BOXING

Grey River Argus, 31 March 1932, Page 6

BOXING

Johns v. Leckie CONTEST AT HOKITIKA. BEFORE LARGE CROWD (Our Own Correspondent.) HOKITIKA, March 30. The open air boxing contest at the Swimming Bath here to-night between Harry Johns (9.8), of Auckland, Dominion lightweight champion, and Johnnie Leckie. (9.2), of Napier, Dominion featherweight champion, drew the largest crowd ever seen at a boxing contest in Hokitika. The “house” was worth about £l4O, thus justifying amply the enterprise of the local Boxing Club in staging the bout. There were a large number of Greymouth and other visitors present, while the third man in the ring was Mr Frank O’Neill, of Runanga, whose decisions were all well received, although his task in coming to a decision was in no instance rendered difficult.

The main contest was not on the whole an exciting one, although there were occasionally very willing exchanges. The Aucklander had the advantage over the greater part of the journey, his speed and agility enabling him to land a much larger number of punches than his opponent, who relied on the plan of getting in a hard blow whenever there was an opportunity to de so. Johns, who boxed beautifully almost throughout, won eleven of the fifteen rounds, whilst Leckie scored the more points in the fourth, eighth and fourteenth, and the last, round was pretty even. There was not a great deal of punishing work done. Johns often tapped only lightly. Leckie, however, was frequently up against the ropes, which, being slack, did nor give him any opportunity ho may have sought, to use them in fighting back. Johns certainly commended himself to everybody as a beautiful boxer, but, as already indicated, Leckie was doing better towards the end than at the outset. He made Johns miss at times, and in the fourteenth round he appeared to have the Aucklander somewhat distressed, as Johns hung on. Again at the start of the last round. Leckie appeared to have his opponent, in difficulty, but Johns showed his ability to make a quick recovery, fighting bark with such vim as certainly tn render the round itself an even one. Summed j»p, Johns appeared too clever in all departments of out-fighting, and did not give Leckie much of an opening at in-fighting. The referee had no hesitation in declaring Johns the winner, and the verdict was hailed with applause by a gathering which at the same time was ready to recognise that the lighter man put up a plucky showing, and did his best to make the light. It has been suggested that an other bout between the pair at Greymouth on Saturday would prove popular. and it would at anyrate attract quite a goodly number from Hokitika. The large attendance to-night went to justify the Club’s decision in making the admission charges very reasonable. There were a couple of preliminary bouts. Tn one Dave Chisholm, of Hokitika (10.12). had an easy victory over Mclntosh, of Ruatapu, in three rounds of two minutes each. The winner was awarded the Lynn medal. In the other bout J. Ferguson, of Napier (10.7) met Les Morgan, of Hokitika (10.8) the latter, however, being scarcely in good form. Morgan could not continue beyond the second round and the visitor gained the verdict.