N.Z. TITLES AT GREYMOUTH

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26221, 19 September 1950, Page 8

N.Z. TITLES AT GREYMOUTH

BOXING

HIGH STANDARD IN FINALS EXPECTED FINE EXHIBITION BY J. PYLE From Our Own Reporter GREYMOUTH, Sept. 18. The oDening of the New Zealand boxing championships this afternoon was well attended for a .. week and the form shown in the opening rounds gives promise of a high stana ard of boxing in the semi-finals, which will be decided to-morrow and on W The e best exhibition of boxing in the eight bouts decided ‘his afternoon was given by the Ashburton feather-x/eight. J Pyle; who beat a tough Hawkes Bav fighter R. Wylie, on points. From file first round, Pyle showed a greater knowledge of boxing against a ™g=ed fighter, who swung wicked rights and lefts and unwisely mixed it in close fighting with the Ashburton man. With balance, Pyle shot lefts and rights to the face, and while taking many punches on his gloves, he was not ad verse to a period of In-fighting. at which all his best qualities were shown. As Pyle got his opponent under control he un loosed a barrage of punches which tor variety and timing would have beaten any amateur boxer, of his weight In New Zealand. In the third round, Wylie s only chance of a win was a knock-out. lie made efforts to land a deciding punch, but Pyle evaded or took it on his gloves. Pyle, who has had a fair amount of experience, has never fought better than he did to-day. He may prove to be Canterbury's best hope of winning a title.

L. N. Hauks Beaten The tournament, opened in promising style when L. N. Hanks, a popular fancy for the fly-weight title, was beaten by S. O. Moffitt (Oamaru). Hanks, who looked the older and more experienced boxer, etsablished a lead jn the first round over an opponent who appeared nervous ana overawed bv the occasion. When Moffitt found that Hanks’s punches were not doing much damage, he gained confidence and in the second round scored with a straight left, which he followed consistently with hard rips to the body. In the last round Hanks’s footwork alone kept him out of trouble. Moffitt found many weaknesses in his opponent’s defence, and was given a well-earned decision by the judges. M. D. O’Sullivan (Auckland) gained a referee’s decision over a young boxer m R. Eddington (Waimate), after the juoges had disagreed. O’Sullivan, who showed clever footwork, did not produce a punch with any power behind it, and while he kept out of any serious trouble, the only punch in the first round was a swing to the body by Eddington. O’Sullivan, light on Ms feet and* light in his punches, was most elusive and he gained a well-earned decision, although Eddington made a game fight. , „ „ A Scalfe (Wellington) beat O. Smith (Taranaki) in the second of the featherweight bouts in a contest that was marred by much clinching. After losing points in the early round Smith unwound a great burst of furious punching, with rights and lefts to the head. He was the stronger and fitter fighter, but had too much leeway to make up in the later stages.

Hard-Hitting Welter-weights The first of the welter-weight contests between R. Wilson (Southland) and R. Weekes (Hawke’s Bay) was full of action from start to finish. From the start both boxers slugged away with heavy punches and each time Wilsons were the cleaner. Weekes could not be taken cheaply and some of Wilson's punches seemed to have little effect on him. He kept carrying the fight to his lighter opponent but tired in the last round. Wilson, as fresh as when he started, was timing his punches better and after a fierce two-handed assault he sent Weekes to the canvas. The referee very wisely stopped the fight, the verdict going to Wilson on a technical knockout. J. Morris (Hutt), who is fancied by his Wellington supporters to win the welterweight title, was altogether too good for the Otago representative, L. Coote. After a slow first round, during which the boxers attempted to get each other’s measure, Morris narrowly missed with vicious uppercuts and showed he possessed a powerful right rip to the body. Both men, without being reckless, gave good exhibitions of boxing, and Coote scored points with right jabs to the head. He left himself open, however, and Morris whipped in a right to the jaw which ended the fight. F. Lingman Wins The Canterbury middle-weight, F. Lingman, was altogether too good for W. Brodie (Manawatu), and won on a technical knock-out in the first round. It was Lingman’s fight from the start. With heavy rights and lefts to the body he sent Brodie twice to the canvas for a count of seven, and when a heavy right to the sent Brodie down a tnird time the referee (Mr V. Stone) stopped the fight. Lingman’s aggressiveness was a feature. He was always well balanced and his punches were well timed. After to-day’s fight Lingman and M. Tuck (Greymouth) are favourites to take the title. P. McKay (Wanganui) and M. O’Brien (Taurnarunui), middle-weights, gave the poorest exhibition in the afternoon session. McKay was a very narrow winner. Failing to draw the weight. R. Gibb (Southland), feather-weight, defaulted to S. Gladstone, and A. McGovern (Taumarunui), light-weight, to D. Glozier. Because of illness. R. Baldwin (Wanganui), welter-weight, defaulted to R. Sadler (Waimate). Two Losses on Fouls The evening divisions opened in a sensational manner for, in each of the first two bouts, two boxers, each of whom had established a commanding lead on points, lost his bout on a foul. N. Drury (Canterbury) and.M. Larkin (Wairarapa) met in the fly-weight division. Drury was faster on his feet, and established a lead in the first spell which he increased. Coming out of a clinch, went down on his knees and Drury struck him twice. The referee (Mr Frank O’Neill) immediately disqualified Drury and awarded the bout to Larkin.

