Auckland Boxing Champions Return

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 759, 4 September 1929, Page 11

Auckland Boxing Champions Return

MANAGER’S COMMENTS SUCCESSFUL TOURNAMENT “I would say that the standard was better than that seen in Auckland last year, although there was a tendency to go in and trade punches instead of hexing,” said Mr. W. E. Dervan, manager of the Auckland team at the New Zealand amateur boxing championships, which returned from Greymouth this morning. The championships had been most successful, said Mr. Dervan, and in his opinion had constituted a record in every way. The entries had been a record and the gate takings would show a profit of nearly £3OO. ‘‘Of course, we were delighted at the results, three wins and the Jamieson Belt for the most scientific boxer, coming to Auckland. We have only done better once before and that was in 1921, when we had four wins. With a bit of luck we might have had more than three this year.” In Mr. Dervan’s opinion there was no doubt that, one of the Auckland boys would win the J Jo son Belt, the only other boxer witn any chance being Stone, of Wellington, winner of the welter-weight division. Johns and Leckie fought a good fight in the final, said the Auckland manager. In the first round Leckie dropped Johns, hut the latter availed himself of a rest and getting to his feet boxed coolly for the rest of the round and also in the second. In the last, round he boxed cleverly and dropped Leckie with a right-hand punch which slowed the Otago boy up considerably. Johns kept his gloves closed all the time and his hitting was never questioned. In the first round Pearcey drew Purton. This was the fourth time the pair had met in the first round of the championships and on three occasions Purton had won. He had won the championship of New Zealand on two occasions and was once runner-up. This time Pearcey was the winner. Pearcey’s next opponent could not make the weight, and the Aucklander’s opponent in the final could not fight owing to a cut eye. Mr. Dervan thinks that both would have had to be at the top of their form to have beaten Pearcey.

“Despite what has been published about a close decision, I think that there was no doubt that Purdie won. He boxed cleverly, and at no time looked like losing. “After winning his first fight by the short route, O’Brien was troubled in with his ears in the second fight, but had the contest gone a little longer probably he would have won, as he had Nicol rocking at the final gong. Nicol, who subsequently won the middle-weight championship, had heard of O’Brien’s punching powers, and he kept well away. “Martin was unlucky. He was doing well until the second round, when he tore a cartilage in the groin, and he was in pain for the rest of the bout. Even then there was a difference of opinion as to who had won. “MeKnight dropped Stone_ in the first round, but the gong saved him. After that, the Wellington boy kept away, and used his big advantage in height and reach. There was not much in it at the end. “McCarthney went nicely on the first night, and won wel. In his second fight he also did well, and although he lost the decision, there was not much in it at the end.”