Hard punching in boxing finals

Press, 1 October 1979, Page 6

Hard punching in boxing finals

PA Wellington The New Zealand Boxing Council might well be advised to consider adding an extra prize to its impressive trophy list after the final night’s action at the national amateur boxing championships in Wellington on Saturday.

Had a prize for best punch of the championships been instituted on Saturday, judges might have found it impossible to choose between two of the country’s foremost amateurs — the Oceania gold medallist, Grant Scaife (Hutt Valley) and Nelson’s Perry Rackley. Both punches were steaming right-handers but the comparison ended there. While Scaife’s was scientific, clinically-executed and extrovert, Rackley’s was all subtlety. Rackley collected his middleweight title when the bout ended in disqualification and uproar after just 15 seconds, but many failed to realise that the hard-punching Ed : monton representative had effectively decided the issue before his opponent Viv Schwaiger (Auckland) was penalised for punching after the break.

Six seconds after the opening bell Rackley closed on Schwaiger in a neutral corner and followed a stinging left to the ribs with a fast right hook to the cheek which sent the hapless Schwaiger sprawling forward and lent a new meaning to the term “carried.”

With Schwaiger’s arms draped over his shoulders, Rackley chopped some more into his body before the referee intervened and Schwaiger’s five blows after the call 'eft Rackley impassive and the referee with no choice but to [disqualify him. Wellington’s Pat Ashkettle boxed well against Scaife for the first half of round one in the light welterweight final, scoring well with a fast left jab.

But Scaife stalked well and two minutes into the round he seized his opportunity when Ashkettle’s dropping left hand left a larger-than-usual opening. Scaife produced a scorching right, seemingly from nowhere, which hit Ashkettle’s temple with the force of a jackhammer and it was "good night Pat.” Bloodied but unbowed, Ron Jackson (Hutt Valley) finished his light middleweight final against Auckland’s Fred Tafua with the certain knowledge that he hadn’t done enough to take the verdict. It was the evening’s best bout and one in which Tafua at last settled the score with Jackson after three losses to the fighter who has seemingly taken a stranglehold on the Jamieson Belt in recent years.

Intermediate. — Featherweight: M. Flipp (Mana) beat J. McKeown (Nelson) unanimous points. Light Welterweight: J. Schwaiger (Auckland) beat M. Hardy (Wellington) majority points. Light Heavyweight: G. Forsyth (West Coast) beat C. Karavious (Wellington) unanimous points.

Senior. — Bantamweight: P. Warren (Timaru) beat D. Ward (Mana) unanimous points. Featherweight: W. Meehan (Mana) beat T. Wright (HV) referee stopped contest Round 2. Lightweight: M. Sykes (C.N.1.) beat B. Slater (Canterbury) unanimous points. Light Welter: G. Scaife (HV) beat P. Ashkettle (Wellington) k/o Round 1. Welterweight: J. Coombe (Tara) beat P. Tarrant (Tim) unanimous points. Light Middleweight: F. Tafua (Auckland) beat R. Jackson (HV) majority points. Middleweight: P. Rackley (Nelson) beat V. Schwaiger (Auckland) disqualified. Light Heavy: A. Fatu (Waik) beat J. Taupua (Wellington) unanimous points. Heavyweight: M. Malawi (Wellington) beat S. Semi (Wellington) majority points.