WRESTLING

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21938, 12 November 1936, Page 23

WRESTLING

‘ SAVOLDI’S DROP-KICK FAILS INCAPACITATED IN BOUT WITH GEORGE , The flying drop-kick which has gained "Jumping” Joe Savoldi so many brilliant victories proved his own undoing last evening when he met Ed Don George in a special challenge match. Savoldi, who weighed 15st 41b, gained a submission fall in the fourth round with a short-arm scissors, and George, whose weight was given as 16st 61b, equalised in the sixth with a press after a series of jolts, forward head throws, and dumps. Savoldi rocked his opponent with a vicious flying tackle in the seventh after connecting with some vicious elbow jolts. The first of the expected drop-kicks did not connect cleanly, and George evaded the next one. Savoldi falling heavily on to the ropes. He was unable to eontinue the bout. There was a comparatively poor attendance at St. James’ Theatre for this keenly awaited bout—the first meeting of the two wrestlers, both former world champions, in New Zealand. The contest obviously followed too soon after the equally interesting meeting of Savoldi and McCready. However, the spectators were rewarded by a good, solid exhibition of straight wrestling. There was little of a spectacular nature until the unfortunate seventh round, but neither wrestler indulged in much showmanship. George Cautious George, fitter than on his former visit to Christchurch, appeared to have a big advantage in weignt and strength, but Savoldi offset this by his speed and resiliency. George was taking no risks of getting in the way of Stvoldi’s flying tackies and drop-kicks, and much to Savoldi’s disgust dived for the canvas whenever the latter cannoned menacingly off the ropes George made good use of his punishing yoke hold in the first round, but Savoldi, throwing George over his back, made a brilliant escape from the hammerlock with which George followed up his advantage. Savoldi clapped on a head scissors in the second round, successfully breaking a straight arm-bar. George found the hold again, and developed’ a hammerlock. An admonitory jolt to the solar plexus warned Savoldi that this was not to be broken by an attempted face-bar, but Savoldi eventually escaped. George rabbit-punched his way out of a painful toe-hold. Savoldi connected with a flying tackle in the third round, but George went to earth. The latter seized one of Savoldi’s weaving arms and snapped on a hammerlock, following this up with a jack-knife. “How do you like ' that?” enquired Savoldi as he put pressure into a wellapplied short-arm scissors. He grunted and puffed with satisfaction as he rolled George back after each attempt of the latter to stand up in the hold. The gong brought only temporary relief to George, for Savoldi twice obtained the same hold in the fourth round. George had taken a lot of punishment, and at this third application of the short-arm scissors quickly submitted. An Unexpected Finish George caught Savoldi in a flying headscissors in the fifth round, and dumped him heavily. He appeared to be suspicious of Savoldi "foxing.’* and was cohtent to follow it up with an arm-bar and a vicious head-scissors. Savoldi struggled in vain for a long time, and his resistance was weakened when George imprisoned his head again at the beginning of the sixth pound. George secured a fall with a press after jolts, headlock throws, and a dump. George came out for the seventh round looking as if he meant business. He let fly some more forearm jolts and went to the mat holding Savoldi in a headlock. Savoldi escaped unexpectedly and in a flash had his short-arm scissors neatly applied again. George escaped at the ropes. George was rocking on his feet when Savoldi landed some severe jolts, and he was bowled over by a bulllike flying tackle. The crowd roared its appreciation as Savoldi launched his dropkicks. The first bundled George Into the ropes, but the latter evaded the next and Savoldi, hitting the ropes in mid-air, fell heavily. Savoldi obviously was hurt severely, and though he was lying inside the ring the referee waved George back as he counted up to 20. Savoldi required medical attention before leaving the ring. The Preliminaries The amateur preliminaries over three five-minute rounds, resulted:— S. G. Fagan (Bst 21b) defeated T. S. Kennedy (7st 91b) by one fall. S. Mauger (9st 21b) drew with F, W. Brian (lost 51b), neither securing a fall. J. A. Mclnnes (9st 21b) defeated S. Todd (9st 21b) by one fall. E. W. Kingston (14st 61b) defeated W. Sweeney (15st) by two straight falls. Mr Gordon Mowat was referee for both the amateur and professional bouts. WALKER TO MEET LUNDYN TO-NIGHT There is every indication of a full house for to-night’s wrestling contest at St. James’ Theatre between George Walker and Alec (“Whiskers”) Lundyn. With his championship bout with Earl McCready now a certainty, Walker will be keenly watched, when he enters the ring, but patrons may rest assured that they are going to see a very fit man In Walker to-night. His trip to Australia has done him a lot of good; he participated In some very solid matches whilst there. In Lundyn Walker will be opposed to a rough wrestler. Lundyn is a globe trotter, and since his visit to New Zealand five years ago he has wrestled his way round the world, going from success to success. His bouts with Kara Pasha and Scotty McDougall are still favourably commented upon in the north and in Dunedin. There will be three amateur prelimlnries, and a novelty to Christchurch will be introduced when fpur vaudeville acts will also be presented. These are said to be high-class acta. Len Blogg's orchestra will play popular items from 7 o'clock, at which hour doors will open. Box plans are at Jacobs till 6 o’clock. There will be no broadcast of this bout.