MIGHTY K.O. PUNCH FLOORS LOFTY— FOR A WIN!

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 172, 22 July 1940, Page 9

MIGHTY K.O. PUNCH FLOORS LOFTY— FOR A WIN!

The "Manassa Mauler," Jack Demp6ey, in his assaults on the wrestling fraternity, had better not pick on Joe Corbett, the mild-seeming Mighty Mite of the Mat. In his right hand Joseph "packs a punch" that starts with an explosion anil ends in sweet dreams—for his opponent! The way he used it against Lofty Blomfield, New Zealand heavy-weight wrestling champion, at the Town Hall on Saturday night, might have won him a world boxing title, but it cost him a penalty fall, and this wrestle by two falls to one.

It was probably worth it. Joe had been gathering in anger throughout one of the most hectic hit-or-be-hit "razzles" of a season that has been quite notable for similar entertainment. In the seventh he opened a jolting-jabbing attack that drew a frenzied roar from the crowd and sent Lofty back against the ropes, impotent to defend himself. Twice then Joe clashed in punches to the jaw. and gathered himself for the third. It landed with all the force of his Ntet 101b behind it. square on the point. Lofty was lifted off his foet and over the top-ropes to thud on the floor of the stage. It was the perfect "K. 0."

The referee, Mr. Jack McLean, made the last exasperated gesture open to him. He raised the hand of the star-gazing Loftv in victory. Like the spectators lie had seen it coming for a long time. Joe deserved that penalty, but he had his fun earning it!

Mr. McLean Is not being allowed to forget the fall he awarded Katan in his last match with Blomfteld. As soon as he appeared on Saturday night the crowd took up the chanting call. "Fall . . . Fall Fall." la the excitement of the battle However, the crown soon stopped that— und Mr. McLean had too many troubles of the present to occupy him for him to remember Blomfield and Corbett might have been life-long enemies of cannibal propensities judging- from the viclousness even of the opening encounters. They didn't bite each other. . . but that was their only concession to wrestling good taste Corbett has a s,hort, ripping jolt that looks suspiciously like a punch, but is given he benefit of the doubt generally. Anyway it is effective, as Lofty found out early in tie piece. Every time he opened out with a tentative testing jolt or two Corbett would be in like a Hash with his right working overtime in his "war effort." There was a certain amount of annoyance in It for Lofty—and his tactics in turn annoved Joe and the referee, who. for hi* part, annoyed both of them. Seemed to think he wae there to control tilings ~r something, just when the principal lienors felt like a spot of justifiable homicide! Mr. McLean walked in danger throughout those hectic exchanges like a neutral in the North Sea..

First blood came to Corbctt in the fourth after Lofty had added insult to injury by frog-marching him in a full nelson, "roughing"' his face, and then opening a full-dress jolting attack. A head-toss seemed the preliminary to « fall to Blonifield. but Oorbett came up in a heavy butt, and followed it with a series of flying tackles, vicious jolts and a dump to record a sensational fall.

The fifth was one of the wildest rounds on record, with warnings issued freely for punching on bolh sides, strangles and use of the ropes. It came to a terrific finish after Itlomfield had dropped Joe over the ropes. From jolts .Toe worked a new one with two neat stomach throws, and had Lofty in serious difficulties when the gong saved him. When he came back to his corner, however, it was seen that blood was pouring into Corbett's left eye from a cut on hie brow.

The end came fpilekly. "Hopping mad." Joe threw four terrific tackles at the start of the sixth, but he wn.s looking for trouble. Lofty met the fifth with a swinging jolt and followed it with six more that carried his full weight, a head-loss and a press.

The falls were equal now. and it was n sensational scene as Joe (his face coated with blond) and Lofty opened fire at the start of the seventh. They went at it hammer and tongs, but Joe got under Lofty's guard, and. from a series of jab jolts, suddenly came out into the open with three thunderous punches. The rest is history—and a blank to Lofty . . the winner by two falls (one a penalty) to one. delations should be slightly strained when next they meet .' Bill Mclvor carried the fight nearly all the way to the ferocious-appearing Fred Irvine in the professional preliminary. For a ticriod in the stcond Irvine turned himself Into a human aerial torpedo—much to his own hurt. Mclvor was equal to all emergencies, and the result was a ilra<v. no falls. In the amateur section B. Waugh (9.0) beat C. Crouchcr f0.7) by two falls: (J. Lang (11.0) bent Mnnnghan (11.0). bv two falls: C. Carlton (13.7) beat H. Yotinsr (18.0). by one fall. Mr. F. Murphy was the referee, and Messrs. O. Heald and C. W. Hall were the judges.