Boxing test to N.Z.

Press, 26 June 1987, Page 6

Boxing test to N.Z.

PA Auckland A booming left from Jimmy Peau ended a heavyweight bout with Zoran Grujiclck and earned New Zealand a 6-4 win over Yugoslavia in a boxing contest at Logan Campbell Centre tonight. Until Peau tumbled Grujicick out of the ring, there had not been one knockdown in the previous nine bouts. The crowd had waited all night for their Commonwealth Games champion to show his stuff, blit unlike the Peau who went on to win the title in Edinburgh last year, there was no tentativeness last night.

From the bell Peau tore across the ring and landed his first blows barely before Grujicick had reached the centre of the ring. That flurry set Grujicick’s headgear flying and earned him a 50-second respite. Peau went at him again and less than two and a-half minutes into the round it was all over.

Peaii’s win capped one of the finest nights in New Zealand amateur boxing with Billy Meehan, Johnny Wallace, Michael Bell, Raeli Raeli and Peau all showing they must have some chance of impressing the Olympic selectors.

Raeli had put New Zealand 5-4 ahead when he won the second of the light-heavy-weight contests. He took a points decision from Bozidar Arsic after he had built up a good lead in the first round.

In the first of the lightheavyweight bouts Boban Glisic withstood, a torrid last round to take a split points

decision from Allan McNamara. . _ A weak last round almost certainly cost Tom Fusitua victory over Mile Pavlovic in a middleweight clash. Despite the calls from his corner and his team-mates, Fusitua failed to lift the tempo when he needed to in the third, and the Yugoslav gained a split decision and closed the gap in over-all bouts to 4-3. Michael Bell caused a surprise with a convincing win over Radomir Trifuhovic in a light middleweight bout It was one of the clearest decisions of the night and confirmed Bell’s recent good form in winning three bouts in Tahiti. Results.-

Bantamweight (54kg): Mustafa Talj (Yugoslavia) beat Shane Samuels (N.Z.), pts.

Featherweight (57kg): Bill Meehan (N.Z.) beat Mehmed Ramadanovic (Yug), pts. Lightweight (60kg): Johnny Wallace (N.Z.) beat Jovlca Pavlovic (Yug), Split pts (3-

2); . ' ■ • Light welterweight (53.5 kg Apelu loane (N.Z.) beat Salvisa Popvic (Yug), pts... Welterweight (57kg): Mllivoke Labudovic (Yug) beat Tavela loane (N.Z.), split pts (4-1). Light Heavyweight (81kg): Boban Klisic (Yug) beat Alan McNamara (N.Z.), split pts (3-2). Raeli Raeli (N.Z.) beat'Bozidar Arsic (Yug), pts. Heavyweight: Jimmy Peau (N.Z.) beat Zoran Grujicick (Yug), k.o. round one. New Zealand beat Yugoslavia 6-4 to win the Ray Vuksich Trophy.