BOXING.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, 22 August 1912, Page 15

BOXING.

NORTHERN ASSOCIATION’S TOURNAMENT.

OLSEN OUTBOXES MURPHY. JOHNS AND HARRIS FIGHT A DRAW. Notwithstanding that several of the principals matched in the contests arranged for the August tournament, promoted by the Northern Boxing Association, were unable to fulfil their engagements —substitutes being found a few days before the carnival—there was a large audience at the Town Hall to witness the various bouts. Considering the unavoidable changes in the programme originally prepared, the boxing fare provided afforded patrons a good night’s entertainment, the contests, with the exception of the heavyweight bout between Savoury and Hales, being fairly even. The principal contest of the evening between George Olsen and Bert Murphy two of Auckland’s leading welterweights, resolved itself into a match between a clever, crafty exponent and a boxer, whose main qualifications were determination and grit, and not surprising to relate the former won handsomely, Murphy’s seconds wisely throwing in the towel at the end of the seventh round.

H. Gilchrist (7.12) v. G. Brown (8.0.) The opening bout was a six 2irnnute rounds’ contest between the crack bantams, H. Gilchrist and G. Brown. In the first round Gilchrist principally relied upon straight lefts to head, which he varied with occasional right swings. The round was all in favour of Gilchrist, despite Brown’s clever defence. The second round opened with Brown using both hands to advantage, but the only blows of consequence were a right uppercut to jaw by Gilchrist and a hard left to body.

Immediately following the clang of the gong for the third round Gilchrist drove home a stinging left square on to the jaw, repeating this hard left punch a moment later. Gilchrist then brought his right into operation, but 'could not find a landing place with this member owing to Brown’s cleverness in countering. Brown scored more consistently than his opponent during the remainder of the round, but his punches were not nearly as weighty as Gilchrist’s, but he had a slight lead on going to corners. Brown worried Gilchrist considerably on the opening of hostilities in the fourth round, the latter retaliating with hard punches. Both lads boxed well, and set a lively pace, some solid blows being struck in this session. Gilchrist in particular sent home a series of hard swings to mouth and jaw with both hands, the round ending in his favour. Brown boxed craftily in the fifth round, and swapped punches freely with the Ellerslie bantam. The honours of the round were slightly in favour of Brown. There were several lively exchanges in the sixth round, Gilchrist getting in heavy straight lefts, while Brown scored with light uppercuts. Mr T. Brown gave his decision in favour of Gilchrist, the verdict being loudly applauded.

G. Menzies (9.7) v. S. Whalley (9.0.) A good deal of interest was centred in this six -minute bout on account of Whalley having gained a decision over Menzies when the pair met in the final of the Auckland lightweight championship last month. Last week’s contest, however, showed Menzies up in a better light, and he held his opponent safe at any stage of the contest. The first round was responsible for a series of quick exchanges at close quarters, from which the pair emerged with the points even. The second round opened with Whalley varying his punches to body and head, but he experienced considerable difficulty in breaking through Menzie’s defence. Menzies landed frequently with straight lefts, while he also used a right swing to good effect, and obtained a lead in points. Menzies’ straight left connected with Whalley’s chin repeatedly in the third round. The Parnell man continued to force the fighting until, with half a minute to go, Whalley finished up the round by retaliating with a fusillade pf vigorous punches, Menzies meeting him with several well-directed

blows of the weighty order. The round was again in favour of Menzies. Whalley started off well by mixing it freely in the fourth, but Menzies got in some sterling work with his short, quick jabs at close quarters, and further increased his points lead. Menzies brought a series of effective uppercuts into operation during the fifth round. Whalley stood up gamely to his punishment, but Menzies’ forceful methods were much too solid for him, and he was again outpointed. Whalley opened the sixth round by sending in solid lefts to head. Menzies forced him back, however, and capsized him over the ropes, Whalley’s head coming into violent contact with the ground, rendering him in a dazed condition. He pluckily, resumed the encounter but it was plainly apparent Menzies had him at his mercy, and he sent in several telling lefts to chin, and the contest was stopped, Mr Frank Burns awarding the decision to Menzies. During the contest Whalley broke the little 'finger of his left hand, while a large swelling on the back of his head bore evidence that he met with a severe bump when he was pushed back over the ropes.

