BOXING CHAMPIONSHIPS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 28 July 1928, Page 3

BOXING CHAMPIONSHIPS.

TARANAKI CONTENDERS. THE PRELIMINARY BOUTS. The Stratford Town Hall was well Riled with an enthused gathering of sports patrons last evening, when the preliminary houts of the Taranaki amateur boxing championships were decided. Well fought contests marked the meetings of the respective contenders, and gave an indication that the finals should provide keen competition this evening. Among the bouts tonight will be the meeting of the' flyweights, D. Roebuck, of New Plymouth, and the Hawera boy V. Spavin, who has been paper-weight champion for the last two years. The Dominion fly and bantam champion, N. Roebuck, is to meet S. Nicol in the bantam division, while T. Donovan, New Zealand feather-weight champion, will meet G. Coombe in that division and the rugged South Taranaki exponent, A. Duggan, in the light-weight final. Ply-weight. V. Spavin v. D. Roebuck. Bantam-weight. S. Nicol v. N. Roebuck. Middle-weight. Gilbert v. Dombroski. Feather-weight. ■ Coombe v. Donovan. Welter-weight. Allenden v. Laurent. Dombroski v. Winner. Light-he avy weight. Goodwin v. Brosnan. • Light-weight. Duggan v. Donovan. Heavy-weight. O’Keefe v. Seaton.

The president of the Stratford Sports and Pastimes Giub, Mr. It. Masters, expressed appreciation of the good public support accorded last evening, ana j also tlie assistance the club, in arranging for the tourney, bad received from the Taranaki Boxing Association. Referring to the contest lor the world heavy-weight championship, Mr. Masters was applauded when he lemarked that, though Tom Heeney had not been successful. New Zealanders would be proud of the fact that he had made himself so eilicient as a fighter that he was selected to contest the world's championship. The draw for the finals this evening is as follows:

Mr. W. It. Foley (Stratford) officiated as third man in the ring, and Messrs C. E. Roebuck (New Plymouth), and A. H. Nelson (Stratford) as judges, Mr. E. J. Carr (New Plymouth), who is secretary of the Taranaki Boxing Association, talcing Mr. Roebuck’s place lor the bouts in which the Roebuck boys were engaged. Other administrative duties also received efficient attention from the tourney committee I members, who Combined with the secretary, Mr. W. A. Brown, of Stratford.

BANTAMWEIGHTS. N. Roebuck beat N. Childs. The tourney opened with a fast round, in which the New Zealand bantam champion, N. Roebuck, of New Plymouth, was extended by N. Childs (Stratford). The second round, however, found the local hoy tiring, and in the third Roebuck made practically all the fighting-and put the issue beyond doubt. FLYWEIGHTS. I>. Roebuck heat J. Waterman. Holding the advantage in reach, height and weight, D. Roebuck (New Plymouth) 7.8 also proved much too clever for J. Waterman (Stratford), and received an easy verdict at the conclusion of three two-minute rounds. FEATHERWEIGHT. G. Coombe beat L. Christensen. The unorthodox style of G. Coombe (Tangarakau) 8.11 in openingabis three round engagemetn with L. Christensen (New Plymouth) 8.12 proved puzzling 1 to the latter, who adopted the approved mode of- attack. Gusts of laughter were caused by Coombe’s dis-, play of ring gymnastics, but the second round found him taking the business seriously as the New Plymouth boy annexed points. Coombe carried the fight to his opponent in the final session, and received a narrow decision. LIGHTWEIGHTS. A Duggan heat A. Karim. I Making effective use of both hands, A. Duggan (Nonnanby) 9.12 scored with monotonous regularity with lefts to the heads and rights to the body in the first two minutes of his bout with A. Karim (New Plymouth) 9.5. Coming up for the -second round, Karim went after the bigger man for half a moment, but had to take a further gruelling, and the fight went to Duggan on a knock out.

WELTERWEIGHTS, L. Dombroski Beat A. Stockman. Thei first two rounds of the bout between L. Dombroski (Waitara), 10.2, and A. .Stockman (Ngaere), 10.2, saw the latter floored three tiniej, though Dombroski himself was almost all in when the second gong sounded. In the third round Dombrosld’s solid left sent his man down twice for the count of seven and nine respectively and secured him a viirtuaLknock out decision. FJ. W. Allendren Beat L. B. Gilbert. Though ceding the advantage in height and reach, E. \V. Allendren (Lowgartl\), 10.9 was the aggressor in his o|>enlng two rounds* L. 13. Gilbert (Inglewood), 10.7.' The. latter deserved a medal for good humour and gameness in the final round wTsen he accepted solid punishment. After the verdict had been announced in Allendroll’s favour his plucky opponent was accorded vociferous applause by the crowd. LIGHT HEAVY. A. Goodwin heat L. O’Keefe. L. o’’Kee.fe (Midhurst), 12 stone, wild A. Goodwin (Oakum), 11.5, fought a furious first, minute, after which both were willing to ease the; pace. Close order work characterised the second round, the pair standing toe to toe in willing exchanges which left, honours easy. Both showed signs of fatigue in the" eon eluding exchanges during which a. slight, margin had to bo ciedited to Goodwin, who-received the verdict.