BOXING

Otago Witness, Issue 3829, 2 August 1927, Page 32

BOXING

By

CROSS-COUNTER.

August 17. 18, and 19.—New Zealand amateur championships, at Invercargill. OTAGO CHAMPIONSHIPS. The Otago doxing Association’s championship tournament was quite successful. The attendance was very good on both evenings, and from a competitive point of view there was little to find fault with. The standard of boxing, though perhaps not so high as has been seen oil some previous occasions, was on the whole quite creditable, and the team to represent the province at the New Zealand championships should worthily uphold the honour of Otago. The control of the tournament gave satisfaction in all the events except the final of the fly-weight competition, in which Rix was decidedly unfortunate m not getting the verdict. His superiority over H. Hughes has evidently been recognised by the association, as he has been included in the team to represent Otago at the New Zealand chainpionships. \v. Parker was an entrant in the bantamweight division, but as there was no opposition he did not get a chance to show what he could do. He*will get an opportunitv at Invercargill, however, as lie is included in the Otago team to contend tor Dominion honours. GRIFFITHS v. MADDOX.

At Napier, on July 20, Tom Griffiths ex-amateur feather-weight champion of New Zealand, went the whole distance with Duke Maddox, feather-weight champion of New Zealand, and scored a narrow. but well-deserved, decision. His speed and accuracy won him the fight < says the Hawke’s Bay Herald), as it more than outweighed the punishment he received from Maddox in the in-lighting. Maddox had a 101 b advantage over his opponent, who was also at a disadvantage in regard to height. The Hastings man early made Griffiths step lively, finding a billet for three smashing lefts to the solar plexus. The Dunedinite showed tiiat he possessed exceptional speed, connecting to the head with spearing lefts. Towards the end of the first session Maddox had his man on the run. but it was not so in the second round. Griffiths giving as good as he received. The round was quiet and honours were fairly even. In-fighting in the third gave Maddox an opportunity to gather points, though there was little between the two, except, perhaps, that the Hastings man’s delivering was more solid. Griffiths drew blood in the fourth, but in return Maddox made him the recipient of three stabbing straight lefts to the face. The smaller man was using his feet with marked ability and saved himself from considerable punishment. With half the distance gone, Maddox had the lead, mainly due to his superiority in close encounters. Had his opponent possessed a longer reach, however, it might have been a different story, as it was apparent that he was willing to make matters open. Applause greeted Griffiths when he made his man miss badly in the sixth, but the smash, smash of Maddox’s gloves on the visitor’s ribs made up for the mistakes. Griffiths did his best to force the issue in the seventh and eighth, connecting well to the body and head, but in the close work he had to take second place. The Dunedin man played repeatedly to Maddox’s head, and with one round to go peppered his face with two-handed, stinging blows. He pulled himself up considerably, and when the two were rung out for the final clash it was anybody’s fight. Griffiths could hardly contain himself and fired a shower of short arm jabs at his cooler opponent. 1 He seemed fresh in every way, and twice had Maddox on the ropes. All the latter did would not avail to keep out the swiftmoving Griffiths, who battled through to win a decision that brought down the house.

He fully deserved the ovation that he came in for, and although Aladdox was second, he has the consolation of knowing that he was beaten by a very narrow margin. JOHNNY LECKIE. Those who attended His Majesty's Theatre on Tuesday night to witness the contest between Johnny Leckie and Mark Carroll were treated to a fine display of boxing so far as the former was concerned. Leckie, who was at a disadvantage in the matter of height and weight, was in his best form, and proved too clever for his opponent. He fully maintained his reputation as one of the best boxers in his class seen in the Dominion for a long time. He displayed great speed, and when the opportunity offered put a lot of weight into his punches. The advantage lay with the Dunedin boy in almost every round, and he had matters practically his own way at the end of the contest; Carroll, who kept to infighting as much as possible, displayed great pluck, and stood up to a lot of punishment in a most determined manner. Johnny Leckie, who has won both his professional fights, without either of them going the full distance, will meet Duke Maddox at Auckland on August 22, when the feather-weight title, at present held by the latter, will be at stake. In view of Leckie’s performances so far and the ability shown by Maddox in recent contests, the fight should provide a battle royal, and no doubt it will prove a great attraction to followers of the sport in Auckland.

NOTES. Mr Peter Young has been elected a member of the committee of the Otago Boxing Association in place of Mr W. 11. Saunders, who resigned recently. Dempsey, who beat Sharkey last week, is now 33 years of age. Sharkey is nine years younger.

