THOMAS GETS DECISION

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 70, 24 March 1931, Page 14

THOMAS GETS DECISION

OVER BLAY

AMERICAN'S IMPROVEMENT

1 Form in buxiiia i^ uulonously haul tv lulluw, but soliKuii lihs it bciMi mure did- ' w.Hn.-erlinKly ilfirplnu lliau il was al the ' llnxins Sliidiiim last mylil whun Jooy ,' riioiiiiis, ill LMiicii^n. loi'l; ii |ioiuls decisinn IVtiiu Hobby Lil.-iy, ._-hain|jion fciilhcr\MM"lll 111 .\ 'U'l'TlH, HI a lilril Ul'll exciting I UUIlt. Till' If.Sllll WHS fcOlllL'lllillg ill tliej iiiiliu-e ul ;i "bull uvl'C," tyr hi ti its liivst juut in tin* counuy, uiirii ho lot;l on <i ■foul to An.-liic llhjJr:*, I likiiiji.s w;is fai i mini imiiß'Mffiiu'. Bluy. on thu other hand, was fon.sidcted oif his two lights here to be one of the cleverest boxers seen in New Zealand for many years. The mutch, therefore, was generally regarded us it "hot pot" for the- Victorian boy, but Thomas was eonh'dent of being able to give the enthusiasts a surprise. His conliilenee was justified. Infusing considerabie'dasli and "devil" into his boxing the i American early proved an awkward pro- ' uosHiot) fin- lil;iy. Workinji all the time i'lioiiijis piiiic'r.i;il ta.-iti.M- mid moved quickvr than lie did in hif first appearance here, ■ and iillhouuli luuuy ol his blows hit i Way's glovcii and elbows, the American scored euotlKli cleau piaicltes to earn the unanimous verdict of the judges, Messrs. G. Aldridge aud P. Woods. Bhiy, on the other hand, did not appear to bos up to his best form. He seemed to be at a loss as to how to deal with his tall and rangy opponent, who kept well away until it suited him to go in and liirht. It is in ins in-fighting that Blay shows up particularly well, but, although lie otil-boxed the Amerk'.-ii) at this branch his cifcL-tivciiKss was greatly minimised' by Tltoiuas. wliu took no chances on Blay cutting loose in close. The bout was fought at a fast clip throughout, ln the middle stages it looked as if Thomas would fade away, but he came again and, although a very tired, boy, was full of fight to the last. Bla'y, too, looked as if he had had quite enough at the end of the fifteen rounds. There, could have been little between the boys at the finish. THE CONTEST IN DETAIL. The American, accompanied by Billy Rittenhouse and Allen Whitlow, was first in the riug. Blay followed'a few minutes later with Joe Campbell, Joe Mears, and Harold Thomas. The Australian weighed 9st 3 l-81b, and Thomas 9st l%lb. As usual Blay went into his man from the start, but Thomas, obviously determined to show up better than ho did in his last outing, commenced to punch straight away. He scored with light short rights to the heart, and holding his left extended straight out kept the Australian from working into a scoring position. Just before the gong Thomas was sternly cautioned for hitting low. The boys warmed up to their work iv the second round, and Thomas kept on with his short punches to the body. Blay blocked a lot but some got home, as did a nice left hook to the body by BJay. There was a lot of clinching and holding, Thomas being the chief offender in this respect, but the American was doing well, back moving from Blay's advances and then jumping iv to whip in a right uppercut to the body or head. Occasionally he scored with a left rip. Blay so far was not producing the form which he had previously shown in Wellington, but in the fourth he came to light with two smart right uppereuts. Several times the Australian had Thomas hanging on and the American took no risks when iv close. Three light lefts to the face went to Blay's account at the beginning of the fifth round, but Thomas retaliated with a straight right to the solar plexus. Blay could not catch up to Thomas, who was going away all the time. After another period of clinching Thomas was applauded when he caught the Australian with a left and right to the head. The sixth was Blay's best round to date, and he caught the American witll left hooks to the face, one of them opening a gash above Thomas's eye. . ,-ThO; American was trying hard, arid ho fought back, but Blay's gloves and elbows were generally there to stop anything at all dangerous. ' The Australian dealt out some severe punishment in the next, smashing both hands to the head and body. In close he jolted Thomas's head back on numerous occasions, and in an exchange on the ropes he fought all over the American, who had a hard job penetrating the other boy's defence. After an eighth round marked by mucli clinching and holding, Thomas took ,a new lease of life i» the ninth, and again successfully plied his short right uppercut. EXCITING WORK. The tenth was a live round, Thomas rousing the crowd with the spirit and j "devil" he put into his work. Again, j although Blay blocked some of them, the j American scored with his short right, and, was roundly applauded when he caught the Australian with a right swing to the side of the head. In the clean work m close Blay took the points, but Thomas was making a great light of it, and the pair were going hammer ami tongs when the gong went. . Blay's short arm punches took their toll in the next, and he took the points in a bright round. Thomas still put plenty of vim into his work, but Blay's defence was sound. Over the last three rounds they were very tired boys, but the fighting spirit was there, and they had some exciting rallies. Botli punched hard and viciously. Blay crowded in on top of Thomas, but the American fought back all the way, landing with swings to the head. It was excitiug work, and they made it a grandstand finish, punching each other around the ring in the last round. The decision for Thomas was very popular. THE AMATEURS. H. White (Sst 51b) made a re-appear-ance in a local ring after a long absence, when he opposed Clarrie Woods (Sst 51b), bantamweight champion. The pair put up a good exhibition, iv which solid hitting was a feature. The decision to Woods met with some hooting, but it was the correct one. W. Billish (lOst 101b) and T. Arbuthnot (lOst 81b) did little in the first rouud of their bout, Avbiithtiot landing occasionally with his left, but generally with the open glove. Arbuthnot came to light in the last round, and by combining some neat back-moving with a useful left he took the only decision possible. Billish, up against a boy who went away instead of standing up and trading punches with him, was all at sea. A. TTawker (lOst 81b) outpointed L. Strickland (lOst Olbi in a somewhat tame contest. i i • i The prot-fcdiugs took a scholastic turn when H. Pelrio (9st; 81b), of Victoria College, and G. Tunnicliffe (Ost 6fb), ot the Training College, entered the ring. I'etrie carried too many guns for his stockily built opponent, who stood up to it gamely, and was loudly applauded for his°cfiort,s. , The comedy turn was provided by J. Jl'Donald (Sst 131b) and ,T. Gnften (Sst l-?lb) The former's dancing and prancing antic's greatly amused the crowd. The serious boximr was done by the shin and ymthiul Griffon. M'Donald providing something of a burlesque. The decision went to Griffon.