BOXING Baglin Beaten, Tumbles Into Ringside Seats

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30169, 28 June 1963, Page 13

BOXING Baglin Beaten, Tumbles Into Ringside Seats

James Fidow. a amiling Samoan, battled bis way to a clear-cut point* victory over Bobby Bagiin, the boxing barman, in a thrilling. profeaaionel middle-weight bout at Canterbury Court laet evening. Fidow spilled Baglin through the rope* with a crushing left hook to the body in round three. Baglin bounced on the middle rope, looped over backwards, and fell from the mired ring to the concrete floor four feet below.

Has legs scattered ringside spectators and he somersaulted into the seats He managed to get back in the ring and ward off a short attack before the bell for the end of the round went. In round four Fidow scored with a savage left to the midriff followed by a hard right hook to the jaw. Baglin went down for a count of nine, was very groggy, and was saved by the bell Used Long Left It seemed to be all over, but Baglin boxed very well to get back Into the tight by taking the next three rounds on points. He used a long straight left to keep Fidow away, and scored well with left hooks to Fidow's right eye. In round eight Fiidow again had Baglin in trouble on the ropes with a hard left rip to tlie body and a right hook to the jaw. Baglin. forsaking his right, won the ninth round with straight lefts and bruising left hooks on Fidow's damaged eye.

Behind on points. Baglin boxed desperately in the last round. He attemptedi a knockout with right crosses. but Fidow. as he had done all through the fight, made Baglin mias badlv by weaving and ducking. It was the best fight of the season in Christchurch. Fidow. now living in Christchurch, was much the harder puncher. His counter-punching with his left, both straight and hooking, was very fast. Baglin. an Australian living in Christchurch, used the orthodox straight left and right cross, but did not have much power in his left. Until he stopped using his right hand and began hooking with his left, for which Fidow had no counter, he was not in the fight. Fidow weighed list 91b and Baglin list 61b. The referee was Mr N. Fisher, and judges Messrs C. Wellman. S. Ashton, and H. Shields. Amateur Bouts

A whirlwind bout between B Moore and W. Smith was the most entertaining of some excellent amateur contests. Moore fought like a dervish, hooking fast and hard with both hands. Smith used a straight left to counter the hooks. but was frequently beaten to the punch over the first two rounds. In a rousing last round Smith punched straight with both hands and hit hard to have Moore floundering. Moore won a split decision.

P. Bell (Greymouth) moved very fast and punched swiftly to take the decision in a middle-weight bout with T. O'Donnell. Bell boxed the southpaw style and O'Donnell found difficulty in countering Bell's left hooks, and. particularly the left rips to the body.

This was a good bout between two intelligent boxer*. In an elimination trial match for the New Zealand amateur team to go to Australia, B Pope beat D. Schole* iDunedin* in a light-weight bout Pope, over the third round, proved too ttrong and sapped his game opponent with heavy hooks. L Bell, in a welter-weight trial match, knocked out K. Popo in the first round. Pope walked into a hard, long left from Bell and went down. He was up on one knee at the count of two. He remained tn this position until counted out. The referees for the preliminary bouts were Messrs H Shields and M. Drurv. The judges were Messrs C Wellman. T. Wilde. Drury and Shields Results Bantam-weight. B. Kendall (Linwood Boys' Club* 8»t lib. beat B. Hart (Dunedin)'. Bst nib. on points. Light-weight.—B. Pope (Unwood Boys' Club), tat fib. beat D. Scholes (Dunedin), tat 71b. on a technical knock-out. Ught Welter-weight K. Sheehan (Ashburton), lost, beat P. Riordan (Crichton Cobber*l. 9st 111 b. on points: B Moore (St. Anne's). 9st 121 b. beat W Smith (Fidow's Gym). on Eoints a split decision; R Macle Cnmaru), 9st 131 b beat H. Taylor (St. Anne's), on points. Welter-weight—L Bell iGreymouth). lost 91b, knocked out K. Pope (Linwood Boys' Clubi. Middle-weight—P. Bell (Grevinouthl. list 71b. beat T O Donnell (St. Anne'S) on points, a split decision.