BOXING.

KEYS DEFEATS TRACT. The professional championship contest of fifteen rounds arranged between "Hock" Keys, of Sydney, and T. Tracy, of Wellington, by the Wellington Boxing Association, came off at the Opera Houso last night. There was not a vacant scat in stalls, stage, or circles, and tlw audience proved itself critical, discerning, and generous. There have been pro vious successful contests hold under tht; auspices of the Wellington Boxing Associution, but in point of general excel" lence the four contests decided last nighl were in the aggregate far superior to all that have preceded them in this city. Three amateur events were put on bo fore the big set-to. B. Tracy and H Reynolds led off with a bantam-weight exhibition (three rounds). Tracy had the best of matters all through, and when the third round was a minute old Reynold* was disqualified for clinching. A light weight set-to between H. Bodley and G Watkins was full of strong endeavour, Bodley deservedly gaining the refereo'i favour. Next J. Gosling (Wellington aud New Zealand bantam-weight champion ol 1904, and fe«#her-weight champion of 1905) met "Spi" Thomas in a six-round contest. Thomas was leading on pointsi when in the third round Gosling got horns a heavy blow, and Thomas was counted out. The winners in these three evento are all pupils of T. Tracy. The contestants in the light-weight pro • fessional championship took the ring shortly after 9.25 p.m. Keys scaled 9sd llilb and Tracy 9st 1241b. Dr. Napioi M'Lean, who was referee in the^rovioua bouts, again officiated, and Mr. A Laurenson was the timekeeper. The priz* offered was a purse of thirty sovereigns. Tracy opened the first round with a lot dl leading, and got in some good blows, bnl Keys showed great resource, and amplj repaid the attentions of his opponent, establishing a slight lead. In the secon round Tracy gained points with two bodj blows, but Jleys again took the uppci hand with quick short jabs. There was some in-fighting during round three, Kers'i telling upper-cuts being in evidence. Thit was a bad round for Tracy. Close quarters and vigorous hitting marked th,e opening of the fourth round, but the pace steadied after the first minute. Keys was dodging round the stage, and Tracj following up sent home a couple of good blows that shook his antagonist up. Hearty applause marked the termination of this set-to. Keys showed to best advantage in the fiflli round, taking many strong blows cleverly with his gloves. He opened the sixth round with three hard blows, but Tra-cy pulled himself together and responded with two smart head blows in quick succession. Tracy's clever ducking was saving him a lot of possible punishment. Tracy forced the pace in th« seventh round and got in a heavy body blow that steadied Keys for the balance of the round. (At this stage the referea cautioned Keys that he had during ths round struck a blow below the belt, and warned him that he would be disqualified if he repeated the offence. ) In round eight Tracy was busy on Keys' body, While Keys was upper-cutting to occasional good purpose. In the ninth round it seemed that Keys was sparring for chance to get in a time-limit blow, but though Tracy was showing signs of wear the local man lasted through. Round ten saw Keys sparring with his characteristic high guard and dotting Tracy on the chin with repeated quick jabs. Tracy's blows wer* mostly body-blows. Keys set out td settle all doubts in the eleventh round, but Tracy responded gamely, and with coun-ter-attack steadied the process. He waifull of new energy in the twelfth round, and he mixed matters beautifully, though he tired again in the last few seconds. Ha was showing great heart, and gained wel? deserved applause as the gong sounded. Keys landed several straight-arm blown cariy in round thirteen, and in the las'i minute of it he made many points, though Tracy was showing extreme gamenoss Tracy sent home three successive blows oe Keys's face, and though Keys retaliatec later on he failed to make the pace as fas) as it had been previously. The round ended with two "all-out" blows by Keys, which Tracy missed by clever ducking. Keys had made many points in the lad three rounds, Tracy's repeated clinching being against him. In the concluding round Tracy vent in for a "knock-out," that being his only chance of winning-, but though he began well and at one stagt ldttled "Keys, he could not maintain the pace. Keys sent in two heavy swings which Tracy cleverly ducked, but then Keys Upset his balance with a face blow. He" came up gamely though, and saw the round through, but on points Keys won the contest. Hearty and well-de-served cheers for Tracy followed those given for the winner. Keys is a remarkably clever and scientific boxer, and he quite upheld the reputation he brought with him from Sydney. Undoubtedly he is the best ring tactician seen in the boxing square in Wellington. His knowledge of the art was superior to that of his opponent. Tracy's cxhibitios was also admirable, and the estimation he is held in as a plucky and determined boxer was not diminished by his defeat last night. The contest was "under distinguished patronage," though the Premier and th« Minister for Railways were prevented from attending by urgent Parliamentary matters. The Hon. John Rigg, M.L.C., and Messrs. W. C. Buchanan, A. L. Heidnuui, Hawkins, and Hardy. M.H.R.'s, and the Hon. T. W. Hislop, Mayor of Wellington, were amongst those on the platform. Mr. H. C. Waterfield, private secretary to tin Governor, Mr. W. G. Atack, hon. sea oil the New Zealand Boxing Council, Mr T. H. Robson, hon. sec. Canterbury Boxing Association, Mr. Macintosh, hon. sec Otago Centre of the New Zealand Boxing Association, Mr. Ross, hon. treasure! of the New Plymouth Boxing Association, and Mr. James Sexton, hon. secre tary Stratford Boxing Association, and Mr. Bond, of Palmorston North, wer< also amongst the spectators. Mr. Sexton, in a letter written this morning tc Mr. W. Coffey (hon. sec. of the Welling, ton Association) states that "as an old sport of thirty-four years' standing, and having witnessed many contests in England, where I had tho honour to belong to the City of London Club, I have nevei seen these contests carried out better thai I have under the supervision of the Wcl lington Boxing Association." There won fully eighteen hundred spectators of the contest.