BOXING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18298, 15 January 1923, Page 9

BOXING.

DARGAVILLE ASSOCIAXION. SMITH- DEFEATS KEENAN. ._ DECISION IN TWELTH ROUND The boxing ; carnival promoted, "by the Dargaville Boxing Association and held in the Town Hall, Auckland, on Saturday evening, attracted a very large gathering. The annual meeting of the Dargaville Racing Club was held at Ellerslie on Saturday, and the Dargaville Boxing . Association, by. permission :of . the Northern Boxing Association,-.; was enabled to hold its race night carnival in Auckland. The chief event of the evening was a 15-round professional welter-weight ..contest between J.; Keenan, of Auckland, and S. Smith, of for a purse of £150. The contestants entered the ring in excellent condition. ; Keehan's weight was announced as 10st.-4ilb. j and Smith's as lOst. ;2£lb: The contest 1 ended: in the twelfth round, Smith being adjudged the winner by the referee, Mr. T. Sampson, The referee's action was undoubtedly correct, as Keenan, who had been showing signs of distress -in the : two previous rounds, was in a bad way when: the referee intervened. Progress of the Bout. There was little to choose between v the contestants in the first seven rounds, both men dealmc; out heavy ..punishment to the i body. , In the early... stages -of the... combat there was p. good deal of clinching, and in : the fifth round both men were cautioned by : the referee for holding and: hitting. The adraomt.on proved effective, and subsequently the work wu3 cleaner '.and more, to the taste of the spectators. K.eenan.'t> powers began to : wane in' the eighth round, but Smith eeemed as fresh as when he entered the ring. The rugged .."-. methods of ,- the latter gradually wore - down his ; opponent, /who showed splendid ; grit but . could do little more than cover up in defence during the last two rounds Keenan- opened hostilities by hooking i the left well to the-body, and bringing the ; glove •up to, the head.. 'Smith: scored a. couple of straight lefts, V.but : missed with his -right. There was little between them in the clinches. Both scored good lefts to the body in the second round, /and exchanged lefts to the head. Keenan .got: homo well with a- left ■ -to -the -body,.just before : the; gong. went. In; the third there; was a good deal of in-fight-ing, Keenan having rather the better of the closo work, though there was little to choose between them. 5 — .--,- ; -The fourth .was, :*. very busy Session, both men being anxious to mix matters. Smith , landed good lefts and rights to v the body, and Keenan scored with both : hands to ;- the face. .The pair were in the midst :of a. hofr rally when the gong went. ; The three sue-/ ; ceeding rounds were .boxed at a' fast pace, ; both, men scoring heavily, to:", the body. *:■/.., In the eighth eesaion Smith forced matters,"; and landed left -and right to the head withweight. ■ Keenan appeared to. tire a little, but : Smith kept him moving, arid "scored freely to the body. ' Keenan landed a couple, of / weighty lefts •to the / body, but failed to . con--', nect ■ with swings to : the head. Smith con- •' tinued ;tp force -matters in' the -next ; : two rounds, iind '. had i Keenan' ■': in •,a bad s way -at . the conclusion of the: tenth. Smith was much . the stronzer- m. the' eleventh session, but could .not" land -a , con- : vincing blow, though he punished his op-; . ponent in-the body,' In*. twelfth it: -was . obvious that 'Keenan was beyond taking an effective part in; the .contest,; and /the/, re-' .-,< feree intervened as stated. . I "V," " The Amateur Contests. : ?, .Prior to the : chief event ' & number of amateur bouts were contested,; excellent ;- lorm being shown bv ; the:'majority of the ..•■. competitors.- .; _ ■ '.> '„■,",.'-,; U'ly-weights.—T.. Elliott, 7st lllb. and E. : - Halford. 7st 81b; met in a three-round: con-, - test. Both/ lads showed fine skill.' Halford . was more nigged 111'■■' this 'methods: than/, hia , ! opponent,-and kept -trying for /a knock-out;: " Elliott used a straight loft very -effectively,: ,' and at times mixed matters willingly. ;At -.-< the conclusion of the third round the judges > were ' unable /to'/ agree, ■■< and referee ordered another round to: bo:'.boxed. '-Tho, { position /: was the tamo ■> at the/ end of : the: .] extra round .arid ■: the referee: declared' , the j bout a draw. - ... 1 ■T.; Cato. 7st 71b, and .J. - Poatleweight, : 7st .-' lllb, provided a fast and exciting three-round < bout. Poatleweight did much the better 1 work in the,first round,:scoring heavily with; , rights to the body. /Cato.. did "- f better in 1 the I ■■ succeeding ; rounds', but -Pestle weight'a work ' was always the more effective and ,he .re- 1 ceived < the fudges' .--.awsßrd. ' ,;,.„'■ ( . Peather-weiKhts.-rC. -'.v..Tr6weni,'' : .-.,.of'i--Wha-'. ', ngarei. &st, and VC. Facoory, of ■: Auckland, ' Bst 131b, met in a': six-round bout. ../-- The 1 first round saw some strenuous" milling,; but 1 both lads boxed rather- wildly; Faeoory was « cautioned by the referee in the first round; ■■ and in : the second: was disqualified for hold- l ing;and hitting. ■__--.■_;- -./■- ■:.'_-'-. <~. - 1 Ligbt-wcirhts.--P. Hams, of Dargaville, < 9st/ 13!b, and C. Haggle., of Ngaruawahia. ] ',j 9st ; 121b, provided ~an interesting -six-round 1 ■ bout. In • the ' first. round ; Hasgie. ./'using aj 1 good • straight loft, varied occasionally With pi a right cross, . was much superior to /the-, , Dargaville representative. Adopting different!! : ' ;tactics in the second /round..;; Harris ..went 'i ' into his man and did much-; better. Hat'srta 1 wet the onslaught : well, and always 1 had a ] little the better of matters;/ Both: judges-de-, ;.j clared in favour o!' Haggle; '•'.-, .>!:"'-'.i;'''L- ■ ';: . ; In. *he amateur bouts M«ssrs. T. Sampson ■<■ and .C. Bush acted as "judges,; and Mr :. w. , Palmer as referee. :{