KING BEATEN AGAIN.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume III, Issue 801, 4 September 1916, Page 2

KING BEATEN AGAIN.

CROUSE WINS ON POINTS. Mick King, for a time middle-weight champion of Australia, has again been beaten, on points, by Buck Crouse, the husky American who was quickly disposed of by Les Darc.y, and who won and lost against Dave Smith. As in the first contest, King and Crouse met in Melbourne. They fought at catch weights, Crouse scaling 12st 121b and King 12st. The "Age's" description of the bout runs as follows:

Only a month or two ago boxing patrons were pleased to see Mick King boxing like his real self. The old ; combative spirit seemed to have come back to him, and he was as clever with his left hand as ever. Against the American Buck Crouse on Saturday, however, he met a husky opponent, who gave him very little time to think, and his display was much below his best. In the first three rounds the Australian displayed very skilful left-hand boxing, but it was obvious before the mid-session was reached that, he was placing too much reliance on the one hand. In fact, his right could have been in splints for all the service it was in offence. In defence certainly it played a part as a useful member in completing.the holds that he was too anxious to secure.

Crouse was always active. He forced the fight, and while driven back occasionally through the force of King's right, he was invariably ready to pounce in and belabour King's body. Both arms and hands were always doing something, but what shook King up most were the drives to the ribs and the swings to the body. Occasionally the kidneys were attacked, but the blows counted for nothing in the referee's judgment—such blows are banned under our rules. There was a sameness about the whole affair. King went for the points, and Crouse fo- both the points and the count out. He had King enervated before the fifteenth round, but some of the old-time sparkle was seen in the Australian's boxing in a few of the. subsequent rounds. He mixed matters willingly, and in fact showed the stronger hand. But the contest had been lost and won before that stage. It demonstrated that King had strength reserved, and the pity is that lie. did not use. it earlier. The decision went to Crouse on points.