AWAKING BOXING TOURNEY

Taranaki Daily News, 6 August 1934, Page 13

AWAKING BOXING TOURNEY

SOME BRIGHT EXHIBITIONS WILLING BOUTS PLEASE PUBLIC. TAINUI AMATEURS SHAPE WELL. The Tainui Boxing Club and the residents of the Tainui district have reason to congratulate themselves on the, success of the second annual boxing tournament, which was staged in the Awakino Hall on Saturday evening. In all sixteen bouts were decided, boxers from Awakino, Mokau and Mohakatino, all of whom were trained in the Tainui Club, being seen in action, opposed in some cases to boxers from Ratapiko, which was strongly represented, Tariki, New Plymouth, Waitara and Oaonui. The success the local boxers achieved showed that the honorary instructor, Mr. R. Marsh, was working on 'the right lines. With keen, young members, an enthusiastic and capable coach, and the support of the district behind them as was evidenced by the large attendance from all parts, including numerous ladies, despite the very rough weather, the success of the Tainui Club is assured. Throughout the boxing was clean and open, and only in two of the sixteen bouts staged dd any contest not run its full distance and then only owing to slight injuries sustained by the competitors, in one case to the thumb and in the other to the knee. Billed as the star bout of the evening a four round contest between T. Loveridge, Tariki, and G. Curran, New Plymouth, was won by the former after a close contest. It lacked, however, the brightness that usually characterises Loveridge’s bouts, the Tariki lad evidently realising that he had a big advantage in and restraining himself somewhat. While it was a good bout, there were several other contests that in merit were more entitled to top place on the bill. Among them may be mentioned Huzziff (Tariki) v. Ryan (Omata), which gave the former the silver cup given by Gibsons Motors, New Plymouth, for the most scientific boxer. Several bouts in which local lads participated were of a high order, some very small boys doing remarkably well. EFFICIENT MANAGEMENT. The arrangements were perfect, bout following bout without delay. Mr. V. Pruden as referee kept the bouts open, whilst the judges, Dr. J. S. Church and Messrs L. E. Sowry and C. Roebuck, gave general satisfaction. The other officials were: Announcer, Mr. A. C. Richards; timekeepers, Messrs L. R. Jones and A. Bartlett; official seconds, Messrs. R. Marsh and J. Waters; call stewards, Messrs. K. Black and A. Randall; glove stewards, Messrs G. Richards and R. King; ring stewards, Messrs. H. Price and L. Colman. The committee, of which Mr. L. R. Jones is president, Mr. D. Montgomerie secretary, and Mr. H. J. Gray treasurer, is to be congratulated on the arrangements. The cup for the most scientific boxer was presented to the winner, P. Huzziff, Tariki, by Mr. J. Garcia, president of the Taranaki Boxing Association. In doing so -he congratulated the boxers on the splendid exhibition they had put up and the Tainui Club on the high standard of the programme. The Taranaki Association wished the club continued success. Supper was dispensed to the competitors and visitors, after which dancing was indulged in. Details of the bouts are:—

