BOXING.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1707, 26 March 1913, Page 7

BOXING.

TOURNAMENT AT TOWN HALL. ELLIS DEFEATS THOMPSON. UNIVERSITY CHAMPIONSHIPS. Quito a good crowd filled tho Town Halt last night to witness tho .special tournament arranged by tile "Wellington Boxing Association in connection with tho Citizens' Carnival. Aniojig those present Aver© tho Mayor (Mr. D. M'Laren) and tlio Mayoress, who occupied seats on the stage. Tho evening's programme consisted ot fivo amateur bouts between representatives of Victoria College and tlio Otago University, and a professional fst. contest between Frank Ivllis and T. Thompson, both of Wellington. Generally speaking, tho show was disappointing, tha professional match being a very onesided affair and tho amateur bouts providing a minimum amount of science. Otago _had the better of the argument with Victoria College by winning three out of five events. Mr. T. Sampson, who acted as referee, had no difficult problems set him in selecting tlio winners, but some of the on/ooker.s persisted in hurling mixed advieo at him during tho progress of the professional coiitest. '

Delay occurred at different periods of tho evening, with tho result. that tliu lillis-Thompson contest was not commenced until after 9.50 o'clock, and, as it went the full tii'tecn rounds, the finish was later than usual. j AMATEUR BOUTS. '13. Stewart (Victoria. College), lflst., defeated G. Menzies (Otago), list. 3Ub. Menzies ■ was lighting ! several pounds bolow his usual wtdglit, and, though 110 put up a clever showing, ho was too weak to stand a chance with Stewart. The latter, however, did not exhibit anything like the form he showed at tho last vincial E. I'artridgo (Otago), 9st. 411)., gained a: points decision over I). Boyio (Victoria 1 College), 9st. 41b., who uuulo a creditable first appearance,', and who was applauded equally with the winner. Both - boxers ■failed to get to business in the opening round' and humorists at tho back of tlio hall created considerable amusement by calling out "Break"' whenever the con-., testants approached within striking dis-, tance. Tile other rounds provided liiiire' interest, and rendered sarcasms unnecessary. 0. Barton (Otago), lOst. lib., had littlo trouble in deleaving W. H. Staintbn (Victoria College), lflst, 31b., in the welter division. Stainton, who was culled on' to tako part in tlio tournament at short notice, proved elusive; in the opening round, bift his condition quickly gavo oul, and before the third round was through ho was glad to make application, to tno referee lor a cessation ot Hostilities. '•

Brosnun (Victoria Colli",'o), list., surprised the crowd by easily vanquishing Cody - (Otago), 12st. 111)>., who was .superior in weight alone. Brosnan-forced tho pueo i'rom tho start, and Cody, who showed a blissful ignorance uf tlie iino points of tho art of boxing, was hopelessly "gone"'before tho contest was half, completed. With rc-al pluck ho boxed oil until the finish, and tnc onlookers warmly applauded him as he camo forward: again and again to be punched by. Brosuan. ■ ■ ( ' 1 H. Childs (Otago), list, lib., and AT. Dudsoii (Victoria College); list. 31b., supplied tho best amateur conk-st of tho evening, tho Otago man v;'inning' after a warm bout'. In tlio opening round, it was apparent that both men desired to box, and as the pace increased in' tho second round tho hall rang with applause. DudMii was easily beaten at tlio close, but ho hati registered the best losiug performance of tho tournament. ■

PROFESSIONALS. Ellis and T. Thompson wero both stated to weigh 9st. whpn they entered ' tho- ring for their 15-round match. Tlio program mo announced that ".sinco joining tho professional rallies each has had one defeat registered against him. Ellishas been beaten by Hegaitv. and-'J'honip-son -.bus bepn beaten by Ellis ' aft«r 'a' bout nt tlio jeallicr-wbiyht tourn;\ment in AA r elliugton." Ellis is known' as a very clever exponent of the boxing art, and Thompson is generally credited with carrying a solid ■ pun-i' in j)\i right hand. Against an ojv... K i-t liko •bills, however, a punch dot- .-r 'ount for much unless correctly de»«v. and if Thompson brought his punt., „,.a him Inst, night ho certainly never iiiilvcrcd it at tho correct address. ■ Tho greater portion of tho bnflle-, between tho two men'was occupied. in clinching. On such occasions as he couldfind elbow-room, Ellis jiroved by- far tho cleverer boxer, and les, from'start l.i .finish. In tlio first ton rounds Ellis did all the leading, but found it very difficult to get away, from tho clinches to hit his man. ,Both men wero cautioned to adhere to tho clean break, and not to hold on numerous occasions, but Thompson. appeared by far tho greater offender. In tho eleventh round Thompson showed ft disposition to assist,in the contest, and as Ellis was more .than willing, some brisk interchanges resulted. Tho round was a lively one, and the crowd applauded at tho close. Thompson rushed 1 his man carlr in the twelfth, but Ellis deftly' avoided him, and then came in-and useil both left and right with gond effect, Moro clinching followed, but Thompson' was busy towards tlio close. Tho following two rounds were both lively, Thompson endeavouring to find an opening to use •his punch, and finding instead that Ellis was a difficult opponent to deal with, Tho crowd -roared with applause-during tho penultimate round, but though Thompson was pluckily doing his part at this-stage, ho was completely outclassed.- - The filial reund only placed him further behind on points, and the referee's decision in favour of Ellis was tho only--poesiblo cue.