HEAVY PUNCHING

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 121, 27 November 1928, Page 7

HEAVY PUNCHING

FAIRHALL WINS TROWERN'S CLOSE CALL Power of punch gave Tommy Pairhall a points victory over Keg Trowern at the Town Hall last night. Up to the seventh round the contest was vigorous, but fairly even, but in that round Fairhall put his opponent down three times, and it was only the New Zealauder's toughness that saved him. Pew boxers would have survived the heavy rights to the paw. Again in the eleventh Trowern had a close call, but he weathered the storm, and in the remaining rounds fought back strongly. Trowern looked the fitter of the pair when they were introduced. He turned the scales at lOst 21b, and Pairhall was announced as 9st Trowern commenced hostilities with a light left to the face. Fairhall missed with a right swing, and they clinched. Trowern landed twice with a left hook to the body, and Fairhall replied with three straight lefts to the head. They exchanged lefts, and by clever headwork Fairhall got out of a tight corner. He caught Trowern oft' his balance with a straight left, and the New Zealander sat down, but was up instantly. The pair boxed freely in the second, swapping lefts from long range. Fairhall was "shifting" cleverly, but Trowern covered up well over, and backmoved out of danger. Fairhall twice beat his man to it with straight lefts, and was moving splendidly at the gong. In the third Trowern hooked his left to the body, aud Fairhall swung a beautiful right to the solar plexus, but Trowern was unperturbed. Fairhall repeated the punch, and Trowern cut loose with both hands, crowding the Australian on the ropes. Trowern also connected with two straight lefts just before the gong. Fairhall missed with two vicious swings in the fourth, aud Trowern rushed him to the ropes. Trowern scored with both hands, but Fair hall retaliated with a left hook to the body. The New Zealander landed tliree^ nicely turned straight lefts, and made Fairhall miss with loaded swings. The boxers trad ed loaded punches in the fifth, Trowern opened up and planted right and left to the head. Fairhall followed suit, and instead of closing up they continued to take blow for blow. Trowern forced the Australian into a corner, but after ■ sending over a couple of right swings took a heavy one in return. The fierce opening lighting continued in the sixth. Trowern led with his left repeatedly, aud. occasionally followed up with his right. Fairhall was not judging his distances too well. There was a sensation in the seventh. They were going quietly when Trowern let fire. Fairhall also let go with his right ami got there first, a left and then a right again, and Trowern went down. He rose at four, but Fairhall whipped his right over again, and Trowern stayed down for nine. He rushed in, and met another heavy right, but at the count of two the gong went, and the New Zealander went groggily to his corner. Trowern was on the defensive in the eighth, and took another right without giving ground. Instead he rushed in aud drove both hands to the body. Trowern kept close to his man in the ninth, and slipped a couple of dangerous right swings, in-fighting characterised most of tho round. Trowern open•cd the tenth with a straight left to the head. They got to close quarters, and it was even going. Fairhall seemed to be having a breather, and was content to take the defensive. , The Australian swung with both hands in the eleventh, and landed effectively to the body, but Trowern kept coming in and this got him into trouble again. He met a right to the head haltway, and as he went back Fairhall followed up. Trowern went clown for two, and was up again. He hung on, but Fairhall tore loose, and dropped his man just before the gong. Fairhall was sparring for an opening throughout the twelfth, which was quiet, and Trowern showed a good defence, scoring occasionally with his left. A couple of right swings over the heart failed to steady Trowern in the Devil's session. .He drove Fairhall to the ropes without doing' much damage, and Fairhall, when he cut loose, missed with his left, but landed on the body with his right. Trowern landed a straight left at the commencement of the fourteenth, and they fell into a clinch. Both blocked left leads, and when Fairhall cut loose Trowern smothered effectively. Fairhall was t warned for using tho rabbit-killer. The final rally opened fircely. Fairhall walked in swinging punches with both hands. Ho was carrying more weight behind his !

punches. Fairhall placed both hands to the body, and Trowern replied with three straight lefts. Just before the gong both boxers threw caution to the winds, and were fighting wildly. They were too busily engaged to hear tho gong. Fairhall was awarded the decision. AMATEUR PRELIMINARIES. Willingness to mix it rather than boxing skill marked the opening round- between W. George (list tilb) and A. Bell (lOst 91b). Bell's best weapon was a straight left, and George hooked occasionally with the same hand. The second lap was fought keenly all the way, and both were blowing hard at corners. It was fairly even going, with Bell the busier of the pair. In the third George stood up and made Bell the target of a persistent straight left and an occasional right to the body. Bell took almost everything that was coming and was clearly outboxed by his opponent. In the final rally also Bell was continually running into his opponent's left hand, and George was a good winner. Unexpectedly the crowd were treated to a splendid amateur contest owing to two lads being unable to pass the doctor. C. Hume (Bst 41b), the New Zealand bantamweight champion, and G. Thomas (Bst 111b) provided a substitute contest. These two are outstanding exponents of fast twohanded boxing, and it was a real treat to watch them. Hume made the pace, poking out a straight left that frequently found its mark. Thomas missed with left swings from the "southpaw" stance. Hume "shifted" nicely and scored with a j pretty uppercut. In the second Thomas landed with a left to the side of the head, and Hume sat down suddenly but was up without a count. He dashed in using the straight left effectively. In the third round Thomas twice landed with left swings and steadied Hume. It was solid going with Hume mostly on the de-

fensive. Thomas took the round by a narrow margin. In the fourth session Hume boxed splendidly, frequently beating his man to the punch. ■ He won a capital bout. W. Withey (Bst 21b) and J. Donoghue (Bst Clb) went cautiously over the first round. Withey was the shorter of the pair and scored with a nice left to the face and a right swing to the body. Donoghue retaliated with his left. The second round was also quiet with both lads going along warily, and there was little between them at the gong. The third was more lively and honours were practically even in the exchanges. Donoghue used his longer reach to advantage, but Withey kept both hands going when in close. Withey opened the fourth round by connecting with' both hands to the head and then Donoghue attacked and Withey smothered on the ropes. They I traded punches in the~"middle of the ring, but again Withey gay. ground and showed signs of punishment. They were at it [ again at the final gong and the judges could not separate them. C. Knox (9st 81b) won the first round against W. Greenhall (lOst) per medium of a straight left which drew blood. In the second he was again employing the same tactics effectively when Greenhall rushed in swinging both hands. These flying gloves connected on Knox's body and he covered up. Free again, he darted out his left, but Greenhall was always dangerous when in close. Half a dozen straight lefts and a beautiful uppercut gave Knox the points in the third round against Greenhall's swings. In the fourth Greenhall opened hostilities by tearing in, but once Knox broke free he played to the face with his left. Greenhall swung viciously to the body with his right, but met his master at the open work. Knox's victory was popular.