Tony DeMarco vs. Walter Byars
Tony DeMarco 147 lbs beat Walter Byars 143 lbs by MD in round 10 of 10
- Date: 1957-05-25
- Location: Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Referee: Tommy Rawson 99-95
- Judge: John Norton 96-96
- Judge: Joe Santoro 99-90
Boston, May 25 (AP) “Tony DeMarco used a slashing body attack tonight to earn a ten round majority decision over Walter Byars at Boston Garden. DeMarco weighed 147 ½ pounds; Byars, 143. The former world champion, seeking another shot at the crown as the No 1 challenger, was forced to go to the midsection by the clever but less effective Byars. Referee Tommy Rawson and Judge Joe Santoro gave DeMarco the fight by 99-95 and 99-90 votes respectively. Judge John Norton called it all even at 96-all. After taking a solid beating in the midsection, Byars, the ninth-ranked challenger, finished with a flurry of right hands. They found their mark, but DeMarco was not visibly affected. DeMarco’s right carved crimson impressions across Byars body through much of the match, but the former Marine would not yield. Byars cupped his hands to almost completely cover his head as he operated from a crouch. DeMarco actually had little choice in his area of attack. Tony, the idol of Boston, missed wild shots in the last two rounds as he sought the kill, and was tagged by Byars’ rights. Byars, also of Boston, surprised most of the 8,305 onlookers by starting slowly, contenting himself with efforts to block DeMarco’s blows. In the first two rounds he did little of the hit-and-run fighting expected. He was so busy protecting himself he had little time to attack. His right-handed shots near the finish were too little too late. Byars was a gracious loser. “He beat me by outboxing me,” Byars said afterward. “Tony fought a good thinking fight. He fooled me by thinking one step ahead of me. He used his head instead of his big punches.” DeMarco admitted he had to restrain himself most of the fight from swinging freely. He was looking for an opening to throw a possible knockout punch but never found it.
- DeMarco's purse: $9,879.37
- Byars's purse: $8,358.95