ENGLISH WELTERWEIGHTS MEET.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1307, 13 May 1915, Page 28

ENGLISH WELTERWEIGHTS MEET.

SERGT. BASHAM DEFEATS MATT WELLS.

English papers just to hand contain reports of the meeting between Matt Wells who a couple of years ago visited Australia, and Sergeant Basham, at the London Opera House, in a contest the best of fifteen rounds at lOst. 81b., a pound outside the welterweight limit. The r.ng was erected on the stage, a perfectly level floor, and a small ring, certamly not more than fifteen feet, and therefore not conducive to a brilliant display of footwork. Both men weighed in at 2 p.m., and each was well inside the stipulated weight. At ten o’clock exactly Matt Wells entered the ring, attended by Alf. Hewitt, Bill Natty, Harry Stokes. Basham followed a second or two later, esquired by Ralph Lisle, Walter Edwards and Sergt. Walton. Mr. Eugene Corri was referee, and Mr. Keen timekeeper. Round 1: Both used left leads; Basham was the first to let go, but missed. He hit the straighter, Wells hooking. Matt m.ssed a hard right lead by a foot. Even round. Round 2: Wells scored with a straight left twice, and Basham countered w-th right on body. Both used straight lefts at head and scored. Wells missed a right lead, but got in three lefts on the head. Wells’ round.

Round 3: Basham got home with the left, and again later on, twice in quick succession. Wells m.ssed with right and left, and Basham scored again. Basham’s round.

Round 4: Basham led and missed, and Wei s got home twice with the left. Later Basham put Wells down with a right hook, as Wells was getting away. They exchanged heavy lefts and rights and Wells got home twice in succession with a straight left, and again as the bell went. Slightly in favour of Wells. Round 5: Fast exchanges, Wells ducking several straight lefts beautifully. He missed a hard upper-cut, Basham coming away cleverly. A fast round in favour of Wells. Round 6: A fast round, with Wells doing most of the leading. He got home with the left three or four times, but Basham was not idle, and the round ended with honours easy. Round 7: Fast exchanges. Basham scored four times with a straight left. Wells ducked several lefts and rights, but Basham got home, and the round ended in his favour. Round 8: Wells landed twice with a straight left, and twice more soon after, but both missed vicious left hooks at the jaw. Wells scored with a left uppercut, and Basham with two straight lefts but Wells again came with left and right at head and body, and took the honours of the round.

Round 9: Wells led with left, and got home on the nose. Basham tried left and right, but: missed. Matt then got in with a left and a right, and had the points to the end. Round 10: Fast exchanges. Wells landed with the left, and there was a deal of clinching. Basham tried left and right, but Wells ducked beautifully, and avoided a hail of blows that Basham sent in. Wells got home with a straight left twice on the nose. The fighting was very fast all through. Basham missed a left, and Wells conwith the left just as the bell rang. Round 11: This was Basham’s round. He used a straight left and a useful right, and got home time and again. The work was fast and furious, and Basham fought with greater confidence than heretofore. Round 12: Wells seemed to fall off in this round somewhat, whilst Basham’s confidence 'increased. He got home several lefts —straight and hook —on the face, and had the better of the round. Round 13: Basham still fighting full of confidence. He got the left on Wells’ face three times, but Matt hooked him on the jaw. Fast exchanges were in favour of Basham, Who was clearly the stronger man.

Round 14: Basham went in full of confidence. He shot in two straight lefts on the face, and cleverly avoided a vicious right hook. Forcing Wells round the ring, he planted the left time after time, and had all the better of the round. Round 15: The contest was clearly Basham’s, bar accident. He was the stronger, and possessed the greater confidence. Wells tried left and right, and got home lightly with the former hand, but Basham was the aggressor, and using his left with great precision scored freely, and at the end of the round and the contest the referee very properly awarded him the verdict.

For the first eight rounds the contest was somewhat in favour of Wei’s, who seemed to get into his stride more quickly than the Welshman.

After the eighth round it was of a give-and-take nature for three or four rounds, when Wells seemed to weaken greatly, and Basham bringing up his reserves, forced Wells all over the ring, scoring well. In the last three rounds it was pretty well all Basham, and hitting with precision and judgment, chiefly with his left, he earned a meritorious victory.