LIVELY BOUTS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 120, 23 May 1942, Page 10

LIVELY BOUTS

BOXING IN SYRIA X.Z. SOLDIERS' CHAMPIONSHIPS (N.Z.E.F. Official War Correspondent) CAIRO, May 21. In a dispatch dated from somewhere in Syria on May 18 the correspondent says:— In an open-air ring, set in a Syrian mountain valley, the New Zealand divisional boxing championships were decided this week-end. Hundreds of our troops, fit after weeks of digging and marching, lined the steep sides of the natural arena, or crowded truck tops to see the liveliest two-day series of bouts staged by the 2nd N.Z.E.F. Former New Zealand titleholders, young amateurs, veteran professionals, some of their youthful vigour regained by t.heir strenuous life in Syria, fought in over 30 bouts to decide divisional titles. In the final of the bantamweight. Nicholls, of Taranaki, amateur runner-up for last year's title, beat Hunter by a technical knock-out. The featherweight championship was won by J. McAlpine, the Auckland amateur, who was beaten by Cyril Hurne last year. McAlpine, who gave one of the best exhibitions of boxing in the tournament, knocked out Wilde in the final. Lang, who beat Porter in the semi-final of the lightweight division, won the final by default. Jack O'Connor, of Christchurch, New Zealand amateur lightweight champion and winner of the Jamieson Belt in 1938, beat Neame, of Westland, in the final of the welter-weight. Their closely-fought bout ended early in the second round, when Neame suffered a cut above the eye. Dick Baker, the Jnvercargill professional, continued his unbroken record of successes in the Middle East by winning his four fights for the middle-weight title. Baker, who held several Southland amai teur titles before turning professional irr 1938, beat rieid, the Auckland amateur, in the final. In the light-heavy division the final was won by Robertson, 1939 Waikato titleholder, who beat Neil, of Auckland, onetime New Zealand middle-weight champion. Last year's winner, L. Lister, of Ashburton, was beaten on points by Steers, North Auckland, in a bout which was taken an extra round. Lucas, who beat Heglun by a knock-out in the semifinal of the neavy-weight championship, won the final by default.