Mexborough and Swinton Times April 18, 1925
Denaby Boxing
Calladine Wins on Points in a Contest of Much Holding
The highest assembly yet seen at boxing contest at the Denaby and Cadeby Miners Welfare Bath’s on Saturday saw a gruelling contest between Percy Calladine (Mexborough) and Percy Stobbart (Rotherham), over 20 rounds for a purse of £64.
Charlie Brennan was a referee and his job was no sinecure. He had to part the men many times during the bout. He took his coat of and rolled up his sleeves for the work and one of the men give him a blow intended for his opponent!
By the ninth round he was blowing more than the boxes, and in response to comments on the fight he announced after this round that it was no “joyride” for him, but he would see the fighting fair.
Calladine open with a left swing to the body, and hit Stobbart with an uppercut.
In the second round Calladine started with a left to the head, but Stobbart’s reply was two similar, though Calladine had the round.
The third round Calladine drew blood and the referee had a few words with the men, presumably on holding tactics.
Stobbart was the aggressor in the fourth and there were sharp interchanges of short jabs. Calladine getting in a terrific left swing to the body at the finish which shook Stobbart.
The fifth and sixth round were full of wrestling and the referee again spoke to the men.
The seventh was a more open round, for I do participate and stop but got into good short blows to the head, one of which opened a cut over Calladine’s eye.
The eighth was mixed, and after being enjoined by a spectator to “feight,” Calladine got a right and left to the head, Stobbart replying with a grazing uppercut.
Stobbart opened the ninth with a hard left, but Calladine returned a Roland for an Oliver, although later he missed with both right and left
The 10th saw Stobbart on his knee, this was partly due to sleep on the wet corner, and Calladine just missed with a furious upswing.
11th round was entirely Calladine’s but Stobbart claimed the twelth.
In round 13 Calladine had Stobbart momentarily guessing when he got in a couple of good blows in quick succession.
The 14th round almost saw the finish, for Calladine was having things all his own way.
In the next round Stobbart took a count of eight, and in the 16th there was again much clinching and Stobbart missed a fine chance.
The 17th produced the best boxing, Stobbart being like a windmill with his flashing arms. He had more of the fight in the next round, and got two good ones home, Calladine again missing with a furious left swinger, an effort he repeated with similar results in round 19 where Stobbart got in a left uppercut.
During the last round the referee spoke to Calladine. Both men were going all out for the k.o. Stobbart trying an uppercut which might have done it.
Calladine got a popular verdict.
The winner is open to box any middleweight in England for £50 a side.
Two tall Denaby lads, Jim Bright and Jim Wildman, set furiously about each other and early presented a gory appearance, a real good contest of 5 rounds been declared a draw.
Johnny Stokes (Denaby) was awarded the verdict on points of Joe Thorncastle (Rossington) after six rounds. Thorncastle had the better of the opening two rounds, but after Stokes had weighed up his opponents he had the better of the other four.
Billy Setters (Denaby) beat Bernard Allen (Mexborough) over six rounds on points.