FULL OF FIGHT.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 227, 25 September 1928, Page 15

FULL OF FIGHT.

McINNES BEATS MONSON.

FIFTEEN SPLENDID ROUNDS

TOE TO TOE EXCHANGES

As full of fight as a terrier, Tommy Melnnes kept at Ted Monson. the Australian middle-weight champion, over the full fifteen three-minute rounds of their professional contest in the Town Hall last evening, and earned a popular decision. Twelve hundred miles is a long way to come for a match, especially if it goes to the other man, and Monson was bitterly disappointed, but in the opinion of the isidges the Scot made enough points to win the big end of the special £200 purse. ' Boxing is on a boom in Auckland at the present time, and there were but few vacant seats. Enthusiasts had anticipated a stirring mill, and they had no cause for complaint. Like the MclnnesMcDonald clash a few weeks back, when the Scotsman dropped a point decision to the New Zealand enampion after a ding-dong go, last evening's fight was brimful of action, with toe to toe exchanges in every round. As long as the Northern Boxing Association can give the public as much for their money ae at their last two carnivals the present boom is likely to continue. When Mclnnes made his first New Zealand appearance to floor Clarrie Pocoek (Christchurch) seven times in two rounds before the referee stopped the fight, he racier rubbed the crowd up the wrong way by hitting in the breakaways, but he won his way back to favour by his sporting display against McDonald, and last evening he was given a great reception when he followed Monson into the ring. Monson the Heavier. Mclnnes (11.1 j) beat Monson (11.6) in Australia about a year ago, and he repeated the dose last evening, because he carried the fight to his man all through, never once letting up. Monson, it appeared, took things a little too easily, and though he landed the heavier, many of his blows fell short of their mark or missed altogether. When he did go after his man he hit very hard, as he demonstrated in the second round when he dropped Mclnnes with a nicely timed right-handed punch to the mouth. It was a tip-top smack, and if it had landed an inch or so lower down and a little to the side the chances are that Mclnnes' memories would have gone back if his childhood days in far away Scotland. With Mclnnes groggy, Monson bustled his man on to the ropes in an attempt to finish his job, but the Scot weathered the storm under short canvas, stopping as many of Monson's blows as he could with his gloves, as his brain cleared. Thence to the end MeInncs was more careful, although he still continued to be the more aggressive. He would jab Monson with his left two or three times before taking something in return, and would also score with well timed hooks to the head and body. It was a great recovery, and there was loud cheering when> at the end, the two judges decided in his favour, thus taking the responsibility out of the hands of the referee (Mr. F. Burns). The verdict in favour of Mclnnes came as a shock to Monson, who clearly thought that he had won. "If I didn't win I certainly didn't loee," he said after the fight. Mclnnes Dropped. Mclnnes started the fight with a light left to the face, but was then driven to the ropes, Monson playing both hands to the head. The Scot scored with his useful left hook, and there was a spirited rally on the ropes at the bell. It had been a lively start, and the crowd cheered. There was a quiet opening to the second, and then Monson swung hard to the head, Mclnnes blocking. As the pair exchanged blows, Monson whipped in with his right, which landed on Mclnnes' mouth, and the Scot went down hard*. McTnnes shook his head and. rather unwisely, got to his feet at "four," and it was all he could do to see the round out. Again there was a wild cheering. Mclnnes came up fresh for the third, and forced the fight over the next few rounds. Monson several times got the Scot on the ropes and tried, ineffectively, to land a sleep producer. With Mclnnes cornered, Monson made points with lefts to the head, and also caused the Scot to gasp with a hard rip to the body. There was little in-fighting, the referee breaking the men almost as soon as they got together. Both men hit in the breakaway, and Mr. Burns was kept busy. Monson, when he "cut loose," had the Scot defending, but he appeared to prefer to take things fairly easy. Early in the ninth Monson rushed his man into a corner and got home with a good right drive t» the body. In an attempt to land his left to the jaw the Australian was well short. The Scot earned applause by cleverly getting out of a corner and bustling his man into it. McTnnes' mouthpiece came out, and he kicked it out of the ring. There was more toe to toe fighting in the tenth, with Monson shaking his man with a left hook to the head. In the eleventh, Mclnnes, who was continually jabbing his left to Monson's face, bied freely from a cut above the left eye (it was stitched after the fight). Monson. throughout, fought very coolly, and in the thirteenth he attacked briskly, the Scot again losing his mouthpiece in the excitement. The fourteenth session was particularly lively. Moneon went after his man. but Mclnnes fought back. In the final rally Monson landed a good right to the head, and one «anie hand down below, the final bell going as the pair were trading punches toe to toe. Both men were loudly cheered, but the verdict in favour of McTnnes was very popular. The Amateurs. The first of four amateur bouts which provided overtures to the big fight was supplied by W. Hogg (7.7), and C. Maker (7.0). Hojrj: had all the advantages, weight, height, reach, and in a brisk' thoujrh j.erhaps ra-rged little scrap, which ended with a rally, Hogg got the decision. Incidentally he took the most punishment, but he was the better boxer, Maher's punches being mostly "speculators," although many found face. °° It's a poor show that does not contain at least a vein of comedy and though the cruiser-weights C. O'Sullivan (11.1 U) and T. Mullina (12.0) no doubt thought it heavy drama the crowd laughed heartily as the pair hit, missed, and clinched throughout three of the four rounds. Mullins was the better of the pair and O'Sullivan must have thought so too, because at every chance he grabbed Mullins and held on. It was a very crude affair and Mullins was genuinely entitled to the decision. A. Gunn (9.10), who is game if not a clever boxer, met one too good for him in A. Karko a name the fajg

quickly twisted into "Tβ Kara." In every department Karim, who hails from Taranaki, was the superior, his timing and hitting being both good. In the third round he had Gunn on the mat for eight and th» gong saved him. In the fourth Gunn. was again down, but he got up and saw the round out. The decision to Karim was. the only one possible. Easily the bright item of the amateur bouts was that between the bantams, L. Bailey (8.12) and H. Johns (8.10£). Throughout the four rounds the pair boxed fast and snappy. Theve was not a dull second, but Johns, while not quite so aggressive as Bailey, scored the more cleaner punches. It was a bright turn and when Johns was given the decision there was a warm round of applause for both lads. TE AROHA TOURNEY. COOMBES BEATS LOVERIDGK. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) TE AROHA. this day. A very successful boxing tournament at Te Aroha last evening resulted:—B. Hinton (Prankton) beat E. Stewart (Te Aroha), O. Cleave (Te Aroha) beat M. McConnell (Pranktoa), T. Harman {Te Aroha) beat Alf. Woods (Wai tea), B. Mntton (Frankton) beat D. Jansen (Te Aroha), Jock Wilson (Frankton) drew with G. Campbell (Matamata). The professional bout between Dick Loveridge (New Plymouth) and Phil Coombes (Te Aroha), for a purse of 75sovs. was an interesting mill, the full 10 rounds , being fought. The last two rounds proved the most vicious and determined yet witnessed locally. Coombee was sriven tha verdict by a narrow margin of points.