Warren packs good punch for province

Press, 5 August 1985, Page 44

Warren packs good punch for province

By

JOHN COFFEY

Peter Warren made a successful start to his amateur boxing career in Canterbury when he beat another former New Zealand representative, Eldon Clifton, to win the provincial lightweight title at the Richmond Working Men’s Club yesterday.

Making his debut for the Barry’s-Monier gymnasium, Warren comfortably outpointed his Otago rival in the first two rounds. Warren’s defences slipped momentarily in the third, but he was not slowed by the punch which required him to accept a standing eight-count. Later on, Warren did enough to make up for his lapse, and to keep clear of Clifton on the cards of all five judges. Warren will undoubtedly be a welcome addition to the Canterbury squad for the national championships in Christchurch early next month. Three other leading contenders for the provincial senior team, Kevin Rickerby (Bell’s gymnasium), Danny Morris (Richmond W.M.C.) and Lance Austin (Richmond W.M.C.), also won titles. Having survived a furious initial onslaught from Nigel Lowry (Papanui) and a count of eight, Rickerby slipped smoothly into his rhythm. Lowry was halted by firm straight lefts, and before the end of the round had caved in and been counted out after Rickerby crashed a combination past Lowry’s defences. Although Austin repeated an earlier win over Dave Allen (Crichton Cobbers) in the light welterweight division, he did not have everything his way. Allen absorbed plenty of punishment, yet kept courageously coming back to give Austin some troublesome moments. Though given main-bout billing, the welterweight contest between Morris and Alan Gibson, of Blenheim, was disappointing. Gibson was warned several times for leaning and holding. Morris can box more fluently than he did yesterday, and his unbeaten senior record must be a valuable psychological boost for the national championships. Rickerby’s gym-mate, Tod Hazeldine was a most impressive winner of the intermediate light welterweight section, beating a former New Zealand junior title-holder, Wayne Barber (Oamaru). Hazeldine forced Barber to accept three standing eight-counts, but the sturdy North Otago competitor staged a swarming comeback in the second round. It was no surprise that Hazeldine was later chosen as “boxer of the day.” Another intermediate title went the way of Peter Bell’s

gymnasium when the light middleweight, Gerard Warren, outpointed his Oamaru rival, Richard Weir. But the Bell representative in the senior light heavyweight final, Dave Sullivan, was disqualified for a late reflex punch after the referee, Mr Derek Wilson, had called a halt. Sullivan had the better of the first round against Tom Heath (Woolston W.M.C.). Youthful Timaru boxers took home three titles. Greg Godkin (intermediate welterweight), Carl Bradshaw (junior 52-54 kg) and Andrew McDonald (junior 50-52 kg) all won, with Bradshaw proving himself a likely candidate for national honours. It was a memorable afternoon for the Mitchell family. Ron Mitchell, the veteran trainer from Woolston W.M.C., was presented with his Canterbury Boxing Association life membership badge a short time after a grandson, Dean Calvert, had won the junior 43-45 kg title. Results:— Championship bouts Senior — Light heavyweight: T. Heath (Woolston W.M.C.) beat D. Sullivan (Bell’s), disqualification round 2; lightweight: P. Warren (Barry’sMonier) beat ■ E. Clifton (Otago), points 5-0; light welterweight: L. Austin (Richmond W.M.C.) beat D. Allen (Crichton Cobbers), points 5-0; light middleweight: K. Rickerby (Bell’s) beat N. Lowry (Papanui), k.o. 1; welterweight: D. Morris (Richmond W.M.C.) beat A. Gibson (Blenheim), points 5-0. Intermediate — welterweight: G. Godkin (Timaru) beat A. Dolan (Ashburton), r.s.c. 3; light middleweight: G. Warren (Bell’s) beat R. Weir (Oamaru), points 5-0; light welterweight: T. Hazeldine (Bell’s) beat W. Barber (Oamaru), points 5-0. Junior —32-34 kg: B. Gallagher (Woolston W.M.C.) beat B. Hearn (Temuka), points 4-1; 43-45 kg: D. Calvert (Woolston W.M.C.) beat J. Shanks (Ashburton), points 5-0; 45-48 kg: K. Blythe (Clearwater’s) beat P. Lambert (Blenheim), points 50; A. McDonald (Timaru) beat R. Leath (Ashburton), points 50; C. Bradshaw (Timaru) beat H. Newson (Papanui), r.s.c. 3. Match' bouts A. Wood (Ashburton) beat M. Austin (Papanui), r.s.c.. 1; G. Bain (Crichton Cobbers) beat J. Neilson (Woolston W.M.C.), majority points; D. Hallett (Fidow’s) beat D. Hardy (Barry’sMonier), points; S. Grant (Papanui) beat J. Hay (Crichton Cobbers), points; H. Milne (Bell’s) beat P. Whiting (Crichton Cobbers), points; M. Flint (Fidow’s) beat S. Gordon (Bell’s), points; G. Samaeli (Fidow’s) beat J. Manson (Crichton Cobbers), r.s.c. 2; D. Thompson (Papanui) beat R. Currie (Barry’s-Monier), r.s.c.