BOXING IN NEW YORK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20263, 24 May 1929, Page 11

BOXING IN NEW YORK.

BANTAM-WEIGHT CONTEST. VICTORY AWARDED TO CUBAN. Australian and N.Z. Press Association. (Received May 23. 5.5 p.m.) NEW YORK. May 22. In a boxing contest between two bantam-weights, La Barba, 12041b. (America) and Chocolate, 1211b. (Cuba), the latter won a majority decision after 10 rounds. It was thought that if both men made 1181b. tho Boxing Commission might proclaim the winner the bantam champion, as that class is now without a leader.

In the first round, after preliminary clinching, La Barba drove the Cuban to the ropes and was a little ahead in a rapid exchange of blows. In the second Chocolate drove a fusillade of rights and a left to the head without return, but the American drove the Cuban to the ropes, finding his opponent's face and body with both hands and a particularly hard left to the head. It was La Barba's round. In the third Chocolate opened with both fists, making La Barba give ground. They then exchanged hard blows, the American landing five lefts to the body and head without return and putting Chocolate on his heels with a left. It was La Barba's round. American in Distress, but Recovers. Chocolate launched a double-handed attack m the fourth, shaking the California)! with rights and lefts to the face, which showed the marks of the blows. The referee warned the Californian to keep his blows higher. This was Chocolate's round. The fifth was even, both men boxing rather carefully. The sixth round was a furious tussle, particularly at the end, at close quarters. The Californian had the Cuban retreating for a time and then Chocolate nearly knocked his opponent down with a haul right to the face, which caught La Barba off his balance. Chocolate won the round. In the seventh La Barba was in distress and fell into clinches. The Cuban was too slow in following up his advantage and the American shook off his lethargy and assumed the offensive. He soon had the Cuban on the ropes, where ho punished him. This was La Barba's round. Decision Unpopular With Crowd. Chocolate showed clear superiority throughout the eighth round. His left jabs and two upperculs to his opponent's chin gave him the lead. Jn the ninth Chocolate started a wild attack, jarring La Barba with lefts to the head, which distressed the Ameiican. It was Chocolate's round. In the tenth Chocolato continued a jabbing attack, which proved effective. Although toward the end of the round tlio American forced the fighting in a sensational manner it was Chocolate s round. The decision was unpopular, the crowd booing Chocolate. It transpires that the decision was not unanimous. The referee and one of the judges gave their decision to Chocolate, but tlio second judge picked La Barba.