LOPEZ DISAPPOINTING

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 4, 5 July 1938, Page 18

LOPEZ DISAPPOINTING

DEBUT AT TOWN HALL

VERDICT AGAINST RAINES

■It is reasonable to assume that Vincent Lopez,' the highly-ranked Mexican wrestler, has more in his kit than he displayed when making his Wellington debut at the Town Hall last night against Dick Raines. An almost packed house was disappointed at the display given and something more will be required from - the Mexican to fit in with his big reputation. Lopez won on points, after he and Raines had taken a fall ■ each: .\ ■

The bout, might have gone off better if Lopez had been matched with lsompcme other than Raines, who was making his fourth consecutive appear-j ance in the local ring and to whose performances the crowd has probably become accustomed. The Texas cowboy, however, was in his usual aggressive mood, and could not fairly be held responsible for whatever may have been lacking. The real reason that so little enthusiasm was displayed was probably to be found in Lopez's failure to produce the big things expected of him, even though some of the expectations may have been unreasonable. Lopez certainly stripped out splendidly, his 16st 51b being spread over a frame of magnificent proportions. With Raines at the same weight the stage appeared to be set for an exciting display of rugged wrestling. Although the men mixed freely on occasions, frequently carrying their exchanges into the laps of the ringsiders, great excitement was inever aroused and, before the finish, there was the unusual sight of pennies being tossed into the ring. Neither in jolts, tackles, nor holds "Sid Lopez perform anything at all sensational. THE FIRST JOLT. Raines took the honour of delivering the first jolt, even though it failed to connect, but he got some home later on after he had shaken Lopez with a dump. He also used a jolt to dissuade Lopez from using flying tackles. Both used hammer locks but while Raines was hanging on to one Lopez rose to his feet and gave Raines an aeroplane spin and a dump- Lopez bent Raines's arm across his leg and then tossed him backwards out of a hammer lock. Lopez tickled his way out of a bear hug and Raines, after springing back, slapped his head and neck as if attacked by flies. Lopez was a man of dramatic poses and he demonstrated in the second round that he was going to use a jolt, but Raines kept out of range. Slight j unwariness .on Lopez's part enabled I Raines to pick him up and bring the I "back-breaker" into play. He took the first fall at Imin 20sec. Jolts were the main stock-in-trade in the third round but there were some diversions when the referee had to struggle with the contestants to make them come clear of the ropes. Next minute both tumbled out of the ring and the referee went with them. Raines was the first back, then the referee, who had been giving Lopez a little assistance, and finally Lopez, who arrived head first into the middle of Raines's stomach. It was no good, however, the ring was too small, arid within a minute or two they were out again in a fresh quarter. Lopez tried the butt return again but missed and when he resorted to flying tackles Raines checked him by bringing his ! cupped hands up under his chin. . | Raines htid a Shot at tipping Lopez out of the?- ring in the fourth round, but the referee stepped in and thwartied him. Some more Lopez jolts had little effect but to make Raines angry, so the Mexican tried a double arm stretch. Raines replied with a Boston crab and a surfboard. Lopez's tremendous strength was a big asset and he finally planted his head in Raines's stomach and tossed him for a loop slam. A head lock and some punches on the sly marked Raines's approach to the fifth round and, when he was tossed into the.'ropes, he halted Lopez with a well-placed kick to the jaw. ' An exchange of jolts ended in a spot of trouble against* the ropes, so Lopez tried some more loop slams, though still without result. Lopez sat back in a barred toe hold which looked likely enough until Raines worked his way out with an arm bar. ALL SQUARE AGAIN. Raines started jolting in. the sixth round but it was Lopez who finished it. He battered Raines to his knees and then picked him up for a resounding dump which enabled him to level the falls at Imin ssec. Raines retreated before the threat of a jolt in the seventh round, but chose the right moment to send in one of his own; He made another try at the "back-breaker" but it failed to come off and. they settled down near the ropes,: Raines asking the referee to "watch his shoulders" and Lopez wanting an eye kept on his opponent's knee. Lopez then began to force the issue a bit more than he had been doing and worked on a toe hold. Raines-had-brief-success with one of his own but. found; himself, caught jn a Boston crab, and only the fact that he was pear the ropes saved him. .-. When forced against the ropes . in the last round Raines slapped Lopez on the back and said "break!" but suclv tricks did not work too well with the Mexican. Jolts and tackles kept the proceedings alive until solid work oh the mat became the order. The referee was probably the busiest of the three as he collected the small change off the mat. At the finish they were jolting, slapping, and punching each other round the ring until finally they drove each- other out of it. Mr. Alf Jenkins was the referee. AMATEUR PRELIMINARIES. Results of the amateur preliminary bouts were:— B. Monastra (Kilbirniq) lOst 61b, beat J. Sullivan (Koolman's) lOst, by one fall. . J. Wareham (Kilbirnie) Bst 71b, beat R. McColl (Island • Bay) Bst 41b, on points. There were no falls. J. Henderson (Petone) sst 51b, beat W. Peterson (Kilbirnie) 6st, on points. There were no falls.

M. Bell (Koolman's) 12st, beat J. McCarthy (Koolman's) 12st 21b, by two falls.

Mr. J. H. Thompson was the.referee.