BOXING

New Zealand Times, 12 September 1907, Page 6

BOXING

AMATEUR CHAMPION FINALS. SOME EARNEST CONFLICTS. A very large crowd of people gathered to witness the finals in the contests for Australasian amateur boxing championships last night at the Opera House, It was anticipated that these conte&ts would in some degie© compeiicate siguteeers for the rather i>oor show given on Tuesday night. Throughout the contests the crowd showed the keenest interest, and at times the enthusiasm grew white-hot. The referee had at tlm.ee great difficulty in stilling the human tempest, and the primeval passion of man who desires to see his fellow man badly beaten louna expression In frequent uproar. The first item on the biil-01-far© was the final contest for the BANTAM CHAMPIONSHIP. This contest was between E. Lusher (“Fean"), of N.S.W., and J. Parker, of Christchurch. Lusher was the pet of Tuesday night, and he began scoring honours with his amazing lelt, which is perhaps the finest feature of the meeting. Parker holds his legs too wide apart and is lor his size a heavy hitter. The first round was marked by the finest skill on the part ol the stranger, Parker at times getting in nice right-hand smashes, followed by a' left that is not so quick as is his' opponent's. The first round wound- up with an upper-cut lent by the New Zealand boy to his friend from across the water. In the second round the Welshman showed his finetse in the quick avoidance of his opponent whose longer reach gave him an advantage. Parker always jumps with his hit. Throughout this light the little stranger showed that he had learnt the game with his head, and he is a tactical boxer of whom much will vet be heard if he keeps fit and well. Lusher ducks with address and confidence, and although he got a dazing left-hand smack in the final round he appeared undistressed. It was amidst great cheering that the fight was awarded to Lusher, who might, with some justice, bo described as one of the finest scientific boxers who has appeared in Wellington. , WELTER, J. Lone, of N.S.W., had to meet A. L. Nash, of Christchurch, and the fight was immediately interesting by reason of the fact that both forgot that there was an art in boxing, and went for quick finality, devoid of science or any other redeeming feature. It was a murderous assault with heavy pegging on. both sides, whereat the audience howled in ©cstacy. During the whole of this fight, which would in no sense be dignified by the name of boxing, the wildest pandemonium reigned, and the crowd enjoyed itself hugely. - ' . , The New Zealander went down quickly, but was up in remarkably short order, and plugged blindly, as did his opponent, with desperate intent. . This was a war of great intensity, a contest in which apparently blind fury dominated both men. The N.S.W. man was counted out in the second round, Nash being hailed the winner amidst a jell of enthusiasm that might eas'ly have happened in any Roman amphitheatre. There was not the faintest gleam of science in this contest, which was simply a murderous attack. : ■ LIGHT-WEIGHTS. This contest between D. White, of New South Wales, and J R. Mayze, of Christchurch, which town, by the way, seems to produce many pugilists, was a good deal interesting. Mayze appeared in the ring bandaged above the elbow of both arms. The Welshman showed a very powerful biceps, and was a hard, convincing hitter. Many wild swings but no boxing occurred in this bout, and the whole possible results were based on the merest chance. New South Wales was throughout as game ais the proverbial pebble, and when, after one of the most willing mills one could desire, the fight was given to Mayze the crowd hooted with dismay. It was appareutlv so given because Whit© boxed on after the gong sounded, but the reifrree explained that Whit© was deaf. White, by the way, is a true sport, and accepted; the decision with the greatest equanimity.' He received an ovation, which he thoroughly deserved, not for his boxing abilities, but. for his pluck. - FEATHER-WEIGHTS. \ A. Treeize, of Ashburton, mot W. Elliott, of Timaru, in this class. Tresize has a long reach, which his more skilful opponent avoided with skilfulness. This was a very excellent exhibition of the finer ooints of the game. ■ Indeed it was' the finest bout of either meeting. Elliott fights all over and with the best of good nature. He is quick, resourceful, full of quaint devices and unexpected forms of attack, has a fine , defence, lunges with' address, and puts weight behind the lunge, although there is not much of him. He -also'...feints with success, and is an all-round boxer whom it is a pleasure to watch. His methods are not vicious and he plays the gamei' . Fault may be : found , with his habit of holding gloves open. In the fourth round. Trosize'e rushes were always ,m*t with Elliott's prevailing left, and the footwork of V>th men was commendable. When Elliott won people said the fight was a gift to him, for he had.' shoVn that he • knew-, most., of the things that were worth knowing in the cleon,. straight branch of the sport. Elliott was awarded the medal for the best nil-round boxer at the meeting. H© and the excellent Lusher, who is also one of the boxers seen here, deserved any credit they got. middle-weights. A J. Scanlon, of Queensland, and L. Fletcher, of Wellington. Scanlon went for blood from the sound of the gong; and his tremendous « and unscientific manner nonplussed the New Zealander, and had him* beaten from the start. This was a mere minute or two of eteamhammer punching, which resulted in Scanlon being declared the-winner, the New Zealander going down and rising without continuing. This was in no sens© a boxing match .It was prizefighting with the gloves on.