BOXING

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18583, 18 December 1934, Page 4

BOXING

• FRANKLIN’S VICTORY f REPUTATION SUSTAINED OXLEY’S CONDITION QUERIED Iu reference* to the match between Joe Franklin and Ted Oxley, prior to Friday night’s meeting of the pair at l'almerston North, some southern boxing writers ret erred to Franklin as a ‘‘one-punch artist.” He sustained this rather unusual reputation, in the course of the brief engagement, for actally one punch landed early in the first round spelt defeat for Oxley, who was unable after* receiving one blow to make an effective showing against the fit and eager Franklin. The latter could have finished the fight sooner but for excitement carrying him away. He wasted a good deal of effort in trying to hit Oxley on the move, before he got in his winning hit, to put his opponent down again. This time the Bahiatua man stayed down for the count. - Naturally, there was a demonstration of disapproval from a crowd which looked forward to a hard and reasonablyextended tussle between two of the outstanding men of their weight in the Dominion. The former Gisborne boxer, whose two punches had earned him the victory ana the major share of the purse, was prepared to go on and fight out the distance, disregarding the fact that he had already beaten Oxley. The latter, however, was unable to continue, and it was obvious that had he come out of his corner, Franklin would have made short vork of him. For this reason, the referee ruled that the contapN was concluded, and mentioned, moreover, that he w*as not satisfied that Oxley had cairied out the “boxer’s bargaii/’ to enter tlie ring in good condition and prepared for a hard fight. The official added that he would recommend

that Oxley’s share of the purse be held up, until the association was satisfied as to his condition on entering the ring. The statement was greeted with a further demonstration, from which it was evident that Oxley still had a large number of friends in the hall. Among the more rober of the spectators, there were many who felt that the Pah&tua man had been unlucky iu running into a hard blow to the jaw so early in the fight* and that he would have put up a good match if he had had time to find his feet. It was recalled by these spectators that he had been out of active work for some time, in fact since Franklin took the championship from him last year. - By his quick victory,' Franklin once again won the right to the lightweight title, which he had to relinquish last year owing to his inability to defend it. He also secured the Truth Belt, a highlyprized trophy. \