McCREADY TO KATAN; TO BLOMFIELD; TO KATAN; TO

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 215, 10 September 1940, Page 11

McCREADY TO KATAN; TO BLOMFIELD; TO KATAN; TO

The lid is certainly off the British Empire wrestling championship kettle thiri season. Another "'boil-over"' at the Auckland Town Hall lact nijrht eaw John Katan. of Canada, don the crown for the second time thk season and Lofty BlointieM. of Auckland, the cloak of ex-cham-pion—or is it Xo. 1 Wrestler-in-Waiting? The Empire title has bounced so many times this season that it must feel like the throne of Rumania—a bit uncertain of its ownership from week to week. First Karl McCready hold it, behind apparently unassailable defences, but John Katan came alonjl and the '"hot seat" was his. He had hardly warmed himself in iu slow, however, when who should pop up but War Horse Lofty Blomfield. Lofty took the throne and seemed set for a siege. His Brave Horatius act had lasted only two scenes, however, when . . . Bingo! Iron-man Katan slips one under hw guard and collect** the spoils of victor}-. Xext please? Crowd at KiagsMe. John Katan collected everything last nl«ht except the applause of delighted multitudes. He had a black eve to start oil with, or he might have got one of those, too. The floodgates ot animosity mere down and the tide billowed forth along a primrose path of destruction throughout the eight rounds. Anyone who imagines that wrestlers wear kid gloves and lace collars should have been there last night. It was one of those matches where the crowd roared for everything from mayhem to murder, and nearly got its wish. In the closing stages I the fans were out of their seats, crowding up to 1 the ringside, and giving vent to a confused bellow of sound from which the name "Loft.'" was the only Intelligible collection. From that it will be gathered that Lofty was giving of his best and that the "going" wa,- warm. From a points computation Katan was clearly ahead and he deserved his win. but Lofty was decidedly unlucky in fortune on several occasions towards the end of the bout. There were certainly enough "Us and ands" in It to justify a whole series of return challenges— and something tells the writer that Lofty will, like Oliver Twist, ask for more. Katan won the title largely by superior science and tactics—plus the luck of the fall. From the outset they let It be seen that it was a "grudge" match. Square law set in dour determination, eyes grim and huge hands clutching In anticipation. Katan advanced upon Blomfield like Nemesis himself. In contrast Blomfield, equally big and menacing, seemed almost llghtnearted during the opening rounds. While Katan worked on toeholds, wrlsllocks. headlocks and scissors holds. Blomfield relied largely on the power of his Jolt and used any method that came to hand to extricate hisaaaU from his frequent difficulties. He used strangles, rabbltkillera. halrpulls. mouth and nose stretches, and the ropes with an air of innocent fun and kept the referee. Mr. Jack McLean, hopping busily not only to issue warnings but to avoid being dragged into the hurly-burly. As It was Lofty escaped from one troublesome step-over forward toehold by the old expedient of grabbing the referee's leg for leverage. Hectic Seventh Boand. Jolts thundered continuously, but the highlight came in the seventh round. Katan started It. but Lofty took the cue and his Jolts In return were crashing ones. Under four of them Katan fell against the ropes: under another three he went to his knees. But he staggered up again and landed a beauty that sent Blomfield to the mat. Both were staggering almost blindly, but the Jolts continued to crash home with all the force and power their massive bodies could muster. Occasionally they flew wildly and once Katan's list connected. Blomfield put all he had left Into three more Jolts that sent Katan against the ropes —but the Canadian used their spring to throw himself forward. His head connected on Blomfield s neck and the Aucklander went down under a press. It was Katan's winning fall. Both were laid out on the mat after that, but they came up strongly to the eighth and the Jolting blltzkretg continued. Katan was on the run now, determined to hold his advantage, but Lofty was straining every effort. He missed once with a leg trip, but succeeded a moment later and was in position for the octopus could finalise it, but was dragged back to the centre again and the octopus applied a second ri™*'. , A sa' n 'he ropes gave Katan release, and the Jolts were flying again at the final gong They will both remember that match. Their bruises will remind them!

In the preliminary professional bout Frank Boric and Bill Mclvor turned on a bright and varied sl i?^V? orlc wearln ß his active opponent down with his extra weight and taking the winning fall in the fifth round with a Boston crab Messrs. O. Heald and C. A. Hall were Judges of the amateurs, with Mr. F. Murphy ir- referee J. Vinac. 12.9. beat H. Young. 13.6. by two falls 1 Fn M » cL^2r d - J. 1 10 ■„ be »! J - Wr <ght. «0-8. oy one fall: L. Hawkins. 9.4, beat C. Hammond 9 2 on points. ' ""