PARKER WINS.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 19 March 1926, Page 8

PARKER WINS.

THE BIG FIGHT. A SPLENDID PROGRAMME. . The matching of Eddie Parker, light-heavy and heavy-weight champion of New Zealand, with Merv. Williams, the brilliant young Australian middle-weight, was followed with close interest by boxing enthusiasts all over the Dominion, and therefore it was not surprising to find a fair sprinkling of visitors in the well filled house that greeted the two principals at the Theatre Royal last evening. With the professional bout provided enthusiasts had every reason to be satisfied. From the opening gong to the .conclusion of the final round every moment of the fight was fraught with interest. With Williams establishing a definite lead after the first few rounds, the prospects of the local , men at the end of eight sessions did not look bright, but the New Zealand champion once again demonstrated his rugged fighting poyers, using his strength and .developing an aggressiveness that finally resulted in him securing sufficient points oyer the latter part of the journey to wipe out the deficiency, and Also secure a popular verdict.

Large entries having been received for the amateur tournament that preceded the professional contest, good sport was also provided in that section, the numerous bouts serving to keep the audience i interested, and in good humour until the hour scheduled for the big bout. The management of the contests, both amateur and professional, left little to be desired, ■while the general arrangements, both in the house and at the ringside were carried out without’a hitch, testifying to the usual excellent organisation and control on the part of those concerned. After a trying previous season, the success that attended the Association’s efforts last evening must prove very gratifying to the management committee, who fully deserve every encouragement, for the commendable enterprise shown in embarking upon their 1926 session with such a splendid- match. The officials responsible are as follows:—Referee professional contest, Mr L. Dewar; referee amateur b»uts, Mr Segar; official announcer, Mr A. N. Oakey; judges amateur bouts, Messrs J. King and E. A. Earwaker; stage manager, Mr R. Heron; house manager, Mr Herbert Hall; timekeepers, Messrs W. Scott and L. Eaton; competitors stewards, Messrs P. Lewis, W. Tiplady, and C. Campbell; round stewretary, Mr N. Clark; secretary, J. V. McKeague. During the evening proceedings were enlivened with airs contributed by the Battalion Band, under Conductor B. Allan.

AMATEUR BOUTS. • BANTAM-WEIGHT. J. Spillane, Temulca (8.2), beat R. Forsyth, Waimate (8.2). Spillane held a big advantage in height and reach, and led throughout, giving few points away. FEATHER-WEIGHT. L. Ennis, Tirnaru (9.0), beat A. Lloyd, Oamaru (9.0). R. Hewitt, Tirnaru (9.0), knocked out C. Teale, Oamaru), in the first round. FINAL. L. Ennis, Tiffiaru (9.0), beat R. Hewitt, Tirnaru (9.0). Hewitt used his reach to advantage in the opening stages. In the second round Ennis connected with both hands, but still found liis opponent’s reach a disadvantage. Ennis made repeated efforts to get in and succeeded in connecting the end of the round. Both mixtd freely in the final round, Ennis scoring repeatedly with left and right to the face. Ennis scored freely in. the concluding stages, and the decision in his favour was popularly received. LIGHT-WEIGHT. L. Connolly, Temuka (10.0), beat Craig, Temuka (9.13). A. McKay, Tirnaru (9.6), beat R. Hopkinson, Temuka (10.0). FINAL. A. McKay (9.6), beat L. Connolly (10.0). This proved one of the best bouts of the evening. Connolly shook his man at the opening with heavy rights and lefts, sending McKay to the floor for a couple of seconds. Punches were swapped freely, Connolly’s connection however carrying more weight. As the gong sounded McKay sent the Seadown lad to the floor with a heavy right. Connolly pushed home an attack sending his opponent to the ropes. McKay retaliated fiercely, and both exchanged freely. McKay got home with a heavy left, a splendid round ending with honours equal. The final round proved a very lively affair, both fighting fiercely. The bout concluded with both men fighting to a finish, and with McKay the winner by a very narrow margin. Both contestants were warmly applauded for their fine exhibition.

WELTER-WEIGHT. F. Smitheran (10.44), Oamaru, beat J. Forsyth (10.9, Waimate. Smitheran led from the start scoring freely with both hands. The final round saw the Oamaru man inflicting punishment with vicious right swings to the head. LIGHT-HEAVY. ■ Campbell, Oamaru (12.0), beat H. Nasmith, Temuka (11.11). A very even bout, opened rather tamely, Campbell commencing to show points In the second round. In the final round, Campbell produced a straight left on three or lour occasions with decided effect. The decision met with popular approval. MIDDLE-WEIGHT. J. Connolly, Seadown (11.2), beat E. Phillips, Temuka (11.2). The bout opened with both mixing freely, Connolly doing most of the leading. In the closing stages of the round' Connolly drove the Temuka mail to the ropes, where after a close exchange, the Temuka man fell heavily, the gong saving him. After the spell Philips was unable to leave his corner and the fight was awarded to Connolly. HEAVY-WEIGHT. W. Elder, Timaru (12.2), beat L. Manning, Temuka (12.12). The first round was characterised with repeated holding, Manning being the principal offender. The next round was a repetition of the first, Manning being cautioned for hitting low. The final round saw Elder leading and connecting to the head with right swings. THE BIG FIGHT. The appearance of Parker, with trainer O’Connor in attendance, was the signal for enthusiastic applause, which was later renewed when Williams, who was attended by Hector McDonald, climbed through the ropes. The poundage* was announced : Parker list 81b, AYdliams list 61b. Both men

stripped in the pink of condition, and although a very evenly built pair were presented, Parker’s build gave the appearance of more weight and strength than the two pound margin indicated. Lachie McDonald, who was present, also stepped into tho ring and formally issued a challenge to the winner of tho •contest, receiving a warm ovation. Preliminary announcements concluded with the intimation that the fight was for a purso of £l5O.

