BOXING

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22196, 13 September 1937, Page 13

BOXING

N.Z. CHAMPIONSHIPS CONCLUDED i TWO TITLES WON FOR CANTERBURY DISQUALIFICATION OF NORMAN FISHER [From Our Own Reporter.! GREYMOUTH. September 12. Two of Canterbury’s representatives at the New Zealand boxing championships at Greymouth, T. Lister and R. Wlthell. both of Ashburton, were successful In winning national titles in the light-heavy-weight and heavy-weight divisions on Saturday night when finals in all weights were decided. Boxers from all parts of the Dominion competed In the championships to make the tournament a most successful one. An unfortunate incident happened in the semi-final ot the light-weight division when Norman Fisher. Canterbury champion, and New Zealand representative at the last Olympic Games, was disqualified. He was thus robbed of an almost certain win in the championship. Fisher was rightly disqualified by the referee for punching Ills opponent, R. Davey Gisborne. after the gong had sounded for the end of the second round, but it was obvious that the blow which floored his opponent, was not intentional, as Fisbe: was fighting vigorously at the time in an effort to finish the bout. Davey. a quick, clean hitter, and a good fighter at lortg range, has shown a marked weakness on defence in the earlier bouts when pressed at close quarters. Consequents, Fisher, with his splendid in-lighting attack. was well ahead on points when the incident occurred, and although lie was not trying hard for a knock-out be often appeared likely to land a deciding Pl The following are the winners of this year's championships:— Fly-weight—H. Sheridan (Auckland). Bantam-weight-J Parker (Wellington). Feather-weight—K. Moran (Auckland) Light-weight—J. Collins (Manawatu). Welter-weight—D. Heency (Gisborne). Middle-weight—A. Sutherland (South-laUeht-heaVy-weight-T. Lister (Ashbur-toHeav.v-weighl-IL Wllhcll (Ashburton). Results were:— Light-weight R. Dayev (Gisborne). 9st 7!b. beat N. Fisher (Christchurch), 9st 71b, on a foul at the end of (he second round Fisher, having his first bout of the tournament, attacked strongly from the gong battering ills taller opponent heavily round the body, and sending him down earlv In the round for a count of Davey had shown In early bouts that he Is a splendid hitter at long range, but aVainst Fisher he was obviouslv vcr> nervous and refused to take full advan)a[r. „f his reach. Fisher’s two-handed attack to the face and body was at all times too strong for his opponent. The few lefts Whl" 11 Davey led were almost invariably countered by heavy rights II A J mo st 0 un r tun aI c meidentocemn-d at the end of the second round, Fishci punching Davey and sending him ' about a second after the gong had sounded. The referee’s decision in awarding w bout to Davey aroused considerable disapproval from the audience, J Collins (Manawatui. 9A Jib. beat KS oHIC bout, ( k hiC hi the !o°e. often boxed him otl |&«:3,3Ssri referee after the Judges had di-ogteed. Welter-weight L. HuzzifT (Taranaki), lost 51b, heali VV ; Purdie (Hamilton). 9st Ulb. I „ good exhibition of scientific boxing o outgeneral an aggressive opponent eailj In the bout, meeting his opponent s s <*ad> iittack with lefts to the face* and bode. HuzzilT was vorv aggressive In the last round to gain the decisirm. The weight of his punches told on a tiring t !bI ,ollf -’ n j D. Hcenev (Gisborne), lOst ijlb, beat R Baker (Otago). lost ajlb. Forcing the fight with a two-handed attack to *the face and body. Heeney put much force Into his punches m an chort to secure a knock-out. Baker co.imstchtly evaded punishment with his fast footwork, and sound rlngcraft but his attractive style of fighting could not eopc with Heeney’s rugged aggressiveness. THE FINALS Fly-wclght H. Sheridan (Auckland). 7st 131b. beat H. Foote (Wellington). Bst. Although at a disadvantage in height, and reach. Sheridan’s quick hitting and cleaner punching gave him a slight points advantage. Farly in the bout Foote landed several clean lefts and rights at long range, but the Auckland boxer’s quicker hitting slowly wore down his opponent in sustained infighting. Bantam-weight J Parker (Wellington), Rst lilb. beat M. Parr (Otago). Bst 31b. The Otago boy’s advantage in reach was successfully countered bv the aggressiveness and crisper hitting of his stockier opponent. Parker ducked cleverly to get to close quarters, where he piled up points -with punishing blows to the head. Parr did not make the best use of a splendid straight left and

