WORLD’S LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1162, 18 July 1912, Page 13

WORLD’S LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP.

WOLGAST’S CLOSE CALL. WINS ON A FOUL. On the same day as Johnson vanquished Jim Flynn at Las Vegas, a fierce battle was fought at Los Angelos for the lightweight championship of the world, the principals being Ad. Wolgast (present champion) and Joe Rivers, a Mexican boxer, for whom great things are prophesied. Being the first occasion on which Wolgast has been called upon to defend his title since he underwent an operation for appendicitis some time ago, intense interest was displayed in the fight, at which close on 12,000 ringsiders were present. Wolgast tipped the beam at 1301 b, while Rivers weighed in 21b lighter. Wolgast received as his share of the gate £3OOO, with a half interest in the picture rights, while Rivers secured £l6OO. The betting was 10 to 1 on the champion. Both men entered the ring in splendid condition,

in the case of Joe Rivers experts declaring that a better-conditioned fighter never entered the ring. In addition to the title of world’s lightweight champion, the contest carried with it the gold and diamond championship belt. Among those who witnessed the contest was Jim Jeffries, ex-heavyweight champion. When Wolgast strolled into the ring a number of bets were made, the odds having shortened by that time to 2 to 1 on the champion. Ad’s left eye was partially in mourning, and after strolling coolly about the ring, he won the toss for corners. A few minutes later the ring was cleared for action. The first round saw Wolgast using uppercuts with good effect, while Rivers drove left and rights home to face and stomach, and had a shade the best of things. Round 2. —The men traded uppercuts, but a right swing from Rivers burst a sore on Wolgast’s neck, and the blood flowed copiously from the wound. Three times Rivers landed hard lefts on the jaw, and when Wolgast rushed he was sent staggering back by a terrific right in the pit of the stomach. A hard right uppercut hurt the champion, and the Mexican danced away as Wolgast came at him. Round 3. —Rivers landed a stiff left on the stomach, and followed up

with a hard right to the same spot. Rivers was there every time, staggering the champion, and walloping him over the kidneys. Wolgast drove the Mexican on to the ropes with a shower of uppercuts, and received a powerful right on the jaw in return. It was Rivers’s round by a shade. Rounds 4 and 5 were even, despite Wolgast forcing the fighting. In round 6 Wolgast received a hard right cross to jaw, which sent him to the floor. On the champion rising, the Mexican lad punished him severely about the jaw and body. Rivers, with the exception of a bleeding nose, was uninjured. He was out-boxing Wolgast all the way. Round 7. —The champion tore in like a tiger, uppercutting repeatedly. He drove Rivers on to the ropes, but the Mexican came back tigerishly, and heavy blows were exchanged. The champion was puffing badly at the finish. The round was a shade in favour of Wolgast. Rounds 8 and 9 were slightly in favour of Wolgast, while the 10 th was very even. Early in the 11th both men went down on the slippery floor. When they rose both roughed it at the ropes, fighting hard. Wol-

gast laughed as he tore in and punched with both hands. The round was Wolgast’s on aggressiveness. Round 12.—Wolgast became very busy, and in a fierce rally fought Rivers all over the ring. Wolgast seemed stronger, and Rivers’s blows were weakening. Round 13, and last. —Rivers went down after some hard fighting from a solid left in the stomach, and Wolgast fell over him. The bell came before a decision could be given, and both men were carried to their corners writhing in pain. They each claimed a foul, and a scene of great confusion ensued. Wolgast, staggering to his feet to protest that he had been fouled, nearly fell backward through the ropes. The referee then gave his decision in favour of Wolgast. The verdict was regarded as very dubious. The experts consider that no one could see the foul with the two men on the floor in a heap. Rivers was not seriously hurt, but Wolgast received heavy punishment. Referee Welsh has since been roasted on all sides. The public considered that Rivers was robbed. Just before the finish it was evident that his head punches and kidney blows were telling. Bedlam broke loose after the fight, the crowd swarming into the ring.

