Leonard C. Bibby “The Professor” versus Walter Ashcombe “The Rangefinder”
The contest was stopped before the scheduled distance.
Bibby was billed as “The Professor” for this contest. He worked from the outside behind his long lead hand, using his reach to make an opponent cross the distance.
A long timber room adapted for evening sporting meetings.
Contest date: . Entry numbers identify records rather than dates.
Round by round.
Round 1
Both men began at long range, Ashcombe circling rather than giving Bibby a fixed target. The Professor used his lead hand to establish the gap and kept his back foot ready to leave an exchange. Ashcombe answered neatly when Bibby’s first advance carried him too far.
Round 2
Ashcombe changed direction early and found a useful reply as Bibby reset his feet. Bibby became more deliberate about the approach, touching with the lead before committing behind it. By the closing passage, Ashcombe was having to travel farther to find an equally clean answer.
Round 3
Bibby stepped forward behind a firmer lead, then checked Ashcombe’s attempt to turn away with a short counter. He maintained the pressure without crowding his own work. Ashcombe’s answers became increasingly isolated, and the contest was stopped during the third round with Bibby recorded as the winner.