BOXING

Southland Times, Issue 21832, 8 October 1932, Page 16

BOXING

(By

“Veritas.”)

Fixtures Ahead.

October 11.—Bobby Blay v. Reg. Trowern, at Wellington. October 20.—Amateur tourney at Wyndham. October 22.—Amateur tourney at Tuatapere. October 24.—Heavyweight contest, Billy Sullivan v. George Spencer, at Invercargill. October 27.—George McEwan v. Vince Parker, at Timaru. For the Wyndham Boxing Club’s amateur tourney on October 20, entries close with the secretary (Mr J. Lines, Wyndham) on October 15. N.Z. CHAMPIONSHIPS A SUCCESSFUL TOURNAMENT. ’ EVERY TITLE CHANGES HANDS. A record number of bouts, a very fair standard of proficiency and gratifying public support made the New Zealand amateur boxing championships, which were held at New Plymouth last week, one of the most successful of these tournaments yet held, writes the Taranaki Daily News. Taranaki played a prominent part in the decisions, three titles going to the province, while two other boxers from the district were runners-up in their weights. The Jamieson Belt, the coveted trophy for the most scientific boxer of the tournament was won by H. Hughes (Whangarei). Hughes, who won the lightweight title against possibly the strongest field in the championships, gave consistently good displays in all his bouts. THE NEW CHAMPIONS WORTHY HOLDERS OF HONOURS. Every title changed hands at the championships, and not one of the new champions has held the honour before. The new title-holders (with last year’s winners in parentheses) are:— Flyweight: J. Gordon. Hawera (F. Bruno, Auckland 1930). Bantamweight: D. Roebuck, .North Taranaki (C. Warne, Manawatu). Featherweight; P. Hawes, Christchurch (R. Purdie, Auckland). Lightweight: H. Hughes, Whangarei (H. Thomas, Wellington). Welterweight: W. N. Hogg, Napier (A. Lowe, Otago). Middleweight: F. Roguski, North Taranaki (T. Croft, Greymouth). Light-heavyweight: H. Reeves, Manawatu (J. Cossill, Manawatu). Heavyweight: M. Strickland, Wellington (L. Painter, Auckland). J. Gordon, the Patea boxer nominated by the Hawera association, and one of the three Taranaki boys to win, will be remembered as a popular midget of a couple of seasons ago. Now that he has grown he is fulfilling his early promises. Coached along the right lines, he had the ability to give a fine display against McKay, who beat Finnegan, the boy who disposed of Bruno, the favourite for the weight. After years of trying the speedy D. Roebuck, North Taranaki nominee, has won the bantam title. He was lucky that Richmond (Otago) lost on a foul, but apart from that boy he was outstanding in the class. His speed and cleanness of hitting were superior to those of any of his opponents, and he scored a decisive win in the final. For three years he has been runner-up in New Zealand fly and bantam classes. P. Hawes (Christchurch) is a strong boy for a featherweight and can hit hard. Franklyn (Gisborne) and he shared the favouritism, but he was a

cut above the former, whom he beat in the semi-final. He took the final against Bert Turner (Waitara). H. Hughes (Whangarei) was the upsetting influence in tho lightweight class for Borcovsky, victor over Thomas Purdie, of the great smother, and Coughlan, the heavy puncher, were expected to provide the winner of this class, while there were other strong candidates. Hughes, a cool and clever boxer, was too good for them and his unanimous selection for the Jamieson Belt showed how good his form was. W. N. Hogg (Napier) was another discovery, Martin (Auckland), whom he beat in the final, being a more favoured contestant. After his defeat of Mitchell, the Stratford nominee, Hogg had to be reckoned with, for in that fight, which he won on a technical knock-out, his opponent scarcely put a glove on him. F. Roguski, another North Taranaki winner, was lucky that Croft (Greymouth), the title-holder, persisted in the use of an open glove. Roguski still has the dynamite in his right hand but his left was not too reliable and there were holes in his defence. His right rips to the body from close up were probably the best bits of in-fighting seen. H. Reeves (Manawatu) is a hardworking boxer who does most of the orthodox things fairly well. He did not have such strong opposition as other champions but did all he had to do quite satisfactorily. M. Strickland (Wellington) scarcely had hard enough fights to show his real worth. He looks a little clumsy but is nevertheless effective. Another year should find him still better. Unlucky Boys. T. Croft (Greymouth), 1931 middleweight champion, was one of the unlucky boxers. He has a bad habit when in close of chopping his open right hand to his opponent’s ear. Against Roguski he was warned several times and finally disqualified. Had he not had this one fault he would have won his weight. J. Richmond (Otago) also was not favoured by fortune. A strong contender for tfie bantam title and one that would have made Roebuck step lively, he had the misfortune to lose in the semi-final on a foul. Accidentally he sent in a very low punch which sent C. Croull (Auckland) writhing to the mat. It was just sheer had luck. CHAMPIONSHIP JOTTINGS. Gordon, Flyweight Champion, is promising. He will be heard of again. His opponent, McKay, is a pretty boxer. Roebuck (bantam) made his third attempt to secure a title. Hawes (feather) has attended the championships for 11 years and this is his first success. Hughes (lightweight) holds the Jameson Belt. He has a straight, upright style, and is a clever and accurate hitter. It was considered Hogg (welter), Napier, was unlucky to lose the Belt. Purdie (lightweight) is inferior to his brother, Bobby. Hogg was the best boxer-fighter present. His victory over Martin was the best of the championships. Roguski (middle) had nothing to spare against Soane. The latter is an effective left hooker. F. Bruno, who was beaten by Finnegan in the 8.0 division on the first night, was flyweight champion of New Zealand in 1930. He was one of the cleverest boxers at that meeting. D. Roebuck, representing North Taranaki, is one of a fighting family and has been in the game for some years. W. Purdie, who represented Auckland in the lightweight class, is a brother to Bob Purdie, New Zealand’s Olympic representative. Some say that he is even cleverer than his brother. In the same division H. Hughes (Whangarei) comes from a fighting family. He is a brother to Steve Hughes, the professional welterweight. He beat Vai Borcovsky, the Murchison boy, who had the hoodoo on Harold Thomas and nearly upset the latter’s chances of seeing Los Angeles. Clarrie McKnight (Hamilton) was put out in the second night. He is a welterweight and is a brother to Nelson McKnight, erstwhile professional and now official instructor at Thomas’s school Wellington. C. Raynor (featherweight) and. A. Dasler (middleweight), two of Marlborough’s representatives, are both members of well known fighting families.

