EYE INJURED

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 119, 22 May 1945, Page 9

EYE INJURED

ONE ROUND FIGHT

STEVENS PUNISHES McCANN

With blood trickling from their right eyes, Roy Stevens (Auckland) and Jack McCann (Wellington) went back to their corners after the first round of their scheduled ten-rounder •at the Town Hall last night—Stevens with a clearly established advantage on points and McCann in such a condition that the referee ordered a medical examination of his eye. To the disappointment of the spectators, Dr. F. Macky reported to McCann's seconds that it would be unsafe for him to continue, and referee Mr. E. Armishaw then hoisted Stevens' hand as the victor. Though the bout was so short-lived, and McCann hung across the ropes a picture of dejection after the decision, the three minutes of fighting had enabled Stevens to outclass his rival. In their previous meeting at Dunedin it had been reported that McCann outboxed. Stevens for the best part of ten rounds before he was dramatically knocked down in the tenth and beaten on a technical knockout in the twelfth and final round. Last night it was McCann who was outboxed. Stevens, who impressed more physically and was 31b heavier at list 21b, carried the attack to his opponent from the start. Though he took one right-hand punch to the head it did not affect him. He plied fast left rips to the body and left hooks to the head, and his work was far the more impressive from the first exchanges. In the first minute of the fight Stevens scored with a right and a left hook to the head, and McCani® went down on one knee. It was only momentarily, but when he rose blood was flowing from a cut on his right eye lid. After the next exchange it was noticed that blood was trickling from above Stevens' right eye. For the remainder of the round the Aucklander outboxed and punished his opponent with his left. McCann and his seconds registered their disappointment that the bout could not continue — so did the spectators, who called for another amateur bout. The injury to McCann's eye, a deep cut on the top eye lid which had to be . stitched subsequently, would have left him open to serious injury had the bout continued. Stevens' injury was the reopening of an old wound above the eye. The Amateur Preliminaries Principal interest in the amateur bouts was in the meeting of a well-performed Wellingtonian, T. Ahearn, 9.1, who was opposed by V. Gummer, 9.0, one of the improved Aucklanders of the past few seasons. Gummer was puzzled by the crouching style of his opponent, who hit fast with his right even though in a slapping manner. Ahearn scored to Gummer's head, though Gummer showed evasiveness. It was not until the third round that Gummer found a target, scoring with a nice left and right. Ahearn retaliated by letting loose a vicious uppercut at the end of the round which missed. Ahearn won clearly on points. A tendency to overdo right-hand swinging was noticeable in some of the bouts, this being particularly evident in the lightweight contest between L. Foster, 9.3, and L. Lynne, 9.2; Foster was scoring consistently with both hands, but when he landed a right to the head he concentrated with this hand. The blows mostly telegraphed, but it was not until near the end that lynne started to use his left to keep him off. Foster's win on points was decisive.

The other bouts resulted:—J. Bell, 5.11, beat J. Tinnettl, 5.3, the referee Intervening in the third round; C. Boulton, 5.13, beat J. Davis, 6.4, on points; boxing impressively while Davis was inclined to drop his gloves and turn his head away; S. Harris, 8.7, beat N. McCarthy, 8.3, on points.