BOXING

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 11, Issue 88, 7 October 1947, Page 5

BOXING

ROTORUA TOURNAMENT

LOCAL BOXERS SUCCESS

Graced by the presence of Tom Heeney, former contender for the World’s heavy-weight title, the tournament staged in the municipal theatre last week by the Rotorua Boxing Association was one of the best ever seen in the district. The almost capacity house was treated to always willing and generally scientific exhibitions of ringcraft and all arrangements went off without a hitch.

Mr Heeney shared the duties of referee with Mr L. Palmer and the judges were Messrs. Heeney and C. Farmer. Details of the bouts in which local boys took part were:—

I. McKenzie, 5.11, of Whakatane, beat B. Watkins, 5.9, of Mangakino, in three one and a half minute rounds. McKenzie was the bigger boy and the better boxer but his opponent was very game and not afraid to mix it.

B. Williams, 7.13, of Opotiki, beat H. Jacobs, 7.9, of Awahau, in a flyweight contest in which the winner showed more experience and packed a solid punch for his weight. W. Webby, 9.13, of Rotorua, beat W. Penny, 9.4, of Whakatane, in a lightweight contest of three twominute rounds. The Rotorua man won by a fair margin after doing most of the leading. However, Penny, who has a good style, got home some telling uppercuts and used an effective right cross in close work. The last round was torrid, with rapid-fire exchanges to the head.

Title Holder Defeated

In a paper-weight fight, B. Newton, 7.4, .of Rotorua, beat the Poverty Bay champion, J. Curtis, 7.6, of Opotiki. Newton is a very promising lad, with a fine idea of footwork and his aggressive opponent seldom got through with a formidable straight left. It was Newton’s fight all the way, in fact. V. Williams, 5.5, of Edgecumbe, fought a draw with G. Ambridge, 5.2, of Matamata, in three one-min-ute rounds. The decision met with great approval. W. Baty, 9.13, of Edgecumbe, outclased G. Hill, 10.2, of Matamata, the referee stopping the fight in the first round.

F. Johnston, 10.8, of Matamata, beat J. Baty, 10.5, of Edgecumbe, in a bout of changing fortunes. The first round of this welter-weight contest was characterised by heavy exchanges to head and body at close range, with the Edgbcumbe lad a shade the better on points. Baty returned with a two-fisted barrage but the latter part of the round was also in Johnston’s favour. In the final up, Johnston scored repeatedly without reply, his left being particularly effective and he won by a safe margin. Another welter-weight bout, between G. Francis, 10.22-, N of Whakatane, and E. Quinn, 10.12, of Awahau, went in favour of the former. The first two rounds did not disclose an advantage for either but in the third, Francis made good use of a straight left and right cross and scored repeatedly. A match at catch weights between B. Reilly, 12.1, of Mangakino and H. Candy, 11.4, of Whakatane, saw some very willing in-fighting. Candy was pushed round a good deal by his heavier opponent and in the second- round, he stayed down for the count of seven. Candy made sound use of his reach in the final flutter and had Reilly guessing. The referee, Mr Heeney, awarded a draw, which was popularly received, but he remarked afterwards that in America Reilly would have been deemed the winner on his aggressiveness. Champion Shows Good Form B. Wood, 8.13, of Hamilton, beat C. Curtis, 8.10, of Opotiki, in three one and a-half minute rounds. This match was marked by a good deal of in-fighting, with Wood doing most of the disrepair work. In the third, Curtis was on his knees for the count of seven when the gong went.

T. Connor, 10.12, of Opotiki, and the Poverty Bay champion, beat D. McNeill, 10.2, of Paeroa, in a wel-ter-weight bout, in which Connor’s confident and clever style had the Paeroa lad in trouble most of the time. The loser received a round of applause for his game showing against a finished boxer.