LECKIE’S VICTORY

Evening Star, Issue 20019, 9 November 1928, Page 9

LECKIE’S VICTORY

RADFORD DOES MOT WIN A ROUND

Johnnie Leckic (8.13}), of Dunedin, defeated Norman Radford (8.13), or England, on a technical knock-out in the fourteenth round of a dif teen-round contest in the Municipal Concert Hall, Christchurch, on Wednesday night. The purse was one of £ls9—a somewnat larger sum than the Christchurch Amateur Boxing and Sports Club is lise( ' to paying, but the expenditure was amply justified by the attendance, theic being a full house. Acclaimed as the greatest boxer rsew Zealand, has produced for mally years, Leckie certainly did show the makings of a nhartipion, but it must bo comessed that he was hardly extended enough to show what ho could do at Ins best. v)n the night’s form Radford is nowhoie near Leckie’s standard, ail Chough an amazing capacity for taking puiusm ment (says the 1 Preps ')• Tho Itnglisliman. indeed, did not win a single round, ami after the first tew clashes there were many who anticipated an oarlj finish. Radford, however, hung tenaciously on, although from.the very start he appeared-to he nervous, fhoro wero occasions when the Dunedin bov could have stepped in and administered f ho necessary blow to conclude the bout, but he lacked finish to promising movesHowever, tho climax came, as it seemed bound to come, in the fourteenth, when one of Lecldo’s crashing rights encountered Radford’s car and sent, him staggering Leckie followed up with a left to the jaw and then a right, ami was placing them one after another when the referee, Mr A. Smith, stepped in and stopped the fight. THE ROUNDS. The first round was fast, both boys being somewhat. wary of each other.. Leckic connected to the body with both hands, and made several, jabs to Rad ford’s solar plexus, but did not administer very much punishment. In the seer oud he delivered a tattoo from a clinch. Leckic also used; his right well in the clinches, coming under Radford’s right ami hammering at his side. After Leckie had sent one to Radford’s jaw, tho Englishman came in with a right uppercut to the stomach —a_ good blow. He made the .mistake of trying it again, and missed badly. .. The only outstanding feature of the third round was a foul by Radford, who apologised to Leckie. A lew moments later Leckic lauded a right to Radford’s ear. Radford took a lot of punishment in the next round, and sought relief by clinching, but Leckie was rocking them, in to his side. Breaking away, Leckie sprang in with a jarring right to the head, and -,111011 a left. Leckie did the same in the next round, Radford came in ami was sorry for it. An appeal against .Leckio for flitting low was ignored, and Leckio kept boring in. Radford came out lighting in the seventh, and Leckio turned his attention to the body. A right to "the jaw floored Radford, who rested till nine, and Leckio pressed in harder than ever, his opponent edging away all tlio time. Radford gave .Leckio one to tho jaw that shook him off, his balance. The eighth was much tho same as most of the others, Radford being the recipient all tho time.; and the ninth was also an unpleasant round for the Englishman. Leckic concentrated on the body again in the tenth, both hands going like pumps, ami once, by way of a change, he delivered a left hook to the jaw. Radford came back with a hard left ami then a right to the body. With his head down . Leckie came swooping in when the gong wont for the eleventh, and pummelled steadily at Ids opponent’s rios and occasionally punched his; head. Once fie missed badly, Radford moving out of reach. Tho twelfth round , was not marked by any new features, and in the thirtocntli Radford took a terrific right to the jaw, which shook him badly, but Leckie did not follow'up fast enough to finish it. Radford was swaying on his feet when tho . end ( camc- in the .fourteenth.