BOXING

Otago Witness, Issue 3828, 26 July 1927, Page 53

BOXING

By

Cross-Counter.

AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIPS. i The contests in connection with the ] twenty-second annual amateur champion- ’ chip tournament of the Otago Boxing As- < soeiation were commenced in the Art Gallery Hall on Tuesday evening, when > there was a large attendance. Mr J. Kil- 1 martin was the referee, and Messrs P. Bustin and Don Patterson the judges. ; The bouts were of three rounds, each of 1 three minutes. The announcer (Mr F. J. Campbell) ' stated that a selection was to be made for those who would compete at the New Zealand championships at Invercargill. He referred to the number of boxers who had made a start under the auspices of the Otago Association, and said that they had been successful in many contests. FEATHER-WEIGHTS. T. W. Webber (8.10) beat G. Hart . (8.13). A. Rowe 8.10 beat R. Leckie 8.3. W. G. Leckie 9.0 beat G. Buckley 9.0. SEMI-FINAL. Rowe beat Webber. A stirring third round was witnessed. The pair fought each other round the ring, with intervals of standing toe to toe and exchanging punches. Rowe's clever left I hand stood him in good stead, and he con-1 nected with it many times. Webber got home now and again with a right swing, but he missed connecting several times. The contestants were loudly cheered for a very game exhibition. WELTER-WEIGHTS. S. Hughes 10.6 beat A. Olsen 10.9. 11. S. Davis 10.8 beat H. A. Brugh 10.9. MIDDLE-WEIGHTS. Final. R. Anderson 10.13 beat A. J. 'Wilkinson 10.13. The first round saw both men inclined to range fighting, with now and again a clinch. Wilkinson showed a lot of footwork —a bit too much for a strenuous contest. Wilkinson opened the second round with a good left to the head, but twice Anderson drove him to the ropes and connected with solid lefts and right swings to the head. Wilkinson was leaving himself open, and his timing was not good. There was not much science displayed in the last round, the advantage being with Anderson, who showed a greater knowledge of the fistic art than his opponent. The finals were, decided at the Art Gallery Hall on M ednesday evening, when there was another excellent attendance. FLYWEIGHTS. (’1 hreo rounds each of two minutes.) 11. Hughes 7.7 beat L. M. Rix 7.7. The pair were content to spar in the opening round, but towards the end Rix was leading well and he got home with two well-timed right punches to the face. Hughes scored with a light felt at range lighting, but Rix, who was always coming in, easily had the advantage in the close work, scoring with both hands. Rix, although the shorter man, was quite prepared to force the fighting. Hughe.-, however, relied mostly on propping his left to the face, and seldom used his right. He did not care to let Rix get to close quarters. There was not much incident in the contest. Rix was unlucky to lose tho decision, as he won each of the three rounds.

FEATHER-WEIGHTS. (Three rounds each of three minutes.)

TV. G. Leckie 9.0 beat A. Rowo 8.10. Leckie opened in fine style, and attacked fiercely with a left to the face and followed with a right cross. In the middle of the round he caught Rowe with a right, swing and staggered him, but Rowe stuck to it well and got home now and again with a solid left to the face. Leckie fought over Rowe in the second round, and punished him severely with strong lefts to the face and right swings to the jaw. He could not, however, break down Rowe’s resistance, the latter taking all that was given him and coming back for more. Rowe was down for two seconds from a right to the body. It was only Rowe’s pluck and determination that kept him on his feet in the last round. Leckie piled on the score with his solid straight left and right cross, but Rowe, despite the punishment given him. tried hard to connect with his left. His cleverer opponent, however, made him miss a lot. WELTER-WEIGHTS. S. Hughes 10.5 beat J. A. Wilkinson 40.7. Final. Hughes 10.5 beat 11. S. Davis 10.3. Both men relied chiefly on their lefts at the opening of the round, but Hughes made far more effective use of his than did Davis. j. awards the end of the round Hughes connected freely with his left, to the face. In the in-fighting he also knew more than Davis. In the scsond round Hughes landed several times with a left to the face and a following solid right cross. Davis tried hard to stem the attack of his clever opponent, but Hughes knew much more of the game than his opponent. In the last round Davis tried to force the fighting, but Hughes was always willing to meet him half wnv. Hughes again used an effective Heft, and his hitting was clean and well timed. He won comfortably on points. LIGHT-WEIGHTS. R. Fulcher 9.8 beat H. W. Davis 9.15. Fulcher showed clever footwork and ring craft in the first round, and made Davis miss a lot. In the close fighting the advantage was also with Fulcher. He was too quick for his opponent. Fulcher slipped down, but was on his feet again as the referee counted “one.” In tho second round Davis tried hard to connect with his left, but the elusive Fulcher was back-moving and ducking and then coming in with his left and right. He caught Davis with a solid right, straight to the face, an-1 Dr.vis was down for three seconds. Fulcher then gave his opponent time to recover from the very hard blow.

