TOM HEENEY BEATS JIM FLETT.

NZ Truth, Issue 924, 11 August 1923, Page 12

TOM HEENEY BEATS JIM FLETT.

&eeonds f hrow In Towel.

The Gisborne Boxing Association was rewarded with a bumper attendance at the Opera House oh August i to; id* m notion Tom Heeney, exheavyweight champion of New Zealand, and Jim Flett, of Sydney, who ha;d drawn In a matoh at Maakay, Queensland, last year. When the men met m the ring, the difference m the physique was yery notable* The Australian Iff some four or five Inches taller, but Heeney is undoubtedly much more massive and la more pc/werful. The weights of each were the same, 13st 81bs. The difference m styles was apparent from the start. Heeney fought standing upright, and Flett adopted a slight crouch. There were some heavy exchanges m the initial round, F^ett dofng the bulk of the leading". Heeney wig superior, m the Infighting, and connected with heavy jolts to the body. Flett paid a'lot of attention to Heeney's ribs, but found it hard to ccmnect on the front part <& the body. The best exchange at long range was when Flett led to Heeneyfs face,- and received left, right, and left counters m return, the blows connecting^ to ear and jaw. Heeney was the more aggressive" m the -second round, m jvhlch the Australian was warned for holding. Twice the GLeborne man scored with right upperouts to the head and then pounded Flett abtfut }he Dddy m which the color was very noticeable when the round ended. The third, round was fought determinedly. Flett seemed to be nonplussed by Heeney's speed and hitting power and resorted to smothering. TDuring the latter part of the round, Flett succeeded, with leads to the head, and then connected twice to the body with his right. The round was warmly applauded, especially when Flett Bkil? fully evaded a right hook that looked dangerous. -i ' The fourth round was an eye-opener for the fans on accoun* of the way that Heeney was using s left Ife would connect three or four times to the face and then would change to the body and the speed and hitting bowers that he revealed m 'this round were wonderful. • Flett opened the fifth round very well with two lefts and a right cross, but his momentary advantage was offset by Heeney's work at close quarters, The Australian retreated into the crouch again and launched uppercuts at the aggressor, but Heeney was too clever and easily blocked them with his elbows. • In the sixth Flett was aggravated by repeated blows on the forehead into opening up from his cro.uch, and a couple of lively rallies took place. It x&sls evident at this stage that Heeney was the better man of the two. He "was fighting with great confidence and his jabs were telling on his opponent. ; k snappy left to . the Jaw m the .seventh upset Flett, and he began to open up more. He connected to Heeney's jaw several times, but the local man was too strong to feel any effect of these blows, and returned them with interest. Tom was concentrating on his opponent's jaw, and was In a position to invite Flett's lead, which be countered with left and right hooks. f .. Flett's Inclination not to enter into exchanges, but rather to encourage Heeney's tactics, by his crouching smother, was very noticeable m the eighth round, and cries of "Fight { Fight!" were heard. Heen'ey wasted a lot of good force on his opponent's cl-

i bows, but repeatedly connected just under the h«art. In the ninth a sensational series, of knock-downs culminated m a slingingln of the towel . from, Flett's corner. The round had only gone half a minute, when the latter tried to smother at close quarters, but Heeney sizing up the situation very quickly, just stepped back, and the instant Flett opened his smother, Heeney stepped m again with th.6 left to the jaw and the right to the heart. Flett staggered and fell, but was up again. at the count of six. Once again Heeney rushed and connected savagely with the Australian's head and body, breaking the smother ! which Flett weakly endeavored to resume. It was now 'obvious that Heeney had his man at his mercy, but Flett was game, and though he hit the canvas twice more, ho rose at "six" each time and was endeavoring to stave off the knockout when his seconds thrsw m the towel*