COLOURLESS BOXING

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 99, 25 January 1928, Page 12

COLOURLESS BOXING

TAYLOR OUTPOINTS GRIFFITHS CROWD COUNT BOXERS OUT In a colourless display of boxing, in which scarcely one decent blow was struck, F. Taylor, of Auckland, outpointed T. Griffiths, of Dunedin, over fifteen rounds at the Town Hall last ui"ht. The exhibition was so drab that Referee Earl Stewart had to tell the men to infuse a bit of life into things, and in tlie twelfth the crowd counted the boxers out. THE PROFESSIONAL CONTEST. '?aii weights were announced as Griffiths Bst. 51b. and Taylor Bst. They opened quietly, and contented themselves witli light work at short range in the opening round. Griffiths showed cleverness in ducking his opponent’s k’Jt leads. Taylor went for the body in the second round, and. Griffiths was’ warned foi; holding. They warmed up a bit in the third round, Taylor making play to head and body witli light lefts.. Griffiths also scored with the same weapon to the face. The Dunedin man stung tlie Aucklander with a solid right to the body in the fourth round, but Taylor got his own back .before the session closed. It had been very tame so far, and it continued .so; . Ironical applause seemed to sting Griffiths to action in the. tenth session, as he opened up with both hands to tlie head. This spurred the Aucklander to action, and there- was something doing for a bit. This was tlie best round so far. In the twelfth round the crowd plause. In the twelfth round the crowd started to count the boxers out. Taylor tried to do things in the “Devil’s Round,” and the crowd yelled approval. In the fourteenth the Aucklander put on a few points with rips to tho body during infighting. They did their best in”the last round, but it was not very exciting. The referee was kept busy separating the pair, as they mauled each other almost continually. It went on-to this, end. when the verdict went to Taylor. No one objected; someone had to he declared the winner; but “No fight” would just as well have filled the bill. . Mr. Earl Stewart was the third man in the ring, and tho judging was done by Messrs. P. W. Woods and B. A. Guise. AMATEUR PRELIMINARIES. Much interest centred in the meeting of A. Cleverley, the Npw Zealand champion, and C. G. Gardiner, of Christchurch, in the light-heavy weight bout. The champion scaled list, filb., while the Christchurch man was 41b. heavier. The pair went at it from tlie sound of the gong. The southerner was aggressive, but Cleverley met him willingly in fierce exchanges, and there was great excitement as they traded heavy wallops. ' A thrilling 'battle endO.l ; n thunderous applause. The decision for Cleverley met with a hostile reception, and both mon wore cheered na they loft the ring. Another New Zealand champion in J. O’Sullivan (Auckland), Sst. 21b„ was seen in action with 11. Larsen, tho Wellington champion,. 7st, 1311 b., ;n a bantamweight contest. . Tho first round was bexed qt-a brisk pace. .The Aucklander was confidence personified, and did the leading, but Larsen showed nice foots work, and gave almost as good ns lio got. Larsen tore in like a wildcat in tho second session, and got tn work with both hands. Chipping on ‘tho pace, ho hail the Aucklander bothered, and O’Sullivan was hugging him like n - brother. ■ baforn thq. round closed. Tho third round was very willing, but tho "Wei-, lington Tad. showing good ringernft, outboxed the New champion, and had him flying signals of distress. Try as lie.would, O’Sullivan could not shake .his resolute adversary off, and Larsenwent- on to score a decisive and very ponnlar- victory. Tho feather-weights, J. Crowley (Bst. 71b.)’ and J. Cotterill > (Bst. 121 b.), made matters exce.edi"vlv inrerosting. Cotterill boxed very coolly thronghouL and tho judges had no hesitation giving him the verdict. Ho is a much-improved boxei". Another pair of featherweights, D. Cleverley (9st.) and G. Thomas (Bst. rnent. The last ' voiind was crowded with incident. There was little between tho pair, and the verdict went to Thomas mainly through his forcing' tactics.in the dying stages. There was a full house, and tlie tournament was well managed by the Wellington Boxing Association."