Prison Fight

In a prison camp in South Africa's Transvaal, two Italian soldiers last week fought a rousing ten-round battle for the welterweight championship of the crumbling Italian Empire. One was Gino Verdinelli, winner of the national welterweight tournament held in Rome in 1940. The other was Giovanni Manca, 1941 welterweight champion of the Italian Empire. For a purse, Italian officers had contributed -L-100 (around $400) from their prison earnings. For a referee they chose a South African: popular, pint-sized Captain T. St. John Dean.

After the match, Winner (on points) Manca was offered a match with South African Welterweight Champion Lieut. Laurie Stevens, stationed at nearby Pretoria. Manca accepted, with one stipulation: half the proceeds must go to Italian prisoners of war in South Africa, half to South African prisoners in Italy.

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