THE FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP.

NZ Truth, Issue 890, 16 December 1922, Page 8

THE FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP.

Gunn Outpoints Maddox

On Monday night the Otago Boxing Association staged- a contest for the professional featherweight championship of New Zealand between Duke Maddpx, of Hastings, holder of the title, and Harry Gunn, Timaru. The high prices of admission rind insufficient advertising had v a noticeable effect on the attendance, -which was nothing like v what it should have. been; Jack Kilmartln was referee. .The weights were announcer? as Maddox Bst 131 b, Gunn Sst 121 b. ''-Hatfry- Withy was Maddox's principal mentor, while Gunn had" the advantage of the experience of Les Murray and Alf Fyffe. The story of the fight is soon told. It was a rattling good contest, seldom approaching anything like 1 , brilliance, but fought m delightfully sporting fashion.- The pace was ori. from the outset, with Maddox doing all the leading. In> close work he scored repeatedly, but standing off, Gunn quite

held his own m earlier rounds. He has a very snappy left with plenty of power behind it, and he obviously hurt Maddox on more than one occasion. Maddox was continually aggressive, but Gunn's cleverness m back-moving, ducking and , evading punishmnet caused the champion at times to look like a novice. Indeed it may not be too much to say thdt this won the title for Gunn. TJp to the eighth round no one could foretell the ultimate winner, but m that session Gunn, who has the heavier punch by far, landed several times with sufficient force to . steady Maddox very considerably. In the ninth round Ounn's right cheek Was bleeding, and •Maddox played for the injured spot, but was still baffled by Gunn's evasiveness. The twelfth round was all Gunn's. He .staggered Maddox with a heavy left and right- to the head and right to the , stomach, but _was rather slow to take, advantage of an obvious ; opening. . Gunn forced tho pace m the three final rounds, evi;dently. .going7tor : a knock-out, but MatfclpjS - skipped about m very agile fashion, -and;*: lust managed to keep out of real bother. At the finish there was not a great deal m it, but the verdict m favor of Gunn met with unanimous approval.

Two preliminaries were fought between Christian' Brother boys. Gerald Mills. 7st lib. defeated John Hayes, 6st 131 b. jind John O'Connor (a very promising lad), 7st 41b, beat C. Campbell,- 7st Gib.