A BRILLIANT CONTEST.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume II, Issue 586, 27 December 1915, Page 3

A BRILLIANT CONTEST.

McCOY BEATS DELANEY.

niglily-strung from beginning to end of the 20 rounds was the recent, contest in Sydney between Herb McCoy, who is light-weight champion of Australia, but who this time fought as a welterweight, as he lias done a few times before, and Fred Delaney, an English wol-tcr-weiglil. McCoy was in brilliant form, and he secured the decision, but only after 'Delaney, whose first contest in the Commonwealth it was, liad made a much better showing than his record in Britain—good but not first-class —had led the critics who keep themselves acquainted with boxing in the Old Country to expect. McCoy weighed 9st lUlb and Delaney lOst. Ulb. The " Australasian's" report of the contest said:—"For the first, five rounds Delaney did a good deal of forcing, and landed occasional lefts and rights, but not powerfully enough to seriously trouble McCoy; The latter had the better of tilings at close range, and was much superior in foot work and evasion. The Englishman had a slight advantage in the sixth round, but McCoy made the seventh and eighth rounds his, and kept Delaney moving. Delanev rallied admirably in the ninth. Both men seemed to be trying hard for the knock-out. In the tenth round Delaney got in more blows, but McCoy's were harder. McCoy shook Delaney up with hard lefts in the next two rounds, but Delaney stood well up to him. The Englishman had to take more lefts to the face in the thirteenth and fourteenth rounds. One blow to the mouth sent him staggering; nevertheless,, he fought back hard, and scored several times with right crosses to the face. A lively pace was kept up to the finish. Numerous stiff blows were exchanged, and first McCoy and then Delaney seemed on the verge of being knocked out. Recognising that he was somewhat, behind on points, Delaney made great efforts to secure a lead in the sixteenth and seventeenth rounds, but McCoy was too clever in defence for him. Cutting loose in the eighteenth round, McCoy fought with such vigour and effect that lie made sure of Arthur Scott 's verdict. "

Like Two Game Cocks. "Solar-Plexus," of the Sydney "Referee," waxed very enthusiastic over the bout. In the course of an extremely long description, he wrote: —"The pair were like two game cocks, ever intent on the fight, with the science and hitting power, and the clever in-fighting of McCoy finding an effective foil in the wonderful ginger and stamina of the Englishman. The latter is not such a clever all-round boxer as McCoy, and does not hit with quite the same stingf but he is a fighter every inch, with the grit of the bulldog, the symbol of the island from which he comes.

"Herb McCoy has figured in upwards of 20 contests at Sydney Stadium during the past- four years, and won a majority in brilliant style. . . . No previous effort by him came within cooee of his latest. It was a boxing classic, and on the night he would probably have accounted for any of those who had defeated him and still stand unavenged — Saylor and Shugrue, for -instance. Frenchman A"olaire, who won from him on a foul in the sixteenth round, would have been lucky indeed to last onefourth of that journey on the latest form of McCoy. ... "It was a wonderful contest, though, apparently one or two in the crowd could not appreciate the fine points. . . . At times McCoy, when in close and busy jolting lefts and rights to the body, oad liis head under the taller man's chin, but without foul intent. Still, some sec tions of the crowd roared disapproval. On occasions McCoy delivered a powerful right uppercut to Delaney's chin while holding him round the neck with his-left; but it was done so quickly as to escape the notice of most people. However, when one comes to consider the terrific bat at which they boxed, one must conclude that it was a clean, clever, and vigorous battle. Both men deserved the storms of applause that were theirs as they left the ring.

If McCoy Were Heavier! "It is a pity that McCoy is not heavier and taller, for in that case he would assuredly win the world's title iu the welter class, as his countryman, Les Darcv, has done in,the higher division. He was cool, confident, clever, and put more force into his punches than ever before, and when stung —as he often was —displayed pluck and stajnina befitting the gamest. 1 "In writing so highly of McCoy's effort, I do not lose sight of the great battle our young English visitor out up, for when I say that McCoy showed infinitely better form than his previous best, the fact that Delaney kept him continually on the move to win, with by no means a wide margin, Delaney's gamencss and ability are proved. He will reap a good reward, for whenever he appears the fans will be there. It is likely that he will show improved form, as it was some months since he figured in a contest. At first glance it would appear that Delanev is .lacking weight of punch, for he frequently scored cleanly with his right, to the jaw, but as McCoy showed marked improvement, in so many other departments, it is probable that he has likewise developed in stamina. Evidence of this appears to have been shown iu his last battle with Uren, whose powerful right- made frequent contact, and often had him groggy, yet he saw the journey tlirough and won on points. It is quite possible that McCoy lias developed in stamina, for he wiil not reach his twenty-fourth year until April G. Increasing years should make liiin tougher than lie was when he boxed Saylor, Shugrue, and Mehegan."

some errand of duty," Fetherston said, reassuring her. "It. was, I think, rather foolish of his wife to follow. At least, that's my opinion."

He knew that when Madame arrived in Paris and went to the Ministry the ghastly truth must, be revealed. Jean, who had been in the pay of Weirmarsh, had furnished him with that damning proof, the sheet of paper with the drawjug of Ilaudioniont's secrets upon it, abstracted from the waste-paper basket. Then the doctor, with devilish cunning and ingenuity, had placed it. in the hauds of the Minister, and. had thus put an end to tho brilliant career of one of the most gallant officers in all France.

Weirmarsh had .intended a double coup. For political reasons Captain Le Pontois had been denounced as a traitor, and for reasons known to Weirmarsh himself had Sir Hugh Eicombe been betraved.

But in the second case the dastardly betrayal had happily come too late. Indeed, by the watchful vigilance of Walter Fetherston and the two men acting under his orders, the sinister intentions of the mysterious doctor had been delayed. And, when carried out, they had been too late—Sir Hugh, and Enid had already safely crossed the frontier into Germany.

(To be coutiuiuu'l.)