BOXING

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7075, 12 March 1910, Page 13

BOXING

I Efc SPOR i SKI AN ? S PAGE

ENGLAND v. AFRICA. SUMMERS AND DOUGLAS FIGHT A DRAW. The big match at Sydney Stadium on tho 4th inst, between Arthur Douglas, of South Africa, and the English boxer, Johnny Summers, drew a bit; crowd, who saw an even light. Air R. L. (“Snowy”) Baker was reforce, and Mr W. T. Kerr timekeeper. From tlio very outset to the end the firhfcing was earnest (says the ' Dai.y Telegraph ”), and of a fair stand of character. Round after round in tho earlier part of the bout tho vigour ol work and his manner of taking full advantage of tho clinches and punching away with ono or both hands, plainly puzzled tho Englishman a great deal. . Very often Summers would imprison Douglas’s left between his (Suinmors’s) right upper arm and body, only to find Douglas walloping the right homo on head and ribs, without knowing how to use his (Summers’s) loft to prevent tho attack from that quarter. Douglas established a pretty good lead up to and, inclusive of the fourteenth round, hut after that the visitor fought as ho should have done from the beginning, and his blows to the stomach told severely on tho South African, who frequently hung on to avoid attack or recuperating timo. . . Tho sixteenth was the most exciting period of the battle, though every round afterwards had tho house in a high-strung condition. Summers fought his man to the ropes, and fought him back to mid-ring, wbero he swung tho right to the jaw, and, as tho referee came between them to break a clinch, Summers drove his left, with tho speed and accuracy of 'a piston-rod, to tho stomach. Douglas was forced back to fall near tho ropes, and, upon rising, at the count of seven, the referee, very wrongfully, assisted him to get steady, by putting his hand under the shoulders. Every subsequent round was fiercely contested, and in Summers’s favour. In tho end the referee declared the battle a draw, and though tho verdict did not seem quite right, it may have been that Mr Baker allowed Summers tho full complement of points for the knock-down in the sixteenth round and several other pronounced advantages. There was much difference of opinion regarding the correctness of the ruling. Many thought Douglas had tho better of matters, and not a few maintained that Bummers should havu gat tho palm. BURNS AND LANG TRAINING. Both Tommy Burns and Bill Lang have settled down to the really serious part of the training for their contest at the' Stadium on Easter -Monday (says the “ Sydney Meriting Herald ”), and already show signs of tho work ■ they have undergone. Those who have seen Burns sparring at the barracks are of the opinion that ho will enter the ring on this occasion better than ever previously in Australia, and ho certainly takes tho eye better than at the same jieriod of his training for his famous contest with Jack Johnson. Lang also is putting in excellent work, a fact that was evidenced at tho Stadium “theatrical afternoon,” when he put up a fast and interesting fourround bout with. Costello. As an incentive to a good preparation, if such were needed, Lang has in view a visit to America shortly, where a victory over the cx-chainpion would add considerably to his drawing power. SUMMERS AND THORN. Johnny Summers has been matched with Frank Thor:: Tho contest will bo decided at the Stadium on April 13th. This contest will, in all probability, bo Summers’s last appearance in the ring in - Australia. Certainly the English boxer has been kept busy during his visit to Australia. THE AUSTRALIAN FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP. • The management have decided to hold an invitation professional tournament at tho Sydney Stadium during Easter week. The prize money will total £l6O, £7O of which, will go to the winner, and £4O to the runner-up m the competition. Eight contestants will be selected from the following fourteen names:—Dealer Wells, P. La Breeze, P. Kellar, Sailor Duffy, A. Dunn, Prank O’Grady, Harry Raff, Frank Pitzjohn, Ted Green, Billy Elhott, Larry Gaffney, O. Cooper, Tommy Hanley, and Ned Murphy. PRANK THORN BEATS kft> MoOOY ON POINTS. The modern school of boxers appear to have lost the art of' hitting hard and twenty round affairs seem all the rage. The sot-to in Melbourne between MoCoy and Thorn was remarkably fast from start to finish (says the “Referee”), and it showed McOoy to bo wonderfully skilful in defence, but a puncher of only moderate strength. In tho early rounds ho repeatedly secured Thorn’s leads. Thorn forced the fighting, but the Kid was so elusive that Thorn was only able to land one out of every half-dozen punches. Thorn tried all devices of the ring on tho youngster, hut it was n °t until the fifth round that ho was able to connect a good: punch with the jaw. This was in tho form of a left uppercut. McCoy stretched out on the floor, looking as if clean outed. At nine seconds, however, ho jumped to his feet, and mad© fast play for Thorn's head. During the next half-dozen rounds it appeared to me as though the old head was treating the youngster with consideration, as he missed quite a number of good opportunities to land telling blows. McCoy also appeared to let some good chances slip, but being up against a champion he ‘was probably afraid to take any risks. In the thirteenth round McCoy, who fought with great spirit, stood out prominently, fighting Thorn from gong to gong, but doing no material dam-

age. At the end ' of tho round, after the bell had sounded. Thorn struck his opponent lightly, and there was immediately a loud appeal from Sara Gray and others in tho Kid’s corner. McCoy was nob in any way hurt, and referee Jim Mitchell fully met the offence by cautioning Thorn to bo more careful. From this stage to the end of the l.attlo McCoy improved, but ho was never once able to make any impresI sion on his older opponent, and tho , contest concluded with both strong on I their legs. SAILOR DUFFY BEATS ELLIOTT. Sailor Duffy added another to his I list of victories on the 3rd inst., when he won on points from Billy Elliott (N.Z.) after a twenty rounds contest. Tho weights were given as: Duffy Bst 10!b, Elliott Bst 81b. Mr Fitzjohn arr.ed as referee. The c-cm.-st was brimful of life from start to finish (says tho “Star”). In the early hounds Duffy was inclined to bo cautious, but when ho warmed up ho gave a good display. His effective smothering bothered his opponent, who, however, gave a grand exhibition of boxing. Elliott opened his opponent’s eye in tho seventh round, but tho sailor drove his opponent back with good straight lefts. The last round was ono. of tho best of the whole fight, good hard blows being exchanged. Duffy got tho decision on points, but it must have been by a very narrow margin.