BOUT STOPPED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 199, 23 August 1937, Page 14

BOUT STOPPED.

DEFEAT OF LEWIS.

McCRFADY'S EASY VICTORY.

TWO FALLS IN FOUR ROUNDS.

"That's Ed. 'Strangler' Lewis —that was!'' Almost as quickly as that Auckland said ''Hail and farewell" to the five times champion wrestler of the world at the Town Hall on Saturday night. He took a fall from Earl McL'rcady in the second round, his huge bulk pressing the shoulders of the recumbent Canadian to the mat when he applied a wrisllock; but, in the next "Stranjjler" was lilted iiign and dumped for a fall- The same tiling would have happened at the stait of the fourth, but the referee. Mr. Jack McLean, stopped the bout with Lewi*; in mid-air. If that was "Sti angler" Lewis, the crowd had seen him. It was a sensational ending—not in the wrestling that preceded it, but in the disappointment that it contained. "Strangle!" showed little trace of the ability that was his when he held the world title; of the ability that he will need if he is to conquer the so far unconquered Gama of India, and to claim tile world title again before the yeav is out. There was. instead, about him the rather pathetic air of the man who has been great, who is struggling against age and a lack of fitness, to conquer youth, strength and ambition with experience and a strength that is short-lived. Either that—or else Earl McCreadv is an even greater wrestler than critics have named him. Was Lewis Fit? Lewis is mountainous in his bulk, looking considerably more than the 18.6 at which he was announced, and he has the balance and deceiving speed of the champion. In a contest judged on Olympic rules it is doubtful if he could be lowered from his feet. But in this, as in his first meeting here with Marshall, he had the occasional dry cough of the man who is nc>"t fit. and it looked doubtful if he could have stayed the pace even without falls. Met ready's 1G.13 looked almost slender against the bulk of Lewis as they squared up in tho opening exchanges, and there was a jolt for the C'an"dian to open proceedings. However, tl e "Strangler" was taken against the ropes in a headlock. and the crowd yelled their disapproval as he got in a punch to McC'readv's side to break it. He followed that with a sliding jolt, but under two in return Lewis went to the ground under the ropes. Again he tried jolts as McCready attacked with a wristlock. but McCready went in and for the fii'st time Lewis was taken to the mat under tho wristlock. With amazing quickness he had broken that, with a head-scissors, and he held McCready for half a minute there before j tho Canadian kicked out and sprinted round the ring to recover. Again Lewis was in a wristlock. and there was a warning for Lewis as a punch broke it. Ho had another jolt for M'-Ci early, an «i th en a bear-hug. but a little ear work fixed that, and when he went in again to nnnlv a headlock McCreadv lifted him off his feet just on the gf>ng. So far there was little of excitement in the bout, but with the second Lewis took McCreadv down in a headlock. McQready broke with a partial hammerlock. from which Lewis went under the rones. From a bear-hug M'Creadv broke with a hilfnelson, and the crowd laughed as Lewis protested that it was a strangle. Tt was broken on the ropes, and Lewis Mt his throit anxiou«lv—looking with protesting im-occnee at a th't booed its He jolted off a toe-h"M and c'dod another. in return stonne-1 three beauties. he P »om"d to sav. and with McCreadv a<rain«t the ropes T>° whi"*>ed in six joUs in succession. tikin™ MeCreidv- down for a press and fall with a wristlock. Lewis Under the Ropes. Again McCready was against tTie ropes at the start of the third, perspiring freely as he broke from a headlock, but being held again for two jolts (and a hair-pull). The Canadian broke again from a headlock and from the ropes went in for a dive to butt Lewis under the ropes—where he had quite a spell before he emerged again to open combat. Another jolt and another headlock for the Canadian, but he came out c>f that with a jolt that

sent Lewie down, to be held in a Japanese arm-stretch until he slipped under the ropes- And then the climax. Held against the ropes McCready suffered six jolts in succession, and saw red. He went in fast with a series of jolts, and put a strangle on Lewis ""'th the ropes. That was broken, but McCready was not yet through. About a dozen short jolts whipped into the ex-champion and as lie sagged his mountainous f" 1 " 1 was lifted high and dumped for a fall. The crowd was on its feet yelling as, at the start of the fourth. McCready caught Lewis in his corner with another jolt, and had him aloft again for another dump. But the referee intervened. In two meetings with Lewis McCready had been twice the victor. The Amateur Bouts. The amateur bouts were refereed by Mr. Jim Brown, with Messrs. Hall, Ashb) and Browne acting as judges. K. Brewer. 9.10. beat *. Whitcombe. 9 6 by one fall with a headlock and press 'in the first. Brewer was the stronger all through, though 'Whitcombe fought hard. ~ , lrio F Murphy. 10.6. beat B. *reake. loi. in one of the best amateur bouts seen for some time. Murphy wrestled sohdly and cleverlv all through, taking a tail with a dump and press in the second B Rawle. 10.6. beat R. Double. 10.4. on a disqualification. Double disobeyed an order of the referee to go down in the centre after a hold had been broken on the ropes. ~ .. , \V Williamson. 9.8, beat F. Franklin. 9.6. with one fall f ro,n a P iess ln the third. BLOMFIELD DEFEATS WADE. (Bv Telegraph —Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, Sunday. "Lofty" Blomfield beat Glen Wade on points in a very hard and dour wrestling match last night. Wade secured a fall in the fourth round with a jack-knife, a . n J* Blomfield evened in the sixth round with an octopus clamp. • .