in heavy crimson. A blow to the base of the skull in the twelfth finally sent Brennan to rest at Firpo's feet.
The fight was chiefly interesting as a line on the visitor's chances with Dempsey. At present they are hopeless. Yet he has courage and power. Training has been known to do the rest.