SHOWS BAD JUDGMENT

NZ Truth, Issue 1168, 19 April 1928, Page 12

SHOWS BAD JUDGMENT

Gillespie Fails To Get In And Do The Fighting (From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Dunedin Representative.) It was only Norman Gillespie 's bad judgment that robbed him of the thick end of the purse given by the Otago Association, m his clash with Tommy Griffiths.

GILLESPIE is undoubtedly a good fighter and delivered the heaviest blows, but Griffiths was the smarter boxer and had Gillespie continually puzzled. Gillespie has been slightly hampered In his preparation since his arriA'al through lack of sparring partners, while he was also required to take off weight on the afternoon of the fight to avoid a forfeit of £25. It was apparent through hiß casual sluggishness that this had some effect on his condition. He lacked the alertness Avhich is customary m a title-holder. Griffiths is a clever boxer, who, m the course of fifteen rounds, scores a heap of points. Gillespie made the error of boxing Griffiths for thirteen rounds and then stepping out m the last two sessions m an endeavor to win by a knock-out. Griffiths' condition m the last two torrid rounds proved that Gillespie

had erred m his judgment, for had there been another round to go Griffiths would assuredly have been stretched across the canvas. Griffiths trains m Archie Leckie's school and any boxer from this establishment is prepared to take all the body punishment going. Griffiths took all that Gillespie could give him and this surprised the Australian, for his straight right-left-right m the early stages repeatedly found its way to Tommy's heart and ribs with little apparent effect. Griffiths fought above himself and from the opening of the seventh round until the thirteenth he had Gillespie guessing badly. The Dunedin boy repeatedly broke through his opponent's cover with his left to the head and m breaking away adopted a crouch which Gillespie found it difficult to fathom. The exhibition of boxing was good, the in-fighting disclosing that both boys knew their business. Gillespie brought his terrific right lntp play consistently, but Griffiths' evasiveness tangled him up and many of his blows, dispatched on a K.O. mission, failed badly to connect. Gillespie lacked initiative through the middle stages of the fight. He had .slightly the best of >matters up till the fifth round, but thereafter he would get through his opponent's defence, force him off his guard and then retire when the obvious method of aggression -vras to follow m his advantage. The Dunedin boy's speed apparently puzzled the Australian, for he was not prepared to take any chances. He thus held m reserve the fighting qualities which would undoubtedly have won him the match. Griffiths' speed m getting m and

his clever ducking worn the factors which won him the fight. If the boys were matched again, no doubt Gillespie would fight on different, tactics. The Australian obviously believed tnat he whs leading on points and m the last tAVO rounds he pasted the Dunedin boy unmercifully. His croAvding tactics proved that he hud fired his opportunity away — had he come m tAVo rounds earlier Griffiths was doomed for the floor. Griffiths did not make any friends by the manner m which he held his opponent m the last round. However, Gillespie was unable, even with Griffiths groggy and at his mercy,' to deliver the forget-me-not. The Australian demonstrated that the first thirteen rounds Avere merely picnic boxing, but even at the last he failed to connect Avith his heavy SAvlngs, any of Avhich, finding their mark, would have finished the fight.

Wilting under the battering he had received, Griffiths was indeed fortunate to weather the round and his margin of points was considerably reduced by Gillespie's, battery of blows which came too late. The Australian fought at 8.13% and Griffiths at 8.7 &• The result of the fight should m no way affect the gate for the Leckie — Gillespie contest. Gillespie's style of always standing m to his man is similar to tiiat of Leckie. Gillespie is a straight, hard hitter and with another fortnight's work into him he should provide Leckie with the toughest proposition he. has yet encountered m his professional career. JUST-MARRIED Mat Hatton hasn't let honeymoons interfere with his stoushical ambitions. He is anxious to make stepping stones of a few feather-weights on his way for Leckie's champion plumes.