BOXING.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 58, Issue 44, 1 December 1937, Page 2

BOXING.

STRICKLAND’S VICTORY. A VERY POOR CONTEST. LONDON, November 29. Maurice Strickland, former heavyweight boxing champion of New Zealand, defeated the Canadian, A 1 Delaney, on points to-day, in one of the poorest contests seen in London for months. Recently Strickland returned to London from America with three verdicts to his credit and an engagement to fight Walter Neusel, the German boxer, at Wembley on October 19. In this bout Strickland was beaten on points, but the decision was a most unpopular one. In his latest encounter, Strickland is definitely in line for the British heavy-weight title.

Delaney attacked early. Strickland soon retaliated, exchanging hard punishment to the body.

The pace speeded up in the third round, when Strickland uppercut Delaney, but hesitated and missed the opportunity to follow up his advantage. Strickland’s right, which was most effective against Neusel, was not working properly. He missed continually but, gaining confidence, began to score with his left. Delaney attacked viciously at the end of the fourth round and again rattled Strickland with his left in the fifth. The fight after this round became ku inactive that the crowd clapped ironically. The referee, before the seventh round, spoke to the contestants, ; nd apparently asked for more action, but there was little response. The tenth round began amid ironical cheering, and produced little more than useless clinging to the ropes. De • laney landed two heavy rights, but Strickland fought out from a corner. The spectators booed loudly before the announcement of the decision. A doctor, who was summoned to Strickland’s dressing-room after the fight, advised him to rest. Strickland

complained of tliroat trouble. He said he was sick before the fight. Tommy Farr ,who was introduced in the ring before the fight, shook hands with the fighters, but did not extent the compliment to Broadribb, who seconded Strickland. In a preliminary, Phil Zwick, the American feather-weight, fought five of the eight rounds against Jimmy Vaughan with a fractured left arm. After losing on points, Zwick collapsed in the dressing-room, and was taken to hospital.