SANDS BEATS MULLET ON POINTS

Wanganui Chronicle, 12 April 1948, Page 6

SANDS BEATS MULLET ON POINTS

GATE CRASHERS AFFECT THE GATE TAKINGS (P.A.) Wellington. ASril 11 Though he stripped better than at any stage of his career, and fought one of his best fights, "Don Mullett, the New Zealand heavyweight champion, was clearly outpointed by Dave Sands. Australia, in a 12-round contest at Petone on Saturday night. Sands offset his weight disadvantage, of over 2st., by some spells of beautiful boxing against an opponent who relentlessly but unsuccessfully sought to slow up the Australian sufficiently to nail him with one of the many powerful right chops he unleashed. Gate crashers marred the successful financial outcome of the contest for the Hutt Valley Boxing Association. The attendance was estimated at 5000, but hundreds jumped the fences. So great was this invasion that the authorities were almost powerless to prevent it. But for this attitude by many people the association would have cleared all previous losses. The contest was a grand spectacle, which kept the crowd in a constant simmer of excitement. Mullett stalked his opponent after the style of Joe Louis. There was terrific weight behind his punches, but many missed their target. Some of which landed visibly snook Sands, but he scarcely bore a mark after the fight. Sands rode Mullett’s punches with consummate ease, backmoved with rare judgment, weaved brilliantly, fought his way out of trouble when on the ropes, and also was always dangerous with his long rights to the head. This last blow, the most lethal in Sands’ attack was, in the main, well parried by Mullett, who had obviously given close study to the best means of countering this threat. Like Sands, Mullett came out of a hard contest surprisingly lightly marked. In the firth round he received a slight cut over the right cheekbone.