AMATEUR BOXING

Evening Star, Issue 22413, 10 August 1936, Page 16

AMATEUR BOXING

PROGRESS IN CENTRAL OTAGO SUCCESSFUL TOURNAMENT AT OMAKAU The development of amateur boxing in Central Otago and the improvement in standard was well illustrated by the highly successful tournament staged on Friday night by the Omakau Boxing Club, some spirited and well-contested bouts being witnessed by, a large crowd of spectators. There are two schools in the district, conducted by Archie Leckie (a son of the well-known Dunedin trainer), who had 14 pupils at Alexandra and another live at Fruitlands, and Tommy Griffin, who has 20 pupils at Omakau. The promise revealed by many of those taking part was a credit to the instructors,, and, although some of the boys were lacking a little in condition, every one of them showed a willingness to mix it, and one or two exhibited considerable powers of* punch. N. White, who won the novice welterweight contest from A. Johns by a technical knock out in the first round, proved a solid two-handed puncher who should be encouraged to go further in the game. Ho won the trophy for the best novice.

Another promising lighter was A. M’Kerrow, who beat Bruce Ford in the.novice fly-weight class after a very willing set-to. Another lively mill was provided by S. Wright and “ Buster ” Ford, the former gaining the decision, while Ford was. awarded a special trophy as the gamest loser of the evening.

In the open bouts B. O’Brien and B. Ryan gave a very clever display in tho light-weight class, tho former being awarded the decision, and also the trophy as the most scientific boxer at the tournament.

The meeting was made possible bv the generosity of a number of local sportsmen who willingly come forward with guarantees to cover the expenses. The guarantees were as follows: .Messrs H. Ingram, E. Fcwtrell and Co., Leu Williams, J. Jeffs, Con White, F M. Perkins, IV. Howjolms, R. Craig, E. Pitches, Ted Pitches, Fred Brady, J. Farrell, Don Maclean. D. Macdonald, James Stewart. Fred Wilson, C. S. Caldwell, J. C. Holden, A. Watt, James M'Kay, and R. Sutherland.

During the evening exhibitions were staged by H. Litolff and 15. Steel and by B. Little and T. Hunt, The tournament was excellently staged, and was n great credit to the officials of the Omakan Boxing Club, who were headed by the preside;; t (Mr W. L. Milne), the secretary (Mr J. Jeffs), and the treasurer (Mr F. M. Perkins). Mr Milne was the M.G., Messrs S. Brown and R. Morris represented the Otago Boxing Association, the former refereeing very capably indeed, while Mr Morris and Rev. Father O’Connell were the judges. Messrs D Jefcoate and W. Lang were the time-keepers, and Dr D. Scrymgeour was the hon. medical officer. Mr Milne thanked the Otago Boxing Association for the assistance it had given the Omakan Boxing Chib in staging the tournament, and also the guarantors. Ho expressed tko club's appreciation to Mr T. Carruth for arranging lor the erection of the ring, to Mr Archie Lcckie for his fine work in organising the tournament, and Mr T. Griffin, the local instructor. NOVICE CONTESTS. —Midgets.— Two smart little boxers. L. Jeffs and J. Jeffs., provided a bright set-to. the former boxing nicely on the backmove and employing a good straight left to the head and both hands to the body. His brother was always willing to mix it, and once lie began to get his distance scored with some good lefts. The decision, a draw, met with general approval. —Fly-weight.— A. M'Kcrrow (Omakan) 7.8 and B. Ford (Omakau) 7.11 staged a very lively encounter, M'Kerrow forcing the fighting from the gong and scoring with both hands to the head and body. Ford fought on the backmove, and used a straight left to the chin, but he did nob connect so cleanly as M'Kerrow, who staged a strong rally in the last round, scoring with left hooks and right jabs to the jaw, Ford coming back with a straight left and inside right. M'Kerrow placed his punches to better advantage, however, and took the decision. —Feather-weight.— D. White (Omakau) 8.8 and J. Kay (Omakau) 8.12 lacked experience, but they made up for this by their willingness to mix it. White came in bringing punches up Horn tho ground, and though many of them landed in thin air he scored occasionally with a heavy right swing. Kay boxed on the backmove, and used a straight left to the chin, but he had a bad habit,of going in with his head down, and White caught him with a left hook to the jaw. White got the decision, but it might have gone either way. S. Wright (Alexandra) 9.0 carried too many guns for “Buster” Ford (Omakau) 8.12, but in a punishing bout Ford showed great gamencss, and was always ready to mix it with his taller and heavier opponent. Wright’s weight was given as 9.0, but he appeared a good deal heavier. Wright showed a well-varied attack, using a straight left to the chin and also connecting with short punches to the jaw with either hand. Ford connected with a left 'hook to the jaw and an inside right counter,' but he did not hit with such good judgment as Wright, who gainecT the decision. LIGHT-WEIGHT. J. Nagle (Fruitlands) 9.3 outpointed R. Hewitt (Alexandra) 9.8 after one of tho best-contested bouts of the evening. Hewitt forced the fighting, but Nagle, making good use of tho ring, scored with a good straight left to the head; but he did not always follow up with his right. Hewitt_ carried a fairly hefty wallop in his right hand, but did not hit with tho same judgment as his opponent, though he was always willing to mix it. in tho last round Hewitt came in swinging with both hands, but he could not get past Nagle’s straight left. Both men were applauded for a bright bout, Nagle be- | ing the winner. WELTER-WEIGHT. N. White (Oamaru) 9.13 beat A. Johns (Alexandra) 10.0 on a technical knockout in tho first round. Johns opened with two hard rights to tho chin, but White came back in telling two-handed work to the head. White connected with a well-timed short right to -the chin which sent Johns back on his heels. White measured his man off well and drove lefts and rights to the jaw, Johns being very groggy when tho referee intervened and awarded the bout to White. -MIDDLE-WEIGHT. Basil Ford (Omakau) 10.13 gave a good display of two-handed straight work in Ins bout with L. Watson (Omakau) 10.8, and also showed line sports-

