LEONARD OUTPOINTED

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 140, 16 June 1939, Page 5

LEONARD OUTPOINTED

BOUT WITH MORTON

LARGE CROWD AT PETONE

There was scarcely standing room in the Labour Hall, Petone, last night, Avhen Mayne Morton, of the Hutt Valley, beat Benny Leonard, of Australia, on points in a ten-round professional welterweight contest under the auspices of the Hutt Valley Boxing Association. Morton, who Avas in excellent form, and who had the advantage in height and reach, Avon every round; Leonard gave the impression that he was a clever boxer not quite in top form. A few more bouts might result in his producing improved form —and there certainly was room for improvement. The \'erdict Avas the only one possible. Leonard Avas making his New Zealand debut. A feature of the amateur preliminaries was the six-round bout between Jackie Parker, of Wellington, and Leo Parsons, of Palmerston North. It Avas an excellent contest, fast and keen, but Avith honours, if anything, in favour of Parsons. The verdict of a draw was not too popular, the majority thinking that Parsons had won. A cup given by Mr. J. Eustace was at stake. H. Foote, J. Sharpe. and J. L. Griffen Avere introduced from the ring. THE MAIN BOUT. Both Morton and Leonard weighed in at lOst 51b. Leonard gave the impression that his defence Avas not his best point in the initial round, Morton., scoring several times with fast lefts to the head. There was little action, but what fighting there Avas aa^s made by the Hutt Valley boy. The Australian complained to the referee about some allegedly unfair tactics by his opponent in round two, and the crowd roared its disapproval of the appeal. For a spell matters became quite torrid, and Leonard landed some hard rights and lefts to the solar plexus. A hard right to his head damped his ardour. Morton gave Leonard a mild battering with both hands in round three, and the Australian rammed home two lefts to the head, causing Morton to Avince. After playing fairies for a while in the fourth session, Morton sent Leonard stumbling with a series of solid rights to the head. . This treatment peeved the Australian, and he showed vigour in a counter-attack. Leonard was well battered in round five, and half-way through the piece he appealed once more to the referee. He seamed to resent Morton's hanging a perpetual straight left on his chin. The local boy Avas boxing comfortably, and increased his lead in the sixth and seventh rounds mainly with rights to the head. Further heavy rights to the head took toll of Leonard in the eighth round, and it looked as if only a knock-out could save him from being beaten. The gong saved him from being knocked out in the ninth round, and he came searching for a knock-out himself in the final session. He landed some heavy Woavs, but Morton carried too many guns, and romped away with the bout. AMATEUR PRELIMINARIES. Amateur preliminaries resulted as follows: — K. Bucknell (Silverstream), 6st 31b, beat P. Oliver (Railway Workshops), 6st, on points. A. Cochran (Tartan), 9st 31b, beat W. Brown (Petone), 9st 61b, on points. B. Fail-brother (Railway Workshops), lOst 31b, beat F. Hopkins (Tartan), lOst 71b. The referee was Mr. L. Stewart and the judges Avere Messrs. J. P. Gaynor and R. Brien.