BOXING.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 52, Issue 207, 14 June 1932, Page 2

BOXING.

THE PROFESSIONAL CONTEST. SULLIVAN DEFEATS COSSILL. Before a good attendance at His Majesty's Theatre last evening, Billy Sullivan (Hastings), contender for the New Zealand heavy-weight title, defeated Jack Cossill (Palmerston North), amateur light-heavyweight champion, on a technical knockout in the twelfth round of a 15-round professional contest under the auspices of the Ashburton Boxing Association. There were no hitches in the programme and the Association is to tie congratulated on the manner in which it staged the fight. Sullivan proved to have a very effective right and he was not. \ long in bringing it into use. Cossill boxed well and gamely and fully maintained the reputation for clever fighting which he earned at the New Zealand amateur championships held in Ashburton last August. Sullivan's tremendous hitting power and greater ring experience proved too much for him, however. With more experience, Cossill should go far in the boxing world. Mr IT. J. Dillon was the referee and Messrs J. H. Grigg and H. R. C. McElrea the judges, while Messrs F. B. Robilliard and P. Cookson were timekeepers. Details of the Fight. Sullivan entered the ring at 12st 21b and Cossill made 12st. Both received a warm reception. First Round—Cossill opened the fighting, leading with his left. Sullivan clinched, and there were some heavy exchanges to the body. Sullivan's right came into action almost immediately and he connected heavily to the body, landing two good ones on Cossill's ribs as the clinch broke. He followed up with a straight right to the chest and again, tfye boxers fell into a clinch, when Cossill got home with a right and a left to the head. Sullivan replied with a straight left to the body and a right hook to the side of the head. The round ended with an exchange of body' jabs in a clinch. It was Sullivan's round by a small margin. Second Round .—Both men were warming up to it and Cossill opened the offensive with a lovely left swing to the jaw. Sullivan fell into a clinch •and stopped another left on the jaw when they broke away. Sullivan went

to work with his right again and ham-1 mered CossilPs ribs as well as connecting with a left to the jaw. Again it was Sullivan's round. Third Round—This session opened with a lot of in-fighting, and as they broke Sullivan brought in a smashing right to the ribs, Cossill countering with his left to the head and forcing Sullivan back into a corner. With a right to the heart and a left to the head, Sullivan knocked Cossill back, and the younger man showed signs of grogginess when the gong went. Sullivan's round. Fourth Round—Sullivan's right hand was to the fore again and Cossill took heavy punishment on the jaw and body. He came back gamely and slogged with both hands to Sullivan's body. The Hastings man retaliated with a right to the head and two to the body, following them with a straight right and left to the jaw. Cossill rushed in and connected with his left on Sullivan's nose, which was weak from a recent break. The round finished in a clinch, with Cossill showing signs of freshening up and forcing the fight. : Fifth Round—Sullivan jumped in and rocked Cossill with a right to the jaw, forcing him up against the ropes where he hammered his face severely. Cossill fought back gamely but Sullivan's defence was sound. The fight went to the centre of the ring again and Sullivan stood off and smacked home two punishing rights to the face. Sixth Round—The pace was on from the gong, and Sullivan was hammering away for a solar plexus blow. Cossill clinched and received a vicious right rip to the ribs for his pains. He came back with a right to the face and penned Sulliyan in a corner, but was unable to penetrate his defence. With a right hook to the jaw Sullivan forced him back against the ropes and Cossill clinched, fighting for time. The gong saved him.