THE FIGHT DESCRIBED. A long period of clinching marked the opening stages, “break away” bein" frequently ordered. Williams connected with a left and a right to the head, but the blows lacked weight. __ A left to the nose by Williams was ioilowed by a period of in-fighting, the round ending slightly in ‘Williams favourin the second round a straight left from Parker was neatly parried, indecisive in-fighting following. The Australian connected twice in succession, with his left. Parker retaliating to the jaw, and following with a right swing to the head. Williams showed a decided tendency to engage at close quarters ahd gained points with quick upper-cuts to the face. Parker connected lightly to the jaw as the gong sounded the conclusion of the round in Williams’ favour. . .

Parker opened the third round with a right ana- left to the head. In the close work that eventuated Williams appeared to advantage with vicious jabs to the head and body. In-fighting occupied the remainder of the round, the advantage of ,which, if anything, was (slightly in Williams’ favour. Fourth round. —Both men engaged at close quarters at the commencement, Parker tripping and falling lightly in breaking away. Exchanges were now carrying more weight, a heavy body blow from Parker sending Williams to the floor. Parker connected in the region oUthe solar plexus, l : bjjt the Australian' remained apparently 1 unmoved. Parker’s round.

Fifth round.—AVilliams opened the following round with a smart left to the nose. A wicked'uppercut was taken by Parker on the chest, the Seadown man looking for his opponent with heavy right swings. Parker closed briskly, but AVi'liams evaded smartly and brought his left into play with good effect. An indecisive round ended with Williams failing to connect with a straight left. ■ ' In the sixth round both men showed disinclination to take risks, the order to break being frequently given. In the close work AVilliams used a very useful right to decided advantage. AVith Parker’s bad eve as the main objective, AAulliams’s’ straight left was proving effective, Parker’s eye obviously commencing to rise. Seventh round. —AVilliams opened auspiciousl.y, connecting with a right swing to the jaw. Heavy exchanges to the body were in Parker’s favour, the local man also following the .advantage with a right swing to the head.. AVilliams retaliated to the eye -with aj straight left. Parker landed heavily on tiro body in breaking away prior to the conclusion of the round.

Eighth round.—AVilliams’s left again came into play on Parker’s 'jaw with obvious effect, the blow being repeated almost immediately. Parker replied with substantial body punches. The local man stopped a wicked left with his glove, returning with a pretty right swing to tho jaw. The round ended with Parker engaged in worrying tactics on the ropes, AVilliams not benefiting from the infighting to the same extent as earlier in the fight. Parker’s round. , , The commencement of the ninth round saw Parker boring in and concentrating on the Australian’s body. Duckling a right swing AVilliams stepped in with two very pretty lefts in quick succession. Punches were freelv exchanged, Parker predominating with left and right swings. A well-timed left jerked Parker’s head before the gong sounded. Tenth Round.—Parker’s left eve, which commenced to close in the fifth round, was now causing serious trouble. Twice in succession AVilliams found the injured optic with destructive lefts, Parker retaliating with a solid left to the head. Parker stopped a heavy punch in the mid-rib and immediately clinched, securing points with rugged in-fighting on tho ropes. Eleventh round. —Parker’s right immediately went home to the body, tho local man stepping back quickly from a dangerous left. Lefts and'rights to the head from Parker carried weight, but AVilliams quickly returned, reaching out with his left for the damaged eye. . Parker took the fight to the enemy’s camp, but the Australian’s defence proved equal. Parker very neatly turned aside one of AVilliains’s characteristic lefts, and fell into a clinch, a department of the science which "Williams was not seeking as largely as before. Twelfth round.-r- Both men were quickly on the offensive, Parker scoring freely with both right and, left. Parker bore in with determined rights to head and body, also 'retaliating one of the visitor’s iefts with a right swing to the head. Still in search of Parker’s eye, Williams ultimately connected with a particularly solid right as the gong sounded. The advantage of the round lay chiefly with Parker.

The “devil’s” round saw Parker fighting fiercely with the use of one eye only. Parker led with a right, a successive of clinches concluding with both mixing freely, hut without apparent advantage. A vicious rush by Parker drove AVilliams to the corner, the fight travelling across tho ring, where a very willing round ended with both engaging hotly. Fourteenth round.—Williams pressed home the attack, and landed on the jaw with a left swing, repeating the stroke to Parker’s noso, but without much weight. Parker retaliated with lefts and right to +he face. Following a scries of clinches both men exchanged freely in ail exciting stand-off onslaught. Parker drove liis opponent to the ropes, hitting hard with his right as tho round concluded.

The final round opentd amidst keen excitement. AA’illiams connected with his left, Parker at onco retaliating with a solid right swing Forcing the fight, AA r illiams came in aggressively. Parker evading well. Parker retaliated with a strong left, punches being freely .exchanged. In the concluding seconds, AVilliams scored with straight lefts, Parker falling into a clinch as the gong sounded.

The decision for Parker was received with enthusiasm. Both men were loudly cheered on leaving the ring.