Fulcher outboxed Davis in tho last round, and he could have outfought him, too, if he had desired. Davis put up a particularly game showing and will no doubt be heard of in the ring on some future occasion.

NO-DECISION BOUTS. H. S. Davis (10.8) and A. H. Brugh (10.9) fought a no-decision tllree-rounds bout. Davis had a bye in the welter weight, and he had to box a man to qualify for the final. T. Hunt and H. Kindlcy also fought a no-decision three rounds bout, and gave a fine exhibition. The very tall J. W. Leckie (12.15) fought a no-decision bout with R. Anderson (10.15). Leckie’s opponent in the heavyweight did not put in an appearance, and to see whether either of the two men were fit to go to Invercargill they had to contest three rounds. Anderson won the middle-weight tho previous evening. It was not a very serious affair and no one was more annoyed than leckie when a strong blow hurt his much lighter opponent just before the last gong.

WELLINGTON AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIPS. WELLINGTON, July 19. The bouts for the 1927 amateur championships were got off at the Town Hall last night. Results: — Paper-weight.—W. W. Withey (6.5) beat K. Webb (7.0.). Fly-weight. —B. Killcene (7.9) beat 11. Knopp (7.6). Light-heavv-weight.—A. J. Cleverly (11.9 beat W. E. Tyree (11.12). Bantams. —C. Hume (7.8) outpointed A. Birch (8.11). H. Larsen C8.ll) beat G. F. Geffery (8.12). C. 11. Kilpatrick (9.0) beat S. Davis (8.10). Feather-weight.—J. Cotterill (8.13) beat F. Keith (5.9). Light-weight.—E. Morgan v. R. Rutland (both 9.0). No decision. T. E. Papps (9.5) knocked out P. O’Brien (9.4). Welter Class.—D. Sjoberg (10.5) v. T. Urwin (9.11). The referee stopped this contest. P. J. Stone (10.5) beat Rewi Gray (10.9) Middle-weight.—L. Turner (11.1) got the verdict in a match aaginst C. Waite (11.1).

FINALS DECIDED. The finals of the amateur boxing championships were decided to-night and resulted as follow :— Paper-weight.—K. Webb (7.0) beat L. C. Higgs (6.4). Bantam-weight.—ll. Larsen (3.1) beat C. Hume (7.8). Retaining his title as feather-weight champion G. Adams (9.0) beat J. Cottcrill (8.13) Welter-weight.—P. J. Stone (10.5) beat T. Urwin 19.11). Light-weight.—E. Morgan '9.11) beat T. Papps (9.5), in less than half a minute in the semi-final and as T. Urwin had not recovered from the battering about he received in the final of the welter-weight, E. Morgan won the light-weight final by default.

iieavv-weight.—W. E. I.vrec beat 11. G Ragsdale.

Middle-weight.—L. Turner (11.1), of Bien heini, beat N. P. Croft (10.3).

Flv-weight.—C. Hume (7.8) boat B. Kil Icon (7.9).

TROWERN BEATS CHAMBERS. SYDNEY, July 20. At the Sydney Stadium Reg Trowern (10.1) decisively outpointed Bill Chambers (9.13) in a 15-round bout. The New Zealander dealt out heavy body punishment, and several well-placed lefts to the head in the seventh round rattled the Australian, almost flooring him. Excessive clinching marred the contest. Chambers was the greater offender. Trowern tired over the last four rounds, but Chambei-s was unable, to avail himself of the opportunity to even matters, and the New Zealander finished well ahead on points. HAY BEATS CASEY. NAPIER, July 20. Artic Hay, Hastings, 10.6, defeated Harry Casey, Australia, 10.9, in a tenround contest here to-night. Tho fight was lifeless, Casey being the chief offender in this respect. Both had to be spoken to by the referee. Another ten-rounder—Tom Griffiths, Dunedin, 8.10 v. Duke Maddox. Hastings, 9.6, was in marked contrast, the former getting a very popular decision. Vince Parker issued a challenge to the winner of the Hay-Casey fight.