C. Maruzich (Mokau), 5.12 J, defeated A. Price (Mohakatino), 6.21, on points. It was a bright bout of clean fighting between two straight hitting boys, who put the crowd in good heart. Maruzich held just a slight advantage in the first two rounds, as he used both hands and put more sting into his punches. Price, who has a nice style, relied mainly on his left as a weapon of offence, guarding cleverly at times with his right. The third round was even and was fought at a fast clip. R. Sullivan (Mokau), 8.3, defeated W. Waho (Mokau), 9.2, on points.. There was plenty of amusement in this. Giving away nearly a stone, Sullivan took the fight with both hands to Waho, whose mode of retaliation was to rush in with head down and butt his opponne,t clinching and occasionally trying to end the bout with an uppercut from close quarters. His methods somewhat nonplussed his opponent, who, however, managed to send home sufficient clean blows to gain a margin on the first two rounds. The third round was even. W. Winstanley (Awakino), 5.12 J, defeated D. Manning (Tariki), 6.5, the latter injuring his thumb early in the first round. The round opened very brightly and the crowd was just settling down to enjoy it when Manning put his thumb out. WILLING BOXING. R. Calvert (Awakino), 10.8, defeated N. Summers (Ratapiko), 10.0, on points. This was a willing contest. At the outset the Ratapiko boy tried to force the pace, but his blows lacked sting, not being straight from the shoulder. Calvert took the fight to him and putting his weight into his blows scored with both hands to win the round. The second round saw Summers duck cleverly to avoid some dangerous rights which would have ended hostilities had they connected. The Awakino lad had the better of the exchanges. The third round, like the opening two, was clean and open, concluding with a splendid rally in which the Awakino lad used both hands, while the Ratapiko boy mainly a left to the body. W. Jones (New Plymouth), 8.12, defeated H. Kettle (Waitara), 9.1, on points in a four round bout after a splendid contest. Jones, who had the advantage of height and reach, wanted to keep the fight at long range, but his more nuggety opponent came in aggressively with both hands to score solidly to the face and body, having his opponent worried at the close of the round. Early in the second round Jones steadied Kettle’s rush with a straight left and used neat footwork to keep out of danger. Kettle tried hard to get in and his aggression perhaps gave him an advantage. In the third round Jones did much better, his straight left keeping Kettle at bay. Back-stepping, however, Jones fell and took the count for eight. He appeared groggy when he rose and Kettle rushed in to finish the bout but met unexpectedly serious resistance. A splendid even rally concluded the round. The final round was fought at a fast clip. Kettle all the time went in determinedly with both hands, but Jones had found his left very effective and used it to such purpose that he won the bout.

B. McDavitt (Awakino), 5.4, defeated B. Corbett (Tariki), 5.3, on points. This was very even, the pair mixing it well. McDavitt was the cleaner hitter, and that more than counteracted his oppon-ent’s-aggressive tactics, which were marred by his penchant for going in with his head down.

J. Paltridge (Awakino), 9.2, defeated W. Coombes (Oaonui), 9.0, on points. The veteran’s unorthodox style and his endeavours to unleash blows, successfully at times from almost impossible positions, his smothering tactics and his facial expression, together with his willingness to meet his opponent more than half-way in any mix-up, proved popular with the crowd. The noise was so sustained that the contestants did not hear the gong at the close of the first round. Coombes’ style also nonplussed

his opponent, who found the veteran in the early stages elusively evade blows or stand up to punches that should have ended the bout. However, youth would have its way and in the third round Paltridge scored with some heavy blows that forced Coombes to hang on. P. Price (Mohakatino), 6.2, drew with A. Pratt (Mokau), 5.8. Both lads showed a good knowledge of the game, and, in a bout that was willing, clean and open throughout, and fought at a fast clip, there were numerous thrilling exchanges that had the crowd enthusiastic. The lads were evenly matched, tco, and were equally aggressive, both showing a willingness to mix it. Both were going as hard at the finish as at the start, and a draw was the right verdict. Stan. Jones (Awakino), 11.11, defeated H. Wood (Ratapiko), 11.12, on points. Jones, who had the advantage of height and reach, and possesses a nice style, took the fight to his more experienced opponent. Early in the opening round he' connected with a left and scored with the right a couple of times. Near the close Wood connected with the left to the face. Wood forced the pace to open the second round, but Jones poked out his left and kept him off. Then followed an exchange in which both connected and on the gong Jones scored with some snappy lefts. The third round was full of interest, Jones using his left to advantage, whilst on two occasions Wood connected with both hands. A willing mix-up at the close saw both trading blows nicely, but Jones still held the advantage. TECHNICAL KNOCK-OUT. R. Shamanski (Ratapiko), 12.2, beat J. Webster (Mokau River), 12.0, on a technical knock-out in the third round. For big men the pair fought at a fast clip. Webster early went in, flashing in with both hands like lightning, but Shamanski did not give ground, fighting back blow for blow for the first minute. Thereafter there was a good deal of footwork and evasion. Early in the second round Webster again went for his man, shooting in both hands and forcing Shamanski to the ropes. The latter shot out a couple of straight lefts with telling effect. Webster, however, made a good recovery and scored heavily, but failed to follow up the advantage. The third round saw another willing exchange. Shamanski, however, was now hitting very hard with both hands and had Webster in trouble. The latter, however, came again with a flurry of blows, and it was still anybody’s bout when Webster was sent to the boards, his knee giving out so that he was unable to continue.