Candy (Manawatu), who beat the inexperienced Picchi (Wellington) has been boxing successfully for a number of years. Higgs (Wellington’s featherweight selection) was beaten by the hardhitting Percy Hawes, who is a relentless fighter from Christchurch, but formerly of Westport. T. Croft who beat J. Mansfield (Wellington), in the middleweight division, won the 11.6 title last year at Ashburton.

T. Mullins is another who has been in the game for a considerable time. In 1930 he represented Taumarunui and won the light-heavyweight title. This year he boxed in Stratford’s colours. He was not a competitor at last year’s meeting. M. Strickland (Wellington heavyweight) showed splendid form throughout the meeting. Croft, middle champion, was the only champion to defend his title this year. Cossill was the only one of last year’s champions to tum professional during the boxing year just concluded. SOUTHLAND BOYS FIGHTS DESCRIBED. The fights in which these Southlanders, W. Pasco, F. Prendergast and J. Moseley participated are detailed below, culled from reports in the Taranaki Daily News. P. Hawes (Christchurch) showed himself to be a fighter with a punch in each hand and he soon had J. Moseley (Invercargill) in trouble and dropped him twice in the opening round with heavy rights to the jaw. However, he did not time his blows so well in the second and third rounds and Moseley, who rallied well, Had no trouble in going the distance, though Hawes was a comfortable winner on points. W. Pasco (Southland) commenced confidently against J. Mansfield (Wellington), scoring well with short arm blows, but the Wellington man was much superior at long range, using his left to effect, especially in the second round. The final round was fought at a fast pace, both boys mixing it well, but Mansfield always had the upper hand and Pasco was on the floor when the bell rang. The gong saved T. Mullins (Stratford) from a knock-out at the hands of F. Prendergast (Southland). Mullins, a former title-holder at this weight, (heavyweight) opened confidently with heavy rights and dominated the first round. It was not until the Southlander secured the better of a flurry in the second round that he started to press his opponent at all. The willing third round was even till the last .minute, when Prendergast dropped his man with a right cross. Mullins was up and down again before the end, which found him pretty weak. Prendergast won on points. T. Mullins (Stratford), a former holder of the heavyweight title, was in the running for the light-heavyweight championship. F. Prendergast, Southland, who eliminated him in the bigger class, met him again in the light-heavy-weight, Mullins, with a much improved display, turning the tables.

Prendergast figured in another interesting bout. In the heavyweight class he met A. J. Bourne (Christchurch) and the contest produced the most spectacular bout of the first two days. Early in the second round Prendergast had Bourne in difficulties so that a knockout was on the cards. The situation, however, developed and at the end of the round Prendergast was lying on the mat. Had the round lasted half a minute longer Bourne would probably have won by the short route. As it was he took a points victory.

Boring in at F. Prendergast (Southland), R. Thompson (Whangarei) was the public’s choice as the winner of this light heavy contest, but Prendergast knew a lot more about the game, winning a defensive ..fight by cleaner hitting. T. Mullins (Stratford) had his revenge on F. Prendergast (Southland), who had beaten him in the heavyweight class the night before, gaining a points decision after a hard fought struggle. Mullins was going the better all the time and, urged on by a sympathetic house, scored a clear-cut win. It was a willing bout.

There was very little effective hitting in the first round of the bout between A. J. Bourne (Christchurch) and F. Prendergast (Invercargill), in the heavy class, but Prendergast livened up very considerably in the second round, opening up Bourne’s eye early. He felled Bourne heavily just at the close of the session, but the gong caved the Christchurch man. There was plenty of blood in the final round when Bourne staged a great recovery and had Prendergast out on his feet at the finish to gain the decision ,by a narrow margin after a splendid fight.