HOT ENCOUNTER

Hawera Star, Volume L, 6 August 1930, Page 3

HOT ENCOUNTER

- ■- ■ 1 ———.-o —• —• — SARRON BEATS LECKIE. CHAMPION UP AGAINST IT. (By Teiegraph—Press Association.; PALMERSTON N., Aug. ,3. In a last and furious 13 ronuas, Pete Sarron (9st) won his contest against Johnnie Leckie (9st) here to-niglit. Sarron clearly won most of the rounds, and made the pace a hot one, usually taking the light to Leckie, who at times was hard put to counter the American’s furious two-handed- bursts. Early in the fourth round Leckie was down for seven, though lie was not seriously affected. It was an exciting bout, both boxers mixing it freely, with Sarron scoring chiefly- with bis right ami Leckie mainly with straight Jetts.

In the opening 'of the lirst round both missed leads until Leckie landed some solid body blows, Sarron being forced to the ropes, where lie slipped and fell with Leckie on top of him. Sarron got in some useful work when lie connected a- solid right to the jaw and the round ended with a brisk exchange of body blows with which the American scored well. Leckie made the pace in the second round and evened matters with a left and right to the body, then scoring with a snappy left to the face. His footwork got him out of difficulties, and Sarron missed badly.

The American again missed with a terrific uppercut in the third that would have ended the bout- there and then had it connected. He persisted in forcing tactics, however, and Leckie replied willingly, and the round ended with two-handed exchanges in which Leckie was beaten, while lie also missed badly in searching for Sarron\s chin with his left. The fourth round opened with >Sarrnn leading and following in to connect with stinging lefts and rights. Leckie was down, hut was up on his knee quickly, and waited for the count of seven before resuming, lie scored well with several straight lefts to the face, hut. Sarrou’s guard and footwork kept these from doing any great damage, though they kept the American from following up whatever advantage lie had. Both displayed clever boxing that earned applause.

Sarron scored well in a period of infighting in the fifth and successfully took most of Luckies lefts on his gloves. The New Zealander obviously did better when lie fought from a distance. So far the fight was fairly even, with a slight advantage to Sarron, who frequently forced the pace and connected with whole-hearted rights and lefts principally to the body. Tn hath the sixth and seventh rounds, Leckie made his opponent miss and gained points with his left, but in the eighth Sarron opened up in great style and hit Leckie to the rones, following up with two heavy rights- to the body. The round finished in a whirlwind of exchanges in which Leckie .stood’ a good deal of punishment. Clever footwork and well-judged ducking on the part- of Sarron made Leckie miss -nil several occasions, but uen in in the tentli round Sarron made the pace and carried the fight to his opponent, scoring with rights to the body and several pretty straight- lefts. The pace slackened down when the boxers sparred for an opening, but again the American came in and finished the round with a terrific hurst of rights and lefts that had Leckie rattled for a few seconds, and when he tried to reply Sarron easily held him off. The next two rounds saw some fast work in loads and counter, with each boxer displaying pretty footwork.

ftniToii connected with ;i lol'i honk in the eleventh. and attain with :i hard uppercut tinat '.sont Lookio hack to tho ropes.

Tho Xew Zealander stopped some solid punches early in the twelfth, hut

came hack with I oft S' ami rights that made Sarron give ground quickly.

The thirteenth round was a quiet one, with Leckie boxing at liis best and scoring freely with his lelt. Each landed some solid body -blows. Sarroit had the better of the fourteenth, and in the last round went for his man in great fashion, landing several .solid punches to the head and body. bookie followed bis opponent’s style and stood off and hit, scoring with a beautiful left to the chin, and later making his opponent- miss badly. Leckie scored toward the end of the round, which ended with each boxer trading rights and! lefts in a- furious burst. The decision in favour of Sarron was a -popular one. Mr F. O’Neill was the referee.