N. Bishell (Mokau), 8.0, defeated J. McDavitt (Awakino), 7.0, oh points.' McDavitt, though giving away a lot of weight, stood up well to his taller opponent and, after an even first round, had Bishell thinking during the second round with a series of lefts to the face. Occasionally during the round Bishell landed a damaging blow. The third round saw McDavitt again score with his left before Bishell landed with the left to the face and the right to the body. Bishell had the better of the remainder of the round, scoring with both hands to swing the decision in his favour.

R. Rumball (Ratapiko), 11.11, defeated C. Price (Oakura), 11.4, on points. The first round was fairly even. Price appeared to be the harder hitter, but was inclined to use the open glove. He was the more aggressive, but Rumball stood up to him well and was more than holding his own. Price opened up the second round by flashing in his left several times, but his right swings with the open glove mostly missed. He ducked cleverly to avoid punishment, but near the close Rumball had the upper hand in a two-handed exchange. The final round saw Price again shoot in his left several times, and with a little more sting would have done considerable damage. As ii was it appeared that his left would win the bout, but over the last half-minute Rumball came with a rattle to have the advantage in a two-handed exchange. He secured what must have been a narrow verdict, as Price .went well against a heavier opponent,. and had his right been more effective he would have won. HUZZIFF A WINNER. P. Huzziff (Ratapiko), 9.6, defeated T. Ryan (Omata), 9.5, on points. This was a splendid contest, both men using both hands, not being loth to mix it. Ryan in the first round connected more cleanly and held a slight advantage. In the second round, however, the Ratapiko man’s aggressive tactics, combined with his cleverness, commenced to be apparent and he forced the pace, scoring solidly and keeping Ryan on the defensive, though he did not have matters all his own way. The final round saw Huzziff aggressive and he got home with the left. Ryan fought back. Huzziff was still the more scientific as well as aggressive, and took the fight to close quarters, where both scored with short jabs to the face. Huzziff also made his opponent jniss badly. L. Turner (Waitara), 9.9, defeated R. Ranger (New Plymouth), 9.4, on points. Turner showed that he had lost none of his aggressiveness as from the start he forced the pace, using both hands and having his opponent smothered in the corner most of the first round. Towards the close Ranger woke up and fought back. The second round also saw Turner in the ascendant, though the margin was not so great. Ranger led to open the final round and also showed cleverness in sidestepping and weaving out of some trouble, but the vigorous Turner kept at him. Two small boys, R. Price (Mohakatino) and C. Maruzich (Mokau), provided an interesting exhibition bout, the firstnamed doing all the. attacking, while Maruzich, who was over a head taller, was content to defend. T. Loveridge (Ratapiko), 9.41, defeated G. Curran (New Plymouth), 8.10. Loveridge at once went in with both hands and had Curran smothering on the ropes. Using both hands Loveridge continued to force the pace, but did not appeared to be all out. The second round opened with’a bright exchange in which Curran’s left checked Loveridge’s aggression, but only temporarily. Curran went down for one but immediately he resumed his feet sent home a' snappy left. Loveridge held a slight advantage over the remainder of the round. Curran’s smothering tactics nullified Loveridge’s attack, which followed an opening spar in the third round. The final round saw Loveridge send in a flurry of blows, but Curran was well covered up in a crouching position and they did little damage. Loveridge continued attacking and Curran’s occasional left jabs did not disconcert him. He appeared to be holding himself in reserve.