WIN FOR BILLY GRIME. AMERICAN CRITICS IMPRESSED. NEW YORK, July 20. At 'Los Angeles Billy Grime (Australia) defeated Stewart M'Lean, the Minneapolis veteran feather-weight, in 10 rounds, thus increasing his reputation considerably, and gaining his third victory in America. After dropping M'Lean in the first round ho went on feinting M'Lean into leads that spelt disaster His style of milling is without parallel in the American ring, and Grime won repeated applause. tn the eighth round M'Lean had difficulty in locating his corner when the gong went. From then on all he could do was to last out the distance. DEMPSEY-SHARKEY BOUT. SHARKEY KNOCKED OUT. NEW YORK, July 21. Jack Dempsey knocked out Sharkey in the seventh round, and the victory sent the crowd into a delirious outburst. Following a slugging battle from start to finish Sharkey took the count after receiving a terrific right to the pit of the | stomach, and a crashing left to the jaw. The fighters ente.red the ring, facing a crowd estimated at 90,000, to decide which would meet Tunney on September 15 Sharkey rushed his opponent, but Dempsey met him with short rights to the body. Both now fought at close quarters, with Dempsey driving to the body with both hands. Dempsey seemed to be the successful aggressor, punishing his opponent badly, and lie uppercut him with

his left. Sharkey was slow, but suddenly staggered Dempsey with a left to the jaw, and proceeded to drive Dempsey about the ring with terrific lefts. Dempsey was now bleeding, and Sharkey looked the better man. Dempsey appeared to be in serious distress at the bell. In the second round Sharkey drove the ex-champion to the ropes with .lefts and rights to the body. Dempsey drove two rights to the body, but they were low, and Sharkey complained to the referee. Sharkey now crossed his right to the jaw, following with an effective left to the same place, and considerably slowing up the ex-champion. Sharkey peppered his opponent with rights, and Dempsey seemed shaky on his feet-, but continued to drive punches with all his force. Sharkey tried feebly to land blows to Dempsey’s head. Sharkey was recovering and beginning to dance about his opponent. Hi staggered Dempsey with a left on the jaw. Dempsey then knocked Sharkey to one knee in the latter’s coiner with a left to the pit of the stomach. Dempsey kept on with lefts to the face until Sharkey was groggy Dempsey hurt Sharkey with a hard left and two lefts to the body Ho uppercut Sharkey’s jew, and the latter backed away. Both men were, tired, but a left hook to the jaw seemed to turn the tide against Sharkey. In round three Dempsey was more confident, and Sharkey missed. Dempsey was aiming at the body and forcing the fight ing, driving Sharkey. He was clearly in the lead in this round.

In the fourth round Sharkey feinted with his left and brought over his right ti. Dempsey’s jaw, but the ex-champion replied with rights to the body and the jaw, and then pounded his opponent on the body. He followed up with lefts to the face, forcing Sharkey to his corner. Dempsey was bleeding badly from his right eye. They then exchanged snappy blows to the head, Coming to close quarters. Dempsey appeared to be superior at in-fighting. Dempsey shot a hard left to the jaw, and Sharkey held on to Dempsey, who was fighting for all his worth at the bell.

In round five Dempsey, against expectations, was outboxing his younger contender, blocking his swings and causing him to miss. The ex-champjon again went to close quarters, making Sharkey’s body a target. Sharkey was trying to take things easy, when he suddenly staggered Dempsey with a cannon-shot —a right to the ear —and followed it up with a bombardment to the face, and head, but the ex-cham-pion drove Sharkey to the ropes with a left to the jaw Sharkey smiled back. After that Dempsey seemed shaky, but continued to chase his man.

In the sixth round Dempsey showered tho contender with stabbing lefts to the face, but Sharkey retaliated, driving the ex-champion to a corner, and landing two straight-arm blows to the body. Dempsey replied with four quick tattoo blows to the kidneys Dempsey seemed more shaky than ever, but continued to set the pace, becoming a little wild. Sharkey was now proving superior in the clinches, and made the ex-champion’s legs sag with a hard right to the jaw, and followed it with another. Dempsey concealed his hurt and went to close quarters, having the better of it there. Early in the seventh round Dempsey tvon with a left hook to the jaw. The blow landed as Sharkey was sagging to his knees, making a. signal to the referee that the previous blow to the body had been low. Dempsey virtually knocked out his opponent while the latter stood inactive. A doctor examined Sharkey after the fight and said there was no evidence that Sharkey had been hit low. . It is estimated that the attendance at the fight will be 80.000. ami t’ at the proceeds will total 1,250,000 dollars, of which Dempsey \ ill receive 275 per cent, and Sharkey 225 per cent.

