WRESTLING

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21812, 18 June 1936, Page 14

WRESTLING

MEHRINGER BEATS WOODS DECISION AF.TER PENALTY FALL Felled with a heavy blow to the face, Pete Mehringer (United States) was awarded a penalty fall, and won, in the sixth round, of his match against Joe Kopach Woods in the St. James' Theatre last night. Woods had been warned for continual elbow Jolting, and. after one severe blow had Mehringer almost out on the mat. The referee stopped Woods, gave a penalty fall against him, and with one fall previously to the credit of each man, the match went to Mehringer. who seemed as though he might not have been able to continue. Until It stopped, the contest had been fast, clever, and exciting, and had been acclaimed by the crowd r,s the best here this season, Mehringer weighed 15st 61b and Woods 15st 31b. The first two rounds were fast and clever wrestling, with Woods in the ascendancy. He clinched his advantage with a fall in the second. Woods had scored early with hammerlocks, the breaking of which took much effort on the part of Mehringer. Mehringer had tried for a Boston Crab late in the first round, but Woods evaded before the hold was near completion by crawling through the ropes. After both men had held armstretches in the second hold, and both had broken free. Woods threw Mehringer with headlqcks, and following his advantage with a yokehold and body press, gained a decisive falL The third round brought much showmanship, with both men trading elbow Jolts, Mehringer scoring once with a wellaimed kick to the stomach, thereafter throwing Woods Very heavily. Mehringer gained a further advantage by penning Woods against the ropes and butting him several times, until stopped by the referee. Woods soon recovered from the effects of this, and gained a crucifix from which Mehringer broke clear. Mehringer scored again with a double toe-hold that looked dangerous. Woods broke it, but Mehringer put the same hold on again, only to lose it when Woods saved himself with a strangle-hold for which he was cautioned by the referee. The fourth round was fast and showed some clever wrestling, the most exciting moment being when Mehringer Just failed to apply the dreaded Indian deathlock, which Woods evaded with a clever counter. In the fifth rpund, Mehringer tried what might eventually have developed into a rocking-chair splits, but Woods broke clear to obtain a short-arm scissors Mehringer threw Woods heavily with several flying tackles, and pressed home the advantage with a body press which brought him an easy fall. The sixth round began with more flying tackles by Mehringer. but Woods countered more than effectively with elbow Jolts that shook Mehringer badly. He was cautioned by the referee, but continued the hitting, and after one particularly hard blow that felled Mehringer com-

pletely, a penalty fall was given against him and the bout was over with Mehringer the winner by two falls to one. Preliminary Bout* Amateur bouts resulted as follows; Feather-weight—F. J. Coy (9st 31b) but G. D. Johnson (Bst 71b). in two straight £&Ils» Middle-weight— H. S. Batchelor (list 71b) beat C. V. Hartley (list 101 b) in two straight falls. _ Catch-weight—V. L. Thomas (New Z«land welter-weight champion)* lost Bio. drew with F, E. Pope (Canterbury middle-weight champion), list 71b. Light-Heavy-weight—A. K. Asher (12*t 71b) drew with T. Fahey (list 71b), neither man securing a fall. . . . Mr J. S. Shaw refereed the main tout, and Mr Gordon Mowat the preliminaries.