BOXING

Greymouth Evening Star, 24 July 1920, Page 6

BOXING

MCLAUGHLIN BEATS FRANK GRIFFIN. (By "Looker-on.") This week's Sydney "Referee" brings news of the defeat of Frank Griffin, by Era. McLaughlin, at the Kiama Sports Club. McLaughlin stripped at 10.5 and Griffin 10.7. The end of the opening round saw Griffin with a slight lead, attained principally by means of a straight left and clever footwork. The second and third rounds produced clever footwork. Griffin was showing fine headwork. McLaughlin let go some wicked rights, but none connected properly. The fourth finished even. The fifth had not long been in progress when the Sydney boy rushed his opponent across the ring, using left and right, ftnd finally swung a cruel right fair on to the point. This knocked Griffin clean out of the ring. Needless to say, the fallen man did not r's* within the 10 seconds. McLaughlin won the bout, although slightly behind, on points at the time. It was a good, clean, and clever scrap." BOXING IN ENGLAND. Two important contests were decided at the Holborn Stadium last night (says the London "Times" of May Ist). Of these, the principal one was a 15round match between Kid Lewis (London), a former feather-weight champion of Great Britain, and Kid Doyle (Wales), Lewis won in the fifth sound, when Doyle's seconds gave in for him. Kid Lewis is one of the cleverest boxers in the country; he left these shores for America as our featherweight champion, but, during his stay in the LTnited States, he won, and lost, the welter-weight championship of the world. In the interval, it should be added, Lewis has not only increased in weight, but he has broadened and thickened amazingly; he is now a powerfully-built man and must be almost the strongest in his division.

By the time the men appeared in the ring, one of the greatest crowds seen at the Stadium since the CarpentierBeckett fight had assembled, and feel ins; ran high. Practically the whole of the first round was fanqht at flow* quarters. Lewis was inclined to hit and hold, and used the kidney punch freely; it was evident that his punches hurt. The second round was spoiled by a lot of holding by both men, and Doyle was cautioned by the referee. The third round was rather more open. !/ewis did bettor at long range, where his extra reach helped him, but Doyle got in one or two good punches. Lewis was the clever man of the two, and was certainly stronger than his opponent. Doyle's ribs were scarlet where Lewis's half-arm jabs had landed. The fifth and last round was most sensational. At first Doyle got in close ajid hammered Lewis's body with both hands, while Lewis held on with his left hand, and was cautioned by the referee. After the men had been separated, Lewis rushed and reduced his opponent to a helpless condition with a left and right hook to the ' mark. Doyle held on with both hands, but Lewis continued to hammer him and the Welshman was terribly punished. The bell saved Doyle from a knock-out, but he staggered into the arms of his seconds, and then collapsed. His seconds at once gave in for him. The fight was marked by the utmost ferocity. Lewis's strength was phenomenal, he hit with greater power than most middle-weights and, himself, left the ring without a mark. If there had been more boxing at long range, Lewis would have won sooner, as he was the best boxer. The, second 15-round contest last night was between two well-known feather-weights—Taney Lee (Leith), a former holder of the feather-weight championship, and Benny McNeil (Bristol). Lee steadily improved with each round, and in the eighth round McNeil was almost out. In the ninth and last round Lee's face was badly cut through contact 'with McNeil's head. In spite of this the Scotsman fought on, always having the better of matters, till at last the referee disqualified McNeil for persistent holding, and. amid a scene of great enthusiasm, Taney Lee was proclaimed the winner.