BOXING.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIV, Issue 1075, 23 July 1924, Page 11

BOXING.

TORRID FIGHTING. RED BLOODED BOXERS. CLINTON OUTPOINTS OVEREND IN MEMORABLE CONTEST. “Tnc greatest fight for years.” This was the popular description of the great featherweight contest between D. Clinton, Palmerston North (B.st 12lb), and Roy Overend, Hastings (Bst 121 b), at the Town Hall, Wellington, on Monday night (says the New Zealand Times). The pair, while showing a good knowledge of boxing, fought with red blooded courage and fortitude over ten rounds, while the spectators went mad with excitement. Over the last live rounds the pace was terrific, but neither crumpled under the strain. Both took and gave tremendous punishment, find in the end Clinton won a popular victory. There is no need to say that the programme was easily the best staged by the local association for a very long time. The other contest, between Charlie Cann, Wanganui, and Bert Brown, Palmerston North, was also keenly contested, and tho preliminaries were up to standard. Clinton and Overend both looked fit as they entered the ring, and were accorded a good reception. In spite of his cramped stance Clinton showed that he had a good left hand early in the first round, while Overend also scored with the same hand.

The second saw Clinton drawing his right to the body, and covered up against Overend’s left counter. The latter was not timing his lefts well, and missed with a couple of right uppercuts. He connected well, however, in the close work. The pair traded blows freely at the end of the round, and Clinton landed a nice right swing. CLINTON BONING WELL.

The third round saw Clinton boxing splendidly. He darted out his left, and hack moved out of Overend’s range. He also landed a nice light to the ear. Overend made up a great deal in the in-fighting, but was behind at the end of the round.

At the beginning of the fourth, Clinton, using both hands effectively to tlie body, rushed his opponent to the. ropes, but Overend fought him off, and hit out viciously at his retreating opponent. The pair then stood toe to toe, and tlie crowd rocked as both fighters used their hands like piston rods, hitting to lace and body. Overend commenced to make tho fight in the fifth, and after using both hands successfully to tho body, ran in a solid straight left. Clinton rammed home a similar punch a few seconds later, and Overend appeared to be in a bad way.

He commenced to fight strongly, however, and a terrific mill took place, in which botli men hit hard and often. Tlie sixth was a round conducted on similar lines, Overend swinging his right to the side of the head and Clinton followed suit. Clinton jammed his left to the face and Overend paid hackin a like manner. UNABATED FURY.

Blow for blow—and hard ones at that—thrill upon thrill, lollowed in quick succession. The crowd were on their feet, and the din was terrific as the boxers, with unabated fury, cut loose with both hands. Clinton was the first to show signs of wear, and he retreated towards the end of the round showing a battered countenance. The applause was thunderous and prolonged as the men went to their corners alter the most exciting round seen in the Town Hall for a very long time. The seventh was very quiet, with Clinton using his boxing powers to recuperate from the previous strenuous session.

The eighth also opened quietly, but towards the end Clinton sent home a hard right swing to the ear. He back moved to two left counters by Overend, who, however, retaliated effectively with a right swing. The ninth, after a minute of quiet boxing, saw Clinton connect with two solid rights, which closed up Overend’s eye. Then followed a torrid slogging match, and the crowd grew wild with excitement. Clinton smashed his right into Overend’s face and backed out of reach. The former, however, sprang at his opponent, and also sent homo a good right. Then toe to toe they stood, blow for blow was given, and when the gong went both were showing distinct signs of wear. Two battle-scarred warriors were loudly cheered as they advanced grimly to fight out the last session, which was as fierce as any. Both showing signs of the great battle fought, tore at each other with both hands. Yet it was not wild slogging. Both blocked cleverly, but hit fiercely, and after a memorable mill Clinton got the verdict. The crowd cheered both men to the echo as they left the ring. BROWN BEATS CANN.

Charlie Gann, a seasoned fighter, who sealed the bantam limit (Bst 61b), and Bert Brown, whose weight was not announced, gave a good display, and the winner, who is on the improve, showed great promise. The first round opened quietly, and neither man struck a blow until halt the round passed. Cann darted out his lefts, which flicked Brown’s face, and then both men launched out and missed by feet. A'left and right in rapid succession to Cairn’s face rattled the bantam champion, and Brown repeated the dose before the round ended. Brown hit Cann with a left swing to the ear in the second round, and the latter connected with his left. The pall' mixed it with both hands, and the mill resulted in honours even. Brown carried the fight to his man in the third round, in which there was a great deal of clinching. Both showed skill at delivering the rabbit-killer and other kindred blows. Brown connected with a solid right towards the end of the round. Brown was boxing with more confidence in tin* fourth, and used his longer reach to advantage. Towards the end of the session there was a dingdong go on the ropes, and both men traded punches at a great rate. The fight was evenly contested, and sonic splendid boxing was witnessed. Both blocked cleverly and showed a great desire to mix it. BROWN SCORES WELL. Brown shot home a solid left to the chin in the opening of the sixth, and C’ann’s head went back, but he retaliated vigorously m the clinch that followed. Cann was the cleverer in the in-fighting, but Brown had the better of the long range encounter. The seventh saw Cann doing most of the leading, and the round ended slightly in his favour. In the eighth session Brown connected a solid left to the ear and Cann sent homo the same weapon to Brown’s chin. Cann was twice cautioned for using the rabbit-killer, and the round ended in Brown’s favour. The next had its lurid patches, in which there was more missing than hitting, but in the ninth both got home solidly with straight lefts. There was a grent deal of clinching in which honours were even, but Cann lost points by hitting with an open "love. Both were prone to this breach, but Cann was the more frequent offender. Cann ripped a right to the body at the opening of the last session, and Brown walked into two solid rights'