BOXING.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 57, Issue 248, 31 July 1937, Page 2

BOXING.

SOUTHLAND V. CANTERBURY. TOURNAMENT AT RAKAIA. An ambitious programme has been arranged to take place under the auspices of the Rakaia Boxing Association on Monday evening. It is probable that unless for championship meetings that such a wealth of talent has not been assembled in Ashburton before. The principal item will be match contests between the leading Southland and Canterbury amateurs, as follow, with Southland names first: —Dick McKay v. Bill Lister, Dick Baker v. Dave McLeod, .J. Lamoert v. Sandy Guthrie, B. Enwright v. Vic. Thomas, T. Denny v. Wes Jack. This is not all the programme. There are six more amateur bouts in which the following will be matched:—G. Brown v, W. Tonks, McCall v. Morris, Donaghey v- Dix, Jaggers v. Garty, Hanham v. Withell and G. Melrose v. F. Smith. In all it should be an outstanding night of sport, and the association deserves all support for putting on a, programme with an eye to attracing the public. BLATCH AGAIN DEFEATED. PROBABLE RETURN TO AUSTRALIA. iUnited Press Association—G>pyright. J NEW YORK, July 29. Guggino gained the decision over the Australian, Blatch, in*the eighth round of a bout at Madison Square Gardens. Blatclx told the Australian Associated Press: ‘.‘l anpafraid my training for 15-round bouts handicapped me for the shorter distance. Actually I received only one blow that hurt, namely, a right to the ear; but somehow my timing was slow and allowed Guggino to get set. Therefore I was unable to make my blows count as much as I should. ”

Blatch’s manager said: “It was a lost fight which we should have won. Blatch was the better mat, but threw away the fight. lam afraid he is now compelled to go home. It would be difficult to get him further matches before a metropolitan audience.” Blatch weighed in at 9st 121 b, and Guggino at 9st 7|lb. The crowd booed Blatch when he was introduced. The Australian used his left most effectively. The men mixed it terrifically at close quarters. Blatch continued to 1 use his left .with good results. Guggino was not breaking cleanly. It was Blatch’s round. In the second round Blatch had learned a lesson from his previous bout, and kept his opponent off with lefts, making him miss continuously. Guggino had a slight advantage at close quarters, but the Australian did not allow him many such opportunities. It was Blatch’s round. Guggino pressed Blatch in the third round, making him retreat, but the Australian’s left seemed irresistible and gave him points. Guggino landed a left to Blatch’s Jaw, stinging him, but Blatcb. pounded his opponent half through the ropes. Guggino again landed a smashing left to the jaw. It was Guggino’s round. In the fourth Blatch pounded Guggino’s body at close quarters, while Guggino did a considerable amount of wild swinging. The men mixed it toward the end, and the round finished even. Guggino punched the Australian on the body in the fifth, then landed a hard right to the jaw, hurting Blach badly. Blatch had now grown cautious and was retreating. Blatch slipped and almost fell when both men came in close. It was Guggino’s round. >

The Australian was tired in the seventh, and Guggino’s better in-fight-ing was apparently takng toll of The Australian. Blatch, however, still made his left effective, and lie was occasionally crossing with his right to land clean blows; hut it was Guggino’s round. In the eighth and last round the men exchanged blows in the middle of the ring. Blatch snapped a long left to his opponent’s chin. The referee warned Guggino against using his head to bump Blatch in the clinches. Guggino punished the Australian severely to the head at close quarters, and landed a *hard left and right to the head before the end. MATCHES AT OAMARU. ASHBURTON COMPETITORS. Seven Ashburton boxers made the trip to Oamaru to take part in matches against the Oamaru boxers as preliminaries to the Jenkins v. Parks professional fight. Although the Ashburton boys all gave very creditable displays, their chances of success were minimised by the effects o-f the three-hour journey, this being most evident in the younger members of the team. Kesults were, Ashburton names being mentioned first:— Mosauito-weighi, Peter Connelly (7st 31b) v. B. Newton (7st 71b). —Connelly fought well against an experienced and very hard-hitting opponent, and after a bad first round fought back well in the second and third; but Newton proved too aggressive and took the decision. Bantam-weight. Bon Smith (Bst 51b) v. A. Luxon (6st 6ilb). —This was easily the best bout of the evening between two evenly-match-ed boys. Smith took the lead early with a hard two-fisted attack, but Luxon returned to the fray full of fight, and after a great toe-to-toe battle Smith gained the verdict amici a great burst of applause. Feather-weigftt. Cliff Horsburgh (Bst 131 b) v. M. Hunter (Bst 101 b). —Horsburgh was unfortunate in meeting such an old master

in Hunter, and although he fought gamely for three rounds he was unable to cope with Hunter’s hard slugging attacks, and lost the fight. Light-weight. Keith Kenny (9st 6lb) v. Norman Jenkins (9st 7£lb). —The Jamieson Belt holder, Jenkins, was kept very busy by his smaller adversary while Kenny’s condition lasted, but after two very good rounds, during which Jenkins whs several times staggered with hard left hooks, Kenny appeared so distressed that the referee intervened and crowned the Oamaru boy winner. Welter-weight. Ray Hunt (lOst 21b) v. E. Houliglian (lOst 41b). —'inis was an easy victory for Hunt, who, attacking strongly, scon had his man in trouble, and a hard right croSs put Houliglian down for the count in the first round. Light-heavyweight. Tom Lister (12st) v. Ron Withell (12st 21b). —This bout was a disappointment for the audience, as both boxers gave a good exhibition of boxing without being vicious. Lister’s greater experience and, fast counter-punching gained for him a slight lead on points, which he maintained in spite of Withell’s aggression. Both boys received an ovation. WORLD TITLE BOUT. ROSS TO MEET GARCIA. NEW YORK, July 29. Barney Ross, the world welter-weight champion, and the Filipino boxer, Cerefino Garcia, have signed up for a title match on September 17.