The Wrestling Championship.

Evening Post, Volume XXXVII, Issue 18, 22 January 1889, Page 2

The Wrestling Championship.

ROBERTSON v. DUNN. [By Telegraph. I [united press association.] Wanganui, 21st January. The wrestling match between Harry Dunn and George Robertson, for the championship of New Zealand and .£SO a-side, took place to-night, and resnlted in a victory for Robertson. The styles contested were the Cumberland, collar and elbow, GraecoRoman, catoh-as-catch-oan. Lancashire style and American side hold. There was a good attendance. Mr. J. R. Stewart, of Manaia, acted as referee, Charles Chavannes as stakeholder, and Mr. Wilkinson as timekeeper. In the Cumberland style, after catohing hold, about three rounds ensued, both men doing all they knew, and neither getting any advantage till they slipped their hold and went to their chairs. On taking hold again Dunn daehed in and had Robertson on his hands and knees in a twinkling, thus gaining tbe first fall in four minutes. In the collar and elbow style, both men quickly took hold, and after three minutes' continuous sparring they clutched, and Robertson got Dunn down, but not so as to constitute a fall. After a spell they had another bout, and Dunn again went down, but no fall was scored. On taking hold next bout, Robertson quickly got the crook on Dunn, and after a short struggle, got him down to an undeniable fall. Each had now won a fall. The next style chosen was that of the American side-hold. Robertson won the toss for first hold, and after a ainute and a half feinting, the men closed, and a sharp struggle took place, ending iv no fall. Four other undecided bouts were wrestled. In the sixth bout Jkiobertson closed quickly, and getting a crook on Dunn forced him back and gained the fall. In the GraecoRoman style a long bout of ground-wrest-ling ended in an undecided fall, both men showing skill and endurance. In the second bout Dunn got Robertson over, and scored the fall. Both men having won two falls each, the deciding fall was wrestled in the catch-as-catch-can style, in which a long bont of ground-wrestling took place, Robertson acting on the aggressive. Dunn escaped several times by sheer agility, amid applause. In the second bout Robertson went quickly to work and forced the pace, finally putting Dunn over and pressing his shoulders to the ground by sheer strength and weight, amidft loud applause. On the referee giving the fall in favourof Robertson, Dunn dissented from the decision, declaring that both his shoulders had not been on the ground at one time. The referee's decision was without doubt a correct one, and met with general approval. Dunn threw out a challenge for another match, as he and Robertson had both won one, and this was immediately accepted by Robertson.