Up to the thirteenth round both men fought like demons. It seems that the referee gave his verdict on a knock-out. Rivers displays an aluminium protector, which is dented. That, he argues, proves he was struck a foul blow. Mr Jones, Wolgast’s manager, states that Ad. stumbled over Rivers’s feet when the Mexican fell. He wrenched his knee, and fainted. No one saw a foul blow struck. The referee, Mr Welch, says that Wolgast was clearly the winner. He had handed two smashing blows in the pit of the stomach. They were not low. Rivers fell and Wolgast went with him. “The pictures,” remarked Welch, will show that a foul blow was not struck. The gate receipts were £8293. Risers is quite agreeable to arrange another match, but Wolgast’s manager, so far, is silent. Referee Welch says that Rivers was on the floor the full ten seconds, and that he was counted out before the bell rang. The timekeeper, on the other hand, says that he rang the gong ending the thirteenth round before the referee signalled that Wolgast was the winner, and that Rivers had been down about nine seconds when the bell rang. Rivers persists that Wolgast struck him a foul blow, and even then he was on his feet before the ten seconds were up. “Welch never reached ten,” said Rivers, and added, “Wolgast had ‘quit,’ and he was ‘foxing’ when he was on the floor.” Wolgast has a different story. “Rivers,” he said, “knew he was whipped. He struck me with his knees when he fell. The pain was awful. I thought my legs were five feet apart when I got on my feet.”

WAIKATO BOXING CHAMPIONSHIPS.

A SUCCESSFUL NIGHT. The praiseworthy efforts of the officials of the Waikato Boxing Association in making preparations for several weeks prior to the championship carnival augured well for the success of that gathering, and it was therefore not surprising that the Town Hall was packed on Wednesday night of last week, when the fourth amateur championships were decided. In fact, the house was a record one for boxing in the Waikato, £B3 being taken at the doors. Mr Milford McArthur, the popular president of the Association, did much to add to the enjoyment of patrons, while Mr W. Waters, the able secretary, is to be congratulated upon the excellence of the arrangements. Proceedings opened with a bout between the novice lightweights, A. Whittle (9.4), of Huntly, and F. Deeley (9.0), of Paeroa. The encoun" ter was lacking in science, but this was compensated for by the willingness with which they mixed it, several lively exchanges being witnessed. Whereas Deeley was intent upon scoring a knockout, his opponent was content to rely on points for the decision, which he received after having but a shade the best of matters. CHAMPIONSHIP BOUTS. There were only two aspirants in the bantamweight class, which went to McMillan (8.1), of Auckland, on points, at the end of the three rounds. Payne (9.0), of Auckland, and Wright (8.11), of Auckland, were the first pair to measure skill in the featherweight class, the former giving up in the first round. Wright met Ha,nsen, of Hamilton, in the final, outpointing the Waikato man after an uninteresting bout. LIGHTWEIGHTS. Bliss (9.12), of Hamilton, who was a competitor at the Auckland championships the previous week, met Porteous (8.12), also a Hamilton boxer. Bliss continued to score more consistently than his opponent, and earned the decision. R. Harvey (10.0), of Ngaruawahia, holder of the Waikato lightweight championship, had T. Smith (9.6), of Tamahere, as an opponent, whom he easily defeated in the first round, the latter showing no inclination to continue the bout on going lightly to the boards. Cooke (9.7), of Auckland, and Mackay (10.0), of Hamilton, were responsible for a scientific exhibition, in which an extra round was ordered, Cooke gaining the decision. The semi-final was fought between Cooke and Harvey, but the latter was unable to stand the vigorous rushes

of the Ngaruawahia boxer, who won. in the second round, Cooke being exhausted. The final between Bliss and Harvey came to an abrupt termination in the first round, Harvey breaking a bone in his hand, and thus having to reluctantly relinquish his title. HEAVYWEIGHTS. The first bout in the heavyweight division was between O. Hegh (11.6), of Cambridge, and F. Baker (13.0), of Tariugamutu, King Country. The forceful boxing of Baker proved too much for the Cambridge man, who received a good deal of punishment from a much younger opponent, who received the verdict. W. Hogg (13.8), of Hamilton, met Lamb (12.0), of Auckland, and weight told its tale, the former gaining the decision in the second round. The final between Hogg and Baker did not eventuate, the former being debarred from boxing owing to an injury to his arm, the championship thus going to Baker. In addition to the above contests a territorial class was decided, H. Hogg winning the final from Walker on points. * ❖ cU What should prove a very interesting boxing contest will be decided on the evening of Friday, September 27th (writes our Wanganui correspondent), when Peter Cook, of Pahiatua, and Alf. Gault, of Auckland, will do battle for the lightweight professional championship of New Zealand at the Opera House, Wanganui.