Afternoon and evening sessions will be necessary to bring the contests to a finish at a reasonable hour during the progress of -the Dominion championships at Invercargill next month (says the Southland Times). The first round will be completed on the first afternoon and evening, the semi-finals .on the second afternoon and evening, and the finals on August 19. The Hawke's Bay Herald states that at the tournament in Napier it was announced that the New Zealand Boxing Council had subscribed £127 towards the Overend fund, £46 of this amount having come from the Hawke’s Bay Boxing Association. T. Griffiths and his trainer, Archie Leckie, also contributed £4 towards the fund.

The provincial boxing teams which go to Invercargill this mouth will be accompanied by the provincial delegates to the annual meeting of the New Zealand Boxing Association, which will be held on one of the mornings.

A youth named M’Gregor, who won the South Island wrestling championship a couple of years ago, has taken up boxing under the tuition of Albert Parker. He is powerful and well-built, and with experience may develop useful light-heavy-weight. performer.

Tom Harris’s class at the Waitaki Boys’ High School this term comprises 90 boys, arid the annual championships next term promise to provide some keen contests. Nixon, a most useful welter, gave an exhibition with Neill, another Waitaki hoy, at tile M'Cleary-Pettifcr fight, and both were praised for their clean and clever display.

A TITLE RELINQUISHED. NEW rORK, July 26. Jack Delaney has relinquished the light-heavy-weight title to-day, and will now fight as a heavy-weight. LECKIE v. CARROLL. The professional 15 rounds contest between Johnny Leckie, of Dunedin (8.131), and Mark Carroll, of Wanganui (9-4. J for a purse of £lOO drew a very large attendance to His Majesty’s Theatre on Tuesday evening. The fight ended in a popular win for the lighter and shorter Dunedin youth, who had the best of the contest right through. Leckie used both bauds with great effect, and was far quicker with his punches than the visitor. Carroll used the proper tactics when ho tried io keep to ' infighting, in an endeavour to take advantage of his greater weight. When it camo to out-fighting, however, Leckie had all the best of it, his opponent, who seldom used his left, relying mostly on his right to the body with an occasional left to the head and a following right swing. Right through the battle Leckie fought with the greatest freedom, mid was never distressed, and his opponent could not drive him out. even when it came to infighting. In the eleventh round Leckie got home with a solid right swing to tho jaw and Carroll went down for nine seconds,- and on rising attacked vigorously, Leckie striving had to deliver a knock-ouv blow. Leckie then connected with two or three short uppercuts to the chin in close work, and Carroll went down again and took a count of nine seconds. Once more he rose to his feet and grimly closed with his opponent, who rained in blows with his right and left, and finally measured off Carroll with a solid right swing to the head. Carroll took another count of nine seconds, and when he rose the referee (Mr J. Kilmartin) stopped the fight and awarded the victory to Leckie. There were but 30 seconds to go in the round

THE ROUNDS. In the first round Leckie opened with a snappy left to the face, and the pair went to infighting, Carroll scoring with a solid right to the body. Leckie. however, was not afraid to mix it in the infighting. Leckie then scored with a solid right to the face, and with a left to the same spot, Carroll coming in for infighting. Leckie got in again with his left. The second round opened with mligliting. and then Leckie got home with two good rights to the face, and Carroll came back with a left hook and a right swing. Leckie again connected with his left, and Carroll with a good right. Leckie scored with lefts and rights to the face, and was forcing the fight. The pair were infighting when the gong went. Leckie started in with lefts and rights, but Carroll forced him to the ropes and scored with a left and right to the body. Some hard infighting followed, Leckie on coming out scoring with a left to the face and then a couple of right swings to the jaw. Carroll was favouring the close work, but Leckie was never afraid to mix

it with his taller and heavier opponent. Leckie was far quicker to the punch than his opponent. Leckie led to the jaw with lefts and rights, and Carroll replied with solid rights to the body. Leckie beat Carroll in the open work, getting home with solid lefts and rights to the face, but Carroll retaliated with some heavy body blows with his right. The pair went to the ropes, where Carroll connected with some hard rights to the body, but Leckie fought back well, and was scoring with both hands when the gong went. Leckie was outpointing his opponent in the open fighting in the fifth round, but Carroll was boring in for infighting and using his weight in close work. Towards the end of the round Leckie outboxed Carroll, and repeatedly swung his. right to the head and drove his left to the face. Carroll was smothering, however, and blocking some of the blows. , Leckie was as vigorous as ever in the sixth round, and used his quick straight left and right swing, Carroll smothering a lot and trying for the infighting. Carroll scored with a right to the body and a right to the jaw, but Leckie was using good ringcraft and making him miss. Leckie had Carroll on the ropes and was driving in his left to the head and his right to the body when the gong went. Leckie opened the seventh round with a left to the face and forced the fight, Carroll going to a clinch. Infighting followed, and Leckie kept up the attack. The infighting favoured Leckie, who came up with a short right to the chin. He got

the ring, scoring with a solid right swing. Carroll was smothering and coming in for the close fighting. In the eighth round the pair went together and then Leckie scored with lefts to the face and rights to the body, Carroll fighting fast with his right hand to tho body. Leckie had Carroll again on tho ropes and scored with good lefts and rights to the head, Carroll again smothering _ and coming out for infighting and driving in his right to the body. Carroll was beginning to tire while Leckie was quite strong.

