PROFESSIONAL BOXING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20423, 27 November 1929, Page 14

PROFESSIONAL BOXING.

THOMAS BEATS HAY.

'AN. UNEXPECTED ENDING.;

DECISION GIVEN ON FOUL.

ELEVENTH ROUND INCIDENT.

Tho professional boxing contest held fib tho Town Hall last night under the auspices of tho Northern Boxing Association for a purse of £l5O, between 'Artio Hay (Hastings), list (professional .welter and middle-weight, champion of New Zealand), and Billy Thomas, Wales, lOst 131b, cijded in an unexpected manner in tho eleventh round, Thomas getting tho decision on a foul. Coming out of a clinch Hay, who at tlie time was holding Thomas with his left, crossed in front of Thomas and swung him backwards hard to tho boards. Thomas landed oti tho back of his head and was quite dazed, but came to his feet and citing to tho ropes. Tho referee, Mr. 11. Mealo, recognised tho irregularity as ho did not' proceed to count Thomas out when the boxer failed to rise immediately. Tho referee, however, took sonio time to make up his mind what action was necessary, but (hero was loud clieeting when ho held Thomas' hand up as tho >vinner. Breach by Hay.

Hay committed a breach of (he lidding rulo throughout the fight, but on moro than ono occasion Thomas camo under tho censure of tlio referee, whereas Hay >vas equally "to blame. In the first round Thomas, was unfortunato in having an old eye wound opened in a clinch. This no doubt troubled him considerably and prevented him showing to better advantage. Hay l'ought doggedly, as is his usual wont, and tip to tho last round it looked foregono he would get the verdict. Tho ,first round opened quietly, both feeling their way. Thomas slipped to tho boards, but was up immediately and swung a left lo the head. Hay forced his man to (lie ropes in the corners. Thomas moved nicely on his feet and avoided some heavy punches. Hay sent in a hard right cross to the head, Thomas replying with a left swing to the body. Hay opened tho second round with a right to tho jaw, but missed badly throughout tho rest of tho round. Thomas placed a right half-arm to tho jaw in a clinch. The third round saw Thomas livening up. He landed a left swing to the body, with a return left to (lie head, followed by a r light to tho head. Hay missed badly and Thomas won his first round.

Thomas started off in tho fourth with a straight left lead io tho jaw. Ho anticipated Hay's left swing and returned a nard right to the body, following up with a left to tho same mark. Hay forced his man to the ropes and placed a right cross to tho jaw, a left to the body and a right cross to the head.

At the' fifth bell Hay rushed Thomas to ' tho ropes, the Welshman dodging smartly from an awkward position. Hay scored \vith a right to the head and a right to the body. Warning For Thomas.

In the early stages of tho sixth round Thomas slipped to tho floor, the referee issuing an unnecessary warning. Hay rushed matters, but Thomas replied well. The seventh round appeared to be the beginning of the end. Thomas slipped to the boarjrls for the count of three, and half-heartedly indicated a low hit. Tho referee warned him for going down. Hay was still holding in the eighth round, when ho tried forcing a conclusion, but faile/1. Near the end of the round Hay swung Thomas to the floor with his left around the body. Thomas was very tired in the ninth but fought gamely. From a left to the body and a right to tho point, Hay had Thomas down "for four. Hay rushed his man when he rose. Landing a left to the head and a left swing to the body, ho had the Welshman down again for seven. In the concluding stages of tho round Thomas went down again for seven. Hay had his man very groggy and floundering in the tenth, the bell saving Thomas from a knock-out. The eleventh round saw the end. From a breakaway Hay threw his opponent heavily backwards to the boards with his left around the body. The referee then awarded the verdict to Thomas on a foul. The Amateur Preliminaries.

Four amateur preliminaries were fought prior to the professional match, the results being:—A. Spragg, Bst 131b, defeated T. Collins, 9st lib, in a feather-\ve:ght-bout. F. Lindesay, lOst lib, was awarded the verdict in a welter-weight contest over A. Blewden, lOst 31b. A draw was declared between C. Smith, 9st and C. Manson, 9st l|lb, although the latter was slightly ahead on points.' In a bantam-weight bout C. Hill. Bst 61b, defeated J. McLaughlin, Bst 3-flb.

Arrival of Billy Grime.

Billy Grime, the' Australian boxer, arrived by the Ulimaroa from Sydney yesterday. .'Ho will leave to-day for Napier, where life is to meet Johnnie Lcckie on Saturday week. Grime was introduced to the crowd at the Town Hall last evening prior to the Hay-Thomas contest, and ho was' accorded a big reception.