AMATEUR BOXING

Evening Star, Issue 19639, 19 August 1927, Page 11

AMATEUR BOXING

New Zealand Championships

The Semi-Finals

[Fuoit Utu Owx llnroKiKii.]

INVERCARGILL, August IS

Three Otago competitors, the won this evening.

Fifteen bouts were set down for decision on the second night of tho Now Zealand iimatcur boxing championships, but in two eases tho bouts were won by default. There was another large attendance, and the audience tvas treated to a good night's boxing. Tho Otago representatives again did well, three out of four emerging to take part in the contests on tho final night, while A. T. Parker, whoso class was not contested to-night, will also be competing to-morrow. J. G. Lcekic showed aggressiveness in his bout with P. M'Carthy (Auckland), securing the verdict after leading all the way. Present indications point to him winning tho heavy-weight championship. Hughes won his second contest, tho welter-weight division, giving a clever display against D. Richardson (North Otago)while W. G. Leckie also came out victorious in his second feather-weight encounter, though nursing an injured right hand. It should bo a good mill between him and T. Donovan in tho final, tho result looking fairly open. The latter is a tough customer. Tho Otago champion, A! Anderson, suffered defeat in the middle division, hut with more condition would have had to bo reckoned with. Tho surprise of I bo evening was the defeat of the Auckland light-weight, T. Slattery, by the Southland_ champion, A. .Tones, in Hie semi-final of this division, the light being stopped in the third round. Mr Karl Stewart ('Wellington) against refereed. FLY-WEIGHTS SEMI-FINAL. Tho title-holder, S. Purton (Greymouth, 7.9), carried too many guns for F. Picrcy (Auckland, 7-0, though the latter gave a good display against a more experienced opponent, Purton connected with both hands and scored more heavily with his left. Picrcy was elusive, scoring occasionally with a left, hub was unable to withstand Pnrton’s vigorous onslaught, Purton getting the decision. Roebuck (Taranaki. 7.9), (lie southpaw boxer, won a willing mill against C. Hume (Wellington, 7.8), carrying tho light to his opponent. FEATHER-WEIGHTS SEMI-FINAL. Donovan (Taranaki) won by default from G. Adams (Wellington), tiio latter failing to pass tho medical test. The Southlanders expected to see W. G. Leckie (Otago, 8.12) fully extended by G. Steelo (Southland, 9.0), such proving tho ease until Lcekio unloosed his right in tho third round, which put finis to Steele. It was a good bout, tiio first two rounds being evenly contested, with little between the pair. Leckie held the advantage of height and reach, but was nursing his right hand on account of an injury. Leckie had ihe initial advantage, leading a loft to tho head and connecting with, a short right to tho body, hut Steele evened up towards tho end, blocking well and smashing, homo two solid let ts. Steelo took a number of Leekic’s blows on tho gloves in the second round, and scored with a ielt to the Face. Leckie finally penetrated with a left to the jaw, but at the out sot of the third session it was anyone’s fight, whoa Leckie suddenly let drive "a solid right to the jaw. Steele, who was down for nine seconds, managed to rise, but Leckie got in another right, stretching Steele out. Tho referee didn’t bother lu count, awarding Lcekio the light. LIGHT-WEIGHTS SEMI-FINAL. The sensation of tho championships so far was tho victory of A. “Jones” (Southland, 9.8) over,tho raueh-faneied Aucklander (T. Slattery, 9. 111). “Jones” is an assumed name, tho boxer being Dcy, a sou of Dir W. Dcy a well-known old-timo Otago Rugby player. “Jones” fought the best light of bis career, taking tho fight to bis man throughout, although Slattery tried to keep him nut unsuccessfully. Tho Aucklander made his presence felt occasionally with a straight lelt and a vicious right hook, but “Jones” scored well with both hands in the close stuff, and halfway through the third round sent Slattery down for nine. Tho northerner rose, but “Jones ” forced him on to the ropes and cracked homo a left and right_ to Slattery’s head, the referee stopping tho bout. WELTER-WEIGHTS SEMI-FINAL. E. Armisliaw (Auckland, 10.7) wore down P. J. Stono (Wellington, It).J) getting the verdict after a willing contest. S. Hughes (Otago, 10. C) boxed prettily against D. Richardson (North Otago 10.7). They wore fairly well matched in regard to height and reach. Richardson is a rugged type of a fighter. Hughes gave one of Ins best displays.

