BOXING.

Wairarapa Daily Times, 20 October 1930, Page 6

BOXING.

WAIRARAPA ASSOCIATION. OPENING TOURNAMENT. GOOD AMATEUR BOUTS. The Town Hall was well filled on Saturday evening to witness the first j tournament of the recently reorganised Wairarapa Boxing Association. . Many personalities prominent in the boxing sphere'of the Dominion were present and included Messrs. Earl Stewart and A. E. Curtayne of the New Zealand Boxing Council. The former acted as referee and the latter as announcer. There were also many other boxing enthusiasts from Wellington, Paliiatua and other districts present. Mr A. P. Whatman, patron of the Wairarapa Association, in a brief address, said that the large attendance augered well for the newly reorganised association which he said held a high place in Dominion boxing in pre-war days. He paid a fine tribute to the members of the New Zealand Boxing Council who had come to Masterton that night and were virtually running the whole show. Mr Whatman conveyed to them and other visitors who were assisting the deep thanks of the Wairarapa Boxing Association. “I see no reason why the newly resurrected Association, in the very near future, should not again hold its own -with other associations throughout New Zealand,” said Mr Whatman amidst applause. “You are very fortunate in the choice of your president, Mr A. -G. Lawson who is a most capable man, ’ ’ he added.

The programme consisted of thirteen bouts, and as there were only two knock-outs registered it can be said that the contests were mostly of a very even character. While there were some fine exhibitions witnessed there were a number which could only be classed as mediocre. The best bouts were practically confined to the light divisions, and the most outstanding one of the evening was that between E. Oxley (9st. olbs) of Pahiatua and W. Withey (9st. 81bs) of Wellington. Both possess the qualities of courage and stamina but Oxley’s high standard of ringeraft combined with almost equally strong right and left swinging punches gained him a well-merited victory in the fourth round.

The star contest in the heavy division was that between two Wellington lads, M. Strickland (list lib) and A. Hawker (lOst lOlbs). A well-fought fourth round saw Strickland gain the verdict, principally won. through a powerful straight left.

Some promising Masterton lads were revealed. E. Carrig in a hurricane first round left his opponent easy prey for the knock-out at the commencement of the second.

T. Newland, against a formidable opponent in F. Ostyke of Pahiatua, was revealed as the fittest of the Masterton lads. The referee was unable to separate them at the end of the fourth round and a fifth was ordered in which Newland scored- the verdict. T. McCord showed fine courage against a heavier opponent. It was not a good contest, but the Masterton boy deserves credit for a game fight and merited the victory.

H* M. Bodle, another Masteirton lad, took a lot of punishment but he dealt out an equal measure of/ it to his opponent. At the end of the fourth round the referee judged them equal on points. Neither was fit for a further round.

As stated by Mr Whatman, there is no reason why the Wairarapa should not again occupy an important place in New Zealand boxing. Saturday’s tournament at least points in that direction and gives the members of the newly-formed Association ample encouragement to go ahead. Hard work is inseparable from the organisation of a new club but the secretary, Mr H. A. i R, and the members of the * committee must have given ample measure of that to stage Saturday’s: tourney.. u Messrs. G. W. Sellar and W. R. Bircn were the timekeepers.

The ring used was brought up from Wellington and is the one used for the big contests in the Town Hall there. Jt was announced that Mr J. Bradbury had donated a trophy for the local lad who gave the best exhibition, and Mr P. Southey a medal for the best local loser. E. Carrig won Mr Bradbury’s trophy and J. Ford Mr SoiltllS'"’ 3 medal. Prior to the commencement of the 0.,.,cial programme two midget boxers, D. Lamb and H. Eultoii, each 4st. 41bs., and designated as belonging to the “cigarette-paper” weight class, gave a very smart three minute exhibition bout. The bouts were all of four two-mm-ute rounds, with the exception of the paper-weight, which was three of twominutes each. Detailed results are as follows: — PAPER-WEIGHT. A. Pratt, 6.4 (Pahiatua) beat P. Finnigan 6.3 (Wellington). The winner had a slight advantage Of height and reach. An even first round ended with a strong left to the face by Finnigan. Early in the second round Finnigan again got his left to work but Pratt scarcely winced and with right and left hooks to the face rattled his opponent. Pratt set a solid pace in the third round. Finnigan was smart on his feet but Pratt towards the end found an opening which he took full advantage of. BANTAM weight. B. Woods 8.3 (Wellington) beat B. Page, 8.8 (Masterton). The feature of this bout was the fine footwork of the winner. Page showed plenty of grit, but in both the first and second rounds left his guaid

open. Although aggressive in the third round Page found it difficult to connect with a straight left. Woods quickly turned defence into attack. In the fourth round the Masterton lad forced his opponent to a close cover, but Woods broke away and with great speed approached again to connect witli his left to the face.