C. Savoury (13.7) v. J. Hales (12.0). The heavyweight contest was of brief duration, Hales having no chance against his heavier opponent. The commencement of the first round saw Savoury rush his man up against the ropes, and drive home half a dozen powerful left swings to cheek in succession, these being practically the only blows struck during the round. Early in the second round Savoury’s left swings were doingdamage, and Hales sank to his knees, and was counted out.

Harry Johns (London), 8.13, v. Nobby Harris (South Africa), 8.13.

The contest between the above pair was limited to eight 3-minute rounds, while Mr Keesing acted as referee. Both boxers were in splendid fettle, but they did not settle down to their task properly until the sixth round. The first round was uninteresting, the pair indulging in light sparring, in which Johns’ clever footwork was noticeable. Both men displayed clever defence in the second round, in which Johns varied his blows more than Harris, who, however, rattled home a worrying left occasionally. Harris boxed better in the third round, his well-directed left frequently connecting. Johns made use of a light left, which landed mostly on the side of Harris’ head. Harris had the best of the round. Johns showed improved form in the fourth session, which was very even. In the fifth Johns became more aggressive, but Harris’ straight lefts caught Johns on the chin many times. The sixth round saw Harris' blocking Johns’ leads in good style and sending home numerous well-timed blows. Johns was not afraid to mix it, but he was outboxed in this round.

In the seventh round Harris’ damaging left was much in evidence, and enabled the South African to obtain a lead in points. The final round was willingly contested, Johns mustering all his reserve energy, and succeeding in making a draw of the contest, the decision being well received.

BERT MURPHY (10.4) v. G. OLSEN (10.8).

The 15 rounds contest between the above professional welterweights was fairly willing while it lasted, although it was early apparent that Olsen carried too many guns for his opponent. The first round opened with Olsen scoring with heavy lefts to mouth. A hard left of Murphy’s, however, put Olsen’s eye in mourning. Both men fought with much vim in this round, the honours of which were Olsen’s. Olsen went after his man in a determined fashion in the second round, but Murphy never flinched, swappingpunches with him freely. A straight left by Olsen, followed by a right cross, shook Murphy considerably, but he managed to score many effective blows before the gong sounded. The round was in Olsen’s favour.

Murphy made good use of a powerful left swing at the commencement of the third round. A couple of telling lefts to mouth by Olsen rattled Murphy, and at this stage of the contest the claret was running from the noses of both fighters. Murphy was as game as a pebble, and the way in which he withstood Olsen’s vigorous lefts was the subject of much favourable comment among the audience.

In the fourth round both men were showing signs of fatigue, Murphy, who only a few days before the contest had consented to fill the breach caused by Denny Murphy’s illness, not having had any time in which to train lor the match. The round was a tame one, the pair reserving their hitting powers, while in the fifth they again stood off a good deal. The sixth round saw Olsen outboxing Murphy, the former’s left to nose being his most damaging punch, and it was with one of these that he floored Murphy a few seconds before the gong sounded. Murphy took much punishment in the seventh round, Olsen scoring with straight lefts, immediately followed by swift, short rights. Though to all appearances a beaten man, Murphy battled the round through with the courage of a Briton. On the advice, however, of his seconds, Murphy decided to throw the towel in at the end of the round, Olsen thus being declared the winner.

The recent lightweight professional contest fought at Greymouth between Len Porter and Jack Griffen resulted in a disappointing ending, Griffen being awarded the decision in the seventh round on a foul. The pair entered the ring in the pink of condition, Porter’s weight being given at 10.0 and Griffen’s 9.12. In the first round Griffen landed many blows to head, while Porter rained body punches upon his opponent, and was cautioned for hitting in the clinches. There was much clinching in the second round, and the referee again administered a caution to Porter for questionable tactics when the pair were in at close quarters. Porter seemed intent upon going for Griffen’s wind with sharp jabs, but the latter, though severely punished, sent home a number of effective blows to chin and face. Early in the third round Porter was again cautioned, but he handed out a great deal of punishment to Griffen per medium of hard lefts. Griffen rallied towards the end of the round and connected with several effective swings to head. The fourth round saw Griffen tiring fast, but he made good use of his right, although Porter scored the more consistently. Griffen tried hard for a knock-out, but the crafty Porter was not to be caught napping. On one occasion Griffen, in attempting the sleep producer, missed, and fetched his length on the floor. The fifth round further increased Griffen’s fatigue, while Porter again offended by hitting his opponent in a clinch. Griffen made a remarkable recovery in the sixth round, and rained a fusillade of blows upon his opponent, Porter breaking ground continually. In the seventh round there were some exciting exchanges, but Griffen’s appearance denoted that he was the more used up boxer of the pair. It was at this stage that the unexpected happened. Porter, who looked to have the contest almost won, accidentally struck his opponent below the belt, whereupon the referee stopped the contest, and declared Griffen the winner. The decision did not meet with approval from a large section of the audience.

