BruceWoodcockBoxer.co.uk

The Western Morning News gave this full account on 18th of March:

“Cheers which echoed and re-echoed through King's Hall, Belle Vue, Manchester, last night, at the close the European heavyweight championship fight, which Bruce Woodcock won on points over fifteen rounds, against Stephan Olek, Polish-Frenchman, were not for the British champion - a firm favourite in that northern city - but for a plucky opponent, who had stayed the distance against a harder-punching opponent to steal much of the glory of the encounter.

Woodcock disappointed. It might have been the fact that he was heavier than in any previous fights or that he regarded it as a good opportunity for training in preparation for his fight against Joe Baksi on April 15, but whatever the reason, he failed to display any of the ‘killer’ instinct - lacking in his early fights, but predominant in his more recent contests - and often had to give ground before a man whose punching ability could not be regarded as anything so strong.

How the Fight Went.  Woodcock was the first to score, with two left jabs to the face, and Olek, his chin tucked well down, backed away. Twice more the British champion's left landed, and so far, his opponent had not attempted a punch. Suddenly the Frenchman slipped under a left lead and crossed his right to Woodcock’s jaw, a neat punch, which, however, did not appear to trouble him. 

Olek landed with a left hook and a short right upper-cut, but the punches, while snappy, did not appear to carry much weight. Woodcock had not yet used his right, but kept jabbing away at his opponent's head with a long left lead.

Just before the end of the round, Olek landed a right to the body, but was still retreating when the bell went. 

Woodcock was looking for opportunity to use his heavy, right hand punch, but treating Olek with considerable respect. The Frenchman’s counter-punching was so far a feature but the champion began to land more regularly with his left jabs. He feinted with his right and swung a vicious left hook which narrowly missed. Olek landed his neat counter-punches to the Briton's face at every opportunity. Round two ended with both men in the centre of the ring, but Woodcock was either biding his time or finding his opponent too elusive, for at this stage he had not landed a really solid punch.

Waiting for the Chance.  Olek’s style and his elusiveness in retreat appeared to nonplus Woodcock, who kept stalking him, waiting for the chance to bring out a hard blow. The Frenchman was clever enough to score every time the champion missed, and the latter, finding this happening often, was inclined to be less aggressive. Olek, for the first time, took up the initiative, but was stopped by a short right, the first really solid punch Woodcock had landed for the first three rounds.

Again, Olek scored with crisp lefts at close quarters, and then he sent Woodcock back on his heels with a left hook which caught him full the face. The punches, while carrying some sting, did not seem to be heavy enough to seriously trouble Woodcock, who still had command of the centre of the ring. When he at last swung over his right, it landed, fortunately for Olek, a little too high to do any serious injury.

Then the Frenchman brought the crowd to its feet by a hard two-fisted attack, and Woodcock looked worried for the first time. When the men came to grips, there was a short ‘wrestle’ and Olek fell down. He jumped up immediately, however, and for a few seconds exchanged blows with his opponent.

There was a sensation at the opening of the fifth round, when Olek, attacking with both hands, landed several solid punches on Woodcock’s head and body and had the British Champion backing away in disorder. He tried it again, but his eagerness was his undoing, for he ran straight into a right cross from Woodcock, a blow which shook him to his toes, and it appeared as if he must go down. He recovered, and was strong enough to come back at his opponent and carry the fight to him.

Two more rights were landed by Woodcock, but Olek, although distressed was still game. Both the Frenchman’s eyes were puffed and swollen and there appeared to some injury to his nose.

Woodcock’s Best.  The fifth round was Woodcock’s best of the fight to date and the first time that he had unleashed his terrific right-hand punches.

The champion landed left after left in the sixth round, punches which were stinging Olek’s already damaged face, but still Woodcock could not find the opening he wanted for his right. Suddenly Olek came to life and sent his opponent back on his heels with a terrific right swing which landed flush on the Briton’s jaw. Woodcock was woefully out of distance with his right. Some went behind Olek’s head and others dropped nearly a foot short. A redeeming feature was the use of his  left, which piled up points for him and obviously hurt Olek every time they landed. 

Olek would not stay still, but made Woodcock chase him all round the ring. Jab after jab got home on the Frenchman’s badly puffed face, but he still made the champion miss with any real vital punches.

Woodcock landed two hard rights early in the ninth round, but the punches were too high. Olek, who spent most of the time backing away, suddenly changed his tactics, and, jumping into attack, scored several times, although the sting appeared to have gone out of his blows. The round ended with Woodcock missing with a vicious left swing which sailed harmlessly over his opponent’s head.

Olek’s Elusiveness.  The tenth round was a repetition of some of the previous rounds, Olek backing away and Woodcock still trying to find an opening for a knock-out. Bruce kept piling up points with his left, but Olek’s elusiveness caused him to walk ‘miles’ round the ring in his efforts to nail him down. 

Time after time in the twelfth round Woodcock was woefully out of distance with his right hook, and Olek became increasingly confident, upper-cutting the champion in the clinches, and for a brief spell actually carrying the fight to his man.

There was a thrill early in the thirteenth round, when Woodcock landed a terrific right which dropped the Frenchman like a log. Olek fell heavily, his chin catching on the bottom rope, but he did not wait for the count and was up in two seconds to fight back.Woodcock dashed in to follow up the advantage he gained, but he missed badly, and it was then Olek’s turn to score with his right uppercuts.

Woodcock landed two solid rights in the fourteenth round which swung the Frenchman completely round, but Olek was there still elusive and still game when the bell went.

Towards the end the fight Woodcock landed some good punches, but Olek survived them to last the full distance, although losing on points.

Joe Louis’s Title.  Joe Louis will defend his world heavyweight title at the Yankee Stadium on June 26, probably against the winner of the forthcoming fight in London between Bruce Woodcock, British Champion, and Joe Baksi, says a Reuter message from New York.”