BLAY BRILLIANT

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXII, Issue 187, 23 July 1932, Page 3 (Supplement)

BLAY BRILLIANT

DELANEY WELL OUTPOINTED. Bobby Blay’s points victory over the lightweight title-holder, Bobby Delaney, at Rushcutter’s Bay, was gained in one of the most gripping contests ever witnessed in the historic fistic battleground (writes “Punch” in the Melbourne “Globe”). Unfortunately for the colever Victorian, the fight was w-aged at catch weights, so the superemaey was not at stake. Blay weighed lOst 241 b and Delaney lOst. Early there wa 5 little to choose, with Delaney having a slight advantage. At this period the brilliance of Blay’s defence was outstanding. Delaney, though back-moving almost continuously, did all the leading, but most of his blows were taken on the gloves. Here and there the Sydney boy scored with lefts to the body, and, coming in close, frequently caused heavy rights to pass harmlessly around hi s neck.

After the fourth the Victorian went to the front. In the following session Delaney hung on to avod punishment, but Blay fought him off and had him beating a retreat.

A collision in the sixth caused an old wound on the bridge of Blay’s nose to reopen, and by this time Delaney was cut below the left eye, while above the right there was a noticeable swelling. The round favoured the champion, who was now beating Blay’s defence.

Delaney was down for a “no count” after taking a hard short left in the seventh, and clinched on resuming. Blay was clearly on top after this. Once or twice after missing with the left he scored with a vicious right. One of these shook Delaney badly at the start of the ninth. Blay commenced the tenth in a similar way, but this time the blow connecting properly dropped the title-holder for six. The din prevented the count being heard, and a very dazed Delaney hung on for the balance of the round, Blay finding it difficult to wrench free.

DELANEY WELL WHIPPED. Rocking and jaded, Delaney fought on gamely, but was helpless against the battery of the Victorian. Twice Blay winced and walked away after a low blow, and on the third occasion Wallace cautioned Delaney, who, though bleeding from the mouth and badly damaged around both eyes, weathered it out, hopelessly outclassed, but gritty to the end. Delaney was hooted by a section of the crowd for an action at the start of the final term. Rushing right across to Blay’s angle, he shook hands immediately the Victorian rose, then seemed to surprise Blay with the suddenness with which he commenced hostilties.

The receipts were £559. Afterwards, Joe Campbell, Blay’s trainer, said: “Bobby was a bit too heavy. He would do better at about lOst, but in this cold weather it is hard to keep his weight down to that. We will stay in Sydney till Kid Como arrives, and see what can be done with him. ’ ’

Delaney, whose left elbow had been under treatment for the last three weeks, had a bone in the left hand damaged in the eighth round. It will be necessary to have it X-rayed to ascertain if it is broken. “I couldn’t use it afterwards,” said Delaney.