BOXING.

Grey River Argus, 25 May 1922, Page 7

BOXING.

| mccleaey and focley. The Christchurch Sports Club staged its second profession light of the season at the King Edward Barracks, when Brian McCleary (Christchurch), holder | of the title, and Albert Pooley (AuckI* land), challenger, met for the heavyweight championship of New Zealand i and a purse of £195. McCleary, who j imh.ls an unbeaten record, recently I joined the professional ranks, his first effort being against Whittaker, whom ■ he defeated on Easter Saturday, i’oolI ey has been much longer at the game, land as far bark as 1910 was amateur champion of New Zealand. It was exI ported that Pooley’s greater experience 1 would give him victory over his smaller opponent, and grca‘ interest was taken in the match, ih ■ . -■'•ommodation at the King Ed wa r. 1 ; .-’.-s being taxed to its utmost. . ii-’ : 1 . .'.emoiit was not without fault, 'J -- ed sealing accommodai i:-!i l-< ir.'.: insulin < at . while there was cum-i<h rtibir oven-. <»wding at the doors and ir ;m .ages. Several preliminary bou'-l; -.ire staged, but these were of shoit duration, ami the big crowd was kept waiting a considerable time after these had finished before the two professionals put in an appearance. The weights were announced as McCleary list 81b, Pooley list 81b, but both men looked pounds heaver. 'The fight was a good willing one from start to finish, and went the full 15 rounds, the verdict going to McCleary, who outclassed his oponent practically all through. I’ouley possesses a powerful punch which he endeavoured to land on numerous occasions, but McCleary's clever footwork and general defence enabled him to keep out ot all trouble. McCleary n'peatedly drove lefts to his opponent’s face, and was certainly the better conditioned of the pair. From the start both men showed eagerness to fight, ami in the first round McCleary opened proceedings by driving his left to Pooley’s face ami narrowly missed a right swing to the ribs. Pooley drove a left to the face, and iamled a fairly solid right to McCleary’s ribs. In the second round McCleary showed marked superiority, driving his left to the mouth on several occasions. Pooley was <piite content to mix matters, and attempted to uppercut McCleary on several uci-asions, but always the latter’s footwork got him cut of trouble. The third round was opened by the c.hampoin's lefts to the face, but these appeared to have little weight behind them. Pooley landed a good left to McCleary’s pow, but the latter retaliated with a heavy right to (he head, probably the best blow struck up to this stage. McCleary still held a slight advantage in the fourth ami fifth rounds, a heavy right to Pooley’s eye drawing blood. Pooley apcarcd to be sacrificing quite a lot in the hope of getting in a fightfinishing punch, ami in the fifth round landed left and right to the body, both punches with plenty of viin behind them. In the sixth and seventh rounds I'oolev opened out promisingly with rights to the body, but McCleary evened up by sending his left to his oponent’s damaged eye. M<-Cleury’s elusiveness was the feature of these, two rounds. 'llie eighth round was a very merry affair, and Pooley -administered two uppercuts which plainly hurt, but in reply he received a stinging left to the face. There was a deal of in-fighting in this round, with Pooley holding the advantage. Altogether he had something the better of the exchanges. McCleary, by clever ducking, ’made Pooley miss badly on several occasions in the ninth and tenth rounds, and made a target of Pooley's right eve with left right, left. Pooley was called to order for holding, and the crowd got very enthusiastic when McCleary, on the ropes ducked a heavy right swing to the. side of the head. '1 here was also a good deal of in-fighting, and Pooley showed better knowledge of Uns port of the business than did his opponent. McCleary, in trying to side- j step, ran into one of Pooley’s right swings, which steadied him up some- I what, but he camo back full of fight, I ami more than evened up mat ers. H was \ a round full of interest and both mon i were loudly applauded. There was much in-fighting in the 12th round, which was not by any means spectacular, though McCleary led on points. In the U’.fh McCleary’s rootwork was more in evidence than ever, and he jumped round like ti Juck-ln the-box. making Pooley miss time and again. He varied proceedings by poking lefts to

the face, which were certainly- apptec iated by Pooley. In the 14th Pooley scored with a couple of right chops, and drove n good punch to the ribs. A couple of solid body blows from McCleary- steadied Pooley, whose, only chance of winning was a knock-out. The final round was marked by more clever boxing by McCleary, who was much fresher than his opponent and appeared to be going just i.s strong as at. the start. The verdict, of “McCleary the winner” was hailed with unanimous approval. PRELIM IN ARY BOUTS. N. Moulin Sst 1311> defeated li. M'.ar Sst ISllbs. At the end of the second round the referee declared Moulin U-” winner. C. Moulin Sst Hlb defeated .1. Tuck er Sst 13111 after an amusing bout. ,T. Gibson. (Ashburton) lOst 91b beat A. Thompson (Christchurch) lOst 11b. Thompson's second throwing in the tonel in the first round.