Wrestler Atkins Uses Blitz Technique— But Is Matched

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 291, 9 December 1941, Page 10

Wrestler Atkins Uses Blitz Technique— But Is Matched

Wrestler Fred Atkins could Mat the Wans at their own came. Be starts off with "unprovoked aggression." works up a bllts technique—and docks for cover when the touch stuff comes back. That is the way he worked last night. at an? rate, when he was matched with John Katan. champion of Canada, and leader of the IMI Australian ring, at the Auckland Town Hall. John took plenty of knocks during the early states of the contest, but when he ceme back with a fullpowered assault Fred dived for the ropes again and again. Be Is a careful man . . Is Fred Atkins! They vere evenly matched to start off with, and it was a draw at the end. fall each, but In between times they worked off enough action for a full-scale war. Nearly a stone lightar than the Australian. Katan proved fully a match tor htm. He demonstrated this from midway through the first round, after being subjected to strangles, headjacklng. punches and other niceties. The referee. Mr. Jack McLean, had to bore a way in between them to force Atkins off a strangle, plus vicious jabs to the side of Katan's neck—-out from then John took over. Under a thunder of Jolt* Atkins skidded for the ropes, was pulled over them in a headlock. headtossed. bsshed with jolts, tossed through the ropes, bashed again over the ropes/ pulled in again in a headlock. slapped, head-tossed four times, and again jolted. Again Fred olved through the rope* and was called back only to be chased out again. He grabbed a leglock on his return, but a toot thrust into his face drew a startled "Wah!" . . . and Fred was heading West again when the song brought a lull In proceed'-ags-Sold Katan a Dummy It was like that quite a part of the way. but Katan did not have It all on his own. Atkins is nobody's fool in the ring, and he sold Katan a beautiful dummy in the third when he went staggering back unler a barrage of jolu only to revive suddenly, whip on a crotch hold, and swing John over for a resounding reverse slam ... first tall to Atkins. •JF 118 "Other stinger—with Katan jolts J*? 11 * for Atkins punches, and facemauling taking up a spot of time. too. Atkins Inspected the scenery outside the ropes at Intervals. . That, worked up in the sixth, when Katan thundered his way In with close quarters jolting, and finally pabbed Atkins' lega to tie tnem up In the fall-taking reverse, step-over, figure-four leglock—which he really ought to find a name tor. if only to save paper, westageA tough short-arm scissors kept Katan quiet through the major portion of the seventh, and they mixed it again In the eighth—but no further x&lls developed. Preliminaries * n _ yj® professional preliminary Bill Meiror Mahnsnet to Mark Match's mountain, but had quite a job shifting It around ... a sltuadevelop when a endeavoutk ' ®° l tte (Secl,iQn for his In the amateurs, judged by Messra. O. Heald and 9* O- Browne, and refereed by y y—k. took a tall from" L. Cherwljf- ■ }°' 5 i T :, 9.6. gained a fall victory IF 01 ?, Hawkins. 9.6; and C. Hammond 9 0 beat G. Moore. 8.13. on points. """""ono. »-o. oeat