The Leekies and Hughes Win

two Leekies and Hughes, again

evening the scoring frequently and_ in tho curly stages sending a lightning left to tho jaw. .Richardson landed a few times ,bu 1. the blows were not so well timed as Hughes’s. Alter Hughes connected several telling leits to the face in tho second round Richardson rattled him with heavy blows with both hands to tho head, bub tho Otago hoy recovered quickly and showed superiority in straight work in the third round in which he poked home an incessant left to the face, also scoring well with a right cross. Richardson put np a good light, but Hughes won with something to spare. Though at a disadvantage regarding height and reach, tho clever Christchurch hoy 0. daggers (10.1) won all tho way against L. W. Geo (Hay of Plenty, 10.4), the winner excelling at in-lighting and scoring with telling short-arm blows to the body, also with a good straight left to tho head and some fierce uppercuts. Gee was game and landed occasionally with his right but was outclassed. MIDDLE-WEIGHTS C. Pocock (Christchurch, 11.2) did practically all tho leading in his contest against J. Hepburn (Hawke’s Hay, 11.1), ami received the verdict with his powerful hitting and a deadly straight left to iho head and right cross to tile jaw. Ho also rapped home short-arm jolts to the body with both hands. Hepburn rushed occasionally, hut his only scoring asset was a straight left and an occasional short right to tho body. Pocock thoroughly outclassed his opponent, getting the only possible decision. borne torrid exchanges were witnessed in the contest between 11. Cotter (Groymonth, 10.11) ami R. Anderson (Otago, U.U), the men standing toe It 100 and mixing it for all they were worth. Anderson, wlvo hail the advantage in height and reach, fought much better limn at tho Otago championships. and had Itis condition lasted he would have stood a chance of the decision. He did well in the first round, connecting several times with a right to the head. Cotter came hack with a fierce right cross, and then landed with both hands to the jaw. Cotter held tho advantage in the second round, being superior in straight work, and also scoring witli a right hook to the jaw. Anderson tired towards tho end, hub rallied in the third round, connecting with a good left and a solid right to the jaw. Ho used a heavy right ; but Cotter was always willing to mix it, and came back with both hands. He secured tho decision. SEMI-PINAL. Tho bout, between Pocock (Christchurch. 11.2) and A. Dickson (Southland, 11.1) was marred by excessive bolding, the decision going to Pocock, who did the leading throughout, and connected solidly in the third round with both bauds to the head. LIGHT-HEAVY-WEIGHTS A. J. Cleverly (Wellington, 11.7), lasi; year's middle-weight champion, proved far too clever lor I' 1 . Schimanski (Christchurch, LEU), it being a ease of a finished boxer against a, wild lighter. Schimanski scored at, tho outset with two wild right, swings, hut Cleverly then commenced to laud Jus deadly le.l t to Ihe lace, lollowing up with short jolts to the body. He maintained the advantage throughout, giving a line display of boxing. Though Schimanski connected once or twice in the last round wilh heavy swings, Cleverly was the, winner. C. .Hogg (Auckland, 11.7) outclassed G. Spencer (Hlufi, 11.11), who relied on a stray punch to carry him through. Hogg was much superior when the pair got to close quarters, and drove Spencer through the ropes lor Usee, and the southerner rose only to he uuted with a left to the jaw. SEMI-FINAL. J. Hepburn ( Hawke’s Hay) delimited to Cleverly (Wellington). HEAVY-WEIGHTS SE.MI-FINAL. J. G. Lcckic (Otago, 12.9) heat P. McCarthy (Auckland, 12.8)_ alter one of the fiercest encounters of the evening. Lcckic made more use of Ids toil than on the previous; flight, but did most of tho damage with a stunning right cross, The Otago man took the honors in every round, though APCarthy showed great gameness. The latter endeavored to force the fighting in tho second round, but Lcckic drove him back with a straight lott, APCarthy making him miss several times. The latter was shaken with a right cross to the jaw, leaving him very groggy when the gong wont The third "round was fought at a _ lasi clip, Leckie endeavoring to finish matters with his right, hub missed several times. M'Carthy rallied to connect to the jaw with a good left. This was his best scoring asset, which was followed with a stinging right to the chin. Leckie got the only possible verdict.