WEST COAST BOXERS

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28056, 25 August 1956, Page 3

WEST COAST BOXERS

Candidates For N.Z. Titles West Coast amateur boxers have . built up a fine record in recent years at national and interprovincial tournaments. This year, two competitors, who have between them won no fewer than eight t. ties, W’ill be the main West Coast contenders for national honours. They are Maurice Tuck, a light middle-weight, who is attempting a comeback after two years retirement, and Graham Finlay, present welterweight title holder, who also won the light welter-weight in 1954. Tuck has been a titleholder on six occasions. Although Tuck has found great difficulty in securing pre-championship matches, he has had three bouts so far this season and has been training effectively at Greymouth for the national championships which commence at Hamilton on September 3. Like Finlay, he is aiming at Olympic selection. He was unlucky at the last Empire Games when a cut eye put him out of the running in Vancouver. Tuck won the Centennial Games and Australasian titles before representing New Zealand at the Empire Games.

Though he may have slowed down. Tuck is not likely to meet any formidable opponents as there is a dearth of light middle-weights at the present time. Should Tuck win a seventh title, it will be one of the greatest comebacks in Dominion amateur boxing history.

Formidable List

Graham Finlay, only in his 20th year, has already a most formidable record. In 63 bouts, he has lost only six, won 55 and drawn two. Four of his losses were to the national title winners, A. Scaife, S. Moffat, Johnny Hanks, and Jimmy Pyle. Finlay went close to winning the 1952 bantamweight title but a broken thumb caused his withdrawal at the end of the first round in the final with Johnny Hanks, and he became runnerup. Finlay fought well in his fifth bout of the season with Fraser, but the latter was cautious throughout a mediocre contest at Stratford, in which Fraser was warned four times for holding Finlay’s punishing left arm. Finlay had little chance of opening out, but at the championships it should be different. Fraser was runner-up to Finlay in the grade last year and was also runner-up in the lighter division the previous year. Fraser will again be a contender for the welter-weight crown. Fraser was runner-up to Mike Hannah in 1954.