AMATEUR BOXERS.

NZ Truth, Issue 60, 18 August 1906, Page 6

AMATEUR BOXERS.

A TRIUMPHANT SUCCESS.

The Local Association Scores a Win.

Somewhat Marred by Too Much Referee and Some Bad Judgment on the Part of That Functionary.

The N.Z. Amateur Boxing Championships meeting, under the control iof the Wellington Association, started fit the Opera House on Thursday evening and concluded last night, was, m .the matters of sport and general management, a veritable ; triuraph, and

honorary secretary Mr Wm. Coffey and his committee are to be highly, .congratulated on the manner m which •'the affair was carried out. Nothing ■that was needed to make things <runsmoothly was omitted and the most carping critic could find nothing to gfiowl at as regards the general management of 'the show.. The only blurr on the clean spectrum was the fereeing of Mr Balfour- Neill, a spruce young mau from Dunedin, said to have experience as a Cambridge, graduate who had seen the game at the collegiate centre on. the Cam. He is a very nice-mannered gentleman, who was, sartor ially. a dream, but he has a lot to learn as a referee of boxing. The competitors were supposed to be boxing under Queensberry. rules, but it appears that the.N.Z. Association has added to these, little sideshows 01 its own, which are confusing ,to those accustomed to the worldwide system. For instance, one rule provides that "a competitor, may not hit while held by an opponent' ; .which is simply farcical and tending .to trickery- If followed out it means Ithat a spar could be reduced to a, farce; for one man could duck -and clinch all through and the other dare not hit him, under pain of disqualification. Hence the spectacle, on Thursday night, of a 'good, punishing fighter, held by one lacking grit, actually free as to both hands and yet not allowed to punch the clinging cocktail off. The thing is atsurd,, and the sooner the Association cuts out that little rule of its own manufacture, the better. A man accustomed to it, visiting, say, Sydney, where (they fight real Q. rules, would be at an immense disadvantage; and probably- would be knocked out while ne was tenderly hanging on to a man who had a perfect right : to hit while his hands were free. It was this comical lij/tle enactment, unheard of anywhere, else m the world that caused the referee to appear to be struggling to recite Tennyson; his "break, break, Threat, bein.^ painfully rnoEiotonous, and people . continually expected him to add on {thy cold grey stones, -oh, sea. • . A 'feature that lent a sort of evangelical atmosphere, • was the two corner stewards, or "official seconds.." i These nice, respectable,, elderly gents, one expected to see handing out hymn books and showing strangers to seats (under the pulpit, and later onjpushing the plate. To, observe " them coiiscientoulsy wiping - gore off the gloves appeared incon-v grubus. ■'„;,.'■■ .-...■'-. While Dr. Newnj&ri- was ;haranguiag the crowd on .Thursday night, a sudden grinding. Splitting sound, ending m a thunderous crash, temporarily stopped the How of his eloquence, and all the . eastern stage-seats, with their load tif prominent citizens and other dangerous characters, went down kerflop on the cold world. The thing imght have been sergous and, the nvan responsible should have (been underneath, /'

A* to the decisions of the* referee it was notable that he differed materially from- ttee opinion of older judges round the ring, on at least two occasions, and on both it was Auckland men who suffered. Lewis undoubtedly beat Moloney, the Wellington , mid-dle-weight, to whom he conceded! Bfts and 3 inches. He opened Moloney 's eye ,witli a left hook at the very onset, and kept scoring points with t- the sinister duke all through the first tw»i "rounds, having the big man groggy 'and hazed, and bleeding profusely ftrom the cut and nose and mouth 1 . In the third he also led for over j), minute and nearly jerked Moloney 's spine put of joint with his left drives. Then he foolishly went f or a knock-out with the right, and though he got it on he left himself °Pen to Moloney's wild swings. A Vm connected and Lewis wearied and *Vit the close, though Moloney's right eye was filled and he was a mere dilapidation, he got a most astounding verdict over a much better and more effective boxer. The other occasion on which' the referee ,waj3 m opposition to almost all the big crowd/ was when he awarded the palm (to Robertson, of Aslvburton (13st 41b), against McConnell (13st), of Auckland. The latter led throughout, had the /taller and heavier man groggy and Weeding from both ears, nose and mouth ;, lreq-uenttlyj staggering and booking disgruntled and hopeless, and only, occasionally leading m desperation ; and yet Mr Neill ordered a , fourth round and then gave his award to Robertson, who at the moment was practically, out and than whom there was not a more surprised man m the theatre, when he heard that he'd won. In the go between Tresize and Tobin, toto, the referee incurred the ill-feeling, of the audience by. stopping it m the first round ; and an

angry voice exclaimed "We paid four bob, to see fighting, not a meeting of tthe Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Anrimals." 'As a fact, Tobin had a fighting chance when sent, .very miioh astonished, to his corner. Ben Traceyj was a world too good for Walker, -of Christchurch, m the bantams, ano! won brilliantly by outing his oppotient 30secs before the end of the thiixjf round.. He's a little tradesman <l

In the feaffcher class the Aucklander J. Godfrey (9st) met D. Sinclair .(9st), of Wellington, and simply made a puricbing bag of him. Sinclair was helpless voder Godfrey's rain of amazingly hasrd punches, and the referee wisely storpped the bout m the middle of the Ist round, and declared Godfrey the vrinnar.