One of the best bouts of the tournament was provided by C. Shanks (Southland) and C. Head (Wellington). Head carried the fight to his opponent. It was evident that Head was a class above the average. Towards the end of the first round Shanks drew blood when he landed heavily on Head’s mouth, and the blow seemed to upsfet Head. Soon after the start of the third round the referee (Mr A. D. Cadwallader) disqualified , Head for holding and hitting. The referees’ decisions in the first two bouts met with a mixed reception. In the feather-wight division, G. N. Clark (Canterbury) scored a clear cut win over A. Hanks (Auckland). Very lively on his feet, Clark darted in to deliver light lefts and danced out of trouble. Meeting an older and more experienced opponent in W. Miller (Southland), the youthful J. Lynch (Hamilton) gave a fine example of how to fight a retreating battle for practically the whole of the three rounds.

Clean Fighing A fine display of clean, two-handed fighting was given by J. McNally (Auckland) and F. Nolan (Wellington) in the light-weights. Each showed a good knowledge of clean, long-range fighting and of close work. The decision in favour of McNally did not meet with universal approval.

G. Bourke (Wellington) and J. Brennan (Auckland) provided fireworks in the welter-weight division. Both are very hard hitters. In the last round Bourke connected with a left hook which sent Brennan down very rattled for a count of five. R Elley, a stockily-built welter-weight representing Manawatu, scored a surprise win over M. Skiffington. The decision met with the disapproval of a big section of the audience. Both showed a readiness to trade punches and both hit hard in tne third round. Another surprise win was scored by B. Goodson (Rotorua) over the West Coast boxer, V. Tuck, in the welter-weight class. After Tuck had worn himself out, Goodson scored with straight lefts. When the judges disagreed, the referee (Mr P. Stone) gave the decision in favour of Goodson. Results : Fly-weight.—S. O. Moffitt (Oamaru) beat L. N. HanKS (Auckland), on points; M. Larkin (Wairarapa) beat N. Drury (Canterbury), on a foul. Bantam-weight.—D. O’Sullivan (Auckland) beat R. Eddington (Waimate), on points; C. Shanks (Southland) beat C. Head (Wellington), on a foul. Feather-weight: J. Pyle (Ashburton) beat R. Wylie (Hawke’s Bay), by a technical knock-out; S. Gladstone (Greymouth) won by default from R. Gibb (Bluff), who failcvl to draw the weight; A. Scaife (Wellington) beat O. Smith (Taranaki), on points; N. Clark (Canterbury) beat A. Hanks (Auckland), on points; T. Lynch (Hamilton) beat V/. Miller (Southland), on points; C. Smith (Taumarunui) defaulted.to J. Kean (Hutt Valley) because of sickness. Light-weight.—D. Glozier (Southland) beat A. McGovern (Taumarunui), by default, because of failure to make the weight; D. Hakaraia. (Wellington) beat M. J. Tunicliffe (Manawatu), on points; J McNally (Auckland) beat F. Onlan (Hutt Valley), on points; F. Wilson (Wairarapa, beat B. Hickling (Canterbury), by default