The ninth round opened with infighting. Carroll then connected with two solid rights and the pair stood toe to toe and swapped punches. More infighting, Carroll leaning on his opponent. Just before the gong Leckie got Carroll on the ropes and connected with lefts and rights to the face, and in the ensuing infighting Carroll played for the ribs with his right.

In the tenth round Leckie drove his opponent round the ring, Carroll coming in for infighting, and using his weight i n tho close work. A solid rally took place on the ropes, Leckie attacking in tireless fashion, and winning the round easily. The eleventh was opened by Leckie scoring -with a well-timed right swing to tho head, and after some infighting Leckio dropped his opponent for nine seconds with a right to the jaw. On rising Carroll attacked vigorously, Leckie punching him all ways in an endeavour to get the Knockout. Leckie connected with two or three right upper-cuts when the pair were coming out of infighting, and Carroll went down again and took another count, of nine seconds. He rose once more with tho greatest gameness, and tried hard to best his opponent, but Leckie fought over him and got home again with a solid right swing. Carroll sank to the floor and took another count of nine seconds. lie got to his feet for the third time, the crowd cheering his great pluck, but the referetS then quite rightly stopped the fight and declared Leckie the winner.

PRELIMINARY 7 BOUTS. S. Hughes 10.71) beat II Kindlev 10.1 J. C. Buckley 5.13 beat T. W. Webber B.IIV. NEW ZEALAND CHAMPIONSHIPS. ' THE OTAGO TEAM. The following team has been selected to represent Otago at the New Zealand boxing championship tournament at Invercargill on August 17, 18, and 19:-— Fly-weight. E. M. Rix. Bantam-weight, W. Parker. Feather-weight, W. G. Leckie. Light-weight. R. Fulcher. Welter-weight, S. Hugb.es. Middle-weight, R. Anderson. Heavy-weight, J. G. Leckie. Air Sam Brown has been appointed manager of the team, and Air J. Kilmartin and the secretary of the Otago Boxing Association have been appointed delegates to the conference, which will be held during the tournament. The president and the secretary of the association have been asked to go into the question of the transport of the team, which will possibly travel to Invercargill by motor car on the opening day of the tournament. If the team goes by motor the association will not be involved in any expense, as members will lend cars for the purpose of transport. THE AUCKLAND CHAMPIONSHIPS. AUCKLAND, July 26. The Auckland provincial boxing championships were held to-night. 'The following are the final results: —- Fly-weight. F. Pearccy beat A. Verall. Bantam-weight. J. O'Sullivan beat C. Alanson. Feather-weight. P. ATPhail beat R. Agnew. f Light-weight. T. Slattery beat D. Armishaw. Welter-weight. E. Armishaw beat R. Webster. Aliddle-weight. P. Coombc beat J. Gardiner. Cruiser-weight. C. Hogg beat W. ATLean. Heavy-weight. P. APCarthy (holder) beat D. Cowan. In winning the light-weight title T. Slattery (Te Kuiti) gave a brilliant exhibition of boxing. LIGHT-HEAVY-WEIGHT TITLE GIVEN TO AI'TIGUE. 1 NEW YORK. July 27. Alike Al'Tigue has been given the light--1 heavy-weight boxing title, which was rc- ! linquished by Delaney.

CANTERBURY CHAMPIONSHIPS. CHRISTCHURCH, July 28. The finals of the Canterbury amateur boxing championships last evening resulted : — Fly-weight.—E. Schoffield beat L. Clegg. Feather-weight.—V. Barton beat G. W right. Bantams.—C. Bresnahan beat R. Overend. Light-weight.—W. Carey beat N. Moulin. Welter. —0. Jaggers beat E. Diggs. Middle-weight.—C. Pocock beat A. Thompson. Light Heavy-weight.—F. Schimanski beat C. Pocock. DEATH OF EX-CHAMPION. NEW YORK.. July 28. Freddy Welsh, the former light-weight boxing champion of the world, was found dead In an hotel room to-day. CHARLIE RING DEFEATED. SYDNEY, July 31. At the Stadium, Billy Harms, a South African, knocked out Charlie .Ring in the third round. This was Ring s first fight since his return from England. He was below form, and was severly punished.