EDWARDS LOST HIS

NZ Truth, Issue 1305, 18 December 1930, Page 12

EDWARDS LOST HIS

MEAL TICKET

DONOVAN RIPPED AND WALLOPED HIS WAY TO VICTORY

LLEW HAD TO FIGHT REFEREE ALSO

Llew Edwards had a very brief ride on' the crest of the wave. His win over Johnnie Leckie made him the boxer of the minute, but at New Plymouth on Saturday night Tommy Donovan shot him up on to the beach.

BOTH, having beaten Leckie In recent weeks, it was only reasonable to flnd big differences of opinion before the contest, and for the first time the Donovan punters were not full of optimism. However, any fears they may have had were soon set at rest for Tommy went out after Edwards from the word go. Adopting his usual crouch, and following it up with his renowned tear-in tactics, he had Llew completely nonplussed, and when Donovan started- to rip. and smash away at close quarters Edwards was more '--or less hopeless. To have to cope with Donovan j was bad enough, but when the referee decided that Edwards was doing all the holding and claiming and started to caution the Victorian every thirty seconds, Edwards was gone a million. From the first round on Edwards could 'not do anything right m the eyes of the referee, and he was continually being admonished. Flagrant breaches on the part of Donovan went by michallenged, but the moment Edwards was into the Donovan embrace he was being told off. The referee all but wagged the index finger off his right hand.^ This continual pick, pick, pick away at Edwards was decidedly unfair, and it was not Jong before .the audience started to tell the referee that he was sorting Edwards out. Every time Edwards' right glove went between Donovan's ribs and left arm it was knocked down, but when Donovan's right glove rested m a like position Edwards was hit on the elbow. Perhaps ,the fact that the referee had been told by the Police Inspector that he did not admire the exhibition given m the amateur welter scrap, when Furze was all but murdered, had upset the third man, but the fact remains that Edwards was harassed all night. According to the referee Llew could do nothing right, while according to the same authority Donovan was absolutely perfect. |

I So repeated was the intervention of the i-eferee that Edwards found it necessary to protest, and had he walked out of the ring, "Truth," for one, would not have blamed him. As one of Donovan's friends said, "Edwards not only had to fight Tommy but he also had to fight the referee." The joker who nicknamed the third man "Corinax" was a genius. AH' sporting people know that Jack Williamson's racehorse is blind m one eye. • 'What little time* Edwards had left between intervals of interruption from the referee he devoted to some pretty boxingr. hit nice and cleanly, but by no means often enough, and why he wasted valuable time looking to his corner for advice "is a mystery. The fight was all but two-thirds over when Edwards won a round. Prom the tenth ' onwards the referee broke them as soon as they went into a clinch, and at Jong range Edwards was doing better, but Tommy had ( such a lead that it did not matter. Donovan knew he could not be skittled and he took matters more or less easily over the last bit, and the only I way he could have been < beaten was ! for the referee to have completely lost his sense of perspective. It was easy to see that Donovan had sized Edwai ; ds up m the Leckie mill, and Thomas learns just as' well outside as inside the ring. Edwards on that showing would never beat Donovan. Edwards should have no squeal over the verdict, but if he goes back home and says he does not altogether agree with Dick Meale's refereeing, he will be pardoned. For some unknown reason Meale has ay habit of taking to the visitor. He harped at Sarron that historic day, and then disqualified him for landing a perfectly legitimate punch. He never let up on Bloom, and Shack was bawled-out so often that Sam was ready to take a shot at him. By Meale's interpretations Donovan's opponent is ever y wrong, and Tom the curly-headed boy.