E. Carrig, 8.4 (Masterton) beat D. Logan, 8.2 (Wellington). This bout was quickly decided. Carrig floored his man for the count early in the second round. Early in the first round Carrig had his ojiponent in a corner and both went at it at hurricane speed. Carrig finished the round with a stinging left to the face. At the opening of the second round Carrig pinned his man against the ropes and after a right and left hook to the jaw Carrig followed with an upper cut and Logan crumpled to the ground to last out the count. HEATHER-WEIGHT.

H. Marshall, 8.8 (Wellington) beat 'C. Newman 8.6 (Masterton).

The second knock-out of the touirney was registered in this bout. Although it was evident that Newman was outclassed he held his own in the first round. Marshall repeatedly held his opponent to the ropes in the second round and inflicted severe punishment. Newland went to his corner in distress. Blows to body and face early in the third round sent Newman tottering. A hard left to the body floored him and brought the end of the bout. T. Newland 8.13 (Masterton) beat F. Ostyke 9.1 (Pahiatua). The first round was fought at a fast clip with Newland best in the in-fight-ing. At the commencement of the second round Newland connected with a stinging left to the face quickly followed by a right hook. Ostyke retaliated with a powerful left hook to the side of the head. In the third and fourth rounds both showed evidence of hard punishment but good physical condition enabled them to go on at a fast pace. The referee ordered a fifth round and after a ding-dong round Newland was declared the winner in one of the hardest bouts of the. evening. LIGHT-WEIGHT.

J. Donoghue 9.1 (Wellington) beat J. ■Catherall 9.6 (Masterton). In this bout Catherall was handicapped by a cramped style. Donoghue was free and used his feet to good advantage. Catherall showed up best in the second round but Donoghue timed well a vicious right hook. A hard straight left had its effect on Catherall who showed unmistakeable signs of distress in the third round. Catherall opened out in the fourth round but did no damage Donoghue was apparently biding his time and when the opportunity came sent in.two jabs to the jaw. E. Oxley 9.5 (Pahiatua) beat W. Withy 9.8 (Wellington). This bout was the most finished and interesting. Both were smart on their feet and accepted and gave punishment in full measure. After some even fighting in the first round Oxley—a New Zealand amateur semi-finalist—-rocked in left and right hooks before the gong went. In the second round Withy gpt out of the way of a vicious left, but failed to avoid the flight of a swinging right. Withy stood up gamely in the third round but Oxley had the measure of his man by now. A hard left by Oxley was followed by a stinging right to the face from Withy. The Pahiatua lad with fine grit waded in and a double sledge hammer right saw Withy sagging to the floor. He rose at nine sorely distressed but the referee awarded the verdict to Oxley just before the gong went.

G Woods 8.8 (Wellington) beat J. Davies 9.10 (Pahiatua).

Owing to the discrepancy in height between the two contestants this bout took an amusing turn. The -winner, although short in stature, did not lack courage. -He founds it difficult to reach his opponent’s face but found the most vulnerable parts of the body with gome powerful blows. Davies did litUe attacking.

(WELTER-WEIGHT, H. M. Bodle 10.10 (Masterton) and J. Beech 10.10 (Pahiatua) equal. This was a bout of slogging rather than scientific boxing. Each in turn went to his corner in more or less of a haze and at the end of the fourth round neither was fit for a further round in Older to decide the tie. T. McCord 10.6 (Masterton) beat F. de Silva 10.8 (Wellington). This also was an unscientific bout, but the principal feature of it was the fine courage shown by McCord. He was right up to his opponent all the time and never shirked. The Masterton lad with a left to the body and a right to the face as the gong went at the end of the fourth , round gained a popular and well merited victory. middle-weight. M. Strickland 11.1 (Wellington) beat A. Hawker 10.10 (Wellington). This was the principal bout in the heavy divisions. The first three rounds were characterised by even fighting but nothing outstanding. Strickland set out to gain the decision in the fourth and a straight left which had its effect on Hawker saw victory within his grasp. He followed later with a right to the body which all but floored Hawker as the gong went. LIGHT-HEAVY. L. Strickland 10.12 (Wellington) beat J. Ford 11.10 (Masterton). As stated there were several very mediocre bouts, and this one comes under this class probably more than any other. It was rather crude right throughout. Ford _ was hard pressed in the first round and although he connected once or twice in the second came out with the worst of it. An open guard enabled Strickland to rake

his opponent from stem to stern in the third round. By the end of the round Ford was “groggy.” Strickland in the fourth had not a great deal of dieieulty in out-pointing his rather slow opponent. Ford certainly stuck to his man and at least exhibited ability to take a great deal of punishment before saying “enough.” This was the only verdict- to which the audience was openly hostile. H. R. Reeves 11.0 (Pahiatua) beat J. Strickland 12.0 (Masterton). This last bout of the evening was one of the best in the heavy division. Reeves, although conceding a stone in weight, had a closer guard than that of his opponent. He also used his feet to better advantage. The verdict however must only have gone to Reeves by a narrow margin as Strickland seemed to have the advantage in the first and third rounds.