Seventh Round—Sullivan led with a left to the head, following it with a right and a succession of smashing blows to the body. Cossill was very groggy. At this stage the fight was held up owing to Sullivan tearing his glove, and both boxers had their gloves changed, the spell giving Cossill a much-needed rest. On resuming, the men sparred for an opening during the few seconds before the gong went. Eighth Round—Cossill opened the fighting, giving Sullivan a smart clip on the ear with his left,, the Hastings man coming back with heavy blows to the heart and ribs. A swing to the jaw had Cossill rocking on his feet again, and a vicious right to the ribs sent him back to his corner. Just, before the gong he attacked again and forced Sullivan into a corner. Ninth Round.—Cossill livened up up considerably and took the fight to Sullivan with both hands, startling him with a stinging left and a right to the head.' Sullivan fought back but .'Cossill used his left effectively and Sullivan began to show signs of tiring. Excitement reigned high at this stage and Cossills' forcing tactics brought the crowd to its feet in a wild burst of cheering. Cossill got home with a right to the head in a clinch, Sullivan being content to rest and avoid as much punishment as possible. Cossill kept up the pace and Sullivan appeared to be groggy when he was forced back with a couple of lefts to the jaw. It was undoubtedly Cossill's round and he received a tremendous ovation. Tenth Round. —Both sparred cautiously in the opening stages and then Cossill connected with Sullivan's nose with a lightning straight left, countering his retaliatory right with a left to the jaw. Cossill slipped to the_ canvas, coming out of a clinch, but'was up again immediately and landed another left on Sullivan's nose. Sullivan returned with a deadly right but he showed signs of tiring badly and Cossill was too fast on his feet for him. As the gong sounded Cossill landed a pretty left swing to the jaw. It was his round again. .Eleventh Round. —Cossill was very lively in the early stages and sent Sullivan back several times with a smart straight left. Coming out of a clinch Sullivan rocked his opponent with a right on the jaw and again obtained the upper hand. With a right to the head he sent Cossill to the canvas, the latter resting and taking the count for eight. The gong went as he came to his feet. Twelfth Round ; —Sullivan carried the fight to Cossill and rocked him with a right and left to the jaw and ribs, putting him down -for nine with a tremendous left over the heart. When he came to his feet Cossill shaped up and then almost went down again, falling against the ropes, and Mr Dillon stopped the fight, giving the decision to Sullivan on a technical knock-out. The Preliminary Boutte. Four preliminary bouts of four twominute rounds each between local and Christchurch amateurs were staged, the bouts, with the exception of one, being interesting and well worth watching. Details were as follow:

Feather-weight. W. Prendergast (Eiffelton) 8.13 v. J. Nelligan (Christchurch) 9.l.—Nelligan carried the figlit to his opponent in the early stages, but Prendergast was content to spar for a time. Toward the end of the first session the Christchurch hoy connected with two sharp lefts to the head, in a clinch. Prendergast opened the second round by landing a left and right to the face, Nelligan retaliating with a smashing right to the chest. The third round opened with a series of clinches, the boys exchanging some heavy stuff in the clinches. Prendergast landed effectively with some good body blows in the final round, taking a left to the jaw in return. Nelligan Avon. Light-weight. N. Kerr (Ashburton) 9.9 v. S. Lister (Maronan) 9.7.—The bout opened quietly, Kerr doing the leading and Lister defending by clinching. Both boys showed a tendency to wrestle. It was Kerr's round by a small margin. The second session commenced briskly, both attacking. Kerr connected with a straight left and Lister retaliated with body punches. Kerr used his left to advantage but Lister did well in the infighting. The round ended in a bright exchange, Lister having the advantage. There was too much wrestling in the third round. Lister led off with a straight left which connected with

Kerr's head. Kerr was on the defensive and a brisk exchange was followed by a clinch. Li§ter was aggressive but Kerr defended well and the round ended with honours even. The final round commenced witn a last exchange ana jxerr narrowly missed witn a snort arm jolt. Jxerr led out wren a lerp anu riglit but Lister guarded well and connected with a good right cross, countering with a left to the body.- Kerr forced the pace and Lister took some punishment just before the gong. Kerr won. D. Kenney (Eitfeiton) 9.12 v. R, Scott (Christchurch) 9.6.—Scott was aggressive and scientific, Kenney being inclined to swing wildly. A right on the side of the head dazed Scott momentarily, but he retaliated with a right to the face. In the second round one or two of Kenney's "haymakers" got home on Scott's ribbs. A right and left to his head dazed him a little but he came back gamely and fought Kenney off. There were some solid exchanges in a clinch at the close. In the last round Kenney got home with a right to the ribs, but Scott was game and, using his science to advantage, bustled his opponent with a left and a right on the jaw. Scott won. Middle-weight. P. Sheehan (Eiffelton) , 11.10 v. D. O'Sullivan (Christchurch), 11.4.—This was the most uninteresting bout of the evening, the first and second rounds being confined to sparring and the exchange of light blows. Sheehan connected with one or two lefts and rights, but he failed to follow up his advantage each time. The third round was a little more lively, O'Sullivan getting home with his right and Sheehan with both hands occasionally. In the fourth round there was less of the tip and run tactics of the previous rounds and for a time the closing stages were lively. Sheehan won. Mr A. N. Grigg was referee for the preliminary bouts, and the judges were Messrs J. Murdoch and J. B. Cullen.