CHAMPION BOXERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20990, 29 September 1931, Page 12

CHAMPION BOXERS.

HUGHES DEFEATS JOHNS.

PROFESSIONAL BOUT DECIDED

DECISION GAINED ON POINTS. The return professional boxing contest between Archie Hughes, feather-weight champion of New South Wales, and Harry Johns, light-weight champion of New Zealand, took place at the Town Hall last evening, Hughes winning on points at tho end of fifteen three-minute rounds. The Australian thus avenged his former defeat by Johns on points. 'lhe bout last evening was one of the brightest seen in Auckland for some years, and it was worthy of much better patronage, there being but, a small attendance. The boxers were evenly matched in weight, Hughes being 9st. 61b. and Johns 9st. 731b. They mixed it willingly all tho way through. The amateur preliminaries were all of high standard and wore enjoyed by tho spectators. The officials wereßeferee, Mr. R. Meale, professional, and Mr. N T . McLean, amateur; announcer, Mr. W. Dervan; judges, Messrs. G. Bush, E. A. Craig, F. Burns, W. Luke; timekeeper, Mr. C. Cowan. Lively Opening. The bout started at a lively pace, there being two-handed exchanges. Johns landed with right swings several times and then a right by Hughes removed some skin from the si<lo of his opponent's nose. Johns had the better of this iound and also tho second, in which he scored with rights to tho iiead and body. Johns did some clinching with his right arm and was spoken to by tho referee, lhe AucVlander obtained many more points with good use of both hands, particularly tho right. Tho third round was more even, Hughes doing his sharo of attacking. Johns badly over-reached himself, landing on his head on the canvas, but he was not hurt. There were seme good rallies, but the clever defence of both prevented any blows from becoming effective. Johns' left eye \yas showing signs of punishment in the fourth round. He was crouching too much, and this enabled the Australian to land three successive blows to the head. It was Hughes' round by a small margin. Johns landed a hard right from long range early in the fifth round. Hughes was then cautioned for hitting with one hand while holding with the other. There was one good rally before the gong, tho round ending with honours about even. Another lively exchange followed in round six, after which both scored simultaneously with their rights. Each was guilty of holding, th» referee being kept busy. Johns landed twice to the body with his left and then to tho head with three rights. Hughes gained points with two uppercuts, Johns replying by rushing his opponent to the ropes, where a lively exchange roused the crowd. I his was a good round, of which Johns had a little the better. Blood flowed from Johns' nose in the eighth round, Hughes again uppercutting him. Johns bit the Australian's head neatly with both hands, but Hughes went in'and mixed it freely. Johns took a good deal of punishment, but landed a left swing before the gong. The pace began to slacken in the ninth round, which was only natural, as it had been very fast up to this stage. Johns scored more often and won the round.

Clever Defence. Johns missed with uppercuts when rising from a crouch. Both were displaying cleverness in avoiding punches. A good right by Hughes found its mark on the side of Johns' head. A straight left went past the Australian's guard and then there was a good two-handed rally. Johns placed a right'to the head when coming up from a crouch. Another right followed, but Hughes attacked vigorously, inflicting punishment with solid body blows with both hands. Johns added to his points with lefts to the head, but a viciouu right by Hughes just missed its objective, the glove landing on the side of the Aucklander's neck. Johns made a good rally to win the round. There was a good deal of missing by both early in the thirteenth round. Hughes placed some hard rights to his opponent, s ribs, which he made his objective to pile up a lot of points. Both appeared to recognise that the scoring had been fairly even up to this stage and they made the pace willing in the fourteenth round. Johns scored with both hands, but ho took some stinging body blows near the heart which made him groggy. He effected a good recovery, however, and dodged further punishment. Hughes maintained his body attack in tho final round, but Johns, replied strongly, giving' as good as he received. The Aucklander's great rally roused the crowd, but he was behind on points when the final gong sounded. * Amateur Preliminaries.

Fly-weight. —B. Burgess, 7st. 121b., beat C. Croul, 7st. 121b. Burgess, a nuggetybuilt lad, landed well to head and heart with his solid right, scoring freely. Croul wisely boxed his man, fighting back well It was a good bout. Feather-weight.—A. Sprats, Bst. 121b., beat, J. McLachlan, Bst. 111b. Bright two-handed work by both made this a delightful bout. Spragg was the aggressor throughout, his left lead piling up points, especially irf the final round. Middle-weight.—"W. Mullins, list. 3slb., boat A. Broadl.ead, list. 21b. This was very fast for the'weight, both putting plenty of action into their work. Although a newcomer to the Auckland ring, Broadhead showed tenacity against a weightier puncher. Feather-weight.—o. Smith, 9st. 41b., beat L. Ball, 9st. lib. Ball is a wrestler, and although he went into his man, Smith's chances at no time looked in doubt, the referee, intervening in the final round.