LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP

NZ Truth, Issue 834, 12 November 1921, Page 8

LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP

O'Neil v. Murray at the Town Hall

Champion K.O.'d m Third Round

A bumper house rewarded the enterprise of the Wellington Boxing 1 Association m catering for local talent, and at the same time staging a go for the professional lightweight championship, Frank O'Neill, of Greymouth, defending the title against Les. Murray, the Dunedin boy. Mr. Alan Mlaxwell refeveed and Air. J. E. Staples and P. W. Woods acted as judges. A preliminary appetiser to the big go was provided m several interesting amateur contests over short distances. The welterweight contest between THogan .and V. Pointon did not eventuate, owing to the latter being unable to box. In its stead an interesting bout was provided by two boys, T. Harris ■ (6st. 31b.) and F. Rather' (6st. 411).). Harris got the verdict. AMATEUR HEAVYWEIGHTS CL.ASH. A contest which was tipped to be above the ordinary m point of interest was the six two-minute rounds amateur heavyweight contest between C. Whittaker- (Westport) and R. Macrae (Nelson). The ;weig'hts as announced were Whittaker, 12.2; Macrae, 13.7. Macrae was a regular long Tom, about \ seven feet tall, and made Whittnker's mere six foot .look quite lilliputian.

The llrst round was uninteresting-. Whittaker found his elongated opponent -a bit difficult. to get next to. They only got together on two occasions and divided the honors. Neither showed speed, nor, it must be confessed, much skill.

In the second round W.hittivker appeared moi'P at home, ami showed superiority, bo ing" a Hhade faster lhan Macrae. Macrae came to light towards the end of the round and used his left effectively. The fight then went to Whittaker for a while. In' the third, round he drew blood from Macrae's nose and the big. fellow, who appeared to lack condition, acted as though he was tired. Whittaker was cautioned for ihitting" with the open glove. In the fifth round, however, Macrae delighted his supporters by. coming back. It was Whittaker's turn to look tired and dopey, and the crowd roared for "Mac," T'he last round was a scrambly affair. Both men were slow and tired, a but Macrae still kept on top and nearly pushed Whittaker through the ropes. Until the final gong they continued to push each other with their lefts- There were very few blows struck with the right at all during the contest. The decision went to Macrae. It was correct, but it met with , a mixed reception from the crowd. Whittaker landed the most blows, but they were mostly aimed with the open glove, and Macrae evened up by stopping him with a useful straight left. What he lacked m speed he gained by his better workmanship. . The amateur lightweight contest between- A. E, Brace (Petone) (9.6) and E. Scott (Wellington) (9.3) followed. Brace, who has a vicious punch m each bunch of digits started out at once to make the fight a willing one, m marked contrast to the two previous contests. He did practically all the leading, and whilst Scott showed fair defence, the Petone lad had him well gone at the end of the second round, and, maintaining his advantage throughout, won very easily. THE CHAMPIONSHIP CONTEST. The weights were; O'Neill (holder) 9.6%, Murray (challenger) 9.7. The champion was the favorite m the betting, but the fight had not been going half a round before his backers began to look worried and> hedge. Murray, m short, made the champion look a mug. They were as evenly matched m height as m weight. Murray, who seem's to improve a mile every fight, let O'Neill do the leading for the first few exchanges, whilst he gave a clever exhibition of ducking" and evasion. He was a treat to watch, and he made O'Neill miss^like an amateur. The fighting' was open. Then Murray hopped m and pushed O'NeiU's head back with a left hook. O'Neill tried to counter, but missed badly. Then.. Murray went m again, and connected with a short left hook to the jaw, and O'Neill dropped. He waited for nine before he rose, so there must have been plenty of ginger behind it. On his feet he stalled and smothered until the .gong".

The second, round saw O'Neill forced into an. early smother and when he opened himself, Murray hooked him to i'he jaw with the ..-left, and sent m a right to the same place. O'Neill tried to even things a bit and lashed out, but wildly, and it was evident that he had met his master m the rugged Dunedinite. O'Neill then got m with his. right to Murray's ear, but Murray replied with another left jab, and m the same exchange his right found O'Neill's ear. Then as they came tog-ether ag-ain, Murray leading, O'Neill tried an uppercut, but missed by inches. Next thing he was down m the canvas again for seven, Murray's left had again connected. He was badly shaken on rising- and Murray, out for business, sent m two heavy left m quick succession to Tiis chin. He toppled over again and only the gong saved him. indeed, Murray, who stood off his man, thought it was all over, and asked the referee if the good news was dinkum. The third round was a massacre. O'Neill vainly tried to stand up against the heavy battery of blows that rained on him. Murray was all over .him, eager to give 'him the k.o, Before this happened O'Neill tried a swing 1 , missed by a mile, and fell over from sheer weariness. Murray let him get up and presented him with a left to the ©or and a right to the midriff, and the referee again counted nine. Badly beaten, but still game, O'Neill got on hia feet to jreeeive his quietus. He vainly tried to smother, and Murray didn't .give him a chanoe to hang on. Just at the end of the round Murray finished off a series of heavy hooks and jabs by swinging his left to O'Neill's ear, and this time the champion went down to stay. O'Neill save a disappointing display and Murray won as easy a championship as any one could wish. It must have been a pleasant evening's amusement for him.