BOXING

Greymouth Evening Star, 27 November 1929, Page 6

BOXING

HAY AN UNLUCKY LOSER. (Special to “Star.”) AUCKLAND, November 26. The professional boxing contest for a purse of £l5O between Artie Hay (Hastings,, list), professional .welter and middleweight ' champion of New Zealand, and Billy Thomas (Wales, lOst 131 b) ended in an unexpected manner in the' eleventh round, Thomas getting the decision on a foul. Coming out of a clinch, Hay, who at the time was holding Thomas with his left, crossed in front of Thomas and swung him backwards hard to the boards. Thomas landed on the back of his head and was quite dazed, but came to his feet and clung to the ropes. The referee, R. Meale, recognised the irregularity, as he did not proceed to count Thomas out when the boxer failed to rise immediately. The referee, however, took some time to make up hi® mind what action was necessary, but there was loud cheering when he held Thomas’s hand up as winner. Hay committed a breach of the holding rule throughout the fight, but on more than one occasion, Thomas came under the censure of the referee, whereas Hay was equally to blame. In the first round, Thomas was unfortunate in having an old eye wound opened in a clinch. This no doubt troubled him considerably, and prevented him showing to better advantage. Hay fought doggedly as is his usual wont, and up to the last round it looked foregone that he would get the verdict. The first round opened quietly, both feeling their way. Thomas slipped to the boards, but was up immediately and swung a left to the head.. Hay forced his man to the ropes in corners. Thomas moved nicely on his feet and avoided some heavy punchies. Hay sent in a hard right cross to the head, Thomas replying with a left swing to the body. Hay opened the second round with a right to the jaw but missed badly throughout the rest •of the round. Thomas placed a right half arm to the jaw in a clinch. The third round saw Thomas livening up. He landed a left swing to the body with a return left to the head, followed by a right to the head. Hay missed badly and Thomas won his first round.

Thomas started off in the fourth with a straight left lead to the jaw. He anticipated Hay’s left swing and returned a hard right to the body following up with a left to the same mark. Hay forced his man to the ropes and placed a right cross to the jaw, a, left to the body and a right cross to the head.

At the fifth bell, Hay rushed Thomas to the ropes, the Welshman dodging smartly from an awkward position. Hay scored with a right to the head and right to the body. In the early stages_ of the sixth round, Thomas slipped to the floor, th® referee issuing an unnecessary warning. Hay rushed matters, but Thomas replied well. The seventh round appeared to be the beginning of the end. Thomas slipped to the boards for a count of three, and half (heartedly indicated a low hit. The referee warned him for going down. Hay was still holding in the eighth round when he tried forcing a conclusion, but failed. Near the end of the round Hay swung Thomas to the floor with his left around the body. Thomas was very tired in the ninth, but fought gamely. From a left to the body and right to the point,, Hay had Thomas down for four. Hay rushed his man when he rose, landing a left to the head and a left swing to the body. He had the Welshman down again for seven. In the concluding stages of.the round Thomas went down again for seven. ’ Hay had his man very groggy and floundering in the tenth, the bell saving Thomas from a knock out. The eleventh round saw the end. From a breakaway Hay threw his opponent heavily backwards to the boards with his left around the body. The referee then awarded the verdict to Thomas on a foul.