BOXING.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1364, 15 June 1916, Page 4

BOXING.

HERB McCOY BEATEN.

OUTFOUGHT BY LLEW EDWARDS.

Liew Edwards demonstrated the other evening before a great crowd, which filled well every section of the Sydney Stadium’s seating capacity, that he was Herb McCoy’s master as a boxer and a fighter. Though McCoy did not shape so well against his latest opponent as he has done in opposition to others, it would be wrong to say that he tought below himself. They are boxers both as well as fighters, and the contest was a boxing bout all the way more than what is generally understood as a fight. The pair began, and continued throughout the greater part of the battle, as if they were in a vigorous, fast, boxing tilt, rather than a contest wherein each was to go in and give it as well as take it. McCoy knew Edwards to be a skilful exponent and the latter was aware that he had to face one who knew more about the science of upholstered fist fighting than most of his contemporaries. The contest was waged accordingly. Apparently neither had the least fear of the other. From the very first they stepped in and led and blocked and swung and hooked and fended with a coolness that is unusual. We saw by no. means a great deal of finesse. Nor did we witness much of that stand-off wariness and manoeuvring for openings which are the rule when ring men are seriously intent. It was, no doubt, this aspect of the engagement which caused a section of the house to at time yell “Police!” “Robbery!” etc., and once count the display out. But those demonstrations were in no way warranted. A faster or a more skilful exhibition is rarely seen. CLEVER WORK. The evasive shifts and the defence otherwise of the combatants were often a treat to watch. Some heavy blows landed, but mostly the punching had little apparent effect upon either man, this because he moved adroitly enough to deprive the effort of much of, if not all, its effect. Those who roared objection were looking for effect, and because it was not there the contest did not seem right to them. Quite early Edwards’ mouth bled, and late in the battle a smudge of blood appeared under McCoy’s nose. Beyond that there were no evidences of the heat and burthen of what must have been a very exacting ordeal for both boxers, excepting that each fell off in vim towards the finish, McCoy more than his opponent, who harried and worried right to the end. Frequently McCoy clung tenaciously, and just as frequently Edwards did his best to shake him off, without attempting to expend energy unduly. Therein he showed good judgment. BOTH DO WELL. The first two rounds were McCoy’s. Edwards appeared not quite to understand how to combat the Melbourne lad’s methods. Still he was not tar behind. The Englishman did well enough, comparatively, to win the honours of the third stage. In the next, however, McCoy resumed mastery, and went to his corner twice with the surplus points on his side of the referee’s scoring-sheet before. Edwards came again to show better up to, and inclusive of, the ninth round. The tenth was fairly even, and the 11th and 12th went to McCoy. Afterwards Edwards never looked back, and the last sound of the gong saw him a good winner. His success was only easy as far as points were concerned. He had to battle hard as a rule. McCoy hit back often and weightily once in a way, bjit he missed badly several times, and Edwards missed too, but not to the same extent as his adversary. RIGHT HAND EFFECTIVE. McCoy’s left, while he led, proved a telling power in scoring, and Edwards exhibited a sinister weapon, which won him a good deal of grpund, but it was with the right that he did most damage. He knew that the great weakness in McCoy s equipment was his inability to beat a skilfully used right and worked on it a good deal with eminently satisfactory results for him. It was Frank O’Connor’s right which laid McCoy low in Melbourne not so long ago. One or two of Edwards’ right hand wallops rattled his opponent to such an ex-

tent that he clung with an octopuslike grip and, until his jumbled wits became a bit settled, he needed a good deal of shaking off. McCoy’s effort in. the 11th round, which he won, deserved considerably more applause than was accorded it. Every fight follower looks for something sensational in the 13th round, and now and again he does not look in vain. Edwards had McCoy badly bewildered during the latter part of that period. A right uppercut and a clever right across to the jaw caused McCoy to cling with strong tenacity, and a further dose of severe punishment about the head rendered the situation so bad for him that he might have been outed but for the clang of the gong, which found the Australian dazed and hanging on, as if very life depended upon his ability to remain in that position. It was an unusual match. The men in opposition were the holder of the English featherweight championship belt, grown into a lightweight since his arrival in the Commonwealth, and Australia’s premier lightweight, who, if he studied himself properly would be competing in the welterweight division. The weights were: Edwards, 9st. 8%1b.; and McCoy, 9st. B%lb.