was consistently beaten to the punch in the closing stages of the bout. Feather-weight K. Moran (Auckland) beat B. McKay (Hamilton) by default. McKay received a badly injured eye In an earlier bout and was unable to fight in the final. Light-weight J. Collins knocked out R. Davey in the first round. Davey’s marked weakness at close quarters was again much in evidence in this i bout. Collins sending him to the mat for j a count of eight with an early two-handed attack to the head and body. A further series of hard blows to the head soon ended the bout, Davey taking the count within the first half-minute. Welter-weight Heency beat Huzzifi'. Hccncy's aggressiveness and his punishing attack with both hands to the head and body put Huzziif down three times'in the first round for short counts. Huzzlff fought back desperately, but took much punishment from a rugged fighter, who rained right and left hooks against a firing opponent. Huzziif rallied splendidly in the last round, and although taking heavy punishment, scored steadily with hooks and uppercuts, amid great excitement. Middle-weight A. Sutherland (Southland), list 21b, beat F. Mclvor (Wellington), list 2Jlb. Much cautious sparring was seen in the early stages of the bout, with both boxers missing most of their heavy punched Mclvor got slightly the better of the same heavy punching exchanges In the second round, in which Sutherland evaded much punishment with his clever defence. The winner’s straighter hitting and better timing gave him (lie decision In an even bout. Light Heavy-weight T. Lister (Ashburton). 12st 11b, beat C. Marsh (Grcymouth), 12st Ojlb. The first round- was spoiled by 100 much clinching and holding. Marsh, in spite of his advantage in height and reach, was unable to keep Lister at long range. The second round was also very disappointing. both boxers indulging in too much holding and wrestling. Lister ducked cleverly to avoid some heavy blows In the last round. In which the standard of boxing was still very poor. Heavy-weight B. Withcll (Ashburton). 12st 101b, beat W. Lister (Rakala), 12at 21b. Punching freely with both hands to the head and body. WitheXl tried to bustle Lister right from the start of the bout. Lister several times set himself to deliver heavy rights to the head, but the Ashburton boxer’s weaving attacking, style and high guard saved him from much punishment. The bout was fought out at close quarters, whore an even exchange of heavy blows to the head and body saw Withcll fighting stronger in the last round ‘ to secure a close decision. : John Jamieson Belt The winner of the fly-weight champion- j ship, H. Sheridan, of Auckland, has per- j haps the most attractive style of boxing ! seen at this year’s tournament, and was j awarded the John Jamieson Belt for the ! most scientific boxer. Short and well- i built, he is fast and clever and a hard 1 two-handed puncher with an almost relentless weaving attacking style. He has had considerable boxing experience, hav- ; Ing held the Hawke's Bay paper-weight. , the Waikato bantam-weight, and the '

Auckland fly-weight titles. J. Parker, Wellington, the bantam-weight champion, is an aggressive, crisp-hitting boxer with a sound knowledge of fighting at close quarters, and has also had several hard fights to win the title. He fought splendidly in the final to out-punch a difficult opponent, K. Moran, also of Auckland. ; The feather-weight champion is another ! two-handed puncher whose rugged ag- I gressiveness lias served him well in | several hard fights. He is a very strong | boxgr, a heavy puncher, and a proved t stayer. The heavy punching and clean hitting | of J. Collins, Manawatu, the winner of : the light-weight title, have several times served to gain him the decision against • very good boxers in championships. A \ feature of his boxing is the case with 1 which he lands his heavy countering j punches. A punishing right hook and a j vicious right-handed uppercut gave him a quick decision in the final against a much j taller opponent. ' A nephew of the famous New Zealand i boxer, Tom Heency, the winner of the ; welter-weight championship. D. Heeney, J is a solid boxer with a very hard punch : in either hand. The speed and weight | of liis hooks and counters to the head and body, and his sound defence, have ; been notable features in all of his bouts. ; His fighting at close quarters was the best i seen at the tournament. I A. Sutherland, of Southland, the middle- ; weight champion, is a cool boxer with a i most attractive style and a heavy punch, i In all his bouts he made the best use of j the ring and fought shrewdly and coolly ; to beat some strong opponents with his ; quick footwork and clean hitting. i The winner of the light heavy-weight • division, T. Lister (Ashburton), fought in i only one bout to win the championship. ■ In this bout he did not show very im- ! pressivc form, but was competent in ; blocking his opponent’s long-range attacks j and carrying the fight to close quarters. 1 where lie scored with heavy blows to the i body. A boxer with a close defensive style ; and a very aggressive and effective two- I handed attack. R. Withell. of Ashburton, i succeeded in bustling a more experienced ■ opponent to win the heavy-weight chain- ' pionshlp. Withell uses his elbows and | gloves well to save himself from punish- •, ment, and with a fast attacking straight ; left and punishing right to the jaw and i body, lie is a difficult boxer to beat. J