JARVIS KEEPS HIS TITLE

Camp News (Northern Command), Volume 1, Issue 5, 31 May 1940, Page 6

JARVIS KEEPS HIS TITLE

Lightweight Boxing GAME SHOWING BY SHARPE Boxing' as well as ever he did at any stage of his career, Jack Jarvis, professional lightweight boxing champion of . the Dominion, retained his title by outpointing Jackie Sharpe over 15 rounds before a crowded audience in the Wellington Town Hall last Thursday week. Jarvis.attacked his man so savagely in the eighth round that he. burst his right glove just as the gong sounded, and a new’ pair had to be obtained. Sharpe thereupon also demanded a new. set of gloved, and there was an interval of about eight minutes before the ninth round started. But for the delay the contest might have ended earlier, as Sharpe was in a bad way at the end of the eighth round. The spell enabled him to recover, and for the remainder of tne contest'he put-up a brave showing. , Jarvis, however, .was too fast and clever for the ex-Australian, who pinned his faith to a knock-out with the right. At the conclusion of the contest, Jarvis was presented with the championship belt, and cheers were given by the big crowd for both men. ' Mr. Phil Thomson was the referee, and the judging was done by Messrs. P. W. Woods and W. P. Sommerville. Sharpe scaled 9.7. and Jarvis 9.5|. Jarvis .started confidently, and used a straight left to good effect, 'but-Sharpe, who was boxing confidently, scored ; with right and left to the head just before the first round ended. The champion kept the left going in the second round, and smashed his man to a neutral corner, but the ex-Australian smothered up well. Jarvis scored with several light lefts to

j the face, Sharpe being short with'a. few : right ,crosses. A right to the side oi the head stung Jarvis to action in the third round,, and he waded in with both hands to head and I body, but Sharpe took most of the blows on the forearms and gloves. Sharpe ■•. cored with left and right to the head in the fourth round, which caused tlie champion to flash a couple of left jabs to the , face. Both scored to the head with left leads in the fifth round, Jarvis having I slightly the better of the exchanges. Jarvis took the aggressive in the sixth ! round, chasing his opponent around tie ring with a fierce two-handed attack, to which Sharpe appeared to have no answer. Sharpe did belter m the next round, landing a good right to. the head; and getting in some telling body blows. Both misled with wicked right hooks Jarvis Bursts a Glove. < Jarvis cut loose in x the eighth - round with a powerful right'hook to the body, t which had Sharpe groggy, and the. chainpion dealt out severe punishment with ; both hands to headwind body. Sharpe ap- ' P-u ar1 to be all in ’ but managed to last till the gong sounded. So severe were ' ; Jarvis. s blows in this round that hi® - | right glove bust, and there was a brief 4 delay, while a new’ pair were' obtained. . Sharpe, thereupon. also demanded another

pair of gloves, and these had to be obtained. This caused a. break of aootit eight Upon resuming, Sharpe landed a boiid right to the head, to which .Jarvis rep 1 it i with a vicious left rip downstairs, w hiucaused Sharpe to grimace with pain, ami signal to the champion to keep his blow. "’fobbing, weaving aim ducking, .Jarvis was an elusive target in the next round ami Sharpe missed several times wit > right hooks. > ' ' -The crowd roared as the boxers waim ed to their work in the eleventh and en gaged in some fierce, toe-to-toe i alius Sharpe seemed fresher than at any tiim -in the contest. The applause was deafen ing as Sharpe took the aggressive in the twelfth round, and Jarvis fought back strenuously. Sharpe continued his aggressive tactics in the next round, in which’Jarvis was warned by the rel'ere for' hitting low. • The champion had the better of tin ■ next round, in which he piled up points with a lancelike left to the lace. ■ Realizing that he was behind on points Sharpe went for a knock-out in the last round, but Jarvis held his own, and dm of the best professional contests seen in Wellington for a long time went to Jarvis bn points. . ' Jarvis is in Trentham camp, and Sharpe in the New Zealand Air Force Uniformed supporters . , were in both corners. . - a .