RING RECORDS

NZ Truth, Issue 1045, 5 December 1925, Page 12

RING RECORDS

PURDY FIGHTS WITH SCIENCE

Wins Fast Bout With Harry Casey QUEENSLANDER FAILS TO REGISTER K.O.

(From . "Truth's" Special Auckland Representative.)'

When they stepped into the ring at Auckland on Monday night to shake hands the contrast between the two men was most noticeable. 'Charles Purdy ( Auckland) fair m skin and coloring la several years the junior of his opponent, Harry Casey (Queensland) who is probably a more aggressive fighter of the two. The decision went to Purdy whose latest fight shows that he can stand up to a fighter heavier than himself and take punishment. The decision had a mixed reception due no doubt to the fact that the crowd prefer the straight out scrap to the scientific I form of the game.

• Purdy (9.12) led off .m the first round, but both men were taking: stock of one another. ; The second round saw Casey (10.3) open aggressively and connected with Purdy's jaw with a well-placed left. From the gong m the third round the Bananalander made it very willing and -displayed a dangerous right which was m most cases successfully eluded. Purdy thad to "go some" to avoid the hot attacking; he took several blows on the body, and his jaw stopped one with some pep m it just. as. the gong went. From then on it was one of the most strenuous mix-ups -m which Purdy has had a hand m at the Auckland Town In . the ■ fourth the pace was speedy; Charlie showed his admirers that he had some ginger when required. He gave no ground, but pressed Casey hard, getting him on the ropes, and with smart footwork avoiding him m the open. The work of his straight left was useful and before the gong- he got home neatly with left and right to the body and head, m a smart exchange. ; As the fight progressed there was a deal- of clinching for which Purdy was perhaps responsible as he saw that it would be to his advantage to keep at close quarters .to his man. \' Purdy put m some pretty work m the- fifth and brought a right to Casey's jaw with, applause after leading him a dance f6r a. spell. ' CASEY'S STRONG SUIT. . Casey's strong suit, if he can land them, is: uppercuts loaded with a deal of -sting! He looked keen to get to quarters with the elusive one but: was riot allowed to do any effective damage m the next round or so though Casey landed solidly double-handed on to

Purdy's body while he got swift, straight stops to the head m return. : Using his feet and his nut to good effect, v the Aucklander was responsible for a lot of the older man's hard work going to waste. , Casey about the tenth got more aggressive, keeping things going willingly m and out of clinches. He was warned twice m the tenth for holding Purdy's left and nearly throwing him.' m the eleventh round a good deal of patting took place, but during the exchanges Purdy scored several times. off Casey's figurehead, getting out of reach of the vicious return with great alertness. '-.■•■' Casey's supporters may have thought that Purdy was going to "get his" as the twelfth round opened. 'With a dramatic rush the visitor drove the other before him across the ring on to the ropes, and it looked as if Purdy was m . for it as he came to a full stop at the ring side, but he twisted quickly and the- position was reversed with the two m holts. ' Casey scored after the breakaway with a solid right to the other's head and the rest' "of the round was pretty much of a muchness — In-and-out. In the next, "Banana," as the crowd dubbed him, roughed things from the start and had Purdy on ' the 1 ropes several times hammering m left and right" with lots of sting, while Purdy with ,his nose and left ear bleeding used all his art to gain time. From then on Purdy made use of his "block" to defeat the possible intention of Casey to score a k.o. He got to close quarters with him by repeated clinching., and this was practically the position till the finish, though Casey tried' hard towards the end to score something definite and finish him off with one of his stinging uppercuts. - , . ' . Purdy was not there when they arrived. . The referee gave !an instantaneous decision m Purdy's favor which was received with hoots and yells by Casey's- supporters and counter applause from the winner's.