BOXING

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 195, 19 May 1928, Page 6

BOXING

MIDDLE-AVEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP BOUT.

Palmerston North, May IS.

As a result of the new lease of• life the Manawatu Boxing Association has taken in the past, few months, boxing in the Manawatu is booming, and to keep the interest up the associations executive has now completed arrangements for the matching of Harry Casey (holder) and Nelson McKnight (challenger) for the professional middleweight championship of New Zealand, the contest to consist of 15 three-min-ute rounds and to take place at the Opera House, Palmerston North, on June 4. The present title bolder, Harry Casey, won the title from Lachie McDonald at Wellington exactly a year ago, and in the fourteen months he has been in New Zealand he has fought 28 battles. Of these he was awarded the decision in 13 bouts on points, knocked out D. Loveridge and A. Hay (twice), and won on a foul from L. McDonald, which gives him a total of 17 victories. He drew with L. McDonald and J. Broadfoot, and lost eight fights. Casey is a clever and versatile boxer who has a punch in both hands, and is capable of taking a lot of punishment. McKnight has only recently returned from a successful tour of America and Australia, and his experience over there has tended to make him speedier than lie was before the tour, and lias also improved his knowledge of ringcraft. He lost no time on returning to New Zealand in looking for a contest, and this will be his third. With the title at stake, both men may be relied upon to extend themselves fully to sway the decision their way, and with the excellent preliminaries the -association has arranged, the Manawatu followers of boxing should be more than satisfied with what is promised..