FIGHTING NOVICES.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20283, 18 April 1934, Page 11

FIGHTING NOVICES.

Hard Hitting in Boxing Tourney. The Christchurch Sports Club’s 1934 opening novice tournament last night was one of thrills and excitement. The bouts were staged at the Caledoaiian Hall in the presence of a large crowd. Two fly-weights, H. Anderson (7st 111 b) and T. Kirner (7st 101 b), gave the programme a lively beginning, Anderson winning after three closely-con-tested rounds, by the merit of cleaner hitting. He also accounted for K. Sprosen (Bst) in the final. Some promising talent was introduced in the bantam-weight class. P. Campbell <Sst Ulb), who beat M. Duncan (Sst 61b), on points, and J. Amtam (Sst 21b), who accounted for G. Crocker (Sst 21b), met in the final. Amtam gaining the decision after some close and willing battling. Heavy hitting was the outstanding feature of the feather-weight bouts. W. Kerr (Ost) fought well to beat L. Amtam (9st) in the preliminary., and in the final, when lie met IT. Wilkins (9«t), bis cleaner bitting and better-placed blows won him the victory. There were only two contestants in the light-weight class, in which H. Forward (9st 61 b) was the master of T. Rennie (9st 41b), by virtue of a welltimed straight left that went home solidly to the jaw. Forward -won on a technical knock-out. Outpunching a bard-hitting opponent. H- Knight (lOst 71b) beat J. Patterson (lOst 41b), on points, in the first round of the welter-weight division, and J. Hunter (lOst -lib), who could liit with tremendous power, accounted for J. Behan (IDst 41b), on a technical knockout in the final round. Hunter found his master in the semi-final, when he met Li. Cusden (Hist .51b). This was a bout of terrific swinging, with Cusden landing the more frequently. In his turn Cusden had to take defeat from Knight, who punished him severely with a straight left. The most terrific hitting seen in a Christchurch ring for some years was witnessed when a Varsity student, C. Barnes (list 61b), met H. Grant (ltlst. 131 b), in the only middle-weight bout oi the evening. Barnes delivered his blows with tremendous force and Grant was not far behind him in this respect. Three times Grant was sent down for the count of nine, only to rise and fight it out with his opponent, blow for blow, until the final bell was sounded. Barnes won a great battle. The light-lieavy-weight bout between J. Burford (I.2et 21b) and W. OUiver (list 101 b), was rather disappointing, OJliver offering little resistance to his opponent, who rushed him round the ring for three rewinds, delivering heavy blows with either hand.