JENKIN OUTCLASSES SHARPE

Evening Star, Issue 22895, 1 March 1938, Page 4

JENKIN OUTCLASSES SHARPE

AUSTRALIAN’S DISAPPOINTING DISPLAY LIVELY AMATEUR BOUTS Outboxed and outfought by Stan Jenkin (welter-weight champion of New Zealand), Jackie Sharpe, of Australia, was disqualified in tho ninth round of a professional contest, listed for 12 3-minute rounds, at the Town Hall last night, the disqualification being brought about when Sharpe’s second (Jack Crowley) climbed through the ropes in an effort t 6 have the bout stopped. Sharpe was substituting for Doug. Eddington, who was unable to take tho ring through concussion, and disappointing though the Australian’s showing was, there was excuse in the fact that his services for the match were obtained as late as Saturday night. Ho flew from Wellington to Blenheim on Sunday night, travelled by car from Blenheim to Christchurch through the night, and reached Christchurch yesterday morning in time to catch tho train for Dunedin in an effort to help the Otago Boxing Association out of a difficulty. Rarely, however, did Sharpe live up to his reputation, and most of tho fighting was done by Jenkin, _ who boxed most impressively, employing a, particularly telling straight left at long range and frequently forcing Sharpe round the ring with a two-handed attack. Jenkin was in good shape, fought coolly and confidently, and made full use of his advantage in height and reach. He would have been more effective still had ho brought his right over more frequently when the opportunity offered, but this should come with experience. The Oamaru boy unloosed a vicious right uppercut, audit was only smart backmoying by Sharpe that prevented Jenkin from connecting witn it more often. This was the first professional bout staged in Dunedin for some time, and supported by a first-class programme of amateur contests, it attracted an audience which almost completely packed the hall. The outcome of the match was most unfortunate, but it was obvious after the first few rounds that Jenkin was much the fitter man, and early_ in the ninth the towel came fluttering in from Sharpe’s corner. This is not permitted according to New Zealand rules, and the referee kicked it out of the ring. A minute later came Sharpe’s disqualification, and, recognising .the position, the crowd took the sudden termination of the mill in most sporting fashion.

Dick (Baker, Southland -welter-weight, was to have made his professional debut on the same programme in a bout with Frank La Hood, of Dunedin, but here again the Otago Boxing Association’s luck was out, as La Hood contracted (pleurisy and could not take mart. Baker came from Invercargill, however, and engaged in two exhibition bouts—going three 3-minute rounds with Bill Langley and three 2-minute rounds with Lex Greaney, the latter contest especially providing fast and clever boxing. Baker has previously appeared in Dunedin, when ho greatly impressed by liis well-varied attacking, clean hitting, and speedy footwork, and judged from his display last night, he has acquired more polish and finesse since visiting Australia. His first appearance here in a professional bput will be eagerly awaited. Two six-round amateur preliminaries were staged, and one three-round bout. C. Hanham, of Waimate, scored over J. M'Lennan, of Tahakopa, as the result of a technical knock-out in the fourth round of a light heavy-weight mill, and in one of the most lively and willingly-contested encounters seen here for a long time Neil Leckie (Dunedin bantam-weight) conceded M. Hunter (Oamaru) 51b in weight as well as height and reach, the Dunedin boy taking a close decision. The applause that greeted both lads at the conclusion has rarely been equalled for an amateur contest in Dunedin. In the threerounder G. Burgess beat N. Ferguson. PROFESSIONAL BOUT. The professional bout was refereed by Mr Harald Baker, famous Sydney third man of many international contests, and Jenkin and Sharpe each came in at 10.4. From the start Jenkin kept Sharpe out with straight lefts to the head and body, though Sharpe connected with short punches to the head with both hands when he managed to get close. There was not much to this round, hut Jenkin warmed to his work in the second, and used his left with good judgment of timing and distance, Sharpe making no sustained effort to attack. Jenkin won all the way, Sharpe’s attempts to get in close in the third round were unsuccessful, and Jenkin slammed in lefts and rights to the body. Sharpe had the better of an exchange at close quarters, and sidestepped when Jenkin came after him. Sharpe shaped well in this round.

The fourth round saw Jenkin showing out in good two-handed straight work, Sharpe planting a left to tho body. Jenkin staged a strong finish and took tho round easily, and, plying his left equally well in the fifth heat, ho took it by a wide margin also. Sharpe was ineffective in the in-fighting in the sixth, and he could not get past Jenkin’s left jabs. A two-handed attack to the head and body had Sharpe moving on to tho ropes. Sharpe was tiring, and the seventh and eighth were all in favour of Jenkin. Tho ninth round was not long in progress when Crowley threw in the towel, which was disregarded by Mr Baker, tho boys being ordered to box on. A minute later Crowley climbed into _ the ring, and the referee disqualified Sharpe and crowned Jenkin, who was a mile ahead on points. AMATEUR PRELIMINARIES, G. Burgess (Dunedin) 10.9, outpointed N. Ferguson (Dunedin) 10.9, over three two-minute rounds. This was quite a willing bout, but Burgess did the cleaner work and was too experienced for Ferguson, who ran into a hard right to the mouth early in the first round which steadied him for the remainder of the round. Ferguson connected with a straight left occasionally in the second round, but Burgess was well ahead in straight work with both hands, boxing very coolly. In the last round Ferguson showed better judgment in his hitting, but Burgess shook him with a twohanded attack to tho head, tho decision going to Burgess. N. Decide (Dunedin), 8.3, beat M. Hunter (Oamaru), 8.8, on points over six two-mintes rounds. This was one of the liveliest bouts seen hero for a long time, and both boys were given, a great ovation at the end of a non-stop mill. Hunter had an advantage in height and reach, and in the first round scored with a straight left to the head and inside rights to the br.dy, Decide being short with his punches. Leckie took the battle to his opponent in the second round, and connected with both hands to the head and body. Tho third round opened with some vigorous exchanges, Leckie doing well in close. Hunter came back strongly with both hands, but Leckie made him miss, and a hot rally ended a-, great round. Leckie forced the pace tit the fourth heat, but Hunter countered effectively. Both in the fifth and sixth rounds the boys’stood too to toe, trading punches for all they were worth. Deckle’s hitting was more accurate than Hunter’s, and the decision in the Dunedin boy’s favour was » popular one.

C. Hanham (Waimate), 11.9, beat J. M'Lennan (Tahakopa) by a technical knock-out in the fifth round of a sixround bout. Hanham was down for a count of seven in the second round, when he collected a hard right swing on the jaw, but he came back strongly, and, showing up in two-handed straight work, eventually wore M'Lennan down. In the fourth round he hit M'Lennan with nearly everything, and in the fifth round he had M'Lennan down for nine with a short right to the jaw. Measuring his man off, Hanham floored him with a hard right for the count of eight, and, with M'Lennan helpless on tho ropes, the referee stepped in and awarded the bout to Hanham. Tho amateur bouts were refereed by Messrs J. Kilmartin, Don Paterson, and R. Fulcher in turn.