South Yorkshire Times, July 28th 1933

Crossley’s Advance
Critics Taking Notice
Griselle Mastered
A Real “Come Back”

Harry Crossley had a stiff test on Saturday at Leicester against Maurice Griseile, the French heavyweight, but came through with flying colours, and demonstrated that he must be reckoned with for the heavyweight title. Crossley has only to reproduce Saturday’s form against our leading heavyweights and he will be ready for Jack Petersen again. Petersen took the cruiserweight title from him last year by a narrow margin of points Crossley, at that time was not a thoroughly fit man. largely due to the fact that the 12 stone 7 lbs. limit was a little too much for him. That position would not arise when Crossley and Petersen are matched again.

Crossley’s one-time critics are now loud in his praise. A move towards finding Petersen’s next challenger has been made by the Board of Control (Southern Area) and Jack Pettifer and Charlie Smith have been nominated to meet. The winner will probably meet the best of the northern heavyweights to settle who shall be the legitimate contender. Crossley is undoubtedly the outstanding man in the north with Bob Carvill, whom he has already beaten, as next best.

The several bouts that he has had since he lost the “cruiser” title. Crossley has shown himself an aggressive fighter. In his bout with Griselle he gave a superb exhibition of scientific boxing—and punch considerably stronger than in his cruiser days. He won nearly every round and had a big margin on points in his favour at the end. It was only Griselle’s grit that kept him on his feet after terrific punishment.

In the first round Crossley took a short count. He was following up a left jab when he slipped. He quickly recovered, although he suffered a slight shaking, and scored with a series of left and right crosses. In the later rounds he was master of the situation though Griselle stuck it well. His blows—he got in several nice punches—had little effect on Crossley. who was able to get inside many of Griselle’s swings. The punishment he dealt in the in-fighting, and his strong use of a straight left. showed their effects on Griselle’s body and face. Crossley had the bout his own way till the last round. He had piled up a big lead, but the Frenchman made a plucky and desperate last rally in an effort to score a knock-out. He roused the crowd to great excitement when he pinned Crossley in an earlier and hammered him, but Crossley came out cool and went to meet Griselle. In the closing stages the pair had a free exchange of blows in the middle of the ring. The round showed that Crossley can take as well as give punishment.

The contest has done much to enhance Crossley’s reputation nationally. He has met and gone the distance with the cream of the world’s boxers. There is now every likelihood of a contest between Crossley and Larry Gains, the coloured British Empire champion. A win here would put Crossley in line for a challenge to Petersen. The men met in Cologne, when Crossley was comparatively raw in experience, and Gains then gained a narrow win on points. The date of their forthcoming meeting was not fixed yesterday, but Mr. W. Bridgewater, Crossley’s manager, tells us that it will probably be at Leicester on Monday, August 21st.