SPIRITED BOXING

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 296, 13 September 1927, Page 3

SPIRITED BOXING

LECKIE DEFEATS 0 CONNOR

FIGHT STOPPED BY REFEREE BY TELEGHAPH.—PEESS association. Dunedin, September 12. A professional boxing match between Johnny Leckie (Dunedin), feather-weight champion of New Zealand, and Darby O'Connor (Australia), for a purse of £10(1. took place in His Majesty’s Theatre tonight. Every part of the theatre was packed, and many people were unable to secure admittance. O'Connor’s declared weight was over 9st, and Leckie’s 9st. The former appeared to have a fair advantage in weight, and had a longer reach. Leckie forced the fighting practically all the time, and had the advantage in almost every round. O’Connor stood up to it well, however, and it was not until the twelfth round that the issue was decided in Leckie’s favour The eighth round was particularly strenuous, botli Leckie and O'Connor getting in a lot ot work. The local boy had the best of masters, but though he appeared to have victory within sight, the Australian made a wonderfully good recovery Both were pretty well exhausted at the end of this round, and the next three rounds were much quieter. In the twelfth round Leckie forced the pace, and knocked O’Connor through the ropes with a right hook, the Australian taking the count for seven. Leckie used his opportunity to full advantage, and O’Connor was severely punished. He went down again for eight, and then for six. and when the local boy floored hint with a right the referee stopped the fight.