LECKIE WINS

Southland Times, Issue 20642, 14 November 1928, Page 10

LECKIE WINS

RADFORD KNOCKED OUT. A ONE-SIDED CONTEST. Johnnie Leckie of Dunedin, defeated Norman Radford (8.13), of England, on a technical knock-out in the 14th round of a 15-round contest in the Municipal Concert Hall at Christchurch on Wednesday evening last, reports the Press. The purse was one of £lso—a somewhat larger sum than the Christchurch Amateur Boxing and Sports Club is used to paying—but the expenditure was amply justified by the attendance, there being a full house. Acclaimed as the greatest boxer New Zealand has produced for many years, Leckie certainly did show the makings of a champion, but it must be confessed that he .was hardly extended enough to show what he could do at his best. On last night’s form, Radford is nowhere near Leckie’s standard, although he has an amazing capacity for taking punishment. The Englishman, indeed, did not win a single round, and after the first few clashes there were many who anticipated an early finish. Radford, however, hung tenaciously on, although from the very start he appeared to be nervous. There were occasions when the Dunedin boy could have stepped in and administered the necessary blow to conclude the bout, but he lacked finish to promising moves. However, the climax came, as it seemed bound to come, in the fourteenth, when one of Leckie’s crashing .rights encountered Radford’s ear and sent him staggering. Leckie followed up with a left to the jaw and then a right, and was placing them one after another when the referee, Mr. A. Smith, stepped in and stopped the fight. The Rounds. The first round was fast, both boys being somewhat wary of each other. Leckie connected to the body with both hands, and made several jabs to Radford’s solar plexus, but did not administer very much punishment. In the second he delivered a tattoo from a clinch. Leckie also used his right well in the clinches, coming under Radford's right and hammering at his side. After Leckie had sent one to Radford’s jaw the Englishman came in with a right upper cut to the stomach—a good blow. He made the mistake of trying it again and missed badly. The only outstanding feature of the third round was a foul by Radford, who apologized to Leckie. A few moments later Leckie landed a right to Radford’s ear. Radford took a lot of punishment in the next round and sought relief by clinching, but Leckie was rocking them in to his side. Breaking away, Leckie sprang in with a jarring right to the head, and then a left. Leckie did the same in the next round. Radford came in swinging and was sorry for it. An appeal against Leckie for hitting low was ignored, and Leckie kept boring in. Radford came out fighting in the seventh and Leckie turned his attention to the body. A right to the jaw floored Radford, who rested till nine, and Leckie pressed in harder than ever, his'opponent edging away all the time. Radford gave Leckie one to the jaw that shook him off his balance. The eighth was much the same as most of the others, Radford being the recipient all the time and the ninth was also an unpleasant round for the Englishman. Leckie concentrated on the body again in the tenth, both hands going like pumps, and once, by way of a change, he delivered a left hook to the jaw. Radford came back with a hard left and then a right to the body. With his head down, Leckie came swooping in when the gong went for the eleventh and pummelled steadily at his opponent’s ribs and occasionally punched his head. Once he missed badly, Radford moving out of reach. The 12th round was not marked by any new features and in the thirteenth Radford took a terrific right to the jaw, which shook him badly, but Leckie did not follow up fast enough to finish it. Radford was swaying on his feet when the end came in the fourteenth.