BOXING

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIII, Issue 106, 18 April 1933, Page 12

BOXING

WRIGHT BEATS KNUCKEY KNOCK-OUT IN FINAL ROUND LOSER HAD RIG POINTS MARGIN To be a winner all the way and to be knocked-out 15 seconds before the sounding of the final gong was the fate of Len Knuckey, of Hastings, in the professional boxing contest with George Wright, New Zealand bantamweight champion, at Hastings on Saturday evening Though the bout was well ‘’billed” the attendance was not particularly cood. there being seating accommodation left fur about 400 more spectators. However, those present were afforded an excellent fight and a rare thrill, though they had to wait until the last round for the big and only thrilling incident of the match Whilst the bout lacked colour until the last two rounds, it wanted nothing in interest. At any stage of the fight Wright might have landed his powerful right cross to have ended the affair, hut the ever watchful Knuckey did not give him the opportunity until the bout was almost over, and then only because he was drained of his last ounce of vitality, having set an exceptionally fast, pace throughout. The sc. ond half of the fight closely resembled the scene of the cat and the mouse. Wright, with all the patience attributed to the feline species, waited and watched for rhe opportunity to administer a knock-out and all the while Knuckey was dancing about the ring keeping out of danger of the inevitable final swoop of the cat’s paw. With all his evasion Knuckey was piling up the points and winning round after round that assured him of victory if only he could remain on his feet when the final gong sounded. Such, however, was not to be the case, and exactly 15 seconds before the end the referee took one steady look at the prostrate form of Knuckey lying stretched out on the floor with only his logs remaining inside the ring, and held up Wright’s arm to indicate that the fight was over and that the Canterburian was the winner. It. was a firstclass, sensational finish, and the crowd dispersed well pleased and most sympathetic towards the loser, who had been nnlncky enough to have victory snatched from him when that honour was really due to him. THE BOUT DESCRIBED. Knuckey entered the ring first and both cqntestants were announced at 8.3|. The Hastings man led off with lefts and rights to the body, to which Wright replied with a left hook. The title-holder kept to the centre of the ring whilst Knuckey moved in and out administering body punishment. Wright connected with a couple of stinging left swings early in round two but Knuckey more than evened up matters with lefts and rights to the body, later altering his elevation to the head. Wright took several nastv blows and was kept from retaliation by three •freight lefts. Again in the next round Knuckey ‘ 'he fight to Wright, who swung with both gloves but found it impossible to get into close quarters owing to Knuckey’s straight left. These blows drew blood from the southerner’s nose, but Wright did not hustle matters and continued to swing to the head. A series of extended lefts kept Wright from opening out to Knuckey in the early part of the fourth session. Tho champion was angling for the chance to bring across his right, but Knuckey invariably beat him to the lead. KNUCKEY’S CLOSE CALL. Knuckey was continuing with his hammering of Wright’s ribs in the fifth session when Wright opened out and went for the local man with both gloves. He caught Knuckey napping m a neutral corner, but the latter cleverly ducked away a fraction of a second ahead of Wright’s cross. It was a narrow shave for Knuckey, who cooled down and contented himself with stinging lefts to the face. Wright continued to hold tho centre of the mat and endeavoured to get bis opponent on tho ropes, but Knuckey’s legs were working overtime and keeping him out of harm's way. Knuckey added further points by way of lefts and nasty swings and hooks. There was a bright opening to the seventh, Wright forcing Knuckey into mixing things but only to exchange half a dozen blows. The Hastings man then resumed his former tactics of heating the champion to the lead with extended lefts. In the next set-to Knuckey did nothing but keep tho other man at bav, and he continued to do so in the ninth round, though twice he had to do some clever work with his feet to get him out of danger in the neutral corners. Towards the close of the round he was inclined to mix things with Wright, was was playing a waiting game. The next four rounds were not very eventful. Knuckey continued to pile up points with straight lefts and vicious hooks to the body. Wright did little work other than defend himself and strive without result to get his man into position for a telling blow. WRIGHT SHOWS FIGHT. Coming out for the last but one session Wright cought to hustle matters for the first time. He went for Knuckey with both gloves and the local man met him half-way. both swinging wildly at times, but Wright was more accurate. Knuckey began to wilt under the strain. Looking almost as fresh as when he entered tho ring. Wright hammered away at body and head, giving his man no opportunity to stand off and use his loft. This was the first round in which Wright had shown •uperiority. From tho outset of tho final rally Wright, with all th • vim of a desperate man. sallied into his opponent and in the first minute he had Knuckey groggv. Rushing him round and round the ring Wright sought to laud the finishing How. but Knuckey. though he had not tho strength to keep his guard did have 'he presence of mind to keep in ckiso to Wright. Suddenly the champion changed his tactics. He stepped back and let fly with a left and a right swing that toppled Knuckey backwards through the ropes. It was the finish for Knuckey and a triumph for patien-e Mr. No ’ Pcrrv. of Wellington was the refern . THE PRELIMINARY ROUTS. Four a-natcur bouts were staged prior to t le professional contest, they being of i social interest in that they were in the nature of an inter-provin-cial tourney, Fcilding versus Hawke's Bay. The visitors put up plucky fight* but failed to win one. Tho thanks of the association were expressed by Mr. G. A. Maddison to

the Feilding boys for making the trifi, and he complimented them on their fine exhibition’ of pluck. The opportunity was taken during the evening to present Mr. J. Stickland, secretary of the Hawke's Bay Boxing Association, with a badge in recognition of his having given eight years of service to the association. Mr. Maddison paid a fitting tribute to Mr. Stickland's work ami congratulated him on his earnest desire to foster the sport of boxing in this district. The results of the preliminary bouts were as follow: — Ray Kitchen (Feilding) 10.10. lost to J. Ferguson (Elsthorpe) 10.9. florae MacFarlane (Feilding) 9.0. lost to 8 Robinson (Napier) 8.". Peter Sutton (Feilding) 8.6, lost to I Harereaves (Elsthorpe) 8.5. Jun Hosketh (Fcilding) 9.5 lost to C Rush (Elsthorpe) 9.6. Mr. E. Little was referee for the bouts, .slid Messrs. R. Gray and P. ('. Peter:a n were the judges. Mr. 11. (1. Apperb’y was announcer.