Elisara outpoints Rackley in spectacular bout

Press, 23 August 1976, Page 3

Elisara outpoints Rackley in spectacular bout

By

JOE HARNETT

The Christchurch professional middle-weight boxer, Sopo Elisara, had the most important win of his career when he narrowly outpointed the highly rated Jeff Rackley, of Nelson, in a bout of 12 two-minute rounds at the James Hay Theatre yesterday.

The audience of 800 was treated to a sometimes spectacular contest between a fighter and a boxer, with the fighter coming out on top. The bout started at a relatively slow pace, both men being content to gauge each other’s strengths and weaknesses.

In the first two rounds, Rackley jabbed with his left to Elisara’s head and occasionally mixed this with a smart left rip to the ribs, followed by a quick rightcross to the head. Elisara tried several long rights to the jaw, but Rackley usually avoided them.

This pattern continued for the next two rounds, Rackley using a fine left hand to build up a points lead. But Elisara still looked very confident, and bounced back, pounding hard rips to the ribs and solar plexus. The fifth round was even, with Rackley scoring well early on with his straight left but. Elisara finishing the

stronger with hard hooks and crosses to the head and

body. Elisara won the sixth round mainly because he threw more punches, but Rackley looked the sharper and retained his lead. Elisara tore into Rackley at the start of the seventh round and twice shook him with hard left-right combinations to the head. He comfortably won the round. The eighth round was enother good one for Elisara, although Rackley was still scoring well with his straight left. After a slow; ninth round, Rackley reasserted himself in the tenth and boxed much better than in the previous three, often making Elisara miss. Although the latter landed a few good rights, Rackley led marginally on points. Elisara had to win the last two rounds, and he set about with strength and determination to take the fight to a tiring Rackley. He hit Rackley with everything—straight lefts, good rightcrosses, and very effective left hooks to the head and body. Rackley fought back courageously but Elisara was unstoppable, and dictated the fight almost completely. At the final bell, Rackley, who weighed in several pounds over his normal fighting weight, was a very tired man, whereas Elisara looked comparatively fresh. A split decision in favour of Elisara was well received. The main preliminary bout was a stirring encounter between the young Nelson champion, Perry Rackley, and an unheralded Christchurch middle-weight, Thomas Brennan (Woolston Working Men’s Club). Rackley swarmed all over Brennan 'in the first round, landing many scoring blows to the head and body. Brennan appeared a little overawed and was inclined to cover up too quickly, but in the second round was more aggressive, and although he

ls lost it still scored much 1 more often.

The third round opened with Brennan carrying the fight to his opponent with long, hard lefts. He had discarded his timid approach, and appeared determined to make up as much of the leeway as he could. Rackley fought back vigorously, and the boxers spent the last two minutes standing toe-to-toe trading punches vigorously. This was an excellent bout, but in spite of a fine finish by Brennan, Rackley was an easy winner on points. The New Zealand amateur m i d d 1 e-weight champion, Ray Peters (Timaru) boxed an” indifferent first round in his bout with Tito Tuatuape (Fidow’s Gym). Peters was well below championship form, and Tuatuape looked to be on top. But at the start of the second round, Peters charged out and took Tuatuape to the ropes, and soon after hit him with a splendid combination of at least six hard punches. Tuatuape was badly shaken, and the referee (Mr, M. V. Drury) applied a standing eightcount to him. When the bout resumed, Peters again tagged Tuatuape with a hard left-right-left combination, and the referee stopped the contest. Clive Bishop (Burwood Boxing Club), a diminutive boxer, showed courage and aggression in his bout with John Cooper (Crichton Cobbers Club). The two were evenly matched, and for all three rounds maintained a non-stop, two-handed attack on each other. In the last round, Bishop, with teeth clenched and eyes closed, flailed away at his opponent, landing enough punches to clinch a narrow, but popular, points win. Other results were:

B. Davie (New Brighton R.S.A.) beat G. Cheat (Crichton Cobbers Club); P. Freeman (Woolston W.M.C.) beat P. Cohen (C.C.C.); K. Nichol (C.C.C.) beat K. Tinkler (Linwood Boys’ Club); S. Ross

(WAV M.C.) beat P. Jones (Temuka); D. Tuetue iC.C.C.) beat K. Downie (Burwood Boxing Club); V. Feau (Fidow’s Gym) beat J. Thompson iC.C.C.); M. Bingham (Timaru) beat G. Skilton (W.W.M.C.); N. Isaia (Fidow’s) beat M. Burgess (C.C.C.); R. Herewlki (Christchurch South) beat E. Pi (Fidow’s); and T. Attwood (Timaru) beat M. Platt (W.W.M.C.).

The judges were Messrs E. Pocock. E. Platt, C. Knowles, D. Palmer, H. Lloyd, and M. Garrett.