HENNEBERRY DOSES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 89, 16 April 1938, Page 4

HENNEBERRY DOSES

BY HAIRLINE DECISION SABATINO IN WORLD CLASS Fred Henneberry (11.3i> lost a hairline decision to Puerto Rican Atilio Sabatino (11.4) at the Sports Ground recently, but he lost no prestige or friends. The importation s vigour over the final rounds probably influenced Wallis in his favour, and ringsiders who had bet threes on Henneberry at the start fought to support Sabatino in the last round (says the Sydney Labour Daily). The ringside betting was a correct barometer of the scrap. Henneberry was the early favourite, and when Wallis called them together Fred was threes on. At the sixth Henneberry was at evens, and after the eighth Sabatino was 6 to 4 on. Towards the end the coloured boy was twos on. Henneberry probably found the distance a little strange. He forced the fight early, but he wasn’t as decisive as in his Stuhley bout, and the increased tempo probably upset him. Fred had lost his pace in the eighth and ninth, and it was those rounds that settled the issue.

Sabatino proved a great scrapper. He was cool throughout and although he was bustled in the middle rounds, he came back fighting. For once 'Henneberry was outstayed. Sabatino always did better when he let up. He won many exchanges of jabs, and although Henneberry slipped quite a number of his leads, Sabatino scored with many rights. For the most part the men were close up. Henneberry wasn't as devastating there as usual, probabiy because Sabatino went with him. Once or twice the local landed low punches, and he was probably penalised for his errors.

I gave Sabatino five rounds and Henneberry four, with one even. Sabatino, however, won two rounds by a wide margin, and he punched cleaner.

I never wish to see a better fight. There were very few quiet periods, and in the seventh, eighth, and ninth the men fought at a furious pace. I haven’t the slightest doubt that the distance didn’t suit Henneberry. He must have felt in some of the earlier rounds that he wasn’t doing quite as well as expected. When he applied more pace, Sabatino went with him. Momentarily Fred faltered and it was then that Sabatino clinched the issue.

Sabatino is versatile to a degree. He jabbed, crossed with his right, and when Henneberry bobbed, straightened him with lett body rips. Henneberry got in too close al times. He didn't land his right as frequently as usual. I thougnt his chief secund, Vic. King, would havebeen well advised in some of the rounds to have instructed Henneberry to use his left jab more frequently. Henneberry shouldn’t worry about the reverse.

In my opinion, it is always better to lose a great tight than to win a poor one. Bill Newman told Henneberry before he left the ring that he could have a return. Fred should jump at the offer. With the slighted variation of method he might easily reverse last night’s decision. Sabatino has earned the right tu be included in world class. He is the best middle-weight importation we’ve entertained since “Sunny Jim” Wilson.