Il Duce wrote:Monday ~ November 27, 1967
The Arena ~ Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Attendance........ 1918
Gate Receipts.... $9378
Fight Promoter.... Herman Taylor
#14 WBA ~ Leotis Martin ~ 24-2-0 {14 KO's} ~ 197 lbs. ~ {Age; 28 years, 8 months}
vs.
#22 WBA ~ Roger Russell ~ 15-1-1 {5 KO's} ~ 184 lbs. ~ {Age; 21 years, 9 months}
Leotis Martin was a {12-5} Betting-Favorite.
Roger Russell got off to a fast-start in Rounds 1 and 2, by using his quick-hands and excellent footwork in a display
of beautiful boxing, to beat the slow-plodding Leotis Martin to the punch.
But in Rounds 3 and 4, Leotis started to work his way inside with thudding left-hooks to the body, forcing Roger
to dart back outside.
Leotis forced the action in Round 5, and continued with hard left-hooks to the body. In the meantime, Roger
pecked away with a pesky left-jab, and occasional right-hand lead to the head over Leotis' low left-hand.
But late in the Round, Leotis rocked Roger with a 'left-right' to the head, and unloaded with a barrage that had
the young 'Philly Flash' in trouble.
In Round 6, both fighters had their moments, as Roger used his left-jab, quick combinations and dashing footwork
to baffle Leotis during the first-half of the Round. But Leotis came back in the later part of the Round, by landing
the harder blows with a solid body-attack, before slowing down.
In Round 7, Roger Russell displayed beautiful boxing, as he jabbed-and-moved around the slowing Leotis Martin.
And when he stopped, he would fire quick '2-Punch' combinations before Leotis could counter.
In Round 8, Leotis attempted to put more pressure on the speedster, and worked the body with left-hooks early
and added an occasional right upstairs. But still, Roger was effective with quick counters and controlled the majority
of the Round with better boxing.
In Round 9, Leotis Martin opened up with more pressure, and rake over his younger opponent with 'lefts-and-rights'
to the body, putting him on the defensive. Mid-way thru the Round, both fighters got into a heavy-exchange, and
Leotis landed a 'vicious' right-hand to the head that had Roger reeling and 'out-on-his-feet'.
Leotis then opened up with a barrage of left-hands into his 'stunned opponent', but Roger was able to clear his head,
and danced his way outside and around the Ring over the last 30-Seconds to survive the onslaught.
Coming out for Round 10, the bout was 'close', but Leotis appeared to have the edge. For some reason, Leotis fought
with no desire and just trudged forward slowly as he looked arm-weary from the previous rounds attack.
Roger, sensing that Leotis was in no condition to chase, just boxed from the outside, and landed smart left-jabs while
moving side-to-side. Roger was able to easily score, as Leotis was too tired to counter.
Scorecards
* Referee ~ Pete Tomasco..... 46-44 {6-4-0 in Rounds} Roger Russell
* Judge ~ Jim Styles............ 46-45 {5-4-1 in Rounds} Roger Russell
* Judge ~ Lou Tress............. 47-46 {4-3-3 in Rounds} Leotis Martin
* Philadelphia Inquirer.......... 46-45 {5-4-1 in Rounds} Roger Russell
* Associated Press................ 46-45 {5-4-1 in Rounds} Leotis Martin
After the Split-Decision was announced in favor of Roger Russell, the Ring was littered with debris from the unhappy
Philadelphian's.
Fight Purses
* Leotis Martin.........$3000
* Roger Russell....... $2500
Leotis Martin >
'I can't believe they gave him the Split-Decision. I thought that I had it won after the 9th-Round. I'm sure that was
a {+2 Point} Round for me. I had hurt him bad, and pounded him for nearly 1-Minute."
"I took off the last Round off because I thought that I was up by +3-Points. I'll admit that I didn't do anything in Rounds
7, 8 and 10 ~ but I won at least 5-Rounds and the other 2-Rounds were 'Even'."
Quenzell McCall >
"Leotis wasn't in shape. He got tired after the 5th-Round, and he let this 'kid' steal the fight from him. He had Roger in
trouble in the 9th-Round, and then let him slide away because he was tired. That's why you have to train, to be in shape
for the later Rounds."
Roger Russell >
"I told everybody for the past 1-Year that I could beat Leotis. I'm a better boxer, and much faster. Now I want Zora Folley
next, and then Joe Frazier."
Casey 'Pop Bates' Williams >
"When I first 'signed' Roger up for this bout back in May 1967, the Boxing Experts said that I was crazy to put a 21 year-old
kid in the Ring with a vicious 'punching-machine' like Leotis. But if he can't hit Roger, what good is his power. He only caught
him 'twice' in 10-Rounds, and then was swinging at air."
After this fight, Russell had a draw with Folley and then proceeded to lose 17 of his final 18 fights!
I wonder what caused him to fall apart like that.
