BOXING.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLII, Issue 276, 20 November 1908, Page 2

BOXING.

MARLBOROUGH ASSOCIATION.

CHAMPIONSHIP MEETING

Officers: Patron, Mr A. McCalhim (Mayor); President, Mr W. Pollard ; Vice-Presidents, Messrs E. A. Weld, F. N. Dillon, H. L. Jackson, G. T. Seymour, W. Orsman", R. Corbett, E. H. Ball, S. J. Fur- , ness and Dr. Walker; Committee-, Messrs J. T. Mowat, W. Miller; G. Wareham, W. Draper, T. Gamble, J. J. Higgins, L. Homes and P. 0. Linstrom; Secretary, Mr' A. J. Langham. The second championship meeting conducted by the Marlborough Boxing Association opened last night in the Town Hall/ before a good attendance of the public. Additional interest was lent^fco the occasion by the .presence of several outside exponents of. the art, including W. J. Elliott, champion featherweight of Australasia, . who boxed an exhibition bout with S. Porter, of Blenheim. Taken on the whole, the different contests were interesting, though in one of two cases the men refused to break after a clinch when ordered to do so by the referee, who should have made an example of them. The last bout of the evening aroused some feeling, a portion of the audience considering that a foul had occurred which should have disqualified .the winner. The principal officials were Messrs H. W. Worger (referee), E. Parsons (stage manager), ,W. Miller (director of ceremonies) and F. C. Ferry (timekeeper). Following ate the ( results of the •events decided last evening: the finals, except in the case of the welter-weights, in which only two out of the six competitors entered the ring, and the middle-weights, which was won outright by Allan Thompson, will take place this evening: — HEAVY WEIGHT. A-\ Campbell (Blenheim) 13.0 v.A. Thompson (Blenheim) 11.3 J. Campbell immediately adopted forcing tac--Ijics, and the contest became very fast,- not much science being shown. After a while the men steadied down, and sparred tillthe end of the round. Thompson opened the second round with some good body-blows. Better science was shown this , round. Thompson's right guard was weak. The third round opened with several clinches, and good ■• body-blows by Thompson. A right-cross and a left , body-blow by the lighter man followed; but Campbell stood up well, although tiring perceptibly. "he verdict went in favour of Thompson, whose science throughout was far ; superior to Campbell's, while he did nearly all he leading. H. Murphy (Auckland) 12.4 v. H Hope (Blenheim) 11.3. Murphy, aiter a few preliminary spars, got Hope to .the ropes several times, after which Hope got in some good lefts to face and body. The round, however, ended in Murphy's favour. Hope • got Murphy to the ropes at the beginning of the second round, but failed to make the best use of his advantage. The lighter man did nearly all the leading, Murphy showing better at the end of the round. A good straight left from Hope opened the final round, after which the competitors mixed it, Hope ducking well. Murphy followed with a couple of good blows, but appeared to be tiring quickly. However, he got in one or two telling blows as the round ended. Another round was ordered.\ Hope forced the pace, and again the men mixed it,' Murphy eventually being declared the winner. LIGHT WEIGHT. P. Maher (Picton) 10.0 v. H.

Plumb (Blenheim) 9.12. This contest commenced by much ineffectual spurring, Plumb evading nearly all Maher's leads. Maher got Plumb to the ropes several times, and at times the round resembled a wrestlingmatch. The judge had to caution the competitors in the second round owing to their clinching, tactics: Inert} was not much clean hitting this round, Plumb's upper-cuts not getting there. The objectionable clmcliing was again in evidence m the third round. Plumb made things lively for a time by some good face blows, scoring rapidly. The referee ordered a fourth round. Maher slipped and fell, but was up again in a triqe. Plumb led with some Jieat upper-cuts, and got Maher to his knees as the gong went. Plumb 'V°A.' J. Hunter (Nelson) 9.10 v. J. Prussing (Blenheim) 10.0 More hugging tactics. Hunter- delivered a succession of telling blows to face and body, and had the better of the round. Hunter forced the pace m the second, round, but Prussing saved by clinching. Hunter found Prussing**s face repeatedly, and scored heavily at the end of the round. Some swift exchanges inaugurated the third round, after, which the contestants took things more easily till admonished by the referee;. then Hunter asserted his superiority, and was declared the winner. ■• R. Dunckley (Blenheim).9.l3 v. M. Wenand (Wellington) 8.10. Wenand's agility enabled him to dodge the majority of' Dunckley's- long-armed deliveries, but occasionally one of the latter found its mark. Wenand showed possession of a. good, clean right. Wenand led more in the second round, but Dunckley mixed it well. The referee stopped the bout, declaring- Wenand the winner^ who, twice appealed for,"below." FEATHERWEIGHT. (Exhibition Bout.) " "'■ W. J. Elliott' (Christchurch), featherweight champion, of Australasia, v. S. Porter (Blenheim), 8.10. In the first round Porter, while lacking the finesse of his opponent, held his end up well, getting one or two on- to the. head which the champion failed to dodge. Elliott,,.of course; was taking things easily. . „ Elliott gaye a good exhibition of footwork in the second round, and*sparred a clever bout. Rapid exchanges were a feature of the third round, Elliott getting in some deliveries which, ha,d they been serious, would have given him many points. A quick fourth round, in which Elliott's dodging came in for much commendation, brought to an end a very enjoyable exposition. BANTAM WEIGHT. A Cunningham (Wellington) 8.4.v. R. Wooster (Blenheim) 7.13. Cunningham got a series of good blows in on the ropes, but in avinoment or two .Wooster showed up better, and mixed it well. The round ended with Wooster again on the ropes. Two business lefts by Wooster opened the second round, and the Blenheimite did the bulk of the leading in this round, but Cunningham evened matters .up!...at the end.. , Straight, hitting inaugurated the third round. Cunningham omitted to follow up his j advantages,,, though Wooster' was showing signs of wear. A few desultory blows were exchanged as the round ended. The bout was awarded to Cunningham. MIDDLEWEIGHT. 1 H. Hope (11.3} v. A. Thompson (10.3 i). Thompson scored rapidly on the ropes, and was not generally at home .when Hope called to deliver his goods. The second round, a replica of the first,' had not proceeded, 'far when Hope cried " enough," and Thompson was awarded the championship for the second year. , WELTER WEIGHT. A. J. Hunter (9.10) v. H. Plumb (9.12). This was the only bout in 'this contest, as the other entrants failed to put in an appearance. After some preliminary sparring, Hunter got his opponent to. the ropes, and] then a succession of 'straight hits j followed, and much clinching, both men being warned by the referee. Plumb scored a good body blow at the beginning of the second round,' but Hunter equalised matters, and had him on the ropes as the gong Avent. The third round commenced with some in-fighting, and a portion of the audience made a demonstration against Hunter, claiming a foul; the refereej however, ordered the bout to proceed. The round was absolutely devoid of science, and Hunter's victory was received with. mixed feeliilgs on the part of the audience. ' j Mr IT. W. Worger has donated a gold medal to be awarded to the most sportsmanlike competitor at the meeting.