At the Manawatu Boxing Association’s tournament last night (Wednesday), Peter Cook, of Pahiatua, was matched to box Len Porter, of Hastings, holder of the title, for the professional lightweight championship of New Zealand.

Billy Hannan (West Maitland) and Allan Alaxwell (New Plymouth) met at the Town Hall, Wellington, on Friday night, when, after a splendidly fought fifteen rounds contest, the laranaki representative secured the decision on points. A remarkable scene of enthusiasm followed, Maxwell, who appears to be a great favourite with New Zealand boxing followers, being cheered to the echo. Maxwell scaled 9st 121 b and Hannan lOst, both being reported in good tiim. The first half-dozen rounds were all in favour of Maxwell, whose body punches were cleverly executed, while his left hooks and punishing right uppercuts repeatedly broke through Hannan’s defence. In rounds I , 8,9, and 10 the contest was more even, although Alaxwell constantly drove in his uppercuts to the discomfiture of the Australian lightweight, who, however, made use of his dangerous right. In the eleventh round Hannan brought his left into play, and succeeded in making up some of the leeway, despite his failure to block a series of weighty uppercuts. The remaining four rounds showed Maxwell up in an even more ravourable light, and he continued to cutpoint Hannan with straight lefts ana uppercuts, eventually finishing up a good winner on points.

The boxing boom has reached Dannevirke, ana an association has now Peen formed, while it has been suggested that September 10 (the night oefore the Dannevirke races) be the date of the opening tournament. The Waipukurau Association have expressed their willingness to assist the newly-formed Dannevirke body, and it has been decided to run the first carnival under the auspices of that association. In the event of it being found impossible to make the necessary arrangements in time for a carnival on September 10, the date will be altered to September 25.

The American heavyweights, “Porky’ Flynn and Jim Barry, met in Boston a few nights ago, when Flynn obtained the decision on points in a 12-round contest. It will perhaps be remembered that the pair met twice during their recent visit to Australia, and m both instances Flynn won on points.

Jack Lestei- appears to be “all in” (as an American would express it), so far as the pugilistic game is concerned, as his lengthy visit to Australia has been one long list of disappointments. The latest task which the young Cle Elum (U.S.) heavyweight set himself out to accomplish was to box the ex-amateur, Pat Doran (who is well-known in Auckland boxing circles) in Alelbourne. Had such a match been proposed some two years back, when Lester was regarded as being a worthy aspirant for world s championship honours, the idea would have been ridiculed. It is thus seen how Lester has dropped in the public estimation as a fighter,, when he is pitted against such an indifferent exponent as Pat Doran. Further, the match resulted in a victory for Doran on a foul, which goes to show that Lester is too hot-headed a boxer to ever meet with any degree of success in the ring, as this is not the first occasion on which, the American has been guilty of a foul during his contests in Australia. * * * *

The men agreed to fight with a clean break, and while Doran, as usual, boxed cleverly, the American fought slowly and in slogging fashion. In the first round Doran reached Lester’s face with several good straight lefts, but later on Lester sent home some heavy swings over the kidneys. Lester talked freely, and smiled repeatedly, to lead the crowd to believe that he was only playing with his taller opponent. But it was easily seen that this was assumed by Lester, and it was not appreciated, for the cheering was tremendous when, in the fourth round, he fell to the boards after Doran had sent in both hands heavily to the face. He fell with such force that he almost rolled out of the" ring, but he was soon on his feet again, with his eye opened and bleeding. Lester was cautioned by the referee on several occasions for hitting in clinches, and at the opening of the fifth round he was warned again. Doran succeeded in reaching Lester’s right eye, which was bleeding freely and almost closed up, and in the following round he was in the ascendant again. Lester sent some good body jolts, but he was fighting wildly, and once more had to be cautioned for hitting in holts. Shortly afterwards the American repeated the breach, and Doran was declared the winner.