DECLARED A DRAW

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 14, 16 July 1929, Page 7

DECLARED A DRAW

HUME-NORTH CONTEST

QUESTIONABLE DECISION

To one who had taken an extensive round-by-round note of the contest between Cyril Hurne and Syd. North at the Town Hall last night, the decision of a draw was hard to understand. After the first five rounds the Sydney boy was always second best, and over the final five was hopelessly. outpointed. The Australian was certainly the stronger fighter, and' the harder hitter, but boxing (except perhaps in America) is the art of self-de-fence, and not punching power. Hurne scored the more frequently of the pair, and connected more erringly. Few times did he fail to his mark once he let <*o a punch, but the number of times North a \ 4 to Set there was legion.: The crowd hooted the decision, and cheered the New f ealander as he made his way back to the dressing-room. The judges, Messrs. btaples and Guise, disagreed, and it watte referee, Mr. Earl Stewart, who gave the decision,, but there are few on his "de in the controversy that is already «a e ing In aten-ronnd preliminary Jim cotterill outpointed Jack Qrowley by a narrow', margin. of points after a spirited contest. • .. ■

North signed articles at .Sst 41b, aud as he came into<the ring at Sst 6?ilb, bad to move the Australian's lead.,: They came into a clinch, once, and North was .warned for using the "rabbit-killer." From when they separated until the end o the round not a blow was struck. At the beginning of the second the referee ordered the boys to box, and North sailed »'. swinging both hands to the body tturne ws nervous, but once he had tasted punishment warmed up to it. North swung his right to the head, and Hume landed with the same glove. They exchanged lefts at the gong. [ Hurne slipped a. leit lead at the opening of the third but ran into another. The New Zealander played lightly to the head with both hands, and rushed North to the ropes. The Australian chopped his right to the side of the head. Hurne smothered on the ropes, but did not escape two good punches. Hurne landed his left to the face at the gong. Hurne got the better ot a clinch at the opening of the fourth, and twice made North miss by clever ducking. Hurne twice beat his man to the punch, and ducked cleyeply, but the Australian was as confident as ever, and just before the gong waded in, but Hurne covered. Hurne jabbed his left to the face at the beginning of the fifth, and, on making North miss with a left hook, swung his right to the ear. The New Zealander was now boxing better than at any stage hitherto, and his! clever head and footwork , had the Australian thinking hard. The visitor's superior strength in close gave him an advantage in most of the clinches, or when it ca'me'to mixing it. In the sixth Hurne was still going well, shooting out his left, but when taking risks to connect with 'his right laid himself open, and twice North got home with solid punches. A left swing caught Hurne at the gong. Hiirne boxed confidently in the seventh, and repeatedly had North swiping the air.- Hume occasionally led with his left. North was coiiteut to take a long shot when; the opening seemed there, but he could not land squarely. The eighth opened quietly. Hurne kept on boxing,- and his left generally found the mark. Twice North, let loose a vicious right, but it missed. Hume replied with light lefts to the face, and North retaliated with the same weapon. The Australian landed to the body with both hands in a clinch, but Hurne stopped the visitor with a left at the end of the round. North commenced the ninth with a left to the body. The Australian still seemed confident that his right would end matters, but he missed several..times during the round. Hurno kept his straight left busy, and the Australian occasionally grazed his man with a left swing. Twice he landed on the back of the neck.' i-Tlic tenth went to Hurne by a wide margin. He judged the distance nicely, and after punching, backmoved or slipped in. North hardly landed a good punch,, and Hurue connected with several. North telegraphed his right at the beginning of the eleventh, aud Hurne slipped away, coming back with two straight lefts. The Australian grazed Hume's chin with a right and left, and then Hurne played to the bead with his lefts.. Just before ijoruers North rushed in, swinging his right, which lauded too high. Hurne scored twice with his left in the twelfth, and they clinched. North caught his man with; a right as they came away. The punch iwas little too hip;!) to end matters, but Hurue wont down, and stayed there for'eight. North tore in, but Hurne fought, bank strongly, and save blow for blow until the goug. Tim thirteenth opened quietly. liunio landed with his