AUSTRALASIAN AMATEUR BOXING CHAMPIONSHIPS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1649, 7 October 1903, Page 50

AUSTRALASIAN AMATEUR BOXING CHAMPIONSHIPS.

SYDNEY, September 30. There was a very large attendance at the National Sporting Club to-night to witness the initial contests for the Australasian aipateur boxing championships. There was excellent sport, the various events being generally well contested. Results: — Bantam Weights—Clifton (New South Wales) beat Barton (New South Wales); Dickenson. (New South Wales) beat Gray (New South Wales). Light-weights.—Tapi in beat Rosenberg (New Zealand); Porbury (New South Wales) beat Bagley (Queensland). Heavy-weights—McKellar (New South Wales) "beat Rodd (New South Wales). Middle-weights.—Fraser (New South Wales) beat Harritt (New South Wales); Griffin (Invercargill, New Zealand) a bye. The finals will be decided on Friday. SYDNEY, October 1. At the Australasian boxing meeting last night, in tho middle-weight championship, Griffin (New Zealand), who was down for a bye, had a bout with James (tho Now South Wales emergency man). The New Zealander made things lively, and would have won easily if a decision had been necessary. SYDNEY, October 2. Fourteen hundred people witnessed the finals *of the Australasian amateur boxing championships at the National Sports Club to-night. The various events were wel'l contested, and proved exciting. Parker (New Zealand) was unable to compete in the featherweight event through being unable to draw the weight, 9st. Dowridge (Queensland) won the. title without being called on to do more than have a lively spar with Markell (New South Wales). The results of the other contests were as follows :—• Bantams—Dickenson beat Clifton. Light weight—Porbery beat Taplin. Middle weight—Griffin (Invercargill. New Zealand) beat Harriott (New South Wales). Heavy weight—Taylor (Wellington, New Zealand) beat McKellar (New South Wales). SYDNEY, October 3. T’lio "Daily Telegraph,” commenting on the boxing contests for the amateur championships of Australasia, which concluded last night, says that Harriott and McKellar are more than ordinarily skilful boxers, but the irresistible sustained rushes of their Maioriland opponents completely disorganised them, and reduced the engagement to a matter of the survival of the fittest. In force and. capacity for taking punishment the visitors proved superior in both respects. Taylor (Wellington) and Griffin (Invercargill) are fighters instinctively, but lack the advantage available to New South Welshmen of an opportunity to learn the art from competent teachers. Describing the middle-weight contest, the ‘Telegraph” says:—‘Griffin was evidently determined t/o do or die. He made a cyqlonic dash at the Welshman, and kept going at a fierce pace. Harriott accepted the challenge and fairly rolled into the enemy; The battle became a hurricane. Amidst the greatest excitement Griffin promiscuously swung his right, bumped Harriott on the ear, and floored him. Another weighty right-hander struck him on the temple, and again he went to the floor and remained there while tho timekeeper counted him out. Tlie bout, which was a merry one, lasted but fifty-three seconds.” The heavy-weight contest was, the “Telegraph” states, equally exciting. The men hurled, swung and jobbed without the faintest effort at defence. When tlie first round terminated they were so engrossed that they delivered blows after the bell sounded. The second round saw disorganised and eager to clinch. Taylor was doadlv in earnest and refused to provide shelter, and at tho .end of ’ the third round the referee had no hesitation in adjudging Taylor the winner. The decision met with a noisy endorsement by the crowd.