DESCRIBED BY WIRELESS. II ARI >-FO UGI IT ENCOUNTER. GISBORNE. July 23. The result of the Sharkey-Dempsey fight was known in Gisborne less than one minute after the decision. This was due to the well-known amateur, Mr Ivan O'Meara, who received a message broadcast by station WGY and re-broadcasted on 22 metres by 2XAG. The reception was almost at loud speaker' strength. The cheers of the immense crowd were almost like the roar of thunder, and, as the ringside announcer stated, Dempsey had lost none of his popularity. In what proved to be the final round the crowd roared, ‘‘He’s down.” Tremendous excitement was followed by the sound of the count, when the enthusiasm of the crowd got beyond control. Mr O’Meara judged the time to listen-in correctly at about 1.45 p.ur., but unfortunately the big fight commenced early. As Mr O’Meara took up his instrument the end of the fourth round was being described. From later and briefer messages, however, it appeared that there was little to choose between the men in the first three rounds, though the end of the fourth round appeared to be in favour of Sharkey. The detailed account received by Mr O’Meara commenced with the fifth round as follows: —

“With the opening of the fifth round, however, matters changed. Sharkey was active from the outset, but Dempsey looked a little tired. Dempsey landed a hook to the chin, and Sharkey spat blood. As his opponent slipped in close for another short, light body attack Sharkey met him with a right uppercut. but Dempsey landed two lefts to the ribs. Sharkey then led a straight right to the head and left a cut on Dempsey’s left cheek. The latter landed heavily again, but took Sharkey’s left four times. Then Dempsey connected with a left to the' head, aud the sailor wobbled.

Coming up for the sixth Dempsey.again looked ( a little less fresh than Iris opponent, and was obviously playing a waiting game. When he did go in he missed with a long left-to the head, but a second or two later he shook Sharkey with a left to the chin. The sailor, however, smashed a right heavily on Dempsey’s jaw, while the ’at'.er missed with another long left. lie went in again, ramming away to the body, but Sharkey was all

elbows in his defence. He slapped a right to Denij'sey’s face, but Dempsey followed him up. and the pair went at each other until Sharkey sent Dempsey’s head back with a sharp right uppercut to the jaw. This was the cleanest and hardest pu. h of the fight. Dempsey leaned in, however, pushing Sharkey to the ropes and atching him coming out ith three smashes to the head. Belipving Sharkey had punched Dempsey in the face after the bell went, the crowd booed, but the referee saw nothing wrong. Dempsey went for his man from the opening of me seventh round, and Sharkey held on as blows were rained on his body. Then the ex-champion knocked Sharkey down with a right. lie had no sooner regained his feet than Dempsey suddenly whipped a left into the stomach and fob lowed with a deadly right to the jaw, which sent Sharkey down. He got to his knees at the count of “nine,” swayed, and fell flat on his face. The referee called, “Out.” The crowd was beyond control, and spce.h was drowned in the cheering and yelling of the crowd and the noise of bells and whistling. “I’ve never seen so many hats before.” said the announcer. "They are everywhere.”

Apparently the crowd showed its unrestrained enthusiasm by throwing their hats in the air. A DISPUTED BLOW. LOSER WANTS RETURN. NEW YORK, July 22. A dispute has been raging for the past 24 hours whether Dempster fouled Sharkey just before he delivered the knock-out left hook to the jaw. An examination of the slow-motion pictures of the fight was viewed by experts f om the two opposing camps, one claiming that a foul was definitely indicated, the other maintaining the opposite. The chairman of the Athletic Commission declared that the knock-out must stand. Sharkey offers to donate his .share of the purse to charity if given a return match, but Tex Rickards is satisfied that ‘here was no foul. He announces that Dempsey will meet Tunney between September 15 and 22. FIGHT FOR THE TITLE. NEW YORK, July 23. Dempsey has been formally named as Tunney's opponent by Tex Rickard for the heavy-weight title. The bout will take place some time in September. COWAN BEATS THL’RDON. SYDNEY. July 23. In the bantam championship of Australia Cowan outpointed Thurdon in a fifteen-round bout. BROADFOOT BEATS LOVERIDGE. WESTPORT. July 24. The professional bout between Dick Loveridge (list 31b) and Broadfoot. Auckland (list 41b, in the Theatre Royal, last evening went the full distance, 15 rounds, and was won on points by Broadfoot. It was a stirring fight, and is considered tc be one of the best staged by the Westport Boxing Association. A FIERCE FIGHT. SQUIRES AND WILLIAMS DRAW. SYDNEY. July 24. At the Stadium Johnny Squires, the heavy-weight champion of South Africa, and Sunny Jim Williams fought a 15round draw. The light was fiercely contested throughout.