Gould (Tim-am) and Patterson '(Dunediai) fo\;ght fiercely an<! at. a goad batjall the way, ; but Gould

was always a bit m front and got the award.

Trezise (Ashburton, 8.12) beat Tallin (Wellington, 8.12-i) m 2£ minutes, the referee stopping it as stated above.

In the light-weight class Marks of Taranaki (9.7) was opposed to Parker, of 'Dunedin, but the man from Cowland was no match for the vigorous and vicious Southerner, who drives a woundy ugly straight left with all his weight behind it and whips a right-cross over that is calculated to unhinge any man's thinkability. Parker won easily. , Maizy (9.12), of Christchurch, met a fiddler m J. O'Donoghue (10.0), of Wellington, and biffed him good and hard while the O'D. was wriggling his flippers like an excited seal. Maizy led all the- -way till the referee intervened and let 'O'Donoghue out m the second round.

Blewden and Chamberlain provided the comedy turn of the show. The former is a whale on swings, and the namesake of "Screw Joe" funked'em badly ; and after ducking and diving around like a scared rooster, for half a round, he stopped one with his nose and lay down to let it bleed nice and comfortably, ' while the timekeeper counted him out. It took 2£ minutes to satisfy Chamberlain that' it is a fool of a game, anyhow.

Middleweights Kirk (Wellington), 10.4, and Brenriand (Timaru) 11.2, gave a poor exhibition, the latter getting the verdict, much to the disgust of a rowdy local section of the pit-push. ' Nash (Christchurch, 10.7£) beat Thompson (Wellington, 10. 13£) m "2min 20secs, the referee stopping an unequal contest.

Two hard looking citizens m Fletcher (Wellington, 11.0) and Shaw (Christchurch, 11.4) went the three rounds, at a punishing gait,' and Shaw won nicely. The Lewis-Mo-loney scrap is described m the introductory remarlfs above. So also the heavy-weight contest. Both decisions were paralysers.

The attendance on Friday night to witness the finals was such as made the officials smile hugely and open bottles with a delightful abandon. His noble Ex. graced the stage and did his best to look interested m a sport that was meant for men. The Hon. James Carroll, J. Millar and J. /Rigg were also m evidence and seemed to thoroughly enjoy the good sport provided. .• BANTAMS. '■''■"

B. Tracy, 8.3£, of Wellington met J. Ward, 8.2 i (Auckland). The mill didn't last long. The local lad was too good, and with a left chip on the chin ' floored his man. . There was some boo-boo-ing, but the 'punch was straight and clean and Tracy got the verdict on his merits. l

FEATHER-WEIGHTS. 'J. Godfrey, 9.0, Auckland, beat B. Gould, 9.0, Timarii. Godfrey led all the .way, although he was considerably shook up m the last round. Godfrey seems to imagine he is a heaven born champion, but it only wants a second-class professional to meet him to take a huge amount of the starch away.

Godfrey looked like bumping up against a snag m Trezise, from Ashburton, but the inept referee considered the latter fouled m the . second round, and gave the decision against him..

LIGHT-WEIGHTS. A'. Parker, 9.12, Dunedin, beat A. J. Blewden, < 9.11, Auckland., This was a very even go. The referee could not decide on the three rounds and ordered a fourth. Parker won on his leads and sterling showing, although his opponent made a great fight. The crowd favored the loser, and made a great demonstration against the referee. s .

Parker, still weak from his struggle with Blewden, met Maizey m the final, but the latter never left the matter m doubt, and ended it m the third round.

MIDDLE-WEIGHTS. J. Moloney, 11.4, Wellington, beat 'J. Brennand, 11.2, Timaru, m half a round. A left hook settled the Timaru boy.

A. Nash, 10.8, Ohristchuroli, teat H. Wolffe, 11. 3£, Wellington. A' good fight, but Nash led all the way. Moloney lost to Jean Shaw on a foul. This decision was very unpopular, and Moloney should have won.

Shaw and Nash met m the final and it was the fight of the evening. Both are Christchurchian and fougnt from start -to finish, punishing each other severely. Nash got the verdict m the third round,, the sponge going up. for his opponent.

HEAVY-WEIGHTS. E. W. Pearson, 11.12, Wellington, beat T. C. Lewis, 13.0, Auckland, A very tame three rounds.

Robertson, 13.4, met Pearson, 11.12. Robertson had all the best of three rounds, but had the fight given against him on a foul. There was a big uproar at the decision and Robertson certainly deserves all sympathy. He had the best of the fight and should have had the verdict, but he made the fatal mistake of hitting his opponent when down.

The Council has chosen Messrs W. G. A tack (Christchurch) Balfour Neill (Dunedin) and B. W. McVilly (Wellington) to select the New Zealand team to compete at the ! Australian Championship meeting- m Sydney next month.