left to the face, si..d North twice missed with light swings. Again Hume led to the face and North replied with two lefts, but missed with his right. Hurne planted a left to the face, and fought back hard in a clinch. : Hurne landed ;i right as North came in. North opened the fourteenth with" a swing that missed, and Hurne twice scored to the face with lefts. Again North missed, and it was even going in'the ensuing clinch. Hurne played to the face with lefts and then stepped away and North fell into a clinch again. Twice North landed round the neck, and then on the back.. . Hurne was going well at-the gong. North shot out for the final round the. fresher of the pair, but Hurne met. him-coolly. North landed a right above ,tho ear, and Hurne replied with his left. Hurne twice got inside with lefts. when , North swung. They clinched, and North was the stronger puncher, but once out in the open again Hurne connected I 1 with monotonous regularity. 'It was the case of a swinger being out-manoeuvred by a straight puncher rolling his head at the right moment, and the decision of a draw amazed the crowd. COTTERILL WINS. Crowley (Sst 131b) and Cotterill (Sst 131b) were not long in getting together. Crowley landed a kit hook to th-j head hik! Cotterill replied to the body. Cotterill accidentally knocked his mail down after being asked to stand back, and Crowley was dazed on rising, but recovered quickly. Crowley hooked vis left nicely to the body. Cotterill went after his man in the second, and 'they mixed it, with honours to Cotterill. Both showed a good defence, arid swings were easily avoided. However, there was a good deal of claiming, and the referee had to warn both boxers. They made the pace fast in the third, but once in close they were prom: to hold. Cotterill ducked low as Crowley rushed in, and.the latter did a headlong dive over, his opponent. Cotterill was the aggressor, but Crowley got a nice one to the body at the gong. Crowley concentrated on tli«'body at the beginning of the fourth, and three times landed a left hook. Cotterill swung his right to the head, and also caught Crowley as he came in. They were always ready to mix it, and Crowley landed a right and left which rocked Cotterill at the gong. Crowley kept on throwing His left hook in the fifth, and Cotterill was repeatedly forced to hold on. They traded punches from all angles; some* lauded, some didn't, but they provided a thrilling contest. The sixth opened quietly, with Crowley blocking Cotterill's leads, but missing with his left hook. However, when he did land to the body, Cotterill winched and closed in to avoid punishment. Cotterill connected with a right to the head at the gong. Crowley got home with his left three times at the beginning of the seventh without gettiug anything in return, but Cotterill did better when he elected to stand off and box. Hi's longer reach enabled him to connect with iliis left, and' at the same timo keep Crwwley out of range. Crowley missed severaj times, with his counter, but lauded as; Boon as they got in close. Cotterill slipped a left hook at the opening of the eighth, find sent both hands to the head. Cdtteril! was now .timing his punches better, and punched his opponent about the- head. Just before the end Crowley came again aud brought his left hook into pjay again. They were hard at it in-the ninth. Cotterill twice swung his right to the head, and Crowley re* plied with left to the head and body, lliere was a,'great deal of poorly directed

and ill-timed hitting, and these made much of the boxing ragged. In the final round both men were over eager and missed a great deal! Cotteri'J staged a better finish, connecting to the bead with both hands, and won a hair-live decision which did not meet with the unanimous approval of the audience. SUBSTITUTE BOUT. The announcement that the t^vice proposed heavyweight contest between H. G. Ragsdale and W. Bolton had again been postponed was ironically received. A pair of lightweights, W. Cubitt (9st 131b) and C. Kuox (Ost 61b) filled the breach. They boxed quietly over the first round. Cubitt swung a good left to the body, but a couple of straight lefts steadied him. Cubitt showed a tendency to hit with the heel of the glove, and at timce with the open glove. He twice hit Knos low in the second, but the referee was not in a position to see either punch. The nrst punch hurt, and Cubitt took advantage, -wading in swinging both hands wildly but effectively, lv the third there was another low punch, and Cubitt went uncautioned for incorrect hitting. Cubitt, however, was the aggressor throughout, lhe fourth was a torrid session. Both showed great courage and tenacity, and slugged it all the way. Knos finished well and won by a good margin owing to Cubitt's faulty hitting.