BOXING

Greymouth Evening Star, 19 June 1922, Page 6

BOXING

BOXING IN AUSTRALIA.

(Australian and N.Z. Cable Association,)

SYDNEY, June 18

At the Sydney Stadium, Uren (10.13) beat Jack Cole (11.4), on points. The contest was marked by much wild fighting, and by battling at close quarters. Cole constantly forced his opponent. Uren was handicapped somewhat by injuring his thumb in the fourth round. The decision for Uren cause 1 considerable dissatisfaction.

MELBOURNE, June 18. Bert Spargo beat Jerry Sullivan, on points.

FRANK BURNS HONOURED.

(Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.)

LONDON, June 16.

Frank Burns, the Australian boxer, has received the Humane Society's medal for gallantry on June 1 in rescuing a man in the Thames.

N.Z. BOXING COUNCIL

(Special to the Star.)

CHRISTCHURCH, June 19

At a meeting of the New Zealand Boxing Council, the Christchurch Sports Club wrote for permission to match Brian McCleayy against Laurie Cadman or Jack Heeney, for the lightheavy weight championship. It was decided to' match McCleary and Heeney for the title.

GENERAL NOTES.

(By “Looker-on.”) Al New Plymouth on Saturday night vyril niniluker beat Jack Heeney, on ine Macfarlane brothers, Paddy and Ben, Laurie u'Neill, Freddy Davidson aim a number ol otner lads are m hard training tor Die approaching West Coast championships. Paddy McFarlane has had the billard room of the Albion Hotel fitted up with punch ball, etc., and quite a number of lads are to be seen in work there. When “Shorty” Woodward beat S. Hogan in the final of the lightweight championship at Hastings, there hail been only 25 seconds oi lighting. As the gong sounded both lads got together vigorously and after a few exchanges Woodward landed a weighty left to his opponent’s jaw. It was a peace disturber and Woodward following smartly with light and left dropped Hogan for the count. Rewi Gray quite outclassed R. Townshend in the final of the welter championship at Hastings. The referee in the interests of Townshend closed the bout with the third round still in progress. The meeting between 11. Maddox and J. Townshend in the final of the bantams at Hastings was one of the best con tests of the tourney, but it had an unfortujiate termination. As the third and imal round was being inaugurated by the customary hand shake, Townshend ere his opponent’s hand had scarcely left his struck him. It was apparently delivered in ignorance of the rules but the referee administered a. prompt lesson in sportsmanship by stopping the contest forthwith and awarding the prize to .Maddox on a foul. The former two rounds had raised the spectators to enthusiasm by the speedy and clever boxing shown by both, and were much disappointed in (he unexpected climax. On points .Maddox probably had a slight lead, but matters were so close that any result might have been expected had the light gone the full distance.

The final of the middleweights at the Hawkes Bay championships provided the surprise of the tourney. Cooper, with his awkward amateurish style and rueful countenance, seemed an easy victim for his experienced and determined opponent, Rewi Gray. The Hastings lad, however, quickly demonstrated that he was able to duck and feint, to a degree that quite bewildered Gray. The Takapuna lad pursued his opponent through the greater part of three rounds with wild swings that never reached their mark. When the pair got together Cooper quite held his own. In the last round Cooper rounded on his aggressor and had rather the butter of some solid fighting. Gray complained of a low hit, but it was unintentional and the pair boxed on. Many of the boxing fans considered that Gray, who was the chief aggressor throughout, should have gained the verdict, but the referee apparently considered that he lost more points by his misses than he gained by his aggressiveness.

Roy Overend had a very easy win in the imal of the featherweights at Napier. Roy quickly established the lead, and boxing in clean effective style sent Ingram down for the count alter two minutes’ boxing. When Paul Hannah outpointed May at Hastings last week, Hannah scaled 9.10 and May 9.11. In the first round May pleased his supporters. His attractive business-like attitude and confident bearing made him quite a favourite, and many were comparing him to the famous Clabby as he darted in with lightning dashes and swift swings that carried danger each time. However before the first round was completed the pair commenced close-in tactics and at these Hannah had distinctly the advantage. He persistently pasted his; opponent’s ribs, a process that told its tale as the fight wore on. In the early rounds May always looked dangerous, and at the break-a-ways it took Hannah all his time to dodge smart uppercuts and swings. The Aucklander too was exceedingly smart at following up and in the second round with a handy right sent Hannah to the boards. Hannah was not damaged but he easily took the count for eight before rising. From the second round on Hannah never lost a round. Having taken some Of the sting from the AueWauder’a

attack he commenced to pile up points by connecting with lefts and by his fine footwork made his opponnet miss badly. By the sixth round May was obviously tiring, and in the eighth he narrowly escaped a knock-out. For the remainder of the fight May was more or less in trouble, but though badly batteied at times he covered up soi well and then turning defence into attack recuperated so speedily that he f was able to command respect from his ‘ aggressor, and last out the full fifteen rounds. It was voted one of the best contests staged in Hastings. Hannah gave a very much better display than when he last boxed in Napier and delighted his admirers by his really brilliant boxing. He boxed coolly throughout and always seemed to have something in reserve. It was announced before- the fight that Pat Gleeson had been matched to fight the winner at Napier, and Hannah will therefore be bis opponent. In the featherweight final at the

Auckland championships, between C. Purdy and M. Hatton, both lads showed cleverness in fast hitting and blocking, Hatton getting his left through to Purdy’s face two or three times, and landing once with a fast right uppercut. In the second and third rounds Purdy forced the pace, and his speed with both hands opened Hatton’s defence, till in the third round he landed frequently with both hands to the face and won by a> fair margin of points. In the final of the lightweight at the Auckland championships, fought between A. Greig and Haggle, Greig had a fairly easy win. There was nothing doing in the opening round, but in the second Greig connected two or three times with heavy right and left swings, one of which floored Maggie, Haggie was unable to get in against Greig’s hard hitting, and though he landed twice with a left lead in the final round, he could not counter the other man’s stinging hooks, and the round and verdict went to Greig. In the middleweight, final at AuckalniL Dick Aleale notched a very easy win. Flynn’s eye was nearly closed, and he covered a lot to save it from Meale’s right cross which several times connected. F. Hansen, who won the welter title at the Auckland championships, is said to be a good two-handed boxer who is expected to go a long way in the boxing game. The Northern Boxing Association are matching Laurie Cadman and A. Pooley, for July 10th. lhe following Hawkes Bay boxers have been selected to represent the Hawkes Bay province in the North Island championships :— Welter—Rewi Gray (Takapau). Feather. —R. Overton (Hastings) and T. Donovan (Napier).