BOXING.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18323, 13 August 1921, Page 12

BOXING.

•UVAJIXIUi m . 1 PROFESSIONAL CONTEST. The professional contest arranged by the Otago Boxing Association between Lea Murray, of Dunedin, and Mick Rutherford, of Australia, attracted a very large crowd to 11 is Majesty’s Theatre last evening. Mr S. S. Myers was master of ceremonies. Mr J. Kilmartin refereed in the professional contest, arid had Messrs W. Stewart and C. Batt associated with him as judges in the two six-round amateur contents. Messrs J. Isaacs and J. E. Marshall were the timekeepers. MURRAP BEAT RUTHERFORD. Lcs Murray 9.9 beat Mick Rutherford 9.9. ihe fight was of 15 rounds, each of three minutes, and proved a most inspiriting contest as far as it went. ’ Both men are twohanded fighters, and were very clever in ducking, back-moving, and blocking. The contest was a dean one throughout, but in the sixth round Rutherford was warned for delivering the rabbit punch in a clinch. There was, however, very little clinching. ' In the first round Rutherford, who iiad the greater height and the longer reach, and who has a peculiar hopping action at times, scored well with a lignt left lead to the face. Murray was inclined to take things easy, and did not force the fighting. Both men, by their clever ducking, caused each other to miss a lot. Rutherford had a slight leajl on points. In the second round Rutherford twice missed with a vicious right swing. Murray came in most of the time, Rutherford using good footwork to get away. There was not much between them in this round. In the third round Murray scored repeatedly with right and left jolts to the head. Murray was using his ringoraft to great effect, and Rutherford could not connect. Murray forced the fighting ail through the fourth round, and got in a lot of short arm blows to the head, Murray’s round all the way. ' In the fifth round Rutherford had a bad time on the ropes, and was twice perceptibly jarred with solid right swings to the need. Murray’s short arm blows had plenty of weight behind , them. The sixth rbund saw both men boxing in very eleven! 'style, their ducking and back-moving 1 being , particularly attractive. Rutherfords longer, reach, enabled him to score points with light right and left leads to the face and then' back away; In the seventh round Murray scored well with three successive straight lefts, and came again shortly after with short arm right and.left blows tp- the head. Rutherford was backing away most of the time. This easily was' Murray’s round. Murray repeatedly got his opponent into position by clever footwork, and followed Him right round the ring. Rutherford's left eyebrow was showing signs of punishment, and he had to take several very heavy clean short arm blows. Rutherford’s blows did not appear to have much weight behind them. In the ninth round Murray forced his opponent all round the ring. Rutherford tried to lead and then get away, but Murray was after him all the time, and the Australian had to take a lot of punishment. Rutherford intimated his intention of giving up the contest at the end of this round. He told the referee he did not want to get knocked out in the next round, and that Murray was the hardest hitter-, he had ever met. The prize money was 75 per cent, of the net takings, to be divided as the two men agreed on The remaining 25 per cent, was taken by the Boxiqg Association. Six Three-minute Rounds. L. M‘Donald 9.7, beat T. Harris 10.0. The first roiftid opened quietly. M'Donald boxed coolly, and made hi* opponent miss a lot. -Borne fine rallies took place in the sedoda round, both men scoring with straight lefts. ; Harris, however, was missing a lot. M'Donald fought vigorously in the third * round, and on one occasion forced his opponent across the ring to the ropes. Some "solid punches were exchanged in the fourth round, Harris scoring well with a couple of fine right swings to the head, M'Donald retaliating with a beautiful left to the face. Harris came strongly in the fifth round, but M‘Donald was never backward in mixing it. Harris tried hard for a knock-out in the last round, but M'Donald well held his own to the final gong. „ Six Two-mmute Rounds. ; T. Griffiths 6.7, beat H. E. Ennis (Timam| 7.0. , . . , The lads gave a fine, clean exhibition, of tvto-handed boxing. Griffiths hod an' effective straight left and showed sound ringcraft and footwork. 1 Griffiths fought strongly in the fourth round, and seldom , missed with hi* loft- Ennis also made 4 game showing,-but had not the variety of blows of his opponent. The last round was fought in the gamest fashion, and the two boys well deserved the great round of applause which broke out as the bout ended. This is the second time the two lads have mot, Griffiths being also the winner on the first occasion.