BRIGHT BOXING

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20841, 27 June 1939, Page 10

BRIGHT BOXING

NEW SEASON OPENS HAMILTON ASSOCIATION’S FIXTURE AY. LITTLE WINS BY KNOCK-OUT One of the best programmes provided by the Hamilton Boxing Association during the last few years was witnessed in the Frankton Town Hall last night when the association opened its 1939 season with a series of fourteen amateur bouts. A high standard prevailed throughout and the bouts were so evenly fought that in most cases the issue was in doubt until the official result was made known to the audience. A fairly large crowd was present. The chief item on the programme, a welter-weight contest- between AV. Little (Auckland), lOst 41b. and AN. Sayers (H.M.S. Achilles), lOst Gib. was scheduled to go over six two-minute rounds, but the end came dramatically in the fourth session when Little floored his opponent- and gained a knock-out decision. Although the bout was not very spectacular, it was characterised by hard hitting and the contestants made a great appeal with the crowd. Little Scores Heavily The opening round produced nothing spectacular, although both men scored evenly with heavy blows to the head and body. In the second spell Little missed Lis mark when he swung his right at Sayers’ head, but he made amends shortly after when he landed a heavy punch on his opponent’s face. Sayers was giving nothing away, however, and used his longer reach and superior weight to advantage in the closing stages of the round, when he delivered a volley to his opponent’s head and face. In the third round Little took the early honours, but Sayers replied with a two-handed onslaught to the body to make up for lost points. The end came rather sensationally within a minute of the opening of the j fourth round when, after driving Sayers back with a series of well-directed rights, Little connected with a vicious right-cross to the jaw which fioored his opponent and gave hirn the decision. Magill Cup Contest Throwing punches from all angles, Pat Kelly (Hamilton), 9st 121 b, kept Gilbert Roper (Morrinsville), lost 31b, on the move when the pair met in a welter-weight contest for the Magill Gup, and his victory was a popular one. Throughout the first two spells of the four-round bout Kelly kept Ilo:per on the defensive and landed heavy blows to the head in rapid succession. The third session saw Roper score with fast punches to Kelly’s head, but it was not long before the Hamilton boxer had him back on the ropes again, and that was the order until the close of the round. Tigerish onslaughts, I with which he drove his adversary all | round the ring, characterised Kelly's ; methods in the final session and he j kept up the tierce pace to the closI ing gong, giving Roper no chance to recover his lost ground. O’Brien Wins Howden Cup

Fighting for the Howden Cup, i R. O’lßrien (Hamilton), 9st 71b, and D. i Russ (Te Awamutu), 9st 1.21 b, two light-weights, forced a steady pace throughout and pleased the audience with their rapid two-handed exchanges. Russ used his greater reach to advantage in the two opening rounds, but O'Brien made up for the five pounds he was giving away when he drove his opponent round the ring in the third and fourth spells to gain the decision on points. Pile-driving punches exchanged in rapid succession characterised the welter-weight fixture between H. Robinson (Auckland), lOst 81b, and S. Pratt (Hamilton), lOst, 71b, who gave a splendid display of hard hitting. Although the Aucklander was the faster of the two, Pratt gave him no latitude., and exchanged blow for blow and gave a particularly good showing in the last of the thrqe rounds. However, Robinson's superior speed stood him in good stead and he gained the decision on points. Hard Fighting With each -man giving as much as he received and both exchanging heavy blows from the outset, the mid-dle-weight bout between T. O’Meara (Hamilton), list and J. Reid Morrinsville), list, kept the crowd excited and produced some of the hardest lighting on the programme. Although Reid gave nothing away in the j opening session, the Hamilton boxer ! was the more solid of the two and, j with his sound defence, he was saved | the punishment suffered by his oppon- | ent. However, although Reid was j subjected to a tierce gruelling in the second spell, during which his face was covered with blood, he rallied in the, final round and the drawn decision was popular with the crowd. Preliminary Bouts The results of the other preliminary bouts were as follows: Middleweight: J. Christian (Frank- ! ton . list 41h, beat M. McLachlan Hamilton), list 21b, on a technical knock-out; A*. Till (Frankton), list 71b, beat J. Davis (Hamilton), list ILih, on points. Light-weights: “ Scotty ” AVhite (Te Kuiti), list 91b, beat L. Cruickshank (Hamilton), 9st 81b, on points. Catcli-weight: L. Dodd (Te Awamutu,, list oib, beat E. Carter (Hamilton . I"st 121 b. on points; C. Ncxvlainl Frankton), 9st 41b, beat D. Janies (Hamilton.. Bst 121 b, by a knock-out: J. Clarke Hamilton.., Bst bib. beat J. Cruickshank .Frankton,, list ill), on poin.ts. Feather-weight: K. AVoods (Hamil-j ion . BsL Gib. on a technical knock-out. Fly-weight: J. Irwin Hamilton,, 7st loll), heal J.'Cameron .Hamilton;, 7s,t 41 ]j, on points. Paper-weights: M. llalcrow (Frankton), (Ist, drew with G. Jones (Hamil- I ton e sst. 121 b. The referees were Messrs N. A ; er- ; nail ami AN'. Cuthbertson, and the j judges were Messrs G. A'ernall and AV. | Ennis.