BOXING

Evening Star, Issue 25769, 16 April 1946, Page 2

BOXING

PROFESSIONAL MIDDLE-WEIGHT J. McCANN DEFEATS L. BCLGER In''one of tho best fistic exhibitions seen in Dunedin for a long time, J. McCann (Wellington) defeated L. Bolger (Mataura) by a technical knock-out in the twelfth round. Bolger won practically all of the rounds up to the tenth, but showed lack of judgmont in continuing to mix it strongly after he had the fight _ secured on pohits. Ho never tired McCann, who fought well, displaying more accuracy in the later stages. The denouement came so close to the final gong that had it gone to the count the gong might have intervened.- For the class, the action was fast throughout, and the audience, which practically filled the Town Hall, got more than ample value for its money. Bolger fought at lOst 121 b. and McCann at list. The majority of effective openings in the first round went to Bolger, who made several good opportunities to bring a destructive right into play, but of the two contestants was first to show signs of tiring. McCann came' out fighting for the third round and forced the pace, meeting" a ready response from Bolger, who, about the middle of the round, connected with a couple of hard right crosses to the chin. McCann got in a very good inside right to the jaw just before the finish of the round. Bolger -was fighting confidently in a well-matched contest. Exchanges were fairly even in the fourth round, McCann _ again finding an effective use for his right hand. Both contestants were warmed up to i the fifth round, an even exchange in which McCann took the early initiative. Bolger and McCann both fought a good round. McCann used his left to more effect in the sixth, but in the seventh Bolger forced the pace, connecting with a series of left hooks and short rights to the jaw. Bolger was fighting well, displaying snappy judgment and in technique, but McCann was responding ably to make a good spectacular fight of the bout. Towards the end of the eigth round" Bolger seemed to take command, but McCann was equal to the challenge, connecting hard at least once with a straight left. Bolger had him on the run, winning the advantage of practioally every round to this juncture, but McCann fought gamely every step. In the tenth round McCann did better than in any previous, connecting with a smart right cross and using his weight in file clinches. Bolger opened willingly in the, penultimate round, but McCann _ was more than equal to the occasion, and a few seconds before the gong a right cross to the jaw put his opponent down for the count of nine. In the last round McCann made the pace from the beginning, initiating the most willing exchange of the evening. After a short interchange, a strong left hook to the jaw followed by a straight right again sent Bolger down for a similar count. He got up to continue the fight, but McCann had command, and within a few seconds his left hook sent Bolger to his knees_ for the third iime. Bolger | got ■■ to .his; feet, and McCann finished him off with a short, jab for a technical knockout a few /before . tin?-, gong.' Mr V. Parker refereed the bout, and judges w-ere Messrs C. Brown and D. Paterson. NOVICE TOURNAMENT. The first novice tournament of the season conducted by the Otago Boxing Association preceded the big and disclosed several promising lads amongst the contestants. Messrs S. Paris and R. Fulcher refereed the matches. Judges were Messrs S. Brown,' C. E. Brown, D. Paterson, and A. E. Edwards. —Feather-weight.— A. Anderson 9.0 defeated G. Carse 0.1, the referee stopping the bout in the second round. D; W. Carse 8.2 defeated E. C. Mallett 8.7 on points. •* —Welter-ivoight.— A. W. Sime 10.2 defeated D. Adams 10.1, the latter dislocating his shoulder early in the 6econd round and being unable to continue. C. Stringer. 10.0 and J. S. Walker 10.4 furnished a good and lively exhibition, Stringer -winning on points after a well-matched display. —Light-weight.— O'Carroll's early work was accurate and telling,, and he outshone his'opponent, G. Hansen, to win on points. Both contestants weighed in at 9.9. The W. A. McQuarry (9.7)-V. J. McKay (9.9) match was characterised by a good deal of initial willingness. It was a stoutly-contested bout, won •by McKay on points. - —Middle-weight,— J. S. Murray 11.5 lost to W. McCormick 10.8 in a spirited bout, which provided plenty of action until the final gong. —Bantam-weight.— In the bantam-weight semi-finals, F. 0. Vincent 8.3 displayed most of the enterprise in the opening stages of his bout against J. R. Mallett 8.8., and followed up the advantage he made to win coolly after three rounds of willing interchange. The Findlay-Andrews bout opened with very fast action. Three spasms of open slogging resulted in a clear win for A. Findlay 8.2 against D. Andrews 8.0, the referee stopping the bout in the third round.