BOXING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23514, 31 May 1938, Page 8

BOXING

JENKIN BEATS PARKS CONVINCING POINTS VICTORY BRIGHT PRELIMINARY BOUTS A packed house, reminiscent of the halcyon days of Otago boxing when Johnny Leckie was in his prime, witnessed the Oamaru boxer, Stan. Jenkin. score a convincing victory on points over Tiger Parks in the professional -contest which was held last night in the Town Hall. In some respects it was a good enough fight, but from the spectators’ point of view there was far more to watch in some of the preliminaries, one or two of which, notably that between Parr and Dolan, were really good. The principal fault with the main bout was its one-sided-ness. In at least eight of the 12 rounds the Oamaru boy did all the fighting. Parks, who was casual almost to the point of nonchalance, apparently being quite content to allow Jenkin to bring the fight to him. In-fighting is his long suit, and he did everything he could to make the bout go this way. Jenkin. however, elected to fight at long range, but he made a tactical error in not forcing the fighting more than he did, with the result that in several rounds the fight dragged and became merely wearisome.

Jenkin’s weight was 10.9 J and that of Parks 10.3, the difference in poundage being very apparent when Jenkin went at his man. In the first two rounds Parks did some leading, but he connected but seldom, Jenkin’s smart ducking and blocking rendering his opponent’s blows ineffective. Halfway through the second round there was a lively rally when Parks gave as good as he took, but then Jenkin commenced to do all the fighting, connecting, well with a raking left. Twice, two of Parks’s left hooks went astray, and just as the second round closed Jenkin sent in a beautiful left to the face and brought over a snappy right cross which drove his opponent to the ropes. There were two bright\ exchanges In the earlier part of the third round, but again Jenkin’s long left stood him in good stead, and two of them brought Parks up ready for a driving right to the body. The next two rounds saw Jenkin using both hands effectively, and scoring frequently. On the few occasions they did come to close quarters he also had the better of the exchanges, although Parks connected with one or two of his powerful short punches to the body. It was not until the sixth round that the negro showed what he was really capable of. He opened with a left to the jaw, followed by a stinging right cross. Jenkin’s right missed, but his left found a clear target on Parks's jaw. and they came to close quarters. On coming out Parks again crossed his right to the jaw, and rushed in to score with twe pretty shots to the body. This was Parks’s round, and, perhaps, the best of the contest. Again Jenkins made all the fighting, and was connecting repeatedly until Parks came in with a right and left to the head and stopped further attack by dropping to close quarters and driving two short rights to the ribs.

At the commencement of the tenth round matters became a little brighter, and they traded punches on the ropes until Parks’s footwork got him to the centre of the ring. Jenkin followed up, sent in a one-two to the body, and then rattled his man with two beautiful lefts to the jaw. A bout of infighting suited Parks down to the ground, and for a moment Jenkin had his work cut out to escape the barrage of solid short punches that came at him from every angle. Finally he fought his way out. and when the bell went for the end of the eleventh round they were at it hammer and tongs in the centre of the ring. Parks sailed in with everything he had when they came out for the last round, and scored with a heavy right to the head and a left to the body. Jenkin, however. again took command, and when the final gong sounded he was having all the better of it. The referee’s decision met with a unanimous and hearty cheer of approval. THE PRELIMINARIES

R. Smith (Ashburton) B.IOJ beat E. Phillips 8.6 on points. Four twominute rounds. In the first two rounds Phillips did most of the scoring, but in the final stages of the bout Smith came back with a great rally which gained him the decision. . J. Enwright (Invercargill) 10.8 beat G. McFadzien 10.7 on points. Four two-minute rounds. The first round was fairly even, but thereafter Enwright commenced to place his punches well, his long, raking left being his principal scoring weapon. „ , . E. Cameron (Menzies Ferry) 8.4 beat C. Buckley 8.0 on points. Four twominute rounds. Cameron, who is a nuggety little fighter, refused to let his opponent box at long range, and kept boring n. scoring well and heavily with short punches to the body and head. M. Parr 9.2 beat P. Dolan 9.4 on points. Four two-minute rounds. Dolan fought well, and was always game to carry the fight to his man. He was, however, inclined to swing, and he freouently mistimed his blows. Parr’s punching was clean and straight, and in the last two rounds he scored repeatedly with both hands and hit Dolan practically when and where he wished.

W. Donaldson 9.11 J beat G. L. Rutherford 9.8.

This was a spirited bout, but, although Rutherford put up a plucky fight, Donaldson proved too solid for him, and halfway through the second round had punished his man so severely that the referee stopped the contest and awarded him the decision.

T. Lister (Ashburton) 11.8 J beat J. McLennan (Tahakopa) 12.3 J on points, Four two-minute rounds.