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Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 104, 4 May 1935, Page 31

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RAYNER STILL HOLDS it

■ —: . ' • ■:■• ~\ There was a large gallery at the Greymouth Town Hall last Saturday night on the occasion of the profes-, sional boxing contest between Clarrie' Rayner,. of Blenheim, Bst 12Jlb (holder) and Percy Hawes, of Westport, Bst sJlb (challenger) for the New Zealand featherweight title (reports : an. exchange): It was mainly a dull con. test, Rayner : boxing cautiously, but cleverly, to pile up a wide margin and win hollowly on points. Hawes,' although he fought gamely, and carried the fight into the enemy's camp, appeared to win only one of the fifteen rounds: J ■ :■

Rayner showed great mastery over his punches and his footwork , and evasiveness were the brightest feature of the bout. Rayner, when he attacked, delivered some well-varied, welldirected, and powerful punches, with, both hands. His lightning straight lefts he used frequently to great advantage, and on occasions, when he did open out on his opponent, he scored almost at will with both hands, and with telling effect when he; broke Hawes's guard. ■ • • ;-;

Hawes on the other hand opened sluggishly, and Rayner made him miss badly on, occasions. Hawes's punches seldom carried any great force, whilst they were not well directed, 1 arid it was. not until the bout had'advanced into/ the eighth round' that be began to-use .his-left ac effectively as his right. Hawes scored principally" at close range and in the infighting. He was game and rugged against a much more skilful boxer, who also had an advantage of seven pounds in weight LOSS OF £30. The bout resulted in a loss of-ai> proximately £30 to the Greymouth Boxing Association. The takings amounted to £67. A pui«e of £35, on a 6040 per cent, basis, had to. be guaranteed^ to the contestants, with. £15 expenses between them, and other expenses made the total outlay £100. There was an attendance of about 120 when the Kilbirnie Amateur Wrestling Club held its first gymnasium night of the season recently. Boxing and wrestling contests were mixed with some clever vauleville items. Results of the wrestling bouts were-—. G. Ellis (7st 81b) beat L. Beale (7st 121b); L. Mastertoh (sst) beat G. Eagleford (sst); A. Willetts <sst) beat T. Maddocks (4st 121b); S. McDonald (lOst 31b) beat L. Smith UOst 7ib); B. Niven (9st 21b) beat D. Flett Ost 2Ib); K. Hamlin (6st) beat Crawford (6st); C. McDonald (Bst 51b) beat C. Woods (Bst 51b); G. McDonald (list 71bX .drew with L. Short (list 101b).