BOXING.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17431, 17 April 1922, Page 11

BOXING.

ATJSTBAUAN CONTESTS,

N.Z. HEAVY-WEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP. B. McOLEAEY THE WINNEB. Before an attendance estimated at over QoOO in the King Edward Barracks on Saturday night, Brian McCleary. of Christchurch, defeated Cyril Whitaker, of Wellington, on points, "in a fifteen-round bout for the Heavy-weight Professional Championship of New Zealand and a nurse of £llO. Great interest was taken in the match, which was conducted under the auspice* of the Christchurch Sports Club, as both men had met each other on different occasions as amateura, and each was making his first appearance as a professional. It was a fight characterised- more by hard and aggressive boxing than by ecienco, and it was at all times clean, each man displaying sportsmanlike tactics. Such a match must do a great amount of good to boxing in Christchurch, and credit is due to the club on its undoubted success. McCleary, on entering the ring, was greeted with cheers, which were repeated just a little less fervidly when Whitaker appeared. The former looked in capital condition, but Whitaker'a superior height wae very noticeable. The local man weighed list 13lb and the visitor 12st 7lb. McCleary was always more aggressive, his opponent adopting the tactics of standing back and making use of his reach. In, the infighting the former scored a lot of good body punches, while the Wellingtonian went mostly for the face. McCleary's footwork proved of great value to him, and enabled him to evade a lot that was otherwise coming to him. He used his left with great effect throughout the contest. "Whitaker also made good use of his left, but in the last few rounds he changed his tactics, and made repeated efforts to get a knock-out with a right uppercut. Mr T. E. Robson acted as referee, and Messrs W. G. Atack and K Marsh were the timekeepers. ! Following are details of the match:— | First round—Both men opened willingly. I Whitaker landed a left on McCleary's neck. They clinched, and after breaking away Whitaker hit at his opponent, who ducked. The former used a straight left with effect. Second round-Wbitaker, with *r» overpunch landed one on McCleary's neck, the latter scoring with two or three Jefts to Third' round—Whitaker showed that he understood how to swing his Wk It with his opponent's ear. McCleary rel£ ing on his Wt, phwd Borne nicely judged blows into Wtaker'a face, and had the better of the round. , Fourth round-McCleary opened with great dash, getting in three body punches m quick succession, and one under the chin. Wh taker also got one to the chin. The P™ «*"![•* down; but m the gong sounded Whitaker hit McCleary on the jaw. Fifth round—This was characterised by a lot of infighting and clinching, Whitaker gettin- the better of it. Both had eased down b S t^°d 3 -iMcctaxy soon found " Wh£ «Ws iaw with a left hook, the latter looking uncomfortable. McCleary followed it up wHh an uppercut. and one tothe breast Tie tall fellow looked pleased when the '"Sefenth tund-McCleary seemed as fresh as ever! using his feet in fin. style, and keeping his opponent on the move. Whitaker & a iood upper-cut, which only caW McCleary to return ft »traight '•"; .** immediately put in two to Wbitaker'e face, andTnothe* to his throat, the round being landed two against Whitaker-s chin, but had to receive a *ißUlar number on each side of his face. An over-punch hit McCleary's neck. Ninth round-McCleary went for hu. opponent as if he wanted to finish the matter, but the latter seemed content to play a wavUn? gam*. An upper-cut reached McCleary s jaw, but he showed no signs of having feit it. Whitaker was now giving an improved d Tenth and eleventh rounds-Whitakev gave McCleary a very hot few minutes in the tenth round, McCleary looking as if £lB aggressiveness in tho earlier rounds was beginning to tell against him, Whitaker also ehowing to advantage in the following round. Twelfth round-rWhitaker, who seemed _ to have got his second wind, placed a, right jab into McCleary's body, receiving by way of exchange a left and a fight on the face. Thirteenth round—Whitaker made repeated effort* to get a right upper-cut, home, but McCleary was now boxing warily, and w» 3 always able to frustrate his opponent's rntenFourteenth round—With one round to go, both men bucked up, Whitaker continuing to use his right, but to little effect. Just before time, McCleary drove Whitaker against the ropes. . • , Fifteenth round—Keen boxing marked the last round, McCleary, however, showing the greater dash, and finishing full of fire, and having the better of the round. The referee's decision in favour of McCleary was received with cheers. PRELIMINARY BOUTS. Prior to the big fight a number of three two-minute amateur preliminaries were boxd with the following results:--A. Armstrong (Bst 10lb) beat A. Tanner N. Moulin (9st lib) beat R. MoAleer (9st R. Brosnahan (10st) and C. Moulin (Bst 121b) fought: a no-decision bout. A. Thomson (lOst lib) knocked out w. Huteheson (lOst lllb) in the seoond round. McCleary has been matched to meet Albert Fcoley, of Auckland, on, May 20th. _ The contest will bo held under the auspices of I the Cfirietchurch Sports Club.

(By C«.K«-~Pree» Association—OopTtieJa) (Australian «nd N.Z. Cable Association.) ißeceived April 16th, 5.6 p.m.) v SYDNEY, April 15. At tha stadium there was a bumper house to witness the contest between Godfrey and. Spargo for -the light-weight championship pf Australia./ For tha second time, the pair {ought 6 uraw. The work of both through' out was smart, olean, and snappy, and marked by gcod footwork. Godfrey on tbo whole appaared to better advantage. In the fiith round he knocked Spargo down, but the latter quickly recovered, and showed improving form" in the oloaing rounds. At Melbourne, in the bantam championship, Jimmy Semens, Bat 611b, beat Mike Flynn. 6si 6ilb, on a foul in the fourteenth round. Tha winner easily led up to the foul, and downed his opponent Ave times. FACOORY V. CTJBBAN. (rEE9S ASSOCIATION TELEGKAM.) GEEYMOTJTH, April 16. Tha professional boxing oontest last night between tha two feather-weights, Bert Facoory (Auckland), Bst 61b, and George Curran (Greymouth), Bst 111b, for ft pure of £llO, went the full IS rounds, and ended in a draw. (SWCIAL TO "THE TRBSS.") GREYMOUTH, April 16. Tha decision of a draw in last night's contest was well received. The fight was dull throughout, rarely arousing the spectator. It was . a series of clinches, with neither man apparently eager to mix it. The referee's appeals to break were frequent in every round. Facoory showed speed, but missed often. .»