BRIGHT BOXING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22612, 28 December 1936, Page 13

BRIGHT BOXING

WIN FOE AUSTRALIAN

NEVILLE MUDGWAY DEFEATED DECISION GIVEN ON POINTS One of the brightest boxing contests seen in Auckland for sonic time took place at the Town Hall on Saturday night, tho participants being Bill.\ Martin, of Australia, and Neville Mudgway, of Waihi. Twelve threeminute rounds were fought and Martin gained the decision on points. This met with a mixed reception. Martin certainly had all tho better of the first half of the bout. He displayed remarkable speed, excellent footwork and ability to vary his twohanded attack. Mudgway, however, after an apparent nervous start, took good measure of bis opponent, and he was seen to advantage over the later stages. In fact, he had the visitor groggy more than once, and his relentless attack in the final round looked likely to turn the verdict in his favour. Martin came from Australia with the outstanding reputation of having lost but four matches out of the 108 he had contested, and probably on this account, or perhaps because of the holiday night, the house was not nearly so large as it should have been. Could patrons of the sport have anticipated what actually happened, there is no doubt that the attendance would have been almost a record for Auckland. Martin's Early Attack Once Mudgwav obtained the measure of his opponent he greatly enhanced his reputation as a plucky and clever lighter. In the earlier rounds Martin used a body attack with effect. Some of his blows, however, were well on the borderline in connection with the region of the kidneys. He was also guilty of a few rabbit punches. Martin fought in similar style to Cyril Pluto and other Australians who have visited Auckland in recent months. He had a showy style and from the start fought with the greatest confidence. In the fourth round the boxers' heads came into collision, Mudgway sustaining a cut on the head, whilo Martin's left eyebrow was fairly deeply cut. It appeared as if the latter injury would seriously trouble the Australian, but it responded to treatment between rounds.

The visitor showed visible signs of temper during the round in question, and, when Mitdgway countered a vicious attack with just as willing an exchange, the onlookers were on their toes and cheering wildly, hrom the fourth round onward Mudgwav made up most of his leeway in regard to points. In the sixth round lie sent the Australian to his corner very worried, Martin rubbing his cheek following a stinging right which had landed flush. During the last three or four rounds Martin was definitely on the retreat, although occasionally ho dashed in swiftly in an endeavour to score with left or right rips to the body. Mudgway's splendid defence stood him in good stead, as he took the majority of his opponent's blows 011 his gloves, arms and elbows. In addition, his shaping up with his chin tucked behind his left shoulder made such a target almost impossible to reach.

Feature of Match Tho defence of the Waihi mnn was ono of the features of tho match. lie certainly enhanced his reputation in the eyes of the Auckland boxing public. Many of those present considered there was little between the men when tho twelfth and final round commenced and there was 110 question about who won this —it was Mudgway's by '.a very wide margin. One thing is certain, and that is that any association in New Zealand fortunate enough to obtain a rematching of this pair will not be disappointed. Both are willing fighters, with Mudgway appearing the better stayer. A fifteen rounds contest 011 Saturday night could scarcely have resulted otherwise than in his favour, perhaps by a knock-out. Prior to the commencement of tho match a telegram was read from Wattie Robertson, of Gisborne, issuing a challenge to the winner. Martin had an advantage in weight, scaling 10.95, against Mudgway's 10.2. The officials were as follows: —Referee, Mr. R. Meale; judges, Messrs. A. B. Joplin, H. W. Brien; announcer, Mr. W. E. Dervun; timekeepers, Messrs. J. K Douglas, C. Cowan. Amateur Preliminaries . Bantam-weight.—H. Stock, 8.12, beat L'\ Viskovich, 8.13, on points. This was a solid, hard-hitting contest, one of the best amateur bouts seen at the Town Hall for some time. Both were loudly applauded. Feather-weight.—P. Negus, 9.4}, beat A. Marshall, 9..'5, on points. Marshall won the lirst two rounds easily, tho boxing being wild and unscientific on the part of both. Negus staged a great recovery in tho last two rounds, having: his opponent very groggy at the final gong. Light-heavy-weight.—Stoker Jackson, 12.0, beat M. •Zivic, 12.0, on points. .Jackson's greater experience stood to him, although he was faced by an opponent with whom ho could not afford to take too many liberties. Welter-weight.—V. Caultaux, 10. beat I). .Johnson, 10.9. This bout had nob been in progress many seconds when Johnson fell to tho mat and in doing so twisted tho eartilege of his knee and was unable to continue, Caultaux being declared tho winner.

WELTER-WEIGHT MATCH ADAMS WINS OJ'KX-Allt BOUT [hv TKi.i'r.nAcn —piikss association ] CMUISTt'IfUIU'II, Sunday Les Adams, of Ashburton, !)st. 121b., beat A 1 Stock, Napier, lUst., in a professional welter-weight boxing bout in the open air last evening. Stock was the better boxer in the lirst three rounds, but in the next six Adams landed heavy jolts. Stock took the twelfth and then in the final three Adams regained an advantage. He owed bis win to greater stamina, a longer reach, and ability to take the light to his opponent.

EMPIRE TITLE FEATHER-WEIGHT MATCH (Received Dei enilirr '>l, 7.15 p.m.) JOHANNESBURG, Dec. 2(1 The Glasgow boxer Johnny MeGrory won the Empire feather-weight championship to-dav, outpointing Willie Smith, the South African holder of the title.