BOXING.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 95, 22 April 1922, Page 18

BOXING.

Commenting on Harry May's fight at Napier with Paul Hannah,' a Napier critic writes:—When Jack Keenan informed the Napier Boxing Association that he would be unable to fulfil his contract to meet Paul Hannah and Harry May, who only recently blossomed out as a professional boxer, was substituted, many people ••pooh-poohed" the idea and decided to stay away because they thought it would be easy money for tho Hastings lad and a poor fight. Those who were present at the fight—and there was a pretty full house—know what those who stayed away missed, and those who were there have every reason to feel pleased that they did not join the stay-away ranks, for a really firstclass programme was put on. May was a surprise packet. Not only did he surprise the audience, but he gave Hannah the surprise of his life, and at the end of the fifteenth round, when a draw was given as the verdict, there were at least 50 per cent of the audience who thought May should have been declared the winner.

The same writer remarks on the Purdy-Donovan bout:—The star amateur bout between C. Purdy and T. Donovan proved to ibe what was expected the fight of the evening. From start to finish Donovan set a terrific pace in his usual rushing whirlwind style, but it was a battle between science and bulldog tenacity. Science was given the verdict, and there is no doubt that the verdict was correct. Purdy treated the audience to one of the most scientific displays ever seen in the theatre, but he had had enough at the call of time, and. had another round been ordered, it is just a toss-up what might have happened.