Referee Victor After Punishing Round

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31586, 25 January 1968, Page 12

Referee Victor After Punishing Round

Canterbury wrestling fans discovered a new hero at Canterbury Court last evening— Mr Harry Wong, a referee from Dunedin.

Not only did he appear to take just as much punishment as the protagonists in the main professional bout, Peter Maivia (Samoa) and Shintaro Fuji (Japan), he was more athletic, faster, fitter and a more capable actor. In the sixth round of the eight-round bout, after trying to quell the tempers of the wrestlers, he was hurled out of the ring by Maivia. Rather bravely he returned, but he was picked up and hurled at Fuji’s stomach. The bout was even with one fall each, but Mr Wong brought some drama to a staid affair by disqualifying Maivia who had unintention-

ally taken over the role of the villian. The proceedings opened on a decorous note when Maivia. resplendent in a pale blue cape, was presented with a large flora! bouquet by an attractive young woman. Fuji observed this impassively, but his facial muscles twitched when he glimpsed Maivia's brief psychedelic shorts. Round one began with the wrestlers performing a ceremonial war chant, but when they crouched on the mat it resembled the old-faphiohed bunny hop. It became a case of east is east and west is west, and never the twain shall meet as the heavy-weights circled each other, running from A to B, the gamut of their acting alphabet. There was even dialogue. • The referee: Now get up and • wrestle. Fuji: You shut up. Maivia, who achieved some fame as the man who defeated James Bond in his film role as the “Laughing Killer,*’ gave few indications of homicidal intentions in the second round, not even after some sneak attacks from Shintaro when he and the referee turned their backs. i In the third round the Gorgonlocked Maivia applied a headlock. For the next five minutes the wrestlers, excited by this display of technical knowledge, rumbled round the ring like a pair of Sherman tanks. But this action did not last. Maivia and Fuji showed what they could do as a still-life exhibition. This round, however, did produce the first tangible result Fuji gained a fall, presumably on the grounds of Maivia’s exhaustion. Pressing home this advantage. Fuji attacked vigorously in the fifth round. He bounced expertly off the ropes, to crunch Maivia into the canvas three times. He showed the Japanese equivalent of boy scout training by dexterously entwining Maivia’s limbs among the ropes. But this did not last. Summoning his vast reserves of energy, Maivia won a fall from a skirmish of writhing limbs. Anticipating action tn the inext round, experienced police officers moved their helmets from the table near the ring. The wrestlers bristled with aggression-, even if it was directed mainly at the referee. Mr Wong, after being manhandled by Maivia, turned one or two somersaults. When he penalised Maivia, Fuji supported the decision. The supporting professional bout was between two tried performers, Dick Zolnowski and Steve Rickard. They carried out their task well, if a little mechanically. There was one delightful moment, however, when Zolnowski, scowling at the booing crowd bit Richards's hand. It was as ferocious as a rabbit nibbling a lettuce leaf. Rickard won the bout by two falls to one. Results of the amateur bouts were:— W. White (Waltham Gym.) drew with T. Andrews (Waltham); R. Howard (Waltham i beat W. Clemens (Papanui Gym.) by a fall: R. Williams (Linwood Toe H) beat J. Fruean (Linwood Toe H) by a fall: G. Wilson (Linwood Toe H) beat J. Tomale (Linwood Toe H) on points; D. Collins (Crichton Cob bers) drew with S. Wells (Crichton Cobbers): B Had croft (Crichton Cobbers) drew with B. Jones (Papanui Gym »: p. Ragg (Crichton Cobbers) beat L. Freeman (Crichton Cobbers) on points.