mansbip in moving out and giving his opponent a chance when the latter appeared in a bad way. Watson was always willing to trade punches and showed plenty of pluck, but he was inclined to be short, and he ran into a lot of punishment in tho last round, a heavy right sending him through the ropes. The referee halted the proceedings and awarded the bout to Ford. OPEN BOUTS. LIGHT-WEIGHT. B. O'Brien (Omakau, 9.8) and B. Ryan (Omakau, 9.10) gave a fast and clover two-handed display of boxing, this being the best bout of the evening. Ryan scored with left hooks anc snappy short rights to the jaw in the first round, though Jig was a little inclined to use the open glove. O’Brien got his distance better in the second round and varied his straight work with left hooks and inside rights to the jaw, some lively two-handed rallies being seen. O’Brien punched with better judgment of timing and distance than iiia opponent in the last round, Ryan being a little short with his left. A line bout was won by O’Brien. WELTER-WEIGHT. S. Little (Alexandra, 10. S) won on a technical knock-out in the second round in his bout against J. Trower (Omakau. 10.5). Trower did the leading in the early stages, but Little lauded some heavy left and right swings which steadied Trower, who was flown several times in the second round, the referee checking the bout and awarding it to Little. BOXERS ENTERTAINED. Following the tournament, the boxers and visiting officials were entertained at supper by the Omakau Boxing Club. Air W. L. Milne being in the chair. Tho function was arranged by a Social 'Committee comprising Mr Sam Berry, Mesdames Jeffs, Jones, Hand, and Miss Pat M’Miilan. A lengthy toast list was honoured, and on behalf of the Otago Boxing Association Mr S. Brown congratulated the Omal<au Club on the highly successful tournament that it had organised, and said that the association was very pleased to do all it could to foster boxing in the country. (Applause.) Dr I). M. Scrymgeour expressed appreciation of the good work being done by the club and the instructors in fostering boxing in the district, and commended boxing as a sport in which all boys should take part. BOESGH DEFEATS RUSSELL [Per Uxited Press Association.] GREYMOUTM, August 9. Wrestling before a record crowd in tho Town Hail on Saturday night, Paul Boesch and Boh Russell provided thrilling entertainment. The bout ended in the sixth round, when Russell had a penalty fall awarded against him owing to his failure to desist from applying a strangle hold. Each man had previously secured a tall, Russell with a series of dumps and Boesch with, a body press following a series of drop-kicks. LURiGH AND SINGH DRAW Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright SYDNEY, August 9. in a bon; at Leichhardt Stadium Lurich drew with Jaget Singh, BLOMFIELD BEATS WOODS [Per Uxited Press Associate*.j AUCKLAND. August 9. In a contest “Lofty” Blomiield (Auckland, ]G.6) beat Joe_ Woods (America, 15.4). Woods obtained the first fall in the fourth round, picking the Aucklander vip for a slam and body press. The match ended in the seventh round, when Biomfield caught his opponent in an octopus clamp. Woods resisted for some time before submitting, and he was unable to resume when the next gong sounded. The match was fast and entertaining.