Jackie Ford, the District of Columbia smoothie, proved to Ashville fighting fans that his winning the Southern Middleweight crown here some three weeks ago was no fluke when he gave the ex-champion Bill Cassity another free 10-round boxing leason at the city Auditorium arena last night.

Displaying the same brand of ring generalship that has stamped him as the best middleweight to appear in an Ashville ring for some years. Ford completely baffled the hard working Cassity to take eight rounds and even in two on the citizen score sheet. There was never any doubt after the first round who the winner would be if the scrap went the distance. Dodging, rolling, feinting and otherwise envading practically everything that Cassity tossed in his direction, Ford shaped the fight to his own  liking and rode it out without being jarred more than three times.

Cassity, on the other hand, fought savagely, but vainly from the first bell to the last, But every time he got set for a blow the Ford left would flick into his face, or a right and left would smash into his midriff and head. The Washington boy gave fans a working example of just about every trick in the book of boxing, and took every hard blow Cassity tossed at him. He also showed that it doesn't pay to turn your back to one of the boys from up North when he hammered Cassity unmercifully several times when the West Va boy turned his back in a clinch or on the ropes. The Cassity-Ford argument was well settled last night, and the promoter Ted Ball will have to look elsewhere to find a man capable of giving Ford a real run for his championship title.

 rudy@sperosvideo.com or call (301) 277-3357