BOXERS AND BOXING

Taranaki Daily News, 8 March 1935, Page 10

BOXERS AND BOXING

DEFEAT OF PETERSEN LACK OF STRENGTH SHOWN. POUNDING BY GERMAN NEUSEL. (By B. Bennison.) London, Fob. 7. Jack Petersen, the young Welsh boxOr who holds the British heavy-weight championship, experienced the first seri-ous-setback in his ambitious career in his fight against the German, Walter Neusel. When he was in a helpless state, holding on to the ropes and only semi-con-scious—out on his feet as it was said—his father, who acted as his chief second, threw in the towel as the signal of surrender. This was near the close of the eleventh round of what had been a terrific fight. It was . not only the defeat which clouded Petersen’s future. In a previous contest he had suffered a severe cut over his eye. and, though it was believed that it had been successfuly treated, Neusel re-opened it in the tenth round, and during, this bout the blood flowed from the wound, and the young Welshman was a dreadful spectacle. Ih fact, it was thought that he would at once be compelled to retire. But he was sent out again, and with the blood again obscuring his sight he was quickly in a hopeless state, a target for the devastating blows Of his powerful opponentin his last fight. Neusel secured a draw With Len Harvey. He then, however, weighed over 16St, and was plainly in a poor physical state. When the match Was made with Petersen the promoters insisted that he must reduce to not more than 14st under a penalty of

Principals in the featherweight contest at New Plymouth next week. Jarvis is a stylist and a hard puncher with an outstanding amateur record which suggests a bright future in the professional ranks.

£250. By hard training he got down to the stipulated weight, but it was thought that he might .have weakened himself. This, however, was far from the case. He was still a stone and a-half the heavier man, and his greater poundage was not only a. big asset, but he was altogether the stronger man. YOUNG WELSHMAN'S FUTURE. When the fight opened it was obvious that both men had made up their minds lo go all out for a quick knock-out. They’ exchanged blows with astonishing abandon. Neither suffered much damage, and it was not until the fifth round that there was any slackening of the pace. Despite his comparative lightness, it appeared as if there was more power in Petersen’s punches, but they had little effect on the German, who showed fine resource and ringcraft. In fact he knew too much for the Welshman, and, although his advantage was slight during the first four rounds, he took command from that point. It is impossible to say what would have happened if Petersen had not been so seriously handicapped by his damaged eye, but I think Neusel would have won.