BOXING.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LII, Issue 17157, 6 October 1926, Page 3

BOXING.

Tl AY-OASES' CONTEST. ENDED IN THE SECOND ROUND. What will go down in boxing history, ns one of the most disastrous endings to any bout ever staged in Hawke’s .Bay was,,seen at the Hastings Municipal Theatre on Friday, when in a professional contest between Artie Hay, of Hastings, welter-weight champion of New Zealand, and Harry Casey, of Queensland, the referee awarded the verdict to liay barely half way through the second round, his contention being that Casey had struck a foul blow, reports the Hawke’s Bay Herald. Everything was going smoothly when suddenly, like a, bolt from the blue, disaster hashed inlo the ring. The way of it was this. The boys bad clinched and the referee had ordered them to break. They did so and were closing in again, with Hay seeking the clnmco to pound his opponents ribs, when Casey swung to Hay’s stomack with his right. Almost immediately the referee inter-. Veiled and broke the two apart. He muttered something inaudible, and the boxers stood aghast, watching each other while the house was as silent- as, a grave. For seconds the tense atmosphere prevailed. Then Sergeant-Major O’Leary, snapped it suddenly by walking to Hay and lifting his hand in token of victory. liny was nonplussed, while Casey who was watching the proceedings as one in a trunce was staggered when realisation dawned upon him. He loaned against the ropes, a hurt, and humiliated man. As the referee left the ring the house broke into an uproar of hooting and disapproval of the action which had deprived them of seeing what bid fair, to be a wonderful tight. The referee (who was not- in the best of positions to see what really happened) termed the blow a foul, but it seemed that thf punch was not so low as to bo termed illegal. Hay showed no sign; that ho felt it, and neither did be or. bis seconds appeal against it. Casey, it is certain, never dreamed of fouling, and thought that the blow sped straight to its destination—Hay’s -stomach. It was a great pity that- Referee O’Leary though lit to take, such severe steps so early in tiie fight. A warning under such circumstances where there was a reasonable doubt, would have been much more satisfactory from every point, of view. The damage, however, is done and no doubt Casey (and also Hay) considers himself to-dav a wronged man. Anyway, out of evil eoineth good. It is hoped that the men will meet again, when the question of supremacy will be fully boxed out.