BOXING HANHAM RETAINS TITLE

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23317, 28 September 1945, Page 6

BOXING HANHAM RETAINS TITLE

Stevens A Worthy Challenger Scientific Exhibition Cliff Hanham successfully defended his middle-weight title against RoyStevens, of Auckland, in a .15 round professional bout in the Theatre Royal fast evening. It was a fairly close aecision, the winner’s superiority in defence being the deciding lactor. The bout was not spectacular, but was a clean, scientific exliibition. In the early rounds. Stevens did the better of the two, scoring well with left rips to the body. Hanham soon found a counter for this mode oi attack, and himself gained points with left hooks. Toward the end of the fight, Stevens kept swinging his right, but most ol these puncnes were taken on Hanham's shoulder. The winner was obviously much more experienced, and in the infighting he had the better of the exchanges. Stevens attacked consistently and at times scored well with left rips to the body. In the sixth round he shook Hanham with a right to the jaw, but he was denied any opportunity oi following up the advantage. Stevens is obviously a heavy hitter and, against a less experienced opponent he would probably have won by a knockout. He made a good fight of it all the way and proved himself a worthy challenger. In the first two rounds both men coasted and summed up. In round three Stevens jumped to the attack with a solid left rip to the body and scored again with a similar punch. A solid left to his opponent's head gave Hanham the initial advantage in the next round, and he followed this up with a solid right cross. Round five saw Hanham in the ascendancy, scoring with lefts to tne face. Toward the end of the round he connected with a nicely timed uppercut to his opponent’s lace. The following round was Stevens’ best. After a left to Hanham s lace he connected with a hard right to the head and a left rip to the oody. Hanham was shaken, but not flustered, and used his left to keep Stevens away until the gong. In round seven, Stevens scored with a right to the head, but Hanham retaliated with a damaging right to the face. Until the elevencn round the exchanges were lairly even. Hanham scoring more cleanly, while Stevens found it difficult to find a target for his punches. Stevens rushed Hanham to his corner at the beginning of the thirteenth round, but the latter smothered weA and took most of his opponent's punches on his gloves and on his left shoulder. After scoring with a snappy left to Hanhams face. Stevens iound himself on the receiving end of a stinging right cross which stopped him in his tracks. When the final round was signalled, Stevens kept throwing his right at Hanham’s head, but the latter’s defence was equal to the attack. Both boxers received an ovation from the packed house. Both weighed list. 51b. The amateur preliminaries were productive of good boxing and a shower oi coins at the end of one bout expressed the appreciation of many of the spectators of the bill of fare. The professional fight was refereed by Mr J. Stewart, and the judges were Messrs T. Segar and A. J. Parris. Mr Segar refereed the amateur bouts, and Messrs R. McGlashan and Parris were the judges. The announcer. Mr W. W. Best, introduced the former Australian lightweight champion, Jacky Sharpe, and E. Robinson, middle-weight champion of the Second N.Z.E.F. Amateur Bouts Middle-weight—Henderson (Timaru) lOst 41b. beat Sullivan (Timaru), lost 41b; Thompson (Timaru). lost 101 b. drew with Gardiner (Oamaru). lOst 11b; Scott (Dunedin), lOst 131 b, beat Chooque (Timaru), lost 131 b Welter-weight—McDonald (Mataura) lOst 51b, beat Loach (Timaru >. lost 71b. Lightweight—Sparrow (Ashburton). Bst 131 b. won on a technical knockout from Doyle (Oamaru). 9st 51b.