Welter-weight.—R Wilson (Southland) beat R. Weekes (Hawke’s Bay), by a technical knock-out; R. Sadler (Waimate) beat R. Baldwin (Wanganui), by default (overweight); J. Morris (Hutt Valley) beat L. Coote (Otago), by a technical knock-out: G. Bourke (Wellington) beat C. J. Brennan (Auckland), on points: R. Elley (Manawatu) beat M. Skiffington (Canter-

buryl, on points; B. Goodson (Rotorua) beat V. Tuck (Greymouth), on points. , Middle-weight,—F. Mngman (Canterbury) beat W. Brodie iManawatu), by a technical knock-out; P. McKay fWailgßnui) beat M. O'Brien (Taumarunui), oil points; A. H. Whittle (Auckland) beat K McCombe (Otago), on points, J. Mclvor (Hawke’s Bav) beat J. King (Westport), on points; K. Chrysell (Hutt VaUey) defaulted to M. Tuck (Greymouth) because Of Light n Heavy-weight.—K. Cotter (Auckland) beat I. Lord (Southland) on points, P n Gallagher (Wellington) beat E. Perry (Otago). by a knock-out; W. Kice (Hawke's Bay) beat C. Keith (Wairarapa). L. Candy (Rotorua) beat P. Larkin (Canterbury), by a technical knock-out; W. J. Wolsey (Auckland) beat M. Kreft (Manawatu). on points. CHANGES IN RULES AGREED TO COMPULSORY COUNT; THREE JUDGES From Our. Own Reporter GREYMOUTH, September 18. Two important changes in boxing rules will be introduced in New Zealand after the revised rules, wMch have been adopted by conference, have been registered and incorporated. This was agreed upon by delegates to the annual conference of the New Zealand Boxing Association at Grey mouth to-day. ; . One of the changes, which will be put on trial during the next 12 months, provides that where a boxer, whether amateur or professional, has been .knocked to the canvas he cannot resume, or must stay down, even if able to resume, until a count of eight seconds is made by the referee. The full count is 10 seconds. The other change provides for a system of three judges, with a referee in control of the contest only, and having no voting power on the question of a decision. Formerly there were two judges with the referee acting as an independent chairman should the need arise. In the meantime the system of two judges and a referee is being used for the New Zealand amateur championships. which commenced at Grey mouth this afternoon. NEW SCALE OF WEIGHTS From Our Own Reporter GREYMOUTH, Sept. 18. In future amateur boxers will nave 10 divisions in which to compete instead of eight as at present. This alteration in the weight divisions, which was passed at the second ordinary cong. ess of the Association Internationale De Boxe Amateur held at Copenhagen in June, was approved by the conference of delegates to the New Zealand Boxing Association at Greymouth to-day. There is a margin of no more than 71b in each of the new divisions. The two new divisions are light welterweight and light middle-weight. It was considered by those who proposed the alteration at the Copenhagen congress that there was too big an interval between the weights in the medium classes and that this resulted in an undue advantage to the heavier boxer and in unhealthy attempts by the lighter boxer to reduce weight in ofder to enter a lower division. It was also considered that it was twice as difficult for a welterweight to win a championship as for boxers of weights which were less crowded. The new scale of weights is compulsory for the next Olympic Games in 1952 and for the European championships in May and June of 1951 and for world championships. The new divisions and weights are as follows:—Fly-weight, Bst 7oz; bantam-

weight, Sst. 71b loz; feather -weight, Bst 131 b lloz; light-weight, 9st 61b 4oz; lijjht wel-ter-weight. lOst; welter-weight, lOst 71b lloz; light middle-weight, list 21b Boz; middle-weight, list 111 b 6oz; light heavyweight, 12st 101 b 9oz; heavy-weight, any weight over 12st 101 b 9oz. ASSOCIATION ELECTS OFFICERS From Our Own Reporter GHEYMOUTH. September 1«., The officers elected at this mornings conference of delegates to the New Zealand Boxing Association were:— Patron, the Governor-General (Sir Bernard Freyberg); president, Mr A. Beban (Greymouth); vice-presidents, Messrs F. Costello (Greymouth) and W- T. Harper (Auckland); council, Messrs J. R. Simpson, K. A. Meale, Dr. D. G. Wallace. Messrs A. S. Parker, L. A. Tracy, E. A. Blundell, E. C. Magee (all of Wellington); auditor, Mr W. G. Talbot (Wellington); appeal committee, Messrs C. F. Saunders, V. Meredith, and N. C. McLean (all of Auckland, re-elected); trustees of insurance fund. Messrs Talbot (chairtnanh Magee, and Tracy (all re-elected); treasurer, Mr Tracy (re-elected). The conference decided to hold the 1961 championships at Palmerston North.'