Barbados Joe Walcott as he entered the ring, appeared to be the favorite. Walcott sent Ferns to the floor twice in the fifth round, the first a solid blow to the jaw. Rube took the count both times. At the end, the referee stopped the bout to prevent a knockout. Ferns began to weaken as early as the third round, and in the fourth Walcott sent Ferns through the ropes. The bout featured a clinch in the fourth round that brought both boxers to the mat, possibly a result of a tiring Walcott attempting to counter Fern's six inch height advantage and superior
William "Honey" Mellody once facing both a young Joe Walcott, and former welterweight world champion "Mysterious" Billy Smith three times. Mellody's third round knockout of contender Willie Lewis in Chelsea, Massachusetts three months before facing Walcott foreshadowed his imminent conquest of the World Welterweight Title. Mellody got his first shot for the vacant World Welterweight title against the legendary Black Joe Walcott on October 16, 1906, at the Lincoln Athletic Club in Chelsea, Massachusetts. The "Pittsburgh Press" noted Mellody was barely 21 at the time of the fight and had been fighting professionally for only around three years. The bout required the full