BOXING

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 5, 6 July 1923, Page 10

BOXING

IaMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIPS

FINAL BOUTS DECIDED

WELLINGTON'S TITLE-HOLDERS,

The final bouts in the provincial amateur boxing championships were witnessed by a large audience at the Town Hall lasfe evening. Competition in all classes ■was unusually keen, and all boys' were triers to tho finish. In some respects several competitors may be considered unlucky in that they haS to fight several times within a very short space of time ; but, this was a difficulty which obviously could not be overcome PAPERWEIGHT. . A good, close contest between J. Opie (6st 61b) and R. Brown (6st 41b) went to tho lighter boy by a very narrow margin. Brown was always on the aggressive, .and forced the pace from the out-, set, but Opie countered well, and in the..in-fighting-used'a hard rip to the body. : There was very little between the pair. ' Either M. Hurdle (6st 71b) was badly advised or else he did not pay any attention to the remarks of his: second, for, instead of nullifying the advantage of P.._M- iQ.uade (6st 111b) had in reach by going" into fight him, he stood off and "was an easy target for his clever and sangy," opponent. M'Quade won by his aggressiveness. ':■ :Tinal. P.' M'Quade, who never looked like a •winner in any of the three rounds of his:fight with H. Brown (6st 61b), was awarded the decision among much shouting of disapproval. One of the cleverest lioys "who have taken the rins during the whole tournament, Brown carried the,fight to his opponent from the initial gong, and using both hands, punished him severely. M'Quade'was on the defensive all the time, and was always in trouble. ; - FLYWEIGHT. The flyweight championship went by default to M. Carroll. - : BANTAMWEIGHT. ' M. Carroll (7st 81b), winner of the flyweight division, also took the bantam titl^by outpointing P. Keith (7st 13ilb). It was a good, spectacular contest, vrith Carroll always making the fight and using both hands prettily. The winner is a clever-' boy with more than a passing knowj?dge of the game. - ; "' . FEATHERWEIGHT. A splendid three-round contest between W. Barne* (Bst 131b) and P. Black ( i3st 12£lb); and incidentally the provincial featherweight championship, was won by the former boy, who displayed commendable cleverness and much punching ability. Black ojfened, jabbing freely with left and right, but Barnes steadied him with a straight left and then sent him to the boards with a hard right to the jaw. -Black rose groggilyat the count of eight, but his opponent gave him no respite', and punished him severely. Black came out after the interval with a badly-cut ear. The Petono boy was £ghting at his best, and it seemed that at any moment his opponent must atop ona of:his swings on a vital part. Black toured up well, and,. hiding behind hia Ulove and left forearm, bored in' and scored'well in the clo3e work.,, Barnes was the aggressor throughout the final round, and although Black showed much better form than earlier in the bout, he was easily outpointed. ._ ""■"" .LIGHTWEIGHT. ' . , A gruelling three rounds were provided by H. Ellis (9st 81b) and J. Burns '(9st~l3£lb). ; The heavier boy opened aggressively, and punished' pis opponent •with; hard lefts to tha face/, but towards the end of the initial round Ellis Jell into his stride and held the upper hand until the conclusion of the bout. Ellis took the last ydund by Mb forceful tactics, and although he had his arian out on his feet, Be could not connect with a sufficiently heavy punch to send him down for the count. Ellis,' who gained the only possible decision, was warned by the referee on several occasions for hitting low. Forcing the fight throughout the three lounds, J. Napier. (9st. 131b).outpointed M. Power (9st 121b). Power used a good straight left and" a hard right uppercut as his man came in, but Napier bored in well, punching, hard with both hands. He had his opponent groggy ■ several times, but instead of holding him off and ending the contest.with one decisive punch, he chose to clinch, and thus gave Power the chance to claim him and save himself from trouble. The correct decision went to Napier: Fighting his second bout within half an hour, H. Ellis (9st 81b) put up a great showing against a stronger and heavier opponent, in D. Nixon (9st 121b).. It was obvious from the outset that Ellis was much the cleverer/but his condition gave out towards the end, and Nixon forced the pace, scoring heavily with both, hands. Ellis lost the decision by a very narrow, margin, and on leaving the ring was accorded'a great ovation.- "■• Final. ; ■--... .: Honours in the lightweight division fell to J. Napier (9st 131b), who, in the final bout," defeated D. Nixon (9st 121b) by a very narrow margin. .Napier scored Veil with a good straight left and a heavy right swing, but in the final l-ouud Nixon forced the pace and had his opponent in .trouble when .the final gong ended . hostility. Tho ■ boys were . very evenly" matched/ " ' "'•'- '" ' WELTERWEIGHT. . ... ,'.T. Mcran (10st.71b) chased. E. Napier, (rfst lolbj around the ring for ' three rounds and jabbed, hooked, and 'swung from every possible, angle,'punishing his man severely. Napier v.as content to retreat, but cbuld not stall off the aggressive Taita man. Towards tj»j end of the bout it appealed that Napier's only chance of winning lay in his scoring a knockout. This did not eventuate,' and the decision in' his favour met with the disapproval of .the .house. MIDDLEWEIGHT. ..'ln the final-of the middleweight divifi?n. V.-:-Gunnion (list lib) knocked out: •W.- Steward (list lib). Tlie> winner led all the way, connecting- freely in the opening joiin.d and landing a jolt to his opponent's jaw in the second, "which senthis man-to,the canvas. Steward tried gamely to rise at the count of: nine, but could not regain his feet. ..•;.; - '-' THE'CHAMPIONS. As a result of the tournament, the followirg are the holders of the titles in the various weights, and will represent Wellington at the North Island championships : —Heavyweight, C. M'Bae; light-heavy, V. Blair; middle , V Gunnion T ; welter, E. Napier; Jignt, J. Anpier; feather, W H Barnes; bantam, M. Carroll; fly," M. Carroll; paper, J. M'Quade. .The team will leave for-Napier, the Tenue;of the championships, on the 26th instant, will jcompeta en the 27th and 28th, and is to return to 'Wellington on the 29th instant. The boys will